Please note that these are guidelines, not standards. Some of the items (eg. transportation) may be applicable only in certain situations. It is highly recommended that all arrangements be detailed in a letter of agreement.

REMUNERATION

If remuneration is specified on a per hour basis, it is suggested that a minimum remuneration per diem or per week be specified. The pathologist himself or herself should be responsible for recording the hours of work.

For Rates, see here

This should be specified as accurately as possible, including requirements for weekend and after hours coverage.

This should be provided by the institution or physician requiring the service in cases where the locum position is in a different community than the locum physician’s residence. This may refer to air, rail, bus or automobile travel. It includes transportation from city to city, hotel to place of work and transportation to cover secondary sites of work apart from the principal one. In case of transportation by automobile, a set fee per kilometer should be specified. The OMA guideline is 27 cents per kilometer.

This should be paid by the institution requiring coverage.

Medical-Legal autopsies are remunerated by the Ministry of the Solicitor General to the physician performing the autopsy. Hospital autopsies during off-hours (i.e.. weekends) may be negotiated, particularly if the remuneration is on an hourly basis. A suggested rate based on the OMA fee schedule is $ 600.00 per case. Standby coverage ($ 150.00 per day is reasonable) may be negotiated.

These include applications to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario for standing (currently $25.00), fees for courtesy staff privileges, and (in the case of pathologists crossing inter-provincial borders) fees for temporary provincial licenses to practice. These fees should be paid for by the institution requiring the coverage.

It should be specified in the letter of agreement exactly what services are to be provided, such as:

• Autopsies - hospital and medical-legal
• Cytopathology
• Surgical pathology

• Hematopathology
• Blood bank
• Microbiology
• Chemistry

Autopsy completion: if an autopsy is performed at the end of a term of coverage, it is suggested that the pathologist responsible for brain cutting, microscopic examination and final report be specified. A price may be negotiated for this service. Further incidental expenses in this regard, such as mailing of slides to and from the pathologist for completion of the autopsy, should be covered by the institution

Responsibility for coverage of secondary hospitals, laboratories, etc. should be specified.

The letter of agreement should specify names and telephone numbers of necessary contacts, such administrative contacts (Medical vice-president or other), Chief of Staff Technical Director, local laboratory physician consultants, etc.

This should be provided by the institution as required.

This should be provided by the institution as required.