The Saskatchewan Medical Association and Government of Saskatchewan established an Innovation Fund of $10 million as a key achievement of the 2024 SMA Agreement to enable family physician led team-based care initiatives. The intent of the fund is to encourage the development of Family Physician-led, team-based clinics that support unique needs of the community and practice in partnership with Health Networks. More specifically the key objectives of the Innovation Fund are to:

1. Accelerate the implementation of the College of Family Physicians Patient’s Medical Home (PMH) model in Family Medicine clinics;
2. Strengthen collaboration between successful Innovation Fund applicants and Health Networks across the province;
3. Improve patient access and quality care within clinics through team-based supports; and
4. Improve work-life balance within funded clinics to support recruitment and retention efforts.

Applications may include but are not limited to costs for preparation and support of physicians and clinics in the transition to family physician-led, team-based care, and/or to enable physicians or clinics to employ office staff and/or non-physician providers, including associated incremental business expenses.

An Innovation Fund Committee was established by the SMA and the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, to oversee the successful implementation of the program. This includes the approval of applications, alignment of resources, and coordination of supports provided to clinics.

This funding is to be used to support Family Physician-generated ideas that will deliver better access to team-based primary care with priority given to those clinics that have enrolled in the Transitional Payment Model (TPM). Funded initiatives will support physicians and clinics to align with the Patient’s Medical Home (PMH) vision.

Eligible Fund Use:

• Funding to hire team members (office staff and/or non-physician providers such as Medical Office Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, social workers and Physician Assistants).  Note: Collaboration with the SHA is required to first identify opportunities to realign existing SHA staff, provide virtual or itinerant services.
• Overhead business costs for new team members.
• IT/EMR supports.
• Training and leadership development opportunities.
• Change leadership supports.
• Innovations that increase capacity and/or quality improvement within clinics.
• Innovations that strengthen collaboration and integration, such as planning meetings, huddles and other opportunities to collaborate.

Ineligible Fund Use:

• Not advancing team-based care.
• Applications from other Specialists.
• Large infrastructure projects.
• Duplication of services/programs if they already exist and are available to use.

Funding for team members will be based on generally accepted salary ranges and benefits paid in Saskatchewan.

A PMH Support Team is a dynamic team of people who are committed to advancing Patient’s Medical Home clinics in Health Networks. The team is led by an SMA Family Physician leader and includes SMA, SHA and HQC staff that support the physician clinic leader and team on the elements required for implementation.

Clinic supports may include:

• Project planning
• Meeting or workshop facilitation
• Leadership development
• Outlining employment processes for new team members
• Integrating team members
• Leadership coaching
• Culture change
• Clinic/team development
• Learning opportunities
• IT/EMR resources
• Quality improvement
• Data and analytics

Clinic support also includes arranging and facilitating conversations with key healthcare partners to build the necessary relationships to achieve a common goal. Supportive healthcare partners may include SMA Family Physician leaders, SMA staff, IT/EMR resources, SHA primary health care operational and physician leaders (Area Department and Division Leads of Family Medicine) and staff, Ministry of Health staff, Health Quality Council quality improvement facilitators, leadership coaches, The Saskatchewan College of Family Physicians, or other professional experts.

Innovation Support Resources

Patient’s Medical Home

• Click here for Saskatchewan’s Patient’s Medical Home Clinics in Health Networks vision. 
• The Saskatchewan Patient’s Medical Home Development Tool is available to help understand where your practice is at on the PMH development journey. It also outlines the next steps a clinic may choose to take to strengthen the Patient’s Medical Home vision in our province. There are four key areas of development:
  • • Engaged physician leadership and team functioning
    • Patient-centered culturally responsive care
    • Panels, measurement, and continuous quality improvement
    • Care coordination and patient access
    • Saskatchewan College of Family Physicians Implementation Kit

• PMH vision in Canada, and Best Advice Guides introduce key concepts on the pillars of a PMH.

