By Chad Klassen

8-1-1 Health Line has connected 600 residents with primary care

Mar 30, 2017 | 3:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Nearly six months after the Ministry of Health opened up the 8-1-1 Health Line to connect Kamloops residents with incoming doctors — hundreds have already been matched.

Health Minister Terry Lake says 600 people have been hooked up with a health care professional in the Kamloops area. But there are close to 6,000 people still on the list just waiting for more phyisicians.

“We’ve got about 5,800 people that are on that waitlist, but I know over 600 patients have been connected to primary care, either nurse practitioners or physicians. I run into people every week that have told me they’ve had an appointment with a nurse practitioner on the North Shore, and they’ve been extremely impressed,” said Lake. 

In October, as part of its four-point health plan, the province promised half a dozen locum doctors in Kamloops. But it’s been harder than first thought to attract them here. 

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“There’s one locum that is working with Dr. Vlahos’ team [at the Norkam Healthcare Centre],” noted Lake. “We are working with the other clinics to see if there’s a need there. What we’ve done is essentially increase the incentive for locums to come to Kamloops. 

“It’s unusual to have the province allow a city like Kamloops to have the same sort of program as the smaller communities. But given Kamloops’ situation, they’ve extended that and actually increased that incentive. So we are seeing some results of that. We have two Practice Ready Assessment physicians coming in April, and more coming over the next couple months.”