In a collaborative effort led by PAN, McLaren House, Dr. Peter Centre, Health Initiative for Men and Ribbon Community, on September 1, 2026 a letter was sent to the Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Health that expressed our shared concerns regarding the decision to eliminate the Population-Based Funding model at Spectrum Health and other primary care clinics. The letter calls for a meeting to discuss our shared concerns and explore how to mitigate the impact on people living with HIV and other patients and communities. You can read the letter in full by clicking on its image.
Population-Based Funding (PBF)
Over the last year, the BC Ministry of Health began the process of eliminating the Population-Based Funding (PBF) model that has supported Spectrum since it opened in 1999, including its dedicated HIV funding. Other clinics that use the population-health based model to pay physicians are also being impacted by this change.
Population-based funding model is a type of practice that is funded largely based on illness impact/complexity and is a model that aligns funding with clinical outcomes rather than the reimbursement of individual services rendered to patients. This type of model supports clinical time, staffing, coordination, team-based services, and the essential work performed outside booked appointments.
How the PBF model supports patient care:
- Longer appointments when clinically necessary
- Team-based care, including nursing visits
- Care coordination and work between appointments
- Patient portal messaging
- Low-barrier STI testing and streamlined PrEP renewals
- Comprehensive physicals and preventive care
- Dedicated support for HIV and medically complex care
References:
Frayne, A. Population-based funding: A better primary care option?. In British Columbia Medical Journal (BCMJ). 2012; 54(5):250-251. Available at: https://bcmj.org/premise/population-based-funding-better-primary-care-option