Enablers

Some enablers related funding models/financial incentives supporting collaboration include the following:

  • Sustained and stable funding
  • Alignment of funding models and incentives
  • Pooling and sharing of resources

Sustained and Stable Funding
Sustained and long term financial investments from federal and provincial governments are needed to strengthen collaboration between public health and primary care. An example is funding provided through the Primary Health Transition Fund by the Federal government. Provinces were able to establish models of care delivery that incorporated elements of both public health and primary care. To explore more information on the Primary Health Transition Fund, visit:

Alignment of Funding Models and Incentives
Funding models need to be aligned with the goals and vision of collaboration between public health and primary care.

Related: Governmental and Regulatory Policies and Mandates for Collaboration

Health care providers’ behaviours are, in part, driven by how they are paid. If their risk of losing income is decreased or they are paid to collaborate, then collaboration is more likely to happen.

Primary Care Physician“Currently, traditional fee-for-service is a disincentive to good integrated healthcare.”

 

Doctor2“To really get doctors to pay attention beyond their practice, I think you do have to pay them differently if you want them to work.”

Pooling and sharing of resources
By investing in shared resources, such as space to see patients or deployment of health human resources (e.g. registered nurse or pharmacist), collaboration between public health and primary care can be strengthened.

Example IconExample
One example is a registered nurse, whose salary is paid by the regional authority but is deployed to deliver public health services within primary care practices in a geographic region. Funding models serve to enact the goals and vision of greater collaboration as it enables providers to work more closely together.

Related: Clear Mandates, Vision, and Goals

Another example is where a community created an outreach program that included needle exchange using some of the providers’ time. The development of a flexible budget which pays for periodic expenses, such as necessary medications, can be a valuable asset.

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