Doctors in British Columbia have signed a new agreement with the province that guarantees them increased salaries and more money for overhead costs.
The provincial government hopes that the new agreement will help attract and retain family physicians.
Voting on the agreement closed at midnight Monday night (Dec. 5), with 5,591 ballots cast and 95.15 per cent of them in favour.
The new Physician Master Agreement was unveiled by Health Minister Adrian Dix and Doctors of B.C. president Ramneek Dosanjh in October.
“I think the size of the vote today from all doctors, not just family doctors but all doctors, shows we’re together on the same path with a determination to make the system better for patients,” Dix said at the B.C. Legislature on Tuesday. “[It’s] an excellent step and now we get on and do the work.”
It includes a $708-million incremental cost increase by the end of year three, which will be used to fund the new payment model, more rural programs, after-hours services, enhanced physician benefits and the shift toward primary care networks.
