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Primary Care Network

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South Island
Primary Care Network

Introducing your Care Team

Your family physician or nurse practitioner is part of the South Island Primary Care Network (PCN). As a patient in a South Island clinic, you can access many free health services through your Care Team. These free health services may include mental health support, social work, and pharmacy care.

Your Care Team supports your health goals. They offer:

  • Free and timely access to your Care Team
  • Improved health, independence, and safety
  • Better access to community services and social supports

Your family physician or nurse practitioner can connect you to your Care Team.

What is a Primary Care Network (PCN)?

A Primary Care Network (PCN) connects your Care Team members to support your health goals. The Care Team works together to give you the best primary care possible.

Your Care Team

Every patient’s Care Team will look a little different. Care Teams have a family physician or nurse practitioner as your main health contact. Some Care Teams can include a pharmacist, registered nurse, social worker, or mental health and substance use consultant.

You are the Centre of your Care Team

  • Your family physician or nurse practitioner can connect you to your Care Team based on your health goals.
  • Your Care Team can share important health information with each other.
  • You are the centre of your Care Team and involved in your care.

Talk to your family physician or nurse practitioner about how the Care Team can help you meet your health goals.

Care Team Members

Mental Health and Substance Use Consultant
Social Worker
Nurse Practitioner
Family Physician
Pharmacist

Mental Health and Substance Use Consultant

Provides substance use assessments and screening

Develops a substance use care plan

Helps you find the care you need

Social Worker

Addresses issues that impact your health (finances, housing, social supports)

Develops a care plan

Refers to community programs

Nurse Practitioner

Is your main primary care contact

Supports disease care, illness treatment, and general health

Makes diagnosis and orders prescriptions and lab tests

Explains lab and diagnostic tests

Refers to specialists

Family Physician

Is your main primary care contact

Supports disease care, illness treatment, and general health

Identifies health risks

Shares strategies for prevention

Provides end-of-life care

Pharmacist

Assesses medications

Ensures you have the right medication for the right reason

Offers advice on dosage and adverse reactions

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Family Physician
  • Is your main primary care contact
  • Supports disease care, illness treatment, and general health
  • Identifies health risks
  • Shares strategies for prevention
  • Provides end-of-life care
Nurse Practitioner
  • Is your main primary care contact
  • Supports disease care, illness treatment, and general health
  • Makes diagnosis and orders prescriptions and lab tests
  • Explains lab and diagnostic tests
  • Refers to specialists
Social Worker
  • Addresses issues that impact your health (finances, housing, social supports)
  • Develops a care plan
  • Refers to community programs
Mental Health and Substance Use Consultant
  • Provides substance use assessments and screening
  • Develops a substance use care plan
  • Helps you find the care you need
Pharmacist
  • Assesses medications
  • Ensures you have the right medication for the right reason
  • Offers advice on dosage and adverse reactions

“Now, everyone involved in my care is able to understand the whole picture and can approach the same issues from different perspectives. I am telling everyone I know to ask their family physician or nurse practitioner for a Care Team.”

Eligibility

To access the Care Team, you need to: 
  • Be a patient of a South Island Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner
  • Have B.C. Medical Service Plan (MSP) coverage
  • Not be in hospital or long-term care

Get Connected

  • Talk to your family physician or nurse practitioner about connecting with the Care Team.
  • If you need a family physician or nurse practitioner, please visit the Health Connect Registry online to join the wait list for your area.
  • If you have questions about the South Island Primary Care Network (PCN), please contact us at pcnadmin@sidfp.com

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