By Dr. Kristina Quan
April 1st marked one year of the Primary Care Physician Compensation Model (PCPCM) in Alberta. As the province’s newest compensation model for family physicians, it represents a hybrid model incorporating encounter payments (Fee-For-Service or FFS), time payments (clinical Alternative Relationship Plans or ARPs), and panel/patient complexity-based payment (capitation).
Total physician compensation is estimated as:
The prerequisites for PCPCM include:
- minimum of 500 patient panel
- work at least 400 hours of direct/indirect care over at least 40 weeks per year
- work in a clinic-based practice providing longitudinal care
- physician is on Community Information Integration (CII)/Central Patient Attachment Registry (CPAR)
Currently, there are over 1,200 physicians on PCPCM. Over 45% of eligible physicians are currently enrolled in the model. Most physicians have reported a 5-20% pay raise compared to FFS. The differences depend on practice style and panel size. Physicians on PCPCM have 50% fewer patient panel conflicts (6% vs. 12%).
I have been using the PCPCM model for the last year and have overall noticed a positive benefit to my practice. My total compensation increased around 8% from the previous year. The time-based payments financially acknowledge the time spent outside of patient encounters which is a big shift from the fee for service model. I have also found billing to be simplified and faster with PCPCM. I recognize that PCPCM will not work for all practices; however, for my practice type it has been beneficial and is a good option for physicians practicing longitudinal care.
Learn More About the PCPCM
The PCPCM, jointly developed by AMA’s primary care physician leaders and Primary and Preventative Health Services, is a compensation option for family physicians and rural generalists. It was created to support family medicine practices, reduce administrative burden and physician burnout, and improve patient access to care. Read more about it here.
