Message from Program Manager
Dear Valued Physicians and Partners,
As the festive season embraces us with joy and goodwill, we want to take a moment to extend our heartfelt wishes to each and every one of you. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a happy New Year!
The spirit of togetherness and celebration is especially meaningful this time of year, and we want you to know how much your dedication to rural healthcare is appreciated. Your hard work, compassion, and commitment have made a significant impact on the communities we serve.
As this year comes to an end, we reflect on our collective work with a sense of pride in our accomplishments. From April to September of this year 234 host physicians within 75 unique communities have received a total of 3,317 relief days by having one of our 240 locum physicians covering their practice. Looking ahead, we are excited to continue improving processes and procedures and deepening our partnerships.
Below you will find information regarding program updates, policy changes, resources, and reminders for the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal year. As always, we encourage you to connect with us to ask questions or share your feedback.
May this holiday season bring you moments of joy, warmth, and relaxation with your loved ones. Thank you for being an integral part of Locums for Rural BC. Here’s to a Merry Christmas, a joyful holiday season, and a New Year filled with new opportunities, growth, and shared success.
Please feel free to contact me at tracyd@locumsruralbc.ca or call (604) 306 1652.
Warmest regards,
Tracy Devenish
Policy
Effective April 1, 2024, physicians working under Locums for Rural BC are required to submit their Application for Expense Forms (and application for Daily Rate, where applicable), within 90-days of the date they arrived home after their assignment. Physicians who fail to submit their claims within 90-days will forfeit the Travel Time Honorarium. If claims remain outstanding after March 31 of the next Fiscal Year, physicians will no longer be eligible for reimbursement. This change was made to be aligned with FFS submission deadlines and reduce delays when processing claims.
As of October 1, 2024, the travel time honorarium policy has been extended to include travel originating outside of B.C. Out-of-province locums are now eligible to receive up to a maximum of $1,500 based on round trip travel from their primary residence to the host community.
RESSO
The RESSO pilot program has been extended for another fiscal year and will continue until March 31, 2026!
Locums for Rural BC is encouraging all eligible RESSO host physicians to utilize their rural locum assistance days. Any unused days will expire at the end of each fiscal year.
- Request for Locum Assistance form (for hosts)
- Application to Provide Locum Services (for locums)
- Rural Family Practice Enhanced Surgical Skills OB Locum Program Policy (policy)
For more information on RESSO, please visit the LRBC website
Download and share the printable RESSO brochure
Host Physicians Locum Allotment Days
As we near the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year on March 31, 2025, we encourage all host physicians to use any remaining days to take time away to rest and recharge. If you are unsure of how many days you have left, one of our team members would be happy to assist you. Unused host days cannot be carried over to the next fiscal. Please email us at info@locumsruralbc.ca or call our toll-free number at 1 (877) 357-4757.
Planning for Your Health, Wellness and Education
Locums for Rural BC provides full support and assistance to eligible physicians and specialists practicing in eligible rural communities, so they can take reasonable periods of leave from their practices for continuing medical education (CME), vacation, and health needs. Please help us support your need of taking leave from your practice by planning your vacations sooner rather than later.
To increase the chances that your assignment request is filled:
- Plan your vacation and submit the assignment to LRBC early.
- Ensure your clinic and community information on the LRBC website is current.
- Move quickly through the referral process.
- Connect with the LRBC office to discuss options. Please email us at info@locumsruralbc.ca or call our toll-free number at 1 (877) 357-4757.
Operations
Renew service agreements and CMPA
2025-26 Contract renewal for locum physicians is just around the corner. Contracts can be renewed easily through your LRBC account. Signed contracts cover the whole fiscal year and must be in place to confirm assignments starting after April 1, 2025.
- Log-in to your Locums for Rural BC account.
- Download your contract.
- Follow instructions provided, complete and sign.
- Upload full contract and submit.
Remember to provide an updated CV and CMPA. CMPA membership expires yearly and must be renewed by January 1, 2025.
Reminder…
LRBC discontinued the use of paper hard copies of the program’s finance forms:
From April 1 2023, paper copies (emailed and faxed) of RGPLP and RSLP Assignment of Payment, Expense Claims, and Daily Rate/Travel Time Honorarium forms are no longer accepted. All forms must be submitted through your LRBC account. This applies to all assignments that start and end after April 1, 2023 as well as assignments that started prior to April 1, 2023 but complete thereafter.
The financial forms system has been designed for 1 assignment/posting ID and 1 host physician (if applicable). Therefore, financial forms are to be completed and submitted for each individual locum assignment.
Meet Our Team
- RCCbc Rural Locum Forum – February 8, 2025 – Nanaimo, British Columbia
- SRPC Rural & Remote Conference – April 24-26, 2025 – Winnipeg, Manitoba
- BC Rural Health Conference – June 6-8, 2025 – Prince George, British Columbia
Other Resources
Introducing the new How-to Guide for Prospective Locums video series! Learn practical tips and get advice to explore locum opportunities in rural BC.
The Rural Coordination Centre of BC is hosting a conference for rural locums on February 8, 2025 in Nanaimo: The Rural Locum Forum. You are invited to this half-day CME-accredited event catering to new and seasoned locums alike. The academic schedule is tailored to the rural emergency rooms with topics including the use of sedation in the ER, management of rapid atrial arrhythmias, and management of airway emergencies. There will also be opportunities to connect with other locums, engagement sessions focused on virtual provider support, and opportunities to consult on the future of provincial locum programs in BC. Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided. Click here to Register!
RCCbc have also partnered with Life Safe Medical to offer a blended BLS/ACLS provider course running the day prior to the event on February 7th. Space for this event is limited. Click here to Register!
What We're Sharing
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Locums for Rural BC BC recognizes and acknowledges that all provincial public health opportunities and facilities are located on the ancestral and unceded territories of the Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia. As visitors, we feel it’s important to acknowledge the importance of these lands, which we each call home. We reaffirm our commitment and responsibility to improving our own understanding of local Indigenous peoples and their cultures.
Locums for Rural BC provides full support and assistance to family physicians and specialists practicing in rural communities across British Columbia, so that they can take reasonable periods of leave from their practices for vacation, health needs and continuing medical education (CME).
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