Register on the Health Connect Registry to get a Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner in your community.
Patient Medical Homes
Your Patient Medical Home (PMH), is the clinic where you go to receive ongoing primary care. Within your PMH there are various roles on the team that you will connect with to support your health and wellness.
Family Doctors
Family Doctors are the backbone of the primary care system. They support patients to improve and maintain their health and connect them to other areas of the health care system. In the PCNs, Family Doctors are accessing other team-based supports to care for their patients.
Are you a family doctor working in the Vancouver PCNs? Visit the Vancouver Divisions of Family Practice site to find out about resources available to support you.
Nurse Practitioners
Family Practice Nurse Practitioners are Primary Care Providers who are working in Patient Medical Homes throughout Vancouver to offer long-term support to their patients. They complete a higher level of clinical education so that they can diagnose and treat diseases and health conditions, and support a variety of health issues ranging from simple to complex.
How can a Nurse Practitioner support me?
A Nurse Practitioner in the Vancouver PCNs can:
- Act as your primary care provider
- Help you manage and improve your physical and mental health
- Conduct medical and physical assessments
- Order and interpret tests, such as medical imaging and bloodwork
- Diagnose medical conditions
- Prescribe medications and write orders
- Complete disability, ICBC, WorkSafe BC and extended health benefits forms
- Conduct minor procedures
- Refer patients to medical specialists
- Work with other team members in your Patient Medical Home including Family Doctors, PCN Registered Nurses, clinic staff and PCN Allied Health Services to ensure the best care
PCN Registered Nurses
A PCN Registered Nurse can support you to follow up on your primary care plan and help to support your health and wellness. They work closely with your Primary Care Provider and other PCN health supports. PCN Registered Nurses are being added to health care teams in Patient Medical Homes in Vancouver.
How can a PCN Registered Nurse support me?
PCN Registered Nurses work closely with your Primary Care Provider as well as the PCN Allied Health Services as part of a team to support your primary care needs.
A PCN Registered Nurse supports patients with:
- Screening, assessment and management of mild to moderate conditions and complex but stable medical conditions and mental health and substance use concerns
- Promotion, maintenance and restoration of health
- Prevention, treatment and management of illness or injury
PCN Registered Nurses care for patients by:
- Determining the urgency of a patient’s need
- Conducting assessments
- Implementing a wide range of nursing supports to address a patient’s need
- Supporting patients with complex issues and chronic illnesses
- Monitoring and evaluating tests to help develop a care plan along with patients
Collaboration with Vancouver Coastal Health
The Vancouver Division of Family Practice and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) are working collaboratively to manage the PCN Registered Nurse Program. PCN Registered Nurses are employed by VCH to work with Vancouver Primary Care Providers to support their patients.
Medical Office Assistants
Medical Office Assistants (MOAs) support the day to day operations of your Patient Medical Home. They perform administrative and clinical tasks such as scheduling appointments, managing patient records and files, supporting communication between medical staff and patients, preparing patients and rooms for examinations, supporting referrals and more.
Are you an MOA working in a Vancouver clinic? Find out more about the Vancouver Division’s MOA Network.
Other Roles in Patient Medical Homes
There may be other roles on the team that supports you in your Patient Medical Home such as specialists, or other clinical and administrative staff. Your Patient Medical Home may also have access to refer to the PCN Allied Health Services also known as the Interprofessional Team (IPT).