Your PCN
How do Primary Care Networks benefit you?
Healthcare in B.C. is evolving to ensure you and your family receive seamless, coordinated care closer to home. Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are central to this shift, working to integrate and streamline care to better meet the needs of the community. By bringing together various healthcare providers, PCNs ensure that you have access to comprehensive, team-based care that supports your health and well-being.
As part of PCNs, communities are recruiting allied healthcare professionals and making it easier for them to work together in teams. The benefits of the North Shore PCN are far-reaching and diverse. They include everything from gaining access to new and enhanced programs and services to trusted health resources like Pathways.
The North Shore PCN offers you and your family:
- Timely, comprehensive, and coordinated care: Access care outside of doctors’ offices when needed, arranged by your family physician or nurse practitioner.
- Expanded support from your family physician: Your family physician now has convenient access to a network of allied health professionals to provide more holistic care.
- Interdisciplinary, team-based care: Research shows that team-based care improves health outcomes for patients by bringing together professionals with diverse expertise.
- Integration of allied health professionals: On the North Shore, this includes registered nurses (RNs), mental health clinicians, and PCN pharmacists, working together to support your care.
- Culturally safe and inclusive care: We are committed to providing care that respects and acknowledges diverse backgrounds and needs.
The North Shore PCN is also connecting family practices to community agencies, creating a seamless healthcare experience that includes not only your primary care providers but also community support services. We are re-imagining healthcare by integrating social supports to better care for you and your family.
Who’s who in your Patient Medical Home
Visiting your family doctor or nurse practitioner—your primary care provider—is the first step toward good health. Whether it’s for a routine checkup or to discuss a specific health concern, they are your go-to for guidance and support.
Your primary care provider’s clinic is known as the Patient Medical Home—the place where you seek care first. It’s where your doctor helps you navigate the healthcare system, connecting you with the services and specialists you need, when you need them.
Through the North Shore PCN, your Patient Medical Home is supported by a team of healthcare professionals led by your primary care provider. Depending on your needs, your doctor or nurse practitioner can connect you with allied health professionals, such as mental health clinicians, pharmacists, and other specialists. Talking with your primary care provider is the best way to explore the care options available to you and to develop a personalized care plan.
Regular visits to your family physician or nurse practitioner contribute to better overall health, fewer emergency room visits, and reduced hospitalizations. By building a relationship with your provider and understanding your medical history, they can offer informed medical advice, preventive care, and treatment tailored to you.
Your primary care provider can also connect you to other healthcare professionals as needed and help you manage your health proactively to prevent illness and disease. Learn more about Preventive Care here.
Your North Shore PCN Allied Health Professionals
At the North Shore Primary Care Network (PCN), your healthcare is supported by a team of allied health professionals who work together to keep you healthy throughout your life. Led by your primary care provider—whether that’s a family physician or nurse practitioner—this team is committed to delivering coordinated, comprehensive care.
Throughout your care journey, you may interact with various healthcare providers, such as:
- PCN Pharmacists: Who can help you manage your medications and improve your treatment plans.
- PCN Mental Health Clinicians: Who provide support and treatment for mental health concerns.
- PCN Registered Nurses: Who offer care coordination, health education, and support for chronic conditions.
These allied health professionals are integral to a team-based approach that ensures you receive the best possible care. They work alongside your primary care provider to prevent, diagnose, and treat a wide range of health conditions, bringing specialized expertise, research, and leadership to your healthcare journey.
Through this collaborative approach, you and your family have access to a wide range of services, all aimed at improving your health and well-being.
Need a family doctor or nurse practitioner?
If you live in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, or Bowen Island and do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, you can register with the Health Connect Registry. This service helps connect residents with a primary care provider. Click the button below to sign up, today.
“I am extremely grateful for this programme. On reflection, I feel it has been the most valuable additional support I have received to date.”
– Dr. Paisley Howard
Our Allied Health professionals can offer services in a variety of languages and have access to interpreter services that are free of charge to you and your family in over 200 languages.