Doctors hire resource navigator

Doctors in Powell River will soon have more help making sure patients can access the health care they need.

Vancouver Coastal Health Integrated Primary and Community Care has teamed up with Powell River Division of Family Practice (PRDFP) to hire a resource navigator. It is a first for the community and a tailor-made solution for local general practitioners.

Resource navigators assist physicians to identify available health and social support services for their patients and help link them to these services.

“There’s more to health care than just the clinical diagnosis and treatment that a physician is trained in,” said Megan Sloan, PRDFP coordinator. “A lot of it comes down to helping residents proactively manage their health needs.”

In larger communities, physicians have created smart phone apps or other database systems to track services, but Sloan said she thought in a smaller community like Powell River, where a lot is based on relationships, a more personal connection would work better.

The resource navigator will field calls from general practitioners and then direct them in the right direction for services.

“They won’t be making judgments or telling which services are best,” said Sloan. “They will just assist the physician to have all the knowledge at their fingertips, so we’re not missing opportunities for better integrated patient care.”

The position is on a one-year trial with the possibility of renewal.

“It’s a way of making access for patients easier,” she added.