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Your Health

British Columbians are among the healthiest people in Canada. In BC, we have better access to health care, live longer, smoke less, and benefit from among the best cancer treatment and survival rates in the world. Our long-term plan for health care supports British Columbians’ efforts to maintain and improve their health throughout their life span. This plan includes: 

  • Staying healthy

    • For additional resources please refer to the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport

      • BC NurseLine: Speak to a registered nurse available 24-hours or a pharmacist from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day, with translation services
      • Health Insurance in BC: Information on medical coverage with the Medical Services Plan (MSP) and drug coverage with BC PharmaCare
      • HealthLink BC: HealthLink BC helps you learn about health topics, check your symptoms and find the health services and resources that you need for healthy living.
      • Toll-free Information Lines: Contacts for the Health and Seniors’ Information Line and other health-related helplines in BC  

  • Getting Better

    BC HealthGuide OnLine provides current health information on over 3,000 health topics, tests, procedures and more to help you and your family stay healthy.

    • Ambulance Service: Information on emergency services and paramedic qualifications  
    • BC HealthGuide Online: See HealthLink BC below
    • BC NurseLine: Speak to a registered nurse available 24-hours
    • Health Authorities: Information on BC’s health authorities, which plan and deliver health services and programs based on populations’ needs
    • Health Insurance in BC: Health cards and insurance
    • HealthLink BC: HealthLink BC helps you learn about health topics, check your symptoms and find the health services and resources that you need for healthy living.
    • Home and Community Care: Home care nursing, rehabilitation, home support and palliative care, adult day programs, assisted living, residential care services and hospice care.
    • Primary Health: Innovative ways to deliver primary health services including diagnosis, treatment, illness prevention and support services 
    • Wait Times & Surgical Wait List Registry: Wait times and options for surgery in BC 
    • Toll-free Information Lines

  • Managing Disease or Disability

    Find information to help manage disease or disability for individuals and health care providers.

    • Assisted Living Registration: Information on health and safety regulations that protect seniors and other assisted living residents   
    • BC HealthGuide: See HealthLink BC below
    • BC NurseLine: Call and speak to a registered nurse available 24-hours or a pharmacist from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day, with translation services   
    • BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions: Information and resources for individuals and families coping with mental health and addictions  
    • Chronic Disease Management: Information and tools designed for B.C. health care providers and individuals with chronic disease
    • HealthLink BC: HealthLink BC helps you learn about health topics, check your symptoms and find the health services and resources that you need for healthy living.
    • Patient Information Guides: :Provides doctors and patients with recommendations for medical care to help ensure that patients receive the best quality health care in a cost-effective way.
    • Health Insurance in BC: Information on medical coverage with the Medical Services Plan (MSP) and drug coverage with BC PharmaCare
    • Home and Community Care: Services include home care nursing, home support, rehabilitation, assisted living, residential care, palliative care and hospice care 
    • Toll-free Information Lines: Contacts for the Health and Seniors’ Information Line and other health-related helplines in BC

  • Support and Awareness

    Find information related to Support and Awareness.

    • BC HealthGuide: See HealthLink BC below
    • BC NurseLine: Call and speak to a registered nurse available 24-hours or a pharmacist from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day, with translation services.
    • HealthLink BC: HealthLink BC helps you learn about health topics, check your symptoms and find the health services and resources that you need for healthy living.
    • HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS and Substance Misuse Prevention works to prevent alcohol and drug misuse, HIV disease and other blood borne pathogens.
    • Mental Health and Addictions: Services focus on health promotion, prevention, treatment and recovery, and support individuals' and families' resiliency and self-care.
    • Pandemic Influenza (flu): British Columbia is working with provincial, national and international partners to plan and prepare for a possible influenza pandemic.
    • Public Health Advisory: Advisories and information on current health topics from the Provincial Health Officer, BC Centre for Disease Control or other agencies. .
    • Problematic Substance Use Prevention: Problematic Substance Use Prevention seeks to prevent or reduce the problematic use and related harms of alcohol, prescription medications, illegal drugs and other psychoactive substances.

  • Coping with end-of life

    End-of-life care improves the quality of life of people at the end stages of a terminal illness or death.

    • End-of-Life Care: Supportive and compassionate care provided where the client lives – at home, hospital, hospice, assisted living residence or residential care facility
    • Home and Community Care: Services include home care nursing, home support, rehabilitation, assisted living, residential care, palliative care and hospice care 
    • Palliative Care Benefits Program: Support for individuals of any age at the end stage of a life-threatening disease who wish to receive palliative care at home.  
    • Toll-free Information Line: Contacts for the Health and Seniors’ Information Line and other health-related helplines in BC