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FP (ESS-OB)
The Rural Family Practice Enhanced Surgical Skills OB Locum (RESSO) Program helps eligible rural family practitioners (FPs), who provide eligible core surgical obstetric services, secure subsidized periods of leave from their practices for purposes such as vacation, Continuing Medical Education (CME), and medical leave.
RESSO was implemented as a pilot program on July 1, 2023, and will run until March 31, 2025.
During this pilot phase, administration of the RESSO program is “paper-based” (pdf) using online forms and documents.
RESSO Brochure (PDF) – Download or view this printable brochure for more information!
RESSO Policy (PDF)
Questions, or for a list of available RESSO locum assignments contact Locums for Rural BC.
Email info@locumsruralbc.ca or call 1.877.357.4757
Host Physicians – Eligibility:
You are eligible to be a host physician in the Rural FP Enhanced Surgical Skills OB Locum (RESSO) Program if you:
- Have obtained training in surgical obstetric services, credentialed by the HA with FP Enhanced Surgical Skills with a sub-category specific to Obstetrics, granted privileges to practice in that same specialty area in a hospital in a designated rural community, and actively participate in providing on-call support in the designated core service area.
- Practice more than 70km from a nearby major medical centre (MMC) where either specialists or FPs provide similar specialty services.
- Practice full-time in an eligible Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement (RSA) community with 7 or fewer FPs with enhanced Surgical OB maintain hospital privileges and provide on-call support to obstetrical surgical services in the community.
Communities may be eligible for up to 35 days of locum coverage per rural FP physician with surgical obstetrical skills, per fiscal year. Locum assignments must be a minimum of 2 days in duration.
Host Physician/Clinic Forms
RESSO Request for Locum Assistance (PDF)
Complete, sign, and return requests for locum assistance to LRBC by email or fax:
Email info@locumsruralbc.ca
Fax 1.877.387.4757
Locum Physicians – Eligibility:
To provide locum services through the Rural FP Enhanced Surgical Skills OB Locum (RESSO) Program, a locum physician must:
- Be licensed to practice in BC in a manner that is consistent with the core specialty locum services to be provided.
- Reside in BC for the duration of their RESSO assignment.
- Have malpractice liability insurance with the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA).
- Certification in ACLS, or The CARE Course. ATLS is preferred but not mandatory.
- Enrolled in the Medical Services Plan of BC (MSP).
- NOT live or regularly practice the FP Enhanced Surgical Skills Obstetrics, in the rural community where the locum service is to be provided.
- Obtain health authority privileges to practice in the rural hospital(s).
Locum physicians will provide service in the host community for the duration of each assignment, including the provision of on-call/availability services as per HA requirements.
Locum physicians must cover the enhanced surgical obstetrics portion of the host physician’s practice.
To Apply
To apply to work as a locum physician with RESSO, you will be required to submit:
- A signed and completed application form: Application to Provide RESSO Locum Services (PDF)
- Your MSP billing number (indicated on the form)
- Your curriculum vitae (CV)
- Proof of current licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
- Proof of surgical obstetrics training
- Proof of current malpractice insurance with CMPA
- ACLS or The CARE Course certification
- ATLS preferred but not mandatory
Email or fax application and documentation to LRBC:
Email info@locumsruralbc.ca
Fax 1.877.387.4757
Once your application is complete and all accompanying documentation received, you will be notified of your registration status by email.
After you have been accepted into the program, you will be sent a service agreement which must be signed and returned to our office prior to the commencement of a locum assignment. This service agreement is renewed annually.
RESSO Payments:
Assignment of Payment (PDF)
The locum physician agrees to assign payment for office-based services to the host physician’s payment number for services provided while on assignment. The host physician is responsible for submitting claims to MSP within two weeks after the end of the locum assignment and refuse claims within two weeks of the refusal date.
For hospital-based/on-call locum assignments, the locum must apply for an additional MSP payment number and bill fee-for-service claims under that payment number for the duration of the assignment.
An Assignment of Payment is a legal agreement through which a practitioner designates that MSP payments for their services are to be made to another practitioner or group such as a clinic or hospital.
Assignment of Payment must be submitted to the Locums for Rural BC office prior to the commencement of the locum assignment.
