Walk-in doctors want equal pay but group says relationship with patients key
VANCOUVER — Doctors at over 300 walk-in clinics in British Columbia want fair payment for their work compared with those in full family practice, says the head of an association that’s rallying its members to increase access and profits through innovative technology.
Mike McLoughlin, founding director of the Walk-In Clinics of BC Association, said the facilities fill a gap for patients who can’t get a family physician or same-day appointments and should be considered an important part of reforming primary care.
The association gathered for its annual general meeting Friday, where members were expected to discuss various issues such as negotiations between the government and Doctors of BC, the association that represents the province’s physicians, whose master agreement will expire in March.
McLoughlin said walk-in doctors often see patients with complex conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but can’t charge the extra fees that are paid to full family physicians.