Dear Members,
This afternoon the Physician Comprehensive Care Model (PCCM) for primary care and the new rates for Family Medicine Alternative Relationship Plans (FMARP) were jointly announced by the AMA and government. These will go live April 1, 2025.
This is a great day for Alberta’s health care system and our patients. The new compensation options will help to stabilize and sustain family medicine practices and clinics.
Physician Comprehensive Care Model
The PCCM has been carefully designed to provide our primary care colleagues with the means to deliver life-long, comprehensive care – which is their unique specialty.
To get you familiar with the elements of the model, we have prepared a guidance document: Physician Comprehensive Care Model for Primary Care Essentials. We recognize that anyone seriously contemplating a move to the model will need all the details. I do want to point out that the AMA strongly recommended 250 as the minimum patient panel requirement. Ultimately, this decision rested with the Minister of Health, who has chosen 500 as the minimum panel size.
More information about the model can be found on the AMA’s website, including a financial calculator that you can use to “try on” the model for fit, an online form to submit technical questions, Q and A and more. These resources will be updated regularly as more information becomes available, so please check back often.
I encourage all interested members to register for a PCCM virtual information session that will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 6 p.m.
REGISTER HERE: Physician Comprehensive Care Model Information Session
Our Accelerating Change Transformation Team is ready to assist physicians in the new year who have questions about the model or would like to sign up via the streamlined application process that’s been developed.
Family Medicine ARP Rates
The improved rates better recognize family physicians who are currently providing comprehensive care and hospitalist services under clinical ARPs. The rates may also support those who are considering moving from fee-for-service to these types of models. The new rates will also apply to the clinical component of the Academic Medicine and Health Services Program (AMHSP).
The development of new rates uses a derived day approach (DDA) to bring family medicine clinical ARP and AMHSP earnings in line with family physician fee-for-service colleagues. The new approach will also allow for additional remuneration using the 03.01AA for primary care physicians who provide regularly scheduled after-hours hospital services, e.g., hospitalist, cancer care, cardiac surgical assists, etc. More information on the derived daily approach is available on the AMA website (member login required).
Pausing to celebrate and recharge
For several months we have viewed announcing the PCCM as a finish line. Today, it feels more appropriate to see the event as the start line for valuing family medicine as the foundation of our health care system. We should enjoy this moment!
Our thanks go to Minister Adriana LaGrange and to Premier Danielle Smith.
I am also deeply grateful for the tremendous amount of work undertaken by the AMA’s Strike Team to develop the PCCM, and by the AMA-AH ARP Working Group to develop the Family Medicine ARP rates. Many physician leaders have contributed their time and invaluable input, and the profession is immensely grateful. A special shout out to Dr. Paul Parks for his tenacity and advocacy throughout his tenure in support of the PCCM.
Thank you.
I hope that the holiday weeks ahead will allow each of you some opportunity to relax and recharge with friends and family. The Board and AMA staff will do likewise.
We will be ready to hit the ground running for you in January.
Sincerely,
Shelley Duggan, MD, FRCPC
President, Alberta Medical Association
It\'s been years since progress has been made on this subject. I do hope this decision is helpful to the doctors.
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