Physician Remuneration for Remote Consults: An Overview of Approaches across Canada

Abstract

While lengthy waits for medical specialists remains a persistent problem across Canada, remote consult presents a strategy to address this issue. Connecting primary healthcare providers to specialists via electronic (eConsult) or telephone consult enables care providers to deliver appropriate, speciality-informed care for their patients in the primary care setting, reducing the time spent waiting for specialists and potentially preventing unnecessary referrals to specialty care. These remote consult models are the focus of a new pan-Canadian quality improvement collaborative delivered by the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement in partnership with Canada Health Infoway, the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Successful implementation of remote consult services requires alignment of remuneration for physicians. This article presents an overview of compensation arrangements across Canada for remote (telephone or electronic) and select in-person consults. It also shares key messages for payers and providers to inform future direction in this area.