Primary health care

What is primary health care?

Primary health care is the “front door” to basic health care. It’s the first place people go for health care or wellness advice and programs, treatment of a health issue or injury, or to diagnose and manage a health condition.

Primary health care is about:

• Treating acute and episodic illness;
• Preventing people from becoming ill or injured;
• Managing chronic conditions;
• Making the most effective use of health provider expertise;
• Efficiency and co-ordination;
• Access; and
• Individuals playing an active role in their own health care.

Primary health care may include services like: health promotion, disease prevention, screening tests and examinations, rehabilitation therapy, nutritional and psychological counseling. That means a variety of professionals, including nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, counsellors, rehabilitation therapists and social workers — in addition to physicians — provide primary care.

• Read more about primary health care 2004
• Read excerpt from Advancing Primary Health Care in Alberta

Primary Care Network (PCN)

In 2003, Alberta Health and Wellness, the Alberta Medical Association and Alberta’s Regional Health Authorities (now Alberta Health Services) established the Primary Care Initiative (PCI) to improve access to family physicians and other frontline health care providers in Alberta. The PCI developed Primary Care Networks – referred to as PCNs.

• Read more about the Primary Care Initiative and Primary Care Networks