This FAQ regroups the major questions asked by Family Physicians as of November 15th. We will update this FAQ as we receive further questions from FPs.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Vancouver Division of Family Practice (VDOFP) is proud to offer our community family practice clinics a one-time financial grant to support your ideas to improve your Patient Medical Home practices and to build your Primary Care Networks. Our objective is to encourage as many clinics as possible to access the grants for a project that will make a meaningful difference to your clinic and staff.
The clinic grant program is available to PMHs providing primary care to patients in the community, and not in a care facility (e.g. hospital facility). PMH's providing community based primary care, but funded primarily by another entity (e.g. VCH), may receive funding for programs supporting improvements for Division members providing patient care.
Grant amounts are funded based on the number of physician full-time equivalent (FTE) at a clinic. Clinics with:
For example, if your clinic has 2 full-time physicians and 3 physicians that see patients half-time, the clinic is eligible for $3,000 (2 + 1.5 FTEs = 3.5 FTEs).
- 1 family physician FTE will receive $1,500
- 2 - 4 family physician FTEs will receive $3,000
- 5 or more family physician FTEs will receive $4,500
For example, if your clinic has 2 full-time physicians and 3 physicians that see patients half-time, the clinic is eligible for $3,000 (2 + 1.5 FTEs = 3.5 FTEs).
Yes. Clinics may work together on a joint project the positively benefits each clinic. Each clinic will be awarded the grant based on the number of physicians working at each clinic, up to $4,500 per clinic. Only one Clinic Owner or Clinic Manager needs to submit the grant request on behalf of all clinics involved.
No. The application is for the entire clinic (or group of clinics). A single application can include multiple ideas that all support the improvement of Patient Medical Homes and building Primary Care Networks.
Each clinic or group of clinics may request one grant for a project of its choice, using the online application form here: Clinic Grant Application. We encourage Clinic Owners and Clinic Managers representing an individual clinic (or representing a group of clinics) to apply on behalf of the entire clinic.
Please submit your application prior to November 16, 2022.
If you have any questions or would like support to submit your application, please contact your Community Network Manager (CNM) or email pcn@vancouverdivision.com
Please submit your application prior to November 16, 2022.
If you have any questions or would like support to submit your application, please contact your Community Network Manager (CNM) or email pcn@vancouverdivision.com
The grant is to encourage clinics to invest in practice support and networking, two things that clinics may have been unable to work on given the impact of COVID-19 and the primary care crisis.
Clinic grants can be used for a variety of improvements - from support upgrading office furniture and performing renovations through to paying for MOA training.
Here are some more project ideas (and feel free to propose something that is meaningful to your individual clinic):
If you're looking for more ideas, here are examples of programs that were undertaken during the 2021/22 clinic grant program.
Clinic grants can be used for a variety of improvements - from support upgrading office furniture and performing renovations through to paying for MOA training.
Here are some more project ideas (and feel free to propose something that is meaningful to your individual clinic):
- Digitize / remove old charts from the clinic
- Upgrade your EMR
- Implement an online patient appointment booking tool
- Update clinic software or expand clinic Wi-Fi
- Improve patient spaces within your clinic (seating, room dividers, accessibility improvements)
- Train clinic staff on principles of Team Based Care
- Train your MOAs on new technology or other skills
- Update your employment contracts or associate agreements
- Evaluate clinic technology privacy and security, and implement improvements
- Create a clinic website on Pathways
If you're looking for more ideas, here are examples of programs that were undertaken during the 2021/22 clinic grant program.
Many clinics use the grant to improve their operations through technology. Grants can be used towards the purchase of computer hardware that is not attached to clinical equipment. This would include clinic computers used by physicians and staff.
Grants cannot be awarded for purchase of clinical equipment or computer hardware to provide direct patient care, or where other funding already exists. Please see the FAQ item on Exclusions.
Grants cannot be awarded for purchase of clinical equipment or computers to provide direct patient care, or where other funding already exists:
- E.g., GPSC already offers funding for clinics to perform panel management and to implement Health Data Coalition’s EMR data portal.
- E.g. 2, The Ministry of Health provides free PPE to clinics, and a clinic should not need to use this grant to obtain PPE.
Clinics will receive 80% of the funds shortly after project approval, and the remaining 20% of the funds at project completion.
Projects must be completed by February 28, 2023 providing clinics up to four (4) months to achieve their desired outcomes.
A clinic (or group of clinics) will receive the remaining 20% of project funds upon project completion. We will send you a template to provide a brief update on your project, after which you will receive the remaining funding.
No. The grant will cover the clinic’s initial project costs, and it is the clinic’s responsibility to pay for any ongoing costs beyond the initial project.
If you have any questions or comments about the grant or your project idea, please contact your Community Network Manager (CNM) or email pcn@vancouverdivision.com