Maternity Care Network Initiative

Program Description

The number of B.C. general practitioners providing obstetrical care has seen a dramatic decline in recent years. This is especially problematic in the province's rural areas, where fewer women are able to deliver in their own community. It has also resulted in professional and personal hardship for those physicians who have continued to provide this important service.

In recognition and response to physicians who have identified this problem, the General Practice Services Committee (a joint committee of the B.C. Ministry of Health, the B.C. Medical Association (BCMA), and the Society of General Practitioners of B.C.) developed a maternity care enhancement program aimed at supporting a group practice approach to GP provision of obstetrical care. Under the Maternity Care Network Initiative, doctors forming their own shared care networks will work as a team so that at least one physician is always available to deliver their patients. Intended benefits of the Maternity Care Network Initiative include:

• Provides a financial incentive that supports a shared care approach to obstetric care;
• Supports GPs in providing high quality obstetric care;
• Encourages GPs to remain active in obstetrics by improving their quality of life
;
• Creates a supportive working environment and peer group for mutual support and quality control;
• Enables sustainability for communities and practitioners;
• Ensures that women across the province can access high quality obstetric care in their own community;
• Encourages new family practice graduates to consider providing maternity care;
• May attract those general practitioners who have recently left obstetrics to return.

Eligibility for Payment

To be eligible to be a member of the network, a doctor must, for the complete three-month period up to the payment date:

• Be a General Practitioner in active practice in British Columbia;
• Have hospital privileges to provide obstetrical care;
• Be associated with a minimum of 3 other network members (special consideration will be given in those hospital communities with fewer than four doctors providing maternity care);
• Cooperate with other members of the network so that at least one member is always available for deliveries;
• Make patients aware of the members of the network, and the support specialists available for complicated cases;
• Accept referrals of pregnant patients from doctors who do not have hospital privileges to deliver babies (preferred first visit to the doctor planning to deliver the baby is no later than 12 weeks of pregnancy. The referring doctor may, with the agreement of the delivering doctor, provide a portion of the prenatal care);
• Share prenatal records (real or virtual) with other members of the network as practical, with the expectation to work toward utilizing an electronic prenatal record; and
• Schedule at least four deliveries in each six-month period of time.

Registration as a Maternity Network

In order to be eligible for the Maternity Network payment, you must register as a member of a maternity network. To do this, please complete the registration form (PDF 20Kb).

Registering as a member of a maternity care network provides opportunities for enhanced communication and dialogue among B.C.'s general practitioners providing this important service. If desired, general practitioners registering as a maternity network will receive pertinent updates from the GP Services Committee and other organizations on maternity care supports, resources, and CME opportunities available in the province.

Maternity Care Enhancement Payment

Eligible B.C. general practitioners can receive the following enhancement payment for their shared care of obstetric patients:

• Payment of $1,250 quarterly, which includes additional CMPA subsidy (value of $650 per year), and covers costs of group/network activities.
• Claims may be submitted at the end of a quarter, using a service date of the last day of the quarter.
• Claims received for processing before the date of service will be refused.
• Claims should be submitted under the PHN 9824870522, using fee code item G14010.

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Last Revised: December 28, 2007