Finding a Family Doctor can be a challenging process. To make that information more accessible we have added some resources and guidance below to help those residents in Simcoe-Muskoka Region searching for a Family Doctor.
The purpose of the Barrie Area Physician Recruitment Task Force is to bring the best Family Physician and Specialist Physician candidates to our region. With the support of our funding partners which includes the City of Barrie, the Town of Innisfil, the Township of Oro-Medonte, the Township of Springwater and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, our goal is to ensure that every member of our community has timely access to primary care services.
Register for Health Care Connect
Health Care Connect helps Ontarians who are without a family health care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) to find one. People without a family health care provider are referred to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner who is accepting new patients in the community. When Family Doctors are looking to add to their patient rosters, the first place they will look will usually be Health Care Connect! We recommend registering for Health Care Connect immediately to have your name added to the database.
By registering for Health Care Connect, you will be creating an “application file” that can be distributed to Family Doctors that are looking to register new patients in the area. The system will ask for details with regards to your health status so that Family Doctors can review some initial information when they review your file. If you are selected by a specific Family Doctor, you will receive a call to notify you and schedule your first meet and greet appointment.
To register for Health Care Connect Click Here
Alternatively you can reach out to 1-800-445-1822 to connect directly with a representative to register.
Contact Family Medicine Clinics
Another way to find out about availability in different practices is to regularly reach out to clinic administrators. In many cases, patients have had success inquiring about availability at different Family Medicine clinics in the area. While this can be time consuming for patients, it can be an alternative way to get timely information about possible openings in certain clinics.
If you are new to the area you can visit the CPSO Doctors Search to find local Family Doctors’ offices to reach out to!
By accessing the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario database, you can search for Family Doctors’ office contact information based on your postal code. This search function will locate all Family Doctors that are in relative proximity to your location. While this does not show their availability for taking more patients, it is a great way to manually search for opportunities in the community.
Contact Nurse Practitioner Led Clinics
Simcoe Muskoka offers several Nurse Practitioner led clinics in the area, who are able to roster and treat patients in a similar fashion to Family Physicians. These clinics offer highly skilled and trained health professionals who are able to offer timely primary care services.
Nurse Practitioner Clinics to reference:
Georgian Nurse Practitioner Clinic – https://georgiannplc.ca/site/
Huronia Nurse Practitioner Clinic – https://huronianplc.ca/