The introduction of a new and improved triage process for booking appointments at South Island urgent and primary care centres (UPCCs) is better supporting patients to get the care they need, when and where they need it.
People will continue to call 1-833-688-8722 when clinics open to book an appointment at a UPCC. Opening hours for each UPCC are listed on Same-Day and Next-Day Care. Beginning October 27, people seeking appointments will be called back by a registered nurse, who will assess their care needs and connect them to the appropriate services.
The new process benefits people by ensuring those with the most pressing care needs do not face delays in accessing care. It also supports care teams in directing patients to the most appropriate health care provider. This could be a physician or nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, mental health and substance use clinician or social worker. It could also be someone in the community, like a pharmacist.
The new process is already being used at the Central Nanaimo UPCC and the Cowichan UPCC, as well as at UPCCs across the Lower Mainland. Feedback from the Lower Mainland sites has been positive, with more patients being seen and quicker access to specialized care providers, like mental health clinicians, community pharmacists or registered nurses.
Many nurses at South Island UPCCs are certified to offer services that patients would traditionally receive from physicians and nurse practitioners, including the ability to assess, diagnose and treat certain conditions.