FORT ST JOHN -- The province has seen an increase in family doctors following the rollout of a new payment model to better compensate primary care physicians.
The Longitudinal Family Physician payment framework, or LFP, was announced last February by the province.
It moved away from a flat rate, fee-for-service model that averaged $31 per visit to one that allows doctors to be paid based on patient needs that can range from common to complex.
There are now 700 more doctors practising in the province under the new model, according to B.C. Family Doctors.
The majority of new doctors are internationally trained and have specialized licenses to work under the direction and supervision of an attending physician within a health care practice.
Some of the new foreign-trained doctors have also taken part in the Practise Ready Assessment program offered by the province that provides a pathway to licensing.
