Emergency-to-Primary Care Pathway
In Neil’s Harbour, Nova Scotia, patients with less urgent needs can be referred from the emergency department to a primary care clinic for a same- or next-day appointment.
- Topics
- Primary and community care
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis priorities
- Cultural Safety
- Audience
Healthcare leader
Community organization
Point of care provider
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With support from the program, the teams introduced promising practices — approaches that improved access to safe, including culturally safe, team-based primary care — by meeting the unique needs of communities, patients and providers while encouraging collaboration and shared learning across Canada.
About this Promising Practice
To improve same-day and next-day access to primary care and reduce emergency department visits, Nova Scotia Health introduced a Registered Nurse (RN) prescriber to the primary care team in Neil’s Harbour. Since implementation, 23% of patients with less urgent needs have been redirected from the emergency department to primary care, with additional same-day appointments preventing unnecessary ER visits.
Program: Strengthening Access to Primary Care in Northern, Rural and Remote Communities
Location: Neil’s Harbour, Nova Scotia
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