Nurse Practitioners

Overview of Encounter Reporting

To assist in the ongoing planning and evaluation of nurse practitioner programs, nurse practitioners are required by the Ministry of Health to submit appropriate encounter records, including encounter codes and ICD9 codes, through the ministry’s Medical Claims Payment System/Health Insurance BC.

Nurse Practitioner (NP) Referrals for Services (MSP List)

The Health Professions Act and Nurses (Registered) and Nurse Practitioners Regulation permit NPs to refer their clients to medical practitioners and other health care professionals for consultation and to request laboratory, diagnostic, imaging and other miscellaneous services within their scope of practice as outlined by the BC College of Nurses and Midwives.

Commencing January 5, 2019, restrictions on the items referred by nurse practitioners were removed from the MSP/HIBC claims processing system as NPs are expected to order diagnostic tests within their scope of practice and level of competence.

Simplified Encounter Reporting

On May 1, 2021, the ministry introduced simplified encounter reporting for primary care nurse practitioners. On February 1, 2024, the ministry introduced simplified encounter reporting for acute and specialty care NPs. In simplified encounter reporting, a smaller number of encounter codes are used, and reporting of complexity codes and start/stop times has been eliminated.

Nurse Practitioner Encounter Records Guidance

The following documents provide detailed guidance on encounter reporting for nurse practitioners:

1. Definition of Terms (PDF, 68KB)
2. Nurse Practitioner Enrollment in the Medical Services Plan/Health Insurance BC (PDF, 73KB)
3. Encounter Record Submission Procedures (PDF, 192KB)
4. Clinical Record Documentation (PDF, 63KB)
5. Diagnostic Code Descriptions (ICD9)
6. Encounter Reporting for Nurse Practitioners  (general guidance document on simplified encounter reporting)