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BC’s Primary Care System

Last updated on January 22, 2025

An introduction to BC’s Primary Care System and its role in delivering team-based care to enhance access and attachment throughout the province.

On this page:

  • BC’s Primary Care System 
  • Primary Care Networks
  • Models of Care within Primary Care Networks  ​
    • Family Practice Clinics
    • Urgent and Primary Care Centres 
    • Community Health Centres 
    • First Nations Primary Care Centres 
    • Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Clinics 
    • Foundry Centres 
  • ​ Expanding Access: Primary Care Initiatives 
    • Provincial Attachment System​
    • Episodic care 
    • Virtual Primary Health Services 
    • After Hours Care Program 
    • Expanded Scope of Community Pharmacies 
    • Recruiting healthcare workers 
    • New compensation model for family doctors 
    • New-to-Practice Incentive Program 
    • Nurse in Practice Program 
    • Practice Ready Assessment Program 
    • Primary Care Network Locum Program ​​

BC’s Primary Care Strategy

In 2018, the Ministry of Health launched a transformational team-based Primary Care Strategy to increase patient attachment and access to quality, comprehensive, culturally safe, and person-centered primary care services throughout the province.

Primary care is often the first point of contact between a person and B.C.’s healthcare system. Generally delivered by a family doctor or nurse practitioner, primary care is focused on the overall well-being of patients, throughout their lifespan. Primary care providers develop strong, long-term relationships with patients and offer a range of care including educating and promoting healthy lifestyle choices, managing chronic conditions, and diagnosing and treating illness and injury.

Putting patients at the centre of healthcare delivery, B.C. is implementing team-based primary care through a number of different models of care under the Primary Care Network (PCN) umbrella. HealthLink BC provides information online about the primary care services available in your community.

Current Challenges

BC faces several challenges including: 

  • Aging Population, with an estimated 24% increase in people over 75 years old from 2017 to 2022, leading to higher healthcare demands. 
  • Growing Population, the largest growth in 2021 since 1961, leading to more people needing health services.
  • Workforce Retirement, more people are retiring, and fewer young people are entering the workforce, impacting healthcare availability.
  • Public Health Emergencies, including COVID-19 and toxic drug crisis, increasing challenges. ​

Despite these issues, BC is focused on making healthcare more coordinated and accessible for patients. Through partnership with primary care providers and listening to patients, BC is making healthcare better step by step. 

Opening new Urgent and Primary Care Centres, introducing the Longitudinal Family Physician Payment model, or launching the Provincial Attachment System, are increasing access to primary care for thousands of people throughout the province: 

Primary Care Networks

Primary Care Networks or PCNs are clinical networks of primary care service providers located in a geographical area. They provide team-based primary care though a range of models of care, combining knowledge and experience to create a coordinated wellness plan for people.

Patients are supported through a team of healthcare providers, including family doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, pharmacists, social workers, midwives, mental health professionals, Indigenous and community providers and others.

PCNs work with the community to develop local healthcare solutions to meet the unique needs of their communities. For instance, one community in the province may provide additional women’s health services through midwives, while another may have additional mental health professionals to support individuals and families. 

Providers in PCNs understand a person’s health history and seamlessly connects them with the right service, at the right time. As part of the network, patients can maintain an ongoing relationship with primary care providers. Working together, primary care providers: 

  • Enhance patient care using a team-based approach to care. 
  • Support each other and work to their unique strengths and skillsets. 
  • Ensure patients are linked to other parts of the system, including specialized community services programs for high risk and vulnerable population groups. 
  • Collectively work to increase access and attachment to primary care. 

In a PCN, patients get access to timely, comprehensive and coordinated team-based care, guided by ten core attributes: 

  1. Longitudinal Care: Delivery of longitudinal primary care to everyone within a PCN via attachment to a primary care provider or enrollment to a clinic (where applicable). 

  1. Coordinated Care: Coordination of primary care across all parts of the health system, including, for example, community service programs, specialist care, diagnostic services, emergency services, hospital care, facility-based care. 

  1. Timely Access: Access to episodic or longitudinal primary care within 24 hours for urgent, non-life-threatening conditions, and within 7 days for non-urgent appointments. 

  1. Extended Hours: Availability of extended clinic service hours for in-person primary care services during weekdays (5 pm to 8 pm), weekends (9 am to 5 pm) and statutory holidays (9 am to 5 pm); and access to virtual services after-hours. 

  1. Comprehensive Care: Access to a full-range of comprehensive primary care services including clinical screening, diagnostic testing and treatment provided through different clinical settings (e.g., community-based clinics, virtual care services, mobile outreach, long-term care facilities, in-patient care facilities). 

  1. Team-Based Care: Intentional commitment to health care practitioners from different professional backgrounds (e.g., physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, allied health providers, traditional wellness providers and administrative staff) working together as integrated primary care teams within clinics and across the network. 

  1. Population Health Promotion: Commitment to improving population health outcomes at a community level through collaboration in primary care and with other sectors. 

