Your PCN
How do Primary Care Networks benefit you?
The way health care in B.C. is organized and delivered is shifting to help make sure you and your family experience seamless care closer to home. This is being done through Primary Care Networks (PCNs) that coordinate the care and needs of the community.
If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner and you live in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, or Bowen Island, please register for the North Shore Patient Attachment Waitlist.
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:
- More timely, comprehensive, and coordinated care outside of doctors’ offices when needed, arranged by your Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner.
- Expanded care from your Family Physicians as they now have convenient access to a supportive network of allied professionals.
- Interdisciplinary team-based care, shown to improve health outcomes for patients.
- The integration of allied health professionals: on the North Shore this includes Registered Nurses (RNs) in Practice, Mental Health Clinicians, and Primary Care Clinical Pharmacists.
- Culturally safe, inclusive, and respectful care.
The North Shore PCN is creating multiple linkages from family practices to community agencies so that the patient experience of healthcare teams includes not only their Primary Care Providers but also their community agency providers. We are re-imagining health care and integrating social supports to better care for you and your family.
Who’s Who in your Patient Medical Home
If you have a Family Doctor and/or Nurse Practitioner, also known as your Primary Care Provider, visiting them is the first step to good health, whether it’s for a regular checkup or to talk about a particular concern.
Your Primary Care Provider’s clinic is known as the Patient Medical Home—a place of care that you turn to first for health support. It’s where your doctor connects you to the care you need, when you need it.
Through your North Shore PCN, your Patient Medical Home is made up of a team of healthcare professionals led by your Primary Care Provider. Depending on the support you need, your doctor or nurse practitioner can provide access to allied health professionals such as a mental health clinician, pharmacist, and other specialists. Speaking with your doctor is the best way to find out what supports are available and determine your course of care.
When you visit your Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner regularly, you’re more likely to have better health overall, receive better care, make fewer visits to the emergency room, and be hospitalized less often.
By getting to know you and your medical history, your Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner can give you informed medical advice and treatment. As well, your primary care provider can connect you to other healthcare professionals if you need them. They can also help you proactively manage your health in order to prevent illnesses and diseases. Learn more about Preventive Care here.
Your Family Physician and Nurse Practitioner are known as Primary Care Providers
Family Physicians
Family Physicians (FPs) are doctors who specialize in providing lifelong care for you and your family. The first point of contact within the healthcare system is your FP, who is an expert in diagnosing and treating the whole person. An FP has extensive medical training in acute care, and cares for patients in the office, the hospital, other healthcare facilities, or the patient’s home.
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are healthcare professionals who combine the values and skills of nursing, with advanced medical knowledge. They are also considered Primary Care Providers. An NP can diagnose and treat medical conditions, including prescribing medications, and interpreting diagnostic tests.
“My experience with the new PCN nurse was that she was very attentive; and took the time to explain everything. She’s very knowledgeable!”
– Anonymous patient
Your North Shore PCN Allied Health Professionals
Through the team-based care approach, you may see many different healthcare providers who support you to stay well throughout the course of your life. The team is led by your Primary Care Provider, who may be your Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner. At some point, you may see a clinical pharmacist to talk about managing your medical prescriptions. And at another time, you may seek care from a mental health clinician for a mental health challenge. These healthcare providers, and many more, are part of the allied health workforce. They often work as important members of collaborative teams, alongside other healthcare providers, to improve your health and well-being.
Allied health professionals work to prevent, diagnose, and treat a range of health conditions and illnesses as an additional service in consultation with your Primary Care Provider. They contribute specialized expertise, education, research, and leadership, often working as integral members of a collaborative healthcare team to improve the health and well-being of you and your family.
On the North Shore, in addition to seeing your Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner, you and your family will have access to:
- Primary Care Clinical Pharmacists
- Mental Health Clinicians
- Registered Nurses
“This is such a great service that is being provided, I wish I knew about it sooner. I have been telling all my friends about my pharmacist and they are asking how they can get a referral.”
– Anonymous patient
Primary Care Clinical Pharmacists (PCCPs) provide comprehensive medication management services focused on the ongoing care of adult patients with complex conditions to prevent and resolve medication problems. They also provide patients with education about the medications and help patients stick to their medication plan.
The clinical pharmacist works in partnership with you and your doctor to review your medications and implement treatment plans.
A clinical pharmacist can help you:
- Manage medications for conditions including diabetes, chronic pain, high blood pressure and cholesterol, asthma, and COPD
- Create a personal action plan to achieve your health goals
- Access information and education about natural medicines and supplements
- Quit smoking with information and resources
Please request an appointment with a clinical pharmacist by asking your Primary Care Provider if a referral is right for you.
Mental Health Clinicians are registered professionals offering a range of supports to individuals and families. They will work with you, providing time-limited support to help with the challenges and issues that you are facing in your life. They can also help connect you with services, support, and resources in the community.
If you require counseling, the clinician will work with you to help address your immediate mental health challenges in the short term, while helping you to build healthy coping skills for the long term.
The PCN Mental Health Clinicians support individuals with mild to moderate mental health and social concerns. These are defined as mental health concerns that impact a person’s ability to engage in regular life activities, such as work, participating with family and friends, and carrying out daily tasks and routines. Typically, patients are able to engage in these activities to some degree but not to the level they prefer.
PCN Mental Health Clinicians are available to provide short-term counseling support free of charge. Eligible patients can receive up to 8 individual sessions in person, virtually, or over the phone.
Your Mental Health Clinician utilizes solution-focused, brief therapeutic intervention and can support you with such issues as:
- Depression and anxiety
- Financial and housing challenges
- Relationship/family issues
- Grief and loss, and
- Other life challenges
Please request an appointment with a Mental Health Clinician by asking your Primary Care Provider if a referral is right for you.
Should you or your family member need longer-term or more specialized services, other options are reviewed and discussed with you and communicated to the family or nurse practitioner as needed.
A PCN Registered Nurse (RN) permits your family doctor to get quicker access to comprehensive support for patients, especially those who are frail, elderly, and/or have complex and chronic conditions. This support enables family doctors to focus on things like building relationships with you as a person and spending more time on difficult diagnostic dilemmas.
A Registered Nurse works to support your health, including:
- Performing comprehensive and focused assessments
- Administering Vaccinations
- Prioritizing referrals and screening of patient information
- Complex care and Chronic Disease Management visits (CDM)
- Wound care and follow-up visits
“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.