Provincial release:

Nova Scotia Health continues to connect more Nova Scotians to the primary care they need with an improved Need a Family Practice Registry.

The registry is now a dynamic patient management tool supporting thousands of Nova Scotians to connect to the care they need every month. New and improved processes include regular validation and check-ins, navigation support through an expanded team and improvements to the health questionnaire and how it is used to support care.

“Over the last few years, a lot of work has been done to transform the registry from a basic list into a useful tool that actually helps connect Nova Scotians with the care they need,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “Now, we have a patient support tool focused on what really matters – timely, effective connection to primary care. We’ll continue to build on these improvements to further develop the registry into the best tool it can be.”

The registry validation effort that began in June 2024 is now complete. Since that time, Nova Scotia Health has been focused on creating more effective and efficient ways of working with the registry to better support patients. Validation will now be an ongoing part of registration.

Now, when Nova Scotians contact the registry, the team discusses their personal circumstances and health concerns, ensuring those who need a family doctor or nurse practitioner are added to the registry, know where to go for care in their community and understand how Nova Scotia Health can support them. In some cases, their health needs may inform how quickly they are attached to a provider. In others, potential issues are quickly resolved and registration is not needed.

When an available primary care provider is identified, registrants are assigned to that provider or practice, and within the registry, these attached patients are referred to as pended. This means they know they have been attached to a provider, and the timing of their first appointment may depend on provider availability and the patient’s health concerns.

In the last nine months, Nova Scotia Health has also supported more than 50,000 Nova Scotians whose doctor or nurse practitioner was retiring or closing their practice in finding a replacement provider rather than joining the registry.

Recommendations to enhance monthly public reporting from Nova Scotia Health have been accepted by the Department of Health and Wellness and will begin in April using data from this month onward. Reports will include:
– the number of new registrants who need attachment support and reason for joining
– the number of registrants attached to a primary care provider
– the number of resolved registrants who no longer need attachment support
– the net change in the registry (new registrants minus the registrants attached or resolved)
– the total number of active registrants seeking support for attachment and per cent of population
– information at the provincial, health zone and health network level as appropriate;there are four health zones and 14 health networks.

Over the next two months, Nova Scotia Health will test and refine the new report format and continue to seek feedback from patient/family advisors.

Basic monthly reporting will continue until the new reports begin in April.

Quotes:
“The old Need a Family Practice Registry was just a list. But people aren’t lists – people have stories, needs and health journeys that deserve attention and co-ordination. Our team has worked across our healthcare system to transform the registry into something that patients can actively engage with and be supported by. Now we have smarter tracking, proactive outreach to support validation and the ability to match Nova Scotians with care teams faster and more effectively.” 
— Katie Heckman, Director, Primary Healthcare Network, Nova Scotia Health

Quick Facts:
– as of Jan. 1, there were 66,768 Nova Scotians seeking support to connect with a primary care provider
– all Nova Scotians on the registry have continued access to free VirtualCareNS, as well as the many other primary care options in their communities, such as pharmacy clinics, mobile clinics, primary care clinics and more
– all Nova Scotians on the registry can receive direct support from the registry team by phone and email
– Nova Scotia Health has issued a request for proposals for a digital solution to improve access and navigation within primary, urgent and emergency healthcare, including VirtualCareNS, VirtualEmergencyNS, virtual urgent care, the Need a Family Practice Registry and the rapid onboarding program
– the Need a Family Practice Registry was first established in 2016 and was a basic list of people who were seeking a family doctor

Additional Resources:
Need a Family Practice Registry web page: https://needafamilypractice.nshealth.ca/