Rural specialist practice support program (2023)

Rural specialist practice support program (2023)

The 2023 Physician Agreement provides new funding to help rural specialists manage the costs associated with running their practices.

Tier 1 - Practice Support ($25,000 annually)

Rural specialists practising in Nova Scotia may be eligible for a practice support payment of $25,000 annually.

To be eligible, you:

  • must qualify as a rural specialist
  • must have minimum total MSI billings or equivalent payment through a rural specialty contract of $150,000 in the previous fiscal year
  • must participate in facility on-call schedule, as required
  • must be actively practising in Nova Scotia as of April 1 of the year of payment (have billings during the period from March 1 of the payment year to the time of the retention payment)
  • must have an office outside the hospital that is paid for by the physician, or have a private office within an NSH facility that is paid for by the physician
  • must use Ocean and the centralized referral process as part of the practice if applicable to the physician’s specialty
  • must be actively using a DHW-approved EMR

Key performance indicators regarding wait times and access, as developed for specialties province-wide, will be developed with a goal of integrating those KPIs as eligibility criteria on 1 April 2024. 

Application process

The application process for the tier 1 payment closed on July 1, 2024, watch for more information in 2025.

Tier 2 - Retention ($16,000 annually)

Rural specialists practising in Nova Scotia may be eligible for a retention incentive payment of $16,000 annually.

To be eligible, you:

  • must qualify as a rural specialist
  • must have Nova Scotia Health Authority privileges for three consecutive years as a rural specialist as of March 31 prior to the payment
  • must have minimum total MSI billings or equivalent payment through a rural specialty contract of $150,000 in the previous fiscal year
  • must participate in facility on-call schedule, if required
  • must be actively practising in Nova Scotia as of April 1 of the year of payment (have billings during the period from March 1 of the payment year to the time of the retention payment)

For those physicians who become eligible for a retention payment upon three consecutive years of practice as a rural specialist during the program, payment for the first year of eligibility is prorated from the third anniversary.

Application process

The tier 2 annual payment will continue to be paid automatically by the Department of Health and Wellness each December.

Contact

Jessica Moore
Compensation manager, Physician Agreement and Fee Schedule
902-225-1533
1-800-563-3427

Next steps