PATIENT RESOURCES

Welcome to the Kootenay Boundary Division of Family Practice Patient Resources page. Here you’ll find information on health & community resources + downloadable tools on a number of patient health care topics.

Health care resources for local patients who don't currently have a family doctor or nurse practitioner in Kootenay Boundary:

Kootenay Boundary Health Connect Registry

This is the first step for residents who don’t have a local family doctor or nurse practitioner & would like one. Learn more & register online at kbhcr.ca> or call 8-1-1.

Urgent Primary Care, Emergency & Walk-in Options

For the most up-to-date local information visit our clinics & care listings web page >

First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day

Accessible to all First Nations people across BC through the First Nations Health Authority. Find out more > or call 1-855-344-3800 to book your appointment.

HealthLink BC 811 Service

Offers free-of-charge provincial health information & advice by phone. This can include health information, help to navigate health care, & find health services across the province. Call 8-1-1

See Your Pharmacist

Did you know that BC Pharmacists can prescribe contraception & assess for 21 minor ailments?...

As of June 1st, BC residents can be assessed by a pharmacist for 21 minor ailments & receive prescriptions for contraceptives. Patients may receive a prescription, or may be given advice for self-care or to see another health care professional for further assessment. This service is free to all BC residents with a Personal Health Number. In the coming weeks, an online provincial booking system will be launched to schedule appointments with pharmacists.

Check out seeyourpharmacist.ca > to search up participating pharmacies in your local Kootenay Boundary community.

Options for Sexual Health Clinics

Clinics are run by certified nurses, doctors, & trained volunteers and offer a wide range of sexual health services including birth control counselling, free contraceptives, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, cervical screening, pregnancy testing, & more. Services are LGBTQ2S+ friendly and for all ages in most locations.

Check out the Options Clinic Finder > to locate a clinic in your Kootenay Boundary community.

Dr. Belinda's Quick Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Medical Appointments

These quick tips > can help you get the most out of appointments with your Doctor or Nurse Practitioner. They’re great ways to make appointments more successful for you, your practitioner & your clinic.

"We know things are challenging for many people at the moment due to the lack of family practitioners in our communities. These tips are small things that each of us can do, or get help from our friends/loved ones to do. They will support your own care, and they will help relieve some of the pressure on our primary care system." – Dr. Belinda van der Berg

Need Help With Health Care Technology?

Our digital health advisor can help you:

Book your lab appointments online
Set up MyHealthPortal
Access your test results online
See your practitioner from home (where available)
Join the Health Connect Registry if you need a family practitioner

Contact Kristy Zamec at kzamec@kbdivision.ca >

KB Fetch | Health & Community Services Directory

'KB Fetch: For Everything Community Health' is an amazing online directory of health & community services, programs & resources available for Kootenay Boundary residents.
Explore KB Fetch as your go-to directory of services available for you in your local community! >

KB Searchlight | Child & Youth Mental Heath Services Directory

'KB Searchlight' can help link you to the right services in your local community. It's a directory of youth mental health & substance use programs, services & resources for Kootenay Boundary youth, families & supporters. KB Searchlight >

Interior Health Home & Community Care Services

Interior Health's Home & Community Care Services > provides a variety of at-home and community services to support those living with acute, chronic, rehabilitative , or palliative health care needs.

COINS Aboriginal Community Wellness & Patient Navigator Program

The Circle of Indigenous Nations (COINS) Aboriginal Community Wellness Program supports Aboriginal people to access the health services they need. Coordinators assist people to navigate the health care system in various supportive & practical ways. They also help people to connect with traditional & cultural wellness supports.

Aboriginal Patient Navigators work collaboratively within the circle of care to provide a respectful & safe health care journey for Indigenous individuals who are in hospital.

Find about these programs & more at coinations.net >

211 connects patients with community resources

211 is a free, confidential service that connects people to community, government, & social services that assist with:

Basic needs like food and shelter.
Mental health and addictions support.
Legal and financial assistance.
Supports for seniors and newcomers.

211 can be accessed by: Visiting bc.211.ca, calling or texting 2-1-1.

Chronic Pain

1 in 5 Canadians lives with chronic pain. If you or someone you love is living with pain, you’re not alone. There are resources and supports to help. Our Living Well With Chronic Pain > page & 'Managing Pain Together Toolkit' highlights resources recommended by patients living with pain & health care providers, as well as a link to a region-wide listing of health care providers with expertise and knowledge in working with pain.

Gender-Affirming Care

Gender Affirming Care: A ROAD MAP > is a resource booklet for Kootenay Boundary transgender, Two-Spirit, non-binary, gender diverse people & allies to help in navigating health care, services & support. It includes information, tools & resources on navigating health care, gender expression & social transitioning, community & peer supports & more.

Palliative Care

Have you, or someone you love, recently been given a life-limiting diagnosis? These Patient Resource and Service guides have been developed by Dr. Lilli Kerby, Dr. Lisa Sawyer, and Dr. Trevor Janz, Palliative Care Physician Leads, with the support of KB Division of Family Practice.

Health Frailty

The frailty journey can be roughly divided into early, middle, and late stages, then end of life. The Frailty Roadmap for Families > outlines the features of each stage, the signposts that tell you where you are on this road, and what may be coming up next. Included are questions that can help you clarify where you are, and suggestions about things we can do as a family and care team to give you or your loved one the best possible quality of life where they are right now.

Dementia

What can you expect when your loved one has dementia? The Roadmap for Families is a tool developed by Dr. Trevor Janz with the support of KB Division of Family Practice.

Poverty Resources

Do you ever have difficulty make ends meet at the end of the month? The Poverty Intervention Tool is a resource for both practitioners and patients. It also includes a great list of helpful community resources >