How Things Work
How Healthcare works in Canada
Medicare is a special name for Canada's health care system that helps everyone in the country get the medical care they need. Instead of having one big plan for the whole country, we have 13 different plans - one for each province and territory.
With Medicare, all people in Canada can see doctors and go to the hospital without having to pay any money.
The provinces and territories take care of managing and organizing the health care services for the people who live there.
Some groups of people, like seniors, kids, and those who get help from the government, also get extra support from their provinces or territories. This extra support helps pay for things that are not part of the regular health care, like:
- Glasses and eye care.
- Taking care of your teeth.
- Special medicine from the pharmacy.
- Help with living at home.
If you don't get this extra help, you might need to pay for these things yourself or get private health insurance to help cover the costs.
Understanding Primary Health Care: Your First Stop for Staying Healthy
When people in Canada need to see a doctor or get medical help, they usually start by going to their primary health care services. These are like the first stop for health care, such as a family doctor or nurse practitioner, like those at our clinic.
Primary health care is the first and most basic level of health care that people receive. It includes the regular check-ups, basic treatments, and help you get when you're not feeling well.
Primary health care does the following:
- Helps with the first health care needs you have.
- Makes sure your health care is well organized, so it's easy to go from one place to another when you need special services.
- Takes care of you from when you're sick to when you get better.
Where we fit in the community
Rutland Community Clinic is a primary care service. You should come to the clinic for most of your healthcare, including new and life-long health problems, but not for an emergency.
For emergency health problems such as a very serious illness or injury, you will need to go to the hospital emergency department.
For problems that need help quickly but are not a true emergency, you can go to an Urgent Primary Care Clinic (UPCC). Here's the one in Rutland.
Rutland Community Clinic works in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Interior Health Authority to provide team-based, community-governed, not-for-profit, health care designed by the community, for the community. Rutland Community Clinic is integrated as part of the Central Okanagan Primary Care Network. Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are important service delivery providers and are working to help address your needs in Central Okanagan communities
