Doctors ratify four-year contract with Saskatchewan government

Saskatchewan’s doctors have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new four-year contract with the provincial government.

In a media release Monday, the government revealed that 93 per cent of physicians who voted were in favour of the agreement.

The Saskatchewan Medical Association and the province had reached the agreement in mid-January. The deal will run from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2026.

“Thank you to the SMA for collaborating with the provincial government on the unprecedented investment in this new agreement which will help to retain and recruit physicians in Saskatchewan,” Health Minister Everett Hindley said in the release.

“The agreement provides a strong foundation for competitive remuneration and benefits, and addresses concerns raised by physicians while we continue to work toward a full blended capitation model. This is a step forward toward greater access for patients to primary health care providers, and that ongoing work will continue.”

The agreement includes an overall average general rate increase of 2.5 per cent per year, with a market rate adjustment that was applied to the first year of the agreement. There’s also increased funding for long-term retention, parental leave and continuing medical education.

The government said the deal features funding funding for physician services and initiatives of approximately $245 million.

It also includes targeted investments to cover:

• The introduction of a new primary care payment model for family physicians that ties the existing volume-based pay with a new capitation payment that’s based on patient contacts and panel size. The government said that funding of $50 million per year will give doctors more time to deal with complex patient issues and an increased focus on preventive care;
• A fund of up to $10 million per year over the term of the deal to increase the amount of team-based care in primary health-care settings;
• Funding to address gender pay inequity in physician fee codes, as well as new money to support physician training and awareness related to equity, diversity, racism, and truth and reconciliation;
• A new Rural and Northern Practice Recognition Premium to promote rural medicine; and
• The introduction of permanent virtual care codes to increase the access to health services for patients and reduce unnecessary travel for the services they need.

“Our goal was to reach an agreement that recognizes the critical role physicians play in the health-care system and provide the support they need to deliver high-quality, accessible patient care,” SMA president Dr. Annette Epp said in the release. “I firmly believe this new agreement acknowledges and values Saskatchewan physicians.”

While the province has reached an agreement with its doctors, the government and the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation have yet to come to an agreement on a new contract.

On Monday, the union announced that teachers would withdraw noon-hour supervision on Thursday across the province.