Project Details
About the Project
The Nanaimo Division of Family Practice in partnership with the Nanaimo Medical Staff Engagement Society is implementing Pathways in Nanaimo. It is a web-based database that all Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and their MOAs can use to improve referrals to Specialists and Specialty Clinics. Pathways was developed by physicians for physicians and will be in place in 95% of BC communities by the end of this year.
Here are a few highlights of the system:
- Specialists can customize their information by indicating their areas of interest and practice, referral processes and preferences, pre-consult investigations required, wait lists and referral forms (if applicable).
- The only information about your practice listed on Pathways is what we receive from you so you can be assured the information is accurate. While we have employed an administrator to enter the data and update it every 6 months, you can also self-edit your information.
- Specialists can also use Pathways to refer patients to other Specialists if needed. You will have access to all Specialist information in the province and can filter it by community.
- Pathways is password protected and only available to Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and MOAs.
- By improving the quality of referrals, Specialists experience fewer referral issues and fewer “no shows”.
- Pathways contains patient resources that can be emailed to patients through a no reply email address.
- Frequently used clinical decision-making tools for Physicians are also available on Pathways.
- There is no cost to you. The Nanaimo Division is covering the cost of implementing the system.
Nanaimo Pathways Leadership Team
- Dr. Kelly Cox, Pediatrician kel.cox@gmail.com and Dr. Melissa Gillis, Family Physician gillis_melissa@yahoo.ca
- Leslie Keenan, Executive Director, Nanaimo Division Lkeenan@divisionsbc.ca
- Janice Schmidt, Pathways Administrator nanaimo@pathwaysbc.ca
- Cell: 250-713-6431 Fax: 250-591-1205
How to Sign Up
Contact Janice Schmidt (info above) who will email or drop off a survey for you to complete that will take you approximately 10 minutes. Janice can also provide a brief demo to you and/or your MOA showing you how Pathways works. She will make herself available at your convenience.
Project Updates
This project is ongoing. The program was launched in Nanaimo early December 2017 with positive feedback thus far. Pathways administrators and project leads are currently working to recruit more GPs to use system.Our current numbers:
- 123 users (specialist, MOAs, NPs and GPs that have logged onto Pathways)
- 245 pending accounts
- 97 Specialists profiles
- 23 Clinic Profiles
Next Steps:
- To expand the Pathways systems across Vancouver Island and recruit non-users in Nanaimo.
- To add GPs with special areas of interest
- Encourage clinics and GPs to log on to Pathways via clinic visits and showcasing at CMEs to increase awareness and use