Vancouver is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in Canada and as the population rapidly ages, there is a consistent need for physicians supporting the seniors and frail elder community. With 43 long term care homes in the Vancouver region that all provide unique and specialized treatment, there is a wide spectrum of opportunity for physicians. The Vancouver Division of Family Practice is an advocate for all physicians in our Vancouver community, with a focused committee dedicated to issues specifically dealing with seniors and frail elder care. We are here to help physicians provide the best care possible.
As part of their mandate, the Vancouver Division of Family Practice has been engaging both long term care homes and family physicians in a formal attachment process called the Long Term Care Initiative (LTCI). The funding for this Initiative comes from the Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC), and similar LTCI programs have been rolled out through other Divisions of Family Practice provincially. The LTCI is a stable long-term program that has been in place since 2015. It enables physicians who work in long term care and commit to a formal relationship with a care home to receive additional funding if they meet five identified best practice expectations: regular proactive visits, on-site medication reviews, attendance at care conferences, involvement in 24/7 on call, and completed documentation in charts.
The LTCI includes matching physicians that are new to long term care with care homes in need of additional physician support, and a mentorship program is also in place to support getting started. The mentorship program offers up to 7 hours of sessional payment for physicians who are new to long term care and includes: an introduction to key care home personnel, discussion of long term care issues (both clinical and general in nature), and billing support. For physicians familiar with long term care, the mentorship program offers up to 3 hours of sessional payment for handover and orientation, to support the transition to a new care home. At the end of this mentorship process, onboarded physicians will take on a permanent resident panel and sign an Attachment Agreement representing a formal commitment to the care home and the LTCI.
If you are interested in getting more information about practicing in long term care, or would like to note your interest for future long term care opportunities, please complete and return the LTCI Physician Statement of Interest form.