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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
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VICTORIA – The province is launching a new innovative service delivery model for the Medical Services Plan (MSP) aimed at providing improved customer services, more capital investment and greater efficiency, Health Services Minister Colin Hansen announced today.
“British Columbians deserve to know they can get assistance with routine MSP transactions like enrolling a new family member, without facing unacceptable delays,” Hansen said. “We’re seeking a partner with the expertise to develop a long-term solution that results in more timely and efficient service to the public while investing in the technology needed to deliver better results.”
Hansen said that over the next 12-14 months, the ministry will identify a suitable partner to run the existing MSP system while building a new system that will improve customer services. This will ensure uninterrupted service to the public during transition to the new model. The partner will also be responsible for maintaining the quality of MSP and PharmaCare business services to physicians, pharmacists and other health-care professionals. He said the time frame reflects the complexity of the problem and the need for a comprehensive overhaul to our approach.
At present, MSP customers are unable to fill out forms on-line for basic functions such as new enrolments, changes in status of family members, registrations of babies or applications for premium assistance. Instead, they must mail in forms for processing. As a result, MSP staff must handle more than 800,000 paper forms annually to process basic applications, registrations and changes in status, contributing to delays and the need for improved services.
Hansen noted the ministry’s approach to administering MSP hasn’t changed significantly in the past 30 years, despite an 80 per cent increase in population and increased expectations from a more culturally diverse client base. Demands on MSP have increased in part due to the province’s expansion of access to premium assistance to more than 200,000 low-income B.C. families.
“MSP staff currently handle hundreds of thousands of paper forms annually, and simply can’t keep pace with current tools and technology available to them to process applications. By taking advantage of new advances in information technology we know we can deliver better, faster and more convenient services in the future.”
Hansen stressed patient privacy will be the critical focus of any solutions considered.
“The public must be assured their personal health information will be protected to the same high standard as it is currently, “ Hansen said. “Under the new service delivery model, the government will continue to own all information, be accountable for all services, and will ensure we meet or exceed provincial privacy legislation. Compliance with all privacy requirements will be mandatory and will be routinely audited by the ministry to ensure accountability.”
The affected services in MSP and PharmaCare, referred to jointly as health benefits operations, are administrative and technical in nature and do not involve direct health-care delivery. They include responding to public enquiries, registering clients, and processing medical and pharmaceutical claims from health professionals.
The health benefits operations project is one of several alternate service delivery projects aimed at providing greater efficiency and better value for taxpayers. The Ministry of Management Services is the lead ministry responsible for the overall governance of the alternative service delivery initiatives.
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