One million British Columbians connected to family doctor since 2018: Ministry of Health

More people in BC now have a family doctor after the BC government launched a new program seven years ago.

According to a Ministry of Health media release, one million people in British Columbia have been matched with a new family doctor since 2018, with more than 4,000 people in the province being matched with a primary care provider each week.

The ministry says that 2018 marks the year when the government launched actions to make it easier and faster for people in the province to access primary care.

“Having a family doctor or nurse practitioner is one of the most important foundations of good health,” said Premier David Eby in a statement.

“It means having someone who knows you, understands your medical history, and can help you stay healthy throughout your life.”

The Premier went on to say that the number shows that the plan is working, but that he knows that there is more to do.

“We won’t stop until every British Columbian who wants a family doctor or nurse practitioner has one.”

According to the release, approximately 80% of BC’s population now has a family doctor or nurse practitioner, representing 4.47 million people.

The Ministry says that in the last three years, more than 700,000 people have been connected to a primary care provider.

“Connecting one million people to a family doctor or nurse practitioner is a significant milestone in our work to build a public health-care system that works better for people,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Health.

“We are working hard and fast to make sure that everyone gets the high-quality care they need, when they need it and closer to home.”

In 2023, the Province launched a system intended to get a comprehensive picture of matches to primary care providers. This system includes the Health Connect registry, where people can sign up if they are seeking a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

“When you have a doctor or nurse practitioner who knows you, it makes such a difference in how you treat your own health care and, most importantly, the support you get when something changes with your health,” said Stephanie Higginson, parliamentary secretary for primary care access.

“We’re focused on making sure more people have that trusted relationship and the confidence that comes with knowing where to turn.”

The Ministry also highlighted a focus on recruiting, training and retaining more doctors, nurses and health professionals.

This work is made possible partly through the Health Human Resources Strategy.

While BC’s population has increased by 15% between 2017 and 2025, the number of doctors has increased by 33%, representing 1,400 new family doctors, according to the Ministry. The number of nurse practitioners has tripled during that time.

The Ministry also pointed to the new medical school at Simon Fraser University, the Simon Fraser University Stephens Family School of Medicine in Surrey, which started its new cohort of 48 students this year, as a marker of success.

As enrolment grows at the institution in phases to 120 students annually, the Ministry says more people will have the opportunity to train closer to home for careers in medicine while simultaneously helping meet the province’s growing need for doctors.