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Premier John Horgan has announced the opening of 10 urgent primary care centres across the province over the next year, starting with the first in Surrey this fall.
The facilities will be staffed with health-care providers including doctors, registered nurses, nurse practitioners and dietitians.
The idea is to address the needs of people who don't have family doctors, which the government says describes 1 in 6 people in this province.
What will be the difference between these and walk-in clinics, you ask?
Firstly, they're aimed at vulnerable residents who have complex care needs. Elderly folks, and those with substance abuse issues.
They'll also be diagnosing and caring for conditions that might otherwise see a person visiting the ER. For example: lacerations, earaches, back pain, and sore throats.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said "We're going to have four doctors, we're going to have two nurse practitioners here, and seven registered nurses," he told a news conference outside a building where the centre will be built.
When it's fully staffed, the Surrey facility could accommodate up to 1,300 patient visits per week.
