Introduction to the Provider and Location Registry - EPRMP.01

The Provider and Location Registry is the authoritative registry of British Columbia health care providers' demographic and professional information (e.g., name, identifiers, business contact, work location, expertise, contact and licensing status). The registry supports the functionality of the electronic health record (e.g., PharmaNet, Provincial Laboratory Information Solution), but it does not contain clinical information.

The Provider and Location Registry is populated with information from B.C.'s professional colleges and regulatory bodies, providing health care provider types such as: physicians, registered nurses, registered nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, registered midwives, psychologists, chiropractors, clinical counsellors, and social workers.

Your access to information in the Provider and Location Registry may vary from other users – depending on your needs and agreements in place.

Why use the Provider and Location Registry?

With access to the Provider and Location Registry you can:

• identify referral options and contact referral providers;
• identify a patient's health care providers (e.g., prescribing physician, dispensing pharmacist);
• identify a provider for an informal consult;
• prepare for patient transfer to a new primary provider;
• update a provider's work location information; and
• receive real time distributions of updated provider information to store in local directories.

Expectations

When accessing the Provider and Location Registry your responsibilities are to:

• access provider information only when there is a clinical or business need;
• confirm the provider information for your work location is accurate and up-to-date;
• handle all provider information through appropriate privacy and security practices;
• notify the Provider Registry administrator of any inaccurate or suspect provider data; and
• limit the use of Ministry Practitioner ID to support the billing or referral process.

Contacts

For questions or clarifications of the Provider and Location Registry education materials contact the Registries Line of Business Help Desk at:

• 250 952-9137; or 
• HLTH.REGISTRIESADMIN@gov.bc.ca.