FAQs
- How can I access RACE?
- What are the hours of RACE coverage?
- What specialty areas can be contacted through RACE?
- Where can I find more information about the RACE app?
- What is the billing code for specialists to bill?
- What is the billing code for family physicians to bill?
- Can Nurse Practitioners or Midwives call the RACE line?
- What do I do if I don’t receive a call back from the specialist within 2 hours?
- What information do I need to give the specialist when I call?
- If we are to use RACE again for the particular patient or situation, will the specialist have access to what was discussed previously?
- As a primary care provider, what do I need to document from the phone call?
- As a specialist, what do I need to document from the phone call?
- How long is patient information stored in the RACE app?
- If a patient’s current specialist is unavailable for an extended period of time, can I use RACE until they return?
- Can I e-mail or fax a specialist for advice?
- How can I reach the RACE Administration Team for support?
- How do I go about getting a specialty area set up on the RACE line?
- If I am a family physician/NP who practices outside of Vancouver Coastal Health Region (VCH/FHA), can I call the specialty areas in the RACE line that are not provincial services?
- Are specialists licensed to give advice to Yukon primary care providers?
How can I access RACE?
The Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE) program is accessible through a mobile application and the web browser. You can also phone the RACE telephone line by calling 604-696-2131 or toll free 1-877-696-2131.
What are the hours of RACE coverage?
- Monday to Friday, 0800-1700
- RACE is to provide support for primary care providers during the hours patients are seen in their office.
What specialty areas can be contacted through RACE?
Click here for a full list of current specialty services by region.
Where can I find more information about the RACE app?
Please visit the RACEApp+ webpage for more information. If you need assistance with a password reset or email preference switch, please email RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca.
What is the billing code for specialists to bill?
- Specialist Services Committee Telephone Fees
- Billing code PG10001: Urgent Specialist Advice – Initiated by a Specialist, Family Physician or Health Care Practitioner. Verbal, real-time response within 2 hours of the initiating physician’s or practitioner’s request – $60.00
- Billing code PG14021: Family Physician with Consultative Expertise Telephone Advice – Initiated by a Specialist, Family Physician, or Allied Care Provider. Response within 2 hours – $60.00
- Billing code G10002 – $40.00/15 minute interval – for calls returned within 1 week
What is the billing code for family physicians to bill?
- Yes, please see the Family Practice Services Committee Telephone Fees Billing Guide.
- Billing code PG14018 – Family Physician Urgent Telephone Advice from a Physician with Consultative Expertise – $40.00.
Can Nurse Practitioners or Midwives call the RACE line?
Yes. RACE is meant to provide support for primary care providers. It is important to keep in mind the communication channels and ensure decisions regarding care are communicated through the primary care giver either FP or NP.
What do I do if I don’t receive a call back from the specialist within 2 hours?
If you do not receive a call back within 2 hours, please call 604-696-2131 (Press 0) or email RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca for administrative help.
What information do I need to give the specialist when I call?
We encourage requesters to use a standard, structured communication approach including:
- Pertinent medical history
- Current situation
- A specific question
If we are to use RACE again for the particular patient or situation, will the specialist have access to what was discussed previously?
No, the specialist will generally not have the information on hand about a previous RACE request.
As a primary care provider, what do I need to document from the phone call?
According to billing code PG14018, the care plan must be recorded in the patient’s chart and must include patient identifiers, reason for the care plan, list of co-morbidities, safety risks, list of interventions, what referrals to be made, what follow-up has been arranged.
Documentation procedures differ between regulatory bodies. Please follow your regulatory body’s documentation process. For family physicians they are required to document the following:
- Patient’s Name
- Date of Service
- Diagnosis
- Reason for need of Clinical Action Plan
- Name of specialist/GP with specialty training & their role in provision of care
- Elements of the Clinical Action Plan determined
- Patient risks based on assessment of appropriate domains (list of relevant co-morbidities and safety risks)
- What referral will be made, what follow-up has been arranged (including timelines), as well as advanced planning information if appropriate.
- Start times of service
As a specialist, what do I need to document from the phone call?
According to billing code PG10001, an adequate medical record/chart entry, including time of initiating request and time of response as well as advice given, and to who, is required.
RACE line specialists provide advice to primary care providers on specific patient care. The primary care provider remains the most responsible provider.
How long is patient information stored in the RACE app?
Patient data (including the patient’s name, date of birth and personal health number) is stored in the RACE app for only 1 year. We suggest saving screenshots for your records.
If a patient’s current specialist is unavailable for an extended period of time, can I use RACE until they return?
RACE is meant to fill a gap. If you have no existing communication lines for telephone advice to your patient’s current specialist, then consider placing a RACE request.
Can I e-mail or fax a specialist for advice?
RACE is only for verbal telephone communication.
Please visit eCASE for e-mail consultation: http://www.raceconnect.ca/ecase/
How can I reach the RACE Administration Team for support?
- Phone: 604-696-2131 (Press 0)
- Email: RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca
How do I go about getting a specialty area set up on the RACE line?
Email RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca with information about your inquiry
If I am a family physician/NP who practices outside of Vancouver Coastal Health Region (VCH/FHA), can I call the specialty areas in the RACE line that are not provincial services?
Yes, the service is set up to provide support for primary care across the province. Some specialty areas provide support provincially, while other services have opted to answer requests from their respective region. If a specialty service appears on your RACE app menu, then you can place a request for advice.
RACE is meant to fill a gap, if you have no existing communication lines for telephone advice to specialists in your area, you can consider calling the RACE line. We need to respect existing patterns of communication that are working well and RACE should not impact these.
Are specialists licensed to give advice to Yukon primary care providers?
A BC medical license will cover specialists to provide telephone advice for a Yukon patient according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC and the the Yukon Medical Council on Standard of Practice for Telemedicine (page 2 section 3.2 B).
Yukon Medical Council on Standard of Practice for Telemedicine