  1. Digital Enablement: Support innovation and improvements in care, and in particular, information continuity across care settings and team members, through the adoption of provincially/regionally endorsed digital technology solutions. 

  1. Culturally Safe Care: Commitment to truth, reconciliation, and humility, ensuring provision of care that is culturally safe, addresses and eliminates racism and discrimination, and respects the dignity, well-being, and unique health care needs of Indigenous Peoples. 

  1. Equitable Access: Removal of systemic barriers to ensure everyone is supported in achieving good health and wellbeing, regardless of age, ability, socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or geographic location.                                             

The development of PCNs is being led by the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Doctors of BC, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC, Health Authorities (including First Nations Health Authority), Divisions of Family Practice, Indigenous partners, patient and community representatives, and other partners depending on the community. To find out more about PCNs, please visit:  Primary Care Networks | FPSC (fpscbc.ca) or Primary Care Networks | HealthLink BC.

Models of Care within Primary Care Networks

Family Practice Clinic

Family Practice Clinics include family practices that enable patients to access continuous, comprehensive and team-based primary care. 

Health Connect Registry 

Through the Health Connect Registry, the Province is expanding access to primary care providers and team-based care. 

Urgent and Primary Care Centres

Urgent and Primary Care Centres provide same-day healthcare services for urgent non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries. UPCCs can also provide primary care to unattached patients. 

Community Health Centres

Community Health Centres or CHCs deliver services according to the needs of the people within the community. They provide access to complex medical and social services. 

First Nations Primary Care Centres

First Nations Primary Care Centres meet the health needs of Indigenous people blending both western and traditional approaches to health and look to the knowledge of Elders within the care team.

Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Clinics

Nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat medical conditions, interpret tests, prescribe medications, refer the patient to a specialist and lead and coordinate care. 

Foundry Centres

Foundry Centres provide primary care services including speciality care, for youth aged 12-24 years. 

Please subscribe to this page for program updates.

Primary Care Initiatives

As the Province implements Primary Care Networks throughout BC, the Ministry of Health is working with our partners to implement programs and services that improve and expand access to care.  

Provincial Attachment System and Health Connect Registry

This system connects unattached patients with a provider who can take on new patients: 

​ Episodic Care

As the government continues its work to expand access to primary care providers, it is also supporting access to episodic care, or a single encounter with a healthcare provider that focuses on a specific, non-emergency health issue. BC’s episodic care support includes:

​ Virtual Primary Health Care Services

  • HealthLink BC provides telehealth services 24/7 through 8-1-1 for patients: HealthLink BC 8-1-1 Services | HealthLink BC. When you call 8-1-1, a Health Service Navigator can connect you to a registered nurse, registered dietician, physician, qualified exercise professional, and/or pharmacist depending on your health needs and questions.
  • Real-Time Virtual Supports (RTVS) offer access to virtual care for patients and providers in rural, remote, and First Nations communities in B.C. There are multiple pathways available through RTVS including HEiDi (provides 8-1-1 access to physicians), RUDi (emergency medicine support for rural and remote providers), CHARLiE (pediatric medicine support for rural and remote providers), and MaBAL (maternity and newborn care support for rural and remote providers). Find out more here: Real-Time Virtual Support (RTVS) - RCCbc
  • The province offers First Nations Virtual Doctor and First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service to enable First Nations people to make virtual appointments with doctors. Read more about the programs here:
  • ​ Northern Health Authority offers Virtual Primary and Community Care Clinic to deliver primary care services for unattached patients. Read more about it here: Virtual Clinic | Northern Health

After Hours Care Program

The After Hours Care Program helps patients with a doctor to access care outside of regular office hours, supporting them with 24/7 access to healthcare in five pilot communities, with plans to expand it throughout the province.

Expanded Scope of Community Pharmacies

Community pharmacies provide an expanded scope of clinical services for the people – this includes prescribing, renewal, and administer immunizations and some drugs: Pharmacy Services in B.C. - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)

Recruiting healthcare workers

BC’s Health Human Resources Strategy focuses on recruiting, retaining, training and redesigning the health system. This strategy also funds the Allied Health Strategic Plan. Together they focus on the recruitment, retention, training and redesigning of B.C.’s healthcare workforce.

New compensation model for doctors

The Longitudinal Family Physician Payment Model links compensation to both visits and time. This enables patients to discuss multiple problems in a single visit and allows fair compensation to family doctors for their time.

New-to-Practice Incentive Program

The New-to-Practice Incentive Program for newly graduated physicians. This program is attracting more doctors to primary care and increasing attachment and access to care.

Nurse in Practice Program

The Nurse in Practice Program enables longitudinal family practices and focused primary care practices to hire Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. This will allow primary care providers to provide care to more patients. 

Practice Ready Assessment Program

The Practice Ready Assessment Program provides an alternative pathway to licensure for International Medical Graduates who completed their residencies outside Canada. This is adding more family doctors to the workforce and enabling more patients to access timely care. 

Primary Care Network Locum Program

The Primary Care Network Locum Program provides access to a coordinated locum for physicians and nurses so patients can continue to go to the same family practice clinic during practitioner vacations.