We applaud this delightful, warm, welcoming province for stepping up to the plate with family physician pay! Recently, they have invested in their new ‘LFP’ (longitudinal family practice) payment model and we like what we see!

This new model is somewhat similar to the ground-breaking BC LFP model (imitation is, after all, the sincerest form of flattery). Family physicians are paid on an hourly base for direct and indirect patient care, a panel payment based on the number of patients a physician takes care of, chronic disease funding, and, of special interest, a tidy stipend for previously unpaid administrative work. Nova Scotia also pays at the top end for parental leave.

Nova Scotia recently launched an amazing RRSP program for its physicians – $5,000-$15,000 a year, which acts as a tax-savvy retention benefit to incentivize coming to and staying in the province. We love this and think other provinces should follow suit!
Overall, we think Nova Scotia has done a great job of modernizing how it pays their hard-working family doctors, and they have been creative with some of their incentives. It seems like their government may actually be listening to what physicians need and want!