If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day.

What are Primary Healthcare Providers?

Primary healthcare providers focus on treating their clients as a whole.  They may involve a team of people including family physicians, nurse practitioners, family practice nurses, social worker, dietitian, physiotherapist, or other healthcare professionals.  

Family Physicians

Unlike other physicians who specialize in treating one particular organ or disease, your family physician is uniquely trained to care for you as a whole person, regardless of your age or sex. In addition to diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses, your family physician provides routine health screenings and counseling on lifestyle changes in an effort to prevent illnesses before they develop. And, if a health condition arises that requires care from another specialist, your family physician will be there to guide you and to coordinate all aspects of your care.

What is the patient-physician relationship?

Family physicians help you stay healthy with an individualized plan of care. Family physicians know the key to maintaining long-term good health is the patient-physician relationship. To develop your personal treatment plan, your family physician will ask questions about your family health history and lifestyle to determine your health risk factors.

Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who undertake advance education in order to perform an expanded scope of practice. To become an NP, a nurse must complete the nurse practitioner program, meet competency requirements and pass an examination. NPs collaborate with a physician or group of physicians who are available for consultation about client care. NPs are fully accountable for the care they provide to individuals, families and communities.

Nurse practitioners can:

• Diagnose and treat acute and chronic illness
• Prescribe medications
• Order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests
• Perform procedures
• Refer clients to and accept clients from other healthcare providers

Family Practice Team

Family practice teams (sometimes called primary care network in Prince Edward Island) can include a doctor, nurse practitioner, family practice nurse, social worker, dietitian, physiotherapist, or a range of other health professionals.  Being a patient of this type of team allows the patient to get support from the person with the right skills to meet their needs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Nova Scotia Health Authority
http://www.nshealth.ca/about-primary-health-care

Health PEI
https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/health-pei/health-centres-offer-primary-care