Application for Payment of Daily Rate (PDF)
RESSO locum physicians are paid a guaranteed daily rate from $1,375 – $1,788 dependent upon the community. In general, the higher the number of rural points a community receives, the higher the daily rate. For more information regarding specific rates for rural communities, please contact Locums for Rural BC.
- A & B communities – $1,522 – $1,788
- C communities – $1,375
- D communities – $1,375
In cases where a certified specialist provides coverage for a FP with enhanced Surgical OB, they will be paid a guaranteed specialist daily rate of $2,076 – $2,438 dependent upon the community.
Travel Time Honorarium (PDF)
Travel time for locum physicians will be reimbursed as follows (return trip):
Less than or equal to 2.5 hours | $250 |
Greater than 2.5 to 4 hours | $500 |
Greater than 4 to 10 hours | $1,000 |
Over 10 hours | $1,500 maximum |
Outbound travel time is calculated from the time the physician leaves their primary residence (contract address) to the arrival time in the community. Inbound travel time is calculated from the time the physician leaves the community to the arrival time back to their primary residence (contract address), to a maximum of $1,500 per return trip.
Reimbursement Guidelines
Application for Expenses (PDF)
Expenses must be paid directly when incurred and then claimed for reimbursement. Expenses are eligible for reimbursement for only one return trip. For a difficult to recruit locum assignment, travel originating outside of BC may be reimbursed up to $1,000 for the out-of-province portion. Expense claims are for locum travel only.
Accommodation
Reimbursement for accommodations while providing locum service under the rural locum programs in an A or B community, will be paid for the duration of the assignment in accordance with the approved list of accommodations offering government rates. Physicians providing locum services in C or D communities will be reimbursed for overnight accommodations while traveling to and from the community only.
Government rates will be applied. Copies of receipts are required.
Note: Pre-paid accommodation booking by Locums for Rural BC staff is recommended. Contact travel@locumsruralbc.ca for assistance.
Vehicles
The policy for reimbursing vehicle expenses incurred by locum physicians is:
- Car rental (economy class) will be reimbursed in A and B communities where it is necessary for a locum physician to rent a vehicle. Exceptions are made in situations with bad road conditions where it may be necessary to rent a 4-wheel drive or car with mud/snow or winter rated tires. In C and D designated communities, car rental expenses will only be covered when travelling to and from the community as required. Copies of receipts are required.
- Personal vehicle use will be reimbursed at 63 cents/km while providing locum services in the community under the rural locum program in an A or B community only. Reimbursement for physicians providing locum services in C or D communities will be made only when traveling to and from the community.
Meal Allowance
To be claimed only while on travel status during a mealtime:
|
Breakfast before |
7:00 |
$25.50 |
|
Lunch before |
12:00 |
$25.50 |
|
Dinner after |
18:00 |
$35.25 |
|
Breakfast and Lunch |
$37.00 |
|
|
Breakfast and Dinner |
$46.75 |
|
|
Lunch and Dinner |
$46.75 |
|
|
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner |
$63.75 |
|
|
Incidentals (only if no meals) |
$15.00 |
Out of Province (OOP) Travel Allowance
Locums travelling from outside of British Columbia (BC) whose primary residential address is outside of BC, may be eligible for out-of-province (OOP) expenses reimbursement up to $1,000 for round-trip travel. OOP travel expenses that may be eligible for reimbursement include airfare, mileage, airport parking, and taxis.
OOP travel is calculated as follows:
Motor vehicle: from the time when the vehicle crosses the BC border.
Air: when the airplane lands/departs from BC.
Family/Partner
Expenses for family members are not covered and any additional costs are the responsibility of the locum physician.
Pets
Locum physicians must contact the facility to determine if pets are allowed. Any additional costs are the responsibility of the locum physician.
Submission Deadlines:
Effective April 1, 2024, Application for Expense, Travel Time Honorarium and Daily Rate claims must be received by LRBC within 90 days from the date the travelling physician arrives home to receive reimbursement. Physicians who fail to submit within 90 days will forfeit eligibility for the reimbursement of travel time honorarium. Physicians who submit after 90 days are still eligible for daily rate and travel expense reimbursement up until March 31 of the next fiscal year. For example, a physician who submits a claim after 90 days for Fiscal 2023/24 will have up until March 31, 2025, to receive reimbursement for their travel expenses and the daily rate only.