Dr. Laura Foster
Family Physician

Rostering to a Capitated System and Outside use of services

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. Every quarter, we receive a report from the ministry of our rostered patients who received the services of other general practitioner physicians (usually at walk-in clinics). Each time this happens, our office is billed by the Ministry, often in the range of $50-100. If we don’t keep these outside visits in check, it can add up to many thousands of dollars per year.

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We have made our office hours more convenient for you to get an appointment so outside walk in clinics are not required. ( NOTE: Visits to the physician specialists and visits to the ER are not included ). Of course, patients have the right to choose to go to a walk-in, but it’s likely many don’t realize the consequences of your visit to your family doctor

 

Doctors who believe that patients are going to walk-in clinics too often instead of calling them first can choose to de-roster that patient. Being de-rostered doesn’t mean being “fired”. They are not losing access to the doctor; it’s not the same as termination, but it would mean that a patient could no longer access other services given by your family doctor, such as prescription refills

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Most family doctors in Ontario now enroll patients onto a roster and then receive a lump annual sum for each patient. The system encourages doctors to offer full, continuous and comprehensive care to patients.

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