What is a locum, and when are they used?
A locum physician is a licensed and fully registered medical professional who temporarily fills in for another physician during their absence. Examples of absence include:
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Illness
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Vacation
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Parental Leave
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Caregiving
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Military Deployment
Locum services ensure that patient care remains consistent and high-quality, even when the primary physician is away.
What services do locums provide?
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Longitudinal Care: Providing continuous care to a defined panel of patients on behalf of the host physician, ensuring that patient care remains uninterrupted.
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Patient Consultations: Conducting patient consultations, both in-person and virtually, maintaining the same standards of care as the host physician.
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Medical Procedures: Performing necessary medical procedures and treatments as required by the patients under their care.
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Clinical Documentation: Documenting patient interactions and medical records, ensuring all information is accurately recorded and reviewed.
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Collaboration with Health Care Teams: Working closely with other health care professionals to provide comprehensive care and maintain continuity of care.
What is the difference between a host and a locum?
Host Physician
A physician enrolled in the PCPCM who typically provides longitudinal care to a defined panel of patients.
Locum Physician
A physician who provides longitudinal care to a defined panel of patients on behalf of the host physician.
How does payment work?
Option 1
Locum Bills Under the Host Physician's PCPCM BA
Option 2
Locum Bills Fee-For-Service (FFS)
Considerations
For option 1, the locum will need to agree to the rules and rates specified in the PCPCM Ministerial Order.
A contract should be in place when hiring a locum and establishing payment rates. The process for hiring locums under PCPCM should be outlined in the clinic or physician group’s practice agreement.
Payment Options
A contract must be in place between the host physician and the locum physician that outlines payment terms for the locum services provided. AMA's Locum Contract Resource can act as a first step for discussions and a template for contract development.
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The locum physician submits claims using the host physician’s PCPCM BA.
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PCPCM encounter claim payments continue.
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Time-based claims payments continue.
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Clinic Administration payments continue.
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The host physician’s patient panel remains active, and panel payments continue.
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The locum physician will receive payment for services based on the contractual agreement with the host physician/clinic.
If under 28 days, the locum physician can use their FFS BA, and the host physician does not need to change the status of their CPAR panel(s). If the physician anticipates they will be away more than 28 days, they must change their CPAR panel to "in transition" at the beginning of the locum coverage by notifying Alberta Health: health
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The host physician pauses their PCPCM panel payment by changing their CPAR panel(s) to “in transition.”
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The locum physician is not entitled to bill for time.
If the locum has their own submitter:
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They will submit claims using their own FFS BA.
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To submit claims, see claim field requirements in the Physician Resource Guide, Payment Option 3.
If the locum does not have their own submitter:
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They will submit claims using their own FFS BA in the BA field, and the host physician’s PCPCM BA will go in the locum BA field.
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To submit claims, see claim field requirements in the Physician Resource Guide, Payment Option 4.
IMPORTANT: Option 2 stops both panel payments and clinic administration payments which go to the clinic or host physician, depending on the designated payee.
For more information about Locum Services or to submit new requests for locums, please visit the AMA's Physician Locum Services (PLS) webpage.
Additional Resources