Health Connect Registry, Cowichan

The Cowichan Primary Care Network (PCN) is building a new way to connect you to a physician or nurse practitioner called the Health Connect Registry. Registering using this online tool adds you to a local waitlist for a provider. You may also register your family or a person in your care.

Access to a physician or nurse practitioner in Cowichan will be limited by the number of providers accepting patients. The registry will help us to understand how many people do not have a provider. It will also help to coordinate your connection to a doctor or nurse practitioner when one becomes available.

You can register with the Health Connect Registry in Cowichan if you, your family, or a person in your care lives in one of the communities of Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cobble Hill, Duncan, Lake Cowichan, Crofton, Chemainus, Saltair, Ladysmith, Thetis Island or Penelakut Island. Registration is also open to the following First Nation communities: Cowichan Tribes, Penelakut Tribe, Halalt, Lyackson, Stz’uminus, Malahat, Ts'uubaa-asatx and Ditidaht.

If you do not currently have a family physician or nurse practitioner, there are several clinics in the area who offer walk-in services. You can find these using Medi-Map.

For updates on the Health Connect Registry, please bookmark this page in your browser and check back often.

Emergency or Immediate Care

If you’ve been in a major accident or have a life threatening situation, call 9-1-1 or go to the emergency department.

Examples include trouble breathing, chest pain/pressure, severe pain, heavy bleeding, signs of stroke – face, droop, arm/leg weakness and difficulty speaking, etc.

If you require immediate care, Cowichan has two Urgent Care Centres open 7 days a week from 7:30 am-10:30 pm.

Ladysmith Urgent Care (1111-4^th Avenue, Ladysmith)
Chemainus Urgent Care (9909 Esplanade St., Chemainus)

Examples include broken bones, asthma attacks, allergic reactions, cuts and burns, etc.

About Primary Care Networks and the Health Connect Registry

PCNs are community-based networks of health care professionals and clinics who plan and deliver all day-to-day health care needs of a community. Within these networks, teams of providers work together. This way, patients will receive better care, by the right person, at the right time, closer to home.

PCNs are part of the Province's Primary and Community Care Strategy to make sure you have faster and better access to the everyday health care services. It will take some time for PCNs to become fully operational. The Province plans to have PCNs established in 70 percent of B.C. communities over the next three years.

The Health Connect Registry is part of this strategy. The Health Connect Registry works with active PCNs to help patients find a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner, because we know that having a regular provider leads to better health for you and your family.

Update Your Information

Keeping information on the Health Connect Registry up to date is important. This will help us connect you to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you need to update information on the Health Connect Registry for yourself, your family or person in your care, please contact HealthLink BC by dialing 8-1-1, or for the deaf and hard of hearing, dialing 7-1-1.

A HealthLink BC health service navigator will ask you for the Client ID you received when you registered and your personal health number. If you are updating information on behalf of your family or a person in your care, you will require their Client ID and personal health number to make an update.

Information on the Health Connect Registry can only be updated by phone at this time.

Health Services and Support

While you are waiting to be connected with a family doctor or nurse practitioner, please consider the following for accessing health services and support.

Call HealthLink BC

HealthLink BC provides free health information and advice any time of the day or night. Call us toll-free at 8-1-1 in B.C., or for the deaf and hard of hearing, call 7-1-1. A health service navigator will help you find the information you are looking for or transfer you to a registered nurse, registered dietitian, licensed pharmacist or qualified exercise professional. Our navigators can also help you find a health service in your community such as a walk-in clinic or urgent primary care centre. Translation services are available in over 130 languages.

Visit your local walk-in clinic

You are welcome to visit a walk-in clinic. Walk-in clinic doctors can diagnose, manage illnesses, prescribe medication, order medical tests and make referrals to specialists. Please visit our HealthLinkBC Directory to find a clinic close to where you live.

Find health services and support in your community

Search our HealthLinkBC Directory to find health services in B.C. We list all publicly-funded health, mental health and addiction treatment programs. If you need help finding a health service, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 and speak with one of our health service navigators.

Last updated: July 13, 2021

Need a Translator?

Translation services are available in more than 130 languages. Call HealthLinkBC at 8-1-1 toll-free in B.C., or for the deaf and hard of hearing, call 7-1-1. You will be connected with an English speaking health service navigator. To get service in another language, say the language you want (for example say "Punjabi"), and an interpreter will join the call. The navigator and interpreter can help you register for the Health Connect Registry by phone.

Need Technical Support?

If you experience technical difficulties or are unable to complete your registration online, you can register by phone. Call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 toll-free in B.C., or for the deaf and hard of hearing, call 7-1-1.

Alternate Phone Numbers

Deaf and Hard of Hearing
For the deaf and hard of hearing (TTY), call 7-1-1, or for Video Relay Service, visit Video Relay Services and have them call us at 604-215-5101.

Internet Calling Service Providers
You cannot access 8-1-1 by dialing 8-1-1 on web-enabled telephone services like Skype or Google Talk.

Instead please dial:
604-215-8110

8-1-1 Not Available?
If you are unable to reach us by dialing 8-1-1 from your phone, please contact your telephone service provider to arrange access. In a few cases local telephone service providers may not be able to support 8-1-1 dialing.

If this is the case for you, please access our service using our 10-digit number:
604-215-8110.

Health Connect Registry Administrative Login

Health Connect Registry and participating Primary Care Network teams can access the administrative interface for the Registry for patient attachment purposes at Health Connect Registry Administrative Login.