Registered Nurse-Led Primary Care Coordination
In Weyburn, Saskatchewan, a primary healthcare registered nurse coordinates triage, timely appointments and follow-up after hospital discharge. The role helped reduce appointment wait times from 70 to 27 days.
- 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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About this Promising Practice
In Weyburn, Saskatchewan, there are long wait times for primary care and a lack of discharge support from the hospital. This leads to an increased reliance on emergency departments (EDs) and hospital readmissions.
Expand the primary care team to include a primary health care registered nurse (PHC RN) to:
Implement a triage system for medical office assistants to prioritize urgent patients.
Coordinate appointments with front-end staff to provide same-day or same-week appointments.
Provide patient care including care delegated by nurse practitioners or physicians.
Manage discharge follow-up within 48 hours of hospital discharge.
By taking on a central role in patient care coordination, the PHC RN improved patient outcomes and made the healthcare team more efficient, providing the right care at the right time.
Program: Strengthening Access to Primary Care in Northern, Rural and Remote Communities
Location: Weyburn, Saskatchewan
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