By Cheryl Jahn

Details of UPCC come to light

Dec 4, 2024 | 4:06 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Urgent and Primary Care Centre at Parkwood Mall will remain open past Saturday.

On October 9th, members of the Nechako Medical Clinic voted to cease providing physician staffing at the care centre. At the time, the Health authority issued a statement saying, “Northern Health is currently reviewing alternate compensation models to ensure continuity of services and will provide more information at a future date.” And now it has.

“We’ve adopted the Alternative Payment Program for the UPCC, and so that’s the model that everyone has decided we want to start with,” explains Shelley Cathrea, Director of Community Services.

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Typically physicians are paid through what is called a Fee-for-Service payment plan. The Alternate Payment Program moves away from that traditional payment method. The goal of APP contracts is to improve patient access to services by providing physicians with income stability and a guaranteed minimum funding level.

“So much work has gone into trying to establish this new model, whether it’s from the physicians, Nechako Medical Clinic, the Division of Family Practice, Northern Health.”

The Centre opened its doors in June of 2019 and, according to one local MLA, it’s as critical to local health care, as its name suggests.

“We have typically seen line-ups around the block for this urgent primary care clinic, and it’s been in such a precarious situation,” says Kiel Giddens, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie. “Obviously it’s good to see that it’s going to remain open for now, but it’s been bandaid solutions from the Government. We need systemic change in our health care system.”

In the meantime, Northern Health has a shout-out to those who kept this facility operating for the past four-plus years.

“We’re excited to try something new and we appreciate the collaboration that we’ve had between the Division and everyone else who’s been involved in this very important project,” says Cathrea.

Northern Health says it’s looking ahead to this new model and how it wil ease up some of the pressure points in healthcare delivery.