Pilot program offers after hours care for attached patients of family doctors, NPs in four B.C. regions

The pilot program, in the Langley, South Island, South Okanagan Similkameen, Thompson Region and Victoria divisions of family practice, is a partnership between Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC) and HealthLink BC. The program was developed to reduce the challenges family physicians face in providing patients with care outside regular office hours. After hours care was one of the top burdens family doctors identified during a 2022 survey. The pilot will run for six months and may expand across the province. The service is meant to handle urgent issues that can’t wait until the medical office reopens. It’ll also handle calls about critical labs and other results.