Find the help you need when you need it
Learn what's best for your situation and make informed choices about where to go for medical care.
Seeking appropriate care
Making informed decisions about health care can be critical for your well-being and helps ensure that our health-care system can operate efficiently. Knowing where to go for care can provide you with better, faster care and help alleviate unnecessary strain on health-care resources. Keep in mind that the availability of certain services and resources may differ by region, reflecting the unique health-care landscape of each community.
It's essential to understand the various levels of care available and to determine which is most suitable for your situation. Whether it's a minor ailment or a serious condition, the right care at the right place at the right time can make a significant difference.
Your health-care navigation guide
Here’s how to decide where to seek care, depending on your needs. Remember, while this guide offers a general overview, health-care services and offerings can vary depending on where you live:
- Personalized care: Your family doctor or nurse practitioner knows your health care needs best. Call their office for hours and instructions. If you don’t have one, register at HealthLinkBC.ca.
- General health questions: Call 8-1-1 to speak with a nurse any time or day.
- Pharmacy: For prescription refills and treatment for contraceptives and minor ailments, visit SeeYourPharmacist.ca. B.C. pharmacists treat select minor issues like allergies, cold sores, mild acne, pink eye and urinary tract infections.
- Mental health and substance use: Visit vch.ca/MentalHealth.
- Non-life-threatening health concerns: Visit an urgent and primary care centre. Find locations and check hours of operation at vch.ca/UPCC.
- Emergencies: Call 9-1-1 or go to the Emergency Department. Check wait times at EDWaitTimes.ca.
Note: For pediatric emergencies, BC Children’s Hospital serves kids up to 16 years old, though all emergency departments are equipped to see children. - Vaccinations: Book your flu or COVID-19 shots at GetVaccinated.gov.bc.ca or 1-833-838-2323. For drop-in options, check with pharmacies, walk-in clinics or your family practitioner.
Regional services
Health-care services are tailored to meet the needs of each community, which means the type and availability of care may differ from one town to another. For this reason, it is important to seek the most current and specific information for your area.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on services in your area, please select your region below.
Vancouver
Boundary Road to UBC, and from the north side of the Fraser River to Burrard Inlet.
Richmond
From the south side of the Fraser River to the north border of Surrey and Delta.
Coastal
The North Shore, Sunshine Coast and Powell River, Sea-to-Sky Highway, and the Central Coast (Bella Bella and Bella Coola).