Doctors of BC proposal could separate governance from representation

The Doctors of BC is discussing the notion of a smaller, leaner board. The current board has about 40 members and meets about ten times a year for a full day. There are ten specialist delegates on the board now. The DBC Governance Committee is proposing a “Representative Assembly” of about 50 members meeting three times per year, with about 22 specialists who would advise and elect the board. The board would consist of nine members, all of whom could be GPs. The Specialists of BC believe at least half the board must be specialists, and that the GP and Specialist societies should be at the board as well. Please let me know if you support this position.

Practice Tip: Audit trail and exceptional callback

What time did you get called in or see the patient anyway? MSP would like all billings associated with a time to be auditable. That is, if you get called at 6:30 pm, and then come in to see the patient at 7:15 pm, they would like some sort of audit trail. We are recommending that when you dictate your consult or note, mention in it what time you were called and came in. E.g. I was called about this 45-year-old patient with abdominal pain at 6:30 pm, and came in to see them at 7:15 pm. This approach provides a great audit trail, and only adds a few words to your dictation.

We have learned that even if you have not been designated by your health authority for callback, you can still make a claim for exceptional callback if you meet all the other criteria. You may already be doing something you could be receiving payment for!

Getting the best from an overhead study

The Doctors of BC has struck a new overhead committee to try to determine doctors’ current incomes, sources, and office overhead expenses. This project is far more complicated than you might have guessed. As it is too costly to survey all of us, how many doctors should be included? What income sources are there and why do they matter? What are the legitimate expenses to you running your practice? The list goes on. There is a saying: “In God we trust, all others require corroboration.” It can de difficult to recall your exact income, sources, and expenses, so it would be much better to have all survey data corroborated. We will continue to work closely with the Overhead Committee to ensure that this study is of the highest quality possible.

Specialists of BC welcomes two specialty groups back to Council

I am exceptionally pleased to welcome Dermatology and Anesthesiology back to the Council of Specialists. Dr Evert Tuyp from Dermatology has been unbelievably active in helping us with overhead and disparity issues. Way to go Evert — and thank you. From Anesthesiology, Dr Peter Gajecki recently joined the Council. Anesthesiologists are important in so many aspects of medicine, and their practices are somewhat different from many others; it’s wonderful to get their input on the many issues we face. As specialists, we have issues that are common to us all, and others unique to specific groups. I want to cover both these angles with all our sections. Welcome Evert and Peter!