Family Physician Leadership

The SMA will work with Family Physician leaders to strengthen their role in leading transformational change in culture, relationships and operations, as well as removing obstacles for their team to make required changes. 

Leadership Development

Family Physicians will be provided with a structured learning environment to grow their leadership competencies and share their experiences and expertise together. The following courses may be offered:

• Role of Family Physician Leadership (TBD)
• Leading Self (TBD)
• Leading Others (TBD)

EMR Resources

SMA EMR website

SMA EMR Enhanced Use Program

Health Network Resources

SHA teams have experience building and strengthening interdisciplinary teams throughout the province to enhance primary health care.  The SHA offers programs, services and resources that may be able to be integrated in Patient Medical Homes, based on local needs and context. The SHA also has access to teams with expertise in various areas (e.g., data and performance measurement, patient and community engagement, facilitation, project planning). Teams across the province have been collaboratively advancing Health Network development in the following areas:

• Know Your Network, Know Your Health Network Services
• Alignment and Program Optimization
• Team Integration
• Community Integration
• High Quality Care Transitions

Foundational Health Network resources include:

• SHA Area Maps and Health Network map 
• Health Network Profiles
• Use your SHA email to log in and view Health Networks 101

Quality Improvement Resources

• The Health Quality Council (HQC) Physician Panel Reports for Family Physicians.
• The Health Quality Council: QI in Clinics Program

Click here to open the Patient’s Medical Home page. 

Reporting

Projects will be expected to provide routine reports on the status of their projects. While some outcome measures may be identical for all projects, others may be specific to an individual project. These details will be discussed with the SMA Application Support during the application phase. All reports will be shared with members of the Innovation Fund Committee.

Evaluation

An Innovation Fund program evaluation will be completed. It will include program administration, an overview of funded projects, and outcomes and lessons learned. 

Data

High quality data are essential for effective Patient’s Medical Homes and Health Networks. Reliable, timely and relevant data can help leaders and providers make clinical decisions, coordinate care, and design services around the needs of the population.

Examples of tools include:

• The Health Quality Council (HQC) develops Physician Panel Reports for Family Physicians, with accessible and relevant information about providers’ patient populations. These reports include information on demographics, continuity of care, health service use, and prescribing practices. Patient panels are calculated semi-annually in April and October of each year. Your panel report is available at Physicians Practice Report.
• The SHA generates annual Health Network Profile Data Reports on the health indicators of the population within each HN. With a clear understanding of the health needs of individuals and communities, the health system is positioned to tailor staffing and services based on local needs. Key information includes demographics, social determinants of health indicators, acute care utilization, and prevalence of chronic diseases. Health leaders can use this data to plan resourcing, develop teams, engage stakeholders, understand population needs, and improve health outcomes.

SMA

• Dr. Kirsty Sanderson, Co-chair
• Dr. Craig Cantin
• Dr. Sean Groves
• Dr. Ginger Ruddy
• Mark Ceaser, Director, Economics, Clinical Informatics & Research
• Janel Doepker, Manager of Primary Care Innovation Program (PCIP)
• Tahirih North, Consultant

Ministry of Health

• Melissa Kimens, Executive Director, Primary Care Branch
• David Howland, Director, Strategy Team, Co-chair
• Karen Scherle, Strategic Policy/Program Analyst
• Ramona Furkert, Strategic Policy/Program Analyst

Saskatchewan Health Authority

• Sheila Anderson, Vice President, Integrated Regina Health
• Dr. Johann Roodt, Physician Executive, Integrated Rural Health
• Dr. Shanna Fenton, Provincial Primary Care Physician Lead
• Patricia Comfort, Executive Director, Provincial Primary Health Care
• Dr. Kathy Lawrence, Provincial Head, Department of Family Medicine (Regina)

Applications for funding are now closed. We are working with the clinics who were approved for funding. If you have any questions,  please contact us at pmh@sma.sk.ca.

Click here to read more about the Transitional Payment Model (TPM).