Primary Care

Family doctors and nurse practitioners providing primary health care are the first point of contact for most British columbians who need health care.

Coming soon, the British Columbia Office for Patient-Centred Measurement will conduct a survey for one year on behalf of the British Columbia Ministry of Health. The survey asks about experiences of primary care received from family doctors and nurse practitioners, as well as experiences trying to access primary care services.

• Over the course of one year approximately 100,000 British Columbians who are eligible to receive primary care services will be mailed an invitation to participate; this is about 2% of the population.
• The survey will be available in English and 10 languages most commonly spoken in BC. Parents or guardians will be asked to respond on behalf of infants and children under the age of 12; anyone older will receive the survey in their own name.
• People invited to participate have three options for completing the survey: online, by phone, or via a paper copy that will be provided with a postage paid business reply envelope. Completion of the survey is voluntary and all information will be protected under BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Frequently asked question

How are people selected to participate?

Names are chosen at random from the list of British Columbia residents who have a BC Services Card and personal health number.

How long will it take to complete the Survey?

This survey is a unique opportunity for British Columbians randomly selected to participate to share their experiences with accessing or trying to access primary care. The survey takes about 20 to 25 minutes to complete. 

How will survey answers be used? 

Survey responses will remain confidential and everyone's responses are grouped together for reporting.

Reports will provide a voice for residents of British Columbia to inform what is working well and what needs to be improved in primary care from their perspective. Responses will help us understand the difficulties and barriers people experience when in need of primary care. The results will  support improvement efforts by the Ministry of Health and others committed to improving British Columbia's primary care services. The survey will be conducted again in the future to see if experiences have improved. 

If you received an invitation and want to complete the survey online: 

If you received an invitation to participate in the mail, that letter includes a URL (website address) and a secure access code that is unique to you. Type the survey web address www.BCprimarycaresurvey.ca into the address bar located at the top of your web browser (e.g. Safari, Chrome), and when prompted, enter your access code listed in your letter. A common mistake occurs when people type the url into the search bar. If you continue to have difficulties accessing the online survey, please contact the survey hotline at 1-855-412-1941 (toll free) or email primarycare@malatest.com.

I want to complete a survey - what if I don't receive an invitation? 

Unfortunately, only BC residents randomly chosen will receive the survey (this is like flipping a coin). This allows comparison of results across regions and over time. 

If you would like to share a concern or compliment about primary health care or services, please email the Patient and Client Relations Team, Corporate Issues and Client Relations Branch, Ministry of Health at hlth.health@gov.bc.ca or call Toll Free wintn BC: 1-833-552-1891. If you would like to inform us of the development of future surveys in British Columbia, please email info.bcpcm@providencehealthcare.bc.ca; your name will be added to our e-Panel.