Recent changes in physician payments in Ontario have impacted the medical practice a great deal. From a fee-for-service arrangement, the practice now runs on capitation under the provincial health insurance plan. This means that physicians get paid a flat fee, per patient, per year, adjusted to consider the age, gender and medical complexity of the patient. This set up naturally brings to question ‘no show fees’ employed by physicians. A doctor paid in capitation doesn’t really lose money when a patient fails to show up for an appointment. No shows generally affect physicians who still work under fee-for-service because a sudden cancellation means an unfilled spot that otherwise could have been replaced had there been a notice. Be that as it may, protecting a physician’s income is not the only reason why a ‘no show fee’ must be implemented. Prithi Yelaja, a spokesperson for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) infers that the fee will serve as "a deterrent to … [Read more...]