Clinical Alternative Relationship Plans (ARP)

• Annualized Clinical ARP compensation is based on the full-time equivalents (FTE) required for the delivery of clinical services by physician specialty.
• An FTE is a time-based unit of measure, for example number of service provision hours per year.
• The annualized model provides funding to physicians, based on a pre-determined payment rate for an FTE per year, for the delivery of specific program services to targeted patient groups.

Rate increase

We are increasing rates for all family physicians who currently receive compensation through an Annualized Clinical ARP.

The increase is expected to encourage family physicians to stay in their critical roles in the community and hospital and make ARP rates more competitive.

Email [email protected] for inquiries regarding:

• Annualized Clinical ARP rates and associated FTE definitions for specific physician specialties

• Sessional Clinical ARP compensation is based on an hourly rate for the delivery of clinical services.
• The sessional model primarily applies to small, specialized programs and services, and is intended for part-time physicians working up to an equivalent of 2 days per week on average over one fiscal year.

Email [email protected] for inquiries regarding:

• Sessional Clinical ARP hourly rates

Blended Capitation Model (BCM) Clinical ARP compensation is based on a capitation payment (an annual payment amount per rostered patient), plus a component of fee-for-service payment.

• Capitation rates are determined by patient age, sex, and complexity.
• Learn about the Blended Capitation Clinical ARP model.

A new Primary Care Physician Compensation Model will soon be implemented which will support physicians providing comprehensive, longitudinal patient care and the financial viability of community clinics.

• Learn about the Primary Care Physician Compensation Model.

The development of a Clinical ARP begins when a physician group identifies health services that could benefit from a Clinical ARP, such as a service gap or existing services that struggle under the existing fee-for-service compensation structure.

Physicians then work with Alberta Health to explore whether a Clinical ARP is a good fit to meet service delivery requirements.

If the physician group determines they want to pursue a Clinical ARP, they can develop an expression of interest to submit to Alberta Health for review and consideration.

While Alberta Health Services (AHS) may be involved in the initial exploration of an ARP, the main interaction will occur with Alberta Health. The physician group may work with the AMA during this stage as well.

An expression of interest is a short document that informs Alberta Health that a physician or physician group is interested in pursuing a Clinical ARP application or expanding their current Clinical ARP.

The expression of interest includes basic information about the proposed Clinical ARP, including intended location, patients to be served and program services to be provided.

• The expression of interest is not meant to be an exhaustive review of the proposed program and should be clear and concise.
• Download the Expression of Interest document.

During this stage, it is important to declare who the Authorized Representative (AR) will be for the program. An AR is a participating physician who has been authorized by the other participating physicians of the Clinical ARP to act as their agent with respect to the Clinical ARP and is responsible for liaising with Alberta Health. There must always be at least one AR attached to a Clinical ARP (preferably with an alternate).

Once the expression of interest has been accepted, the physician group must draft a Clinical ARP application. The physician group may also elect to work with the AMA, or other consultants of their choosing, for assistance in drafting the application. For programs that will be delivered within AHS facilities, the physician group must work with AHS to draft the application.

The application includes detailed information about the goals, program services, patients, service delivery model, practice management, governance and non-physician professional support of the Clinical ARP.

• Download the Clinical ARP application template.
• Read the Clinical ARP application guidelines.

Once the Clinical ARP application has been accepted by Alberta Health, the Conditions of Payment (CoP) specific for that Clinical ARP is drafted and forwarded to the deputy minister for approval under a Ministerial Order.

Once a Clinical ARP has been approved for establishment, the AR is required to register and operationalize the Clinical ARP.

Complete and submit forms:

• ARP 006
  • application to register an approved Clinical ARP
  • read the instructions for completing Form ARP 006

Service event reports are submitted via H-Link, similar to fee-for-service reports. Participating physicians use their ARP Business Arrangement (BA) when submitting and can use codes from either the Schedule of Medical Benefits (SOMB) or the ARP Service Code Schedule. All Clinical ARP physicians must submit service event reports for the program services they deliver as a condition for being paid under a Clinical ARP.

Sessional Clinical ARPs submit claims for benefits using the service event reporting tool. To ensure accurate compensation, a time modifier must be added to the health service code to record the amount of time spent on that service in 5-minute allotments.

In order to calculate monthly full-time equivalents (FTEs), annualized models follow the Clinical ARP’s FTE definition. The FTEs for Clinical ARPs are defined in either program service hours or program service days. This is important as annualized programs are required to report their FTEs monthly.

Alberta Health reconciles payments made to Annualized Clinical ARPs by comparing the terms of each Annualized Clinical ARP’s Conditions of Payment with the actual FTEs reported. Payment adjustments for any over-or under-payments may be made once per fiscal year.

To change, remove or add an authorized representative for a Clinical ARP, contact Alberta Health at [email protected].

Individual physicians participating in Clinical ARPs should use the forms below to join or terminate participation in a Clinical ARP.

Physicians not registered with Alberta Health must apply to the practitioner registry and acquire a practitioner ID before registering with a Clinical ARP. Email [email protected] for assistance with requesting a Practitioner ID.

• ARP 007 – ARP Business Arrangement Request
  • change business arrangement (BA) information
  • update existing Clinical ARP, add a new BA, or set up a non-payment BA
• ARP 008 – Letter of Participation (LOP) – add a participating physician
• ARP 010 – Letter of Termination (LOT) – terminate a participating physician
• ARP 009 – Locum Physician Registration Letter – add a locum physician
  • locum physician should not submit an LOP
• ARP 011 – Locum Physician Termination Letter – terminate a locum physician
  • locum physician should not submit an LOT