Where to go when you are sick in Greater Vancouver: 911, ER, UPCC, pharmacy or 811

The short answer

Call 911 for life-threatening problems. Go to the emergency department for things like a suspected fracture or severe abdominal pain. An urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) can see problems that need attention today but are not life-threatening. Pharmacists handle common minor ailments, 8-1-1 helps when you cannot tell how serious something is, and refills, follow-ups, referrals and forms go to a family doctor or walk-in clinic. Emergency departments see patients by medical urgency, not arrival order, so people with less serious problems often wait a long time.^[1]

Call 911, and do not drive yourself

1. Chest pain or tightness, or being unable to catch your breath
2. A drooping face, weakness on one side, or slurred speech (possible stroke)
3. Heavy bleeding that will not stop
4. Fainting or seizures
5. Throat swelling or severe allergic reaction with trouble breathing

Go to the emergency department yourself

These situations generally belong in the emergency department: a suspected broken bone or visibly deformed limb, severe abdominal pain that does not ease, a fever in a baby under 3 months, and vomiting or growing drowsiness after a head injury.^[1] For other problems the wait can be long, so consider the options below first.

UPCC: needs care today, not life-threatening

Most UPCCs accept walk-ins; the list is on the Vancouver Coastal Health website.^[2] Typical uses are a wound that needs stitches, a fever lasting several days, or needing a same-day visit when your family doctor cannot fit you in.

If you want an X-ray for a sprain, check first, because not every UPCC has one. According to the operators' pages, City Centre UPCC (188 Nelson), UBC UPCC and North Vancouver UPCC have X-ray; Northeast, Southeast and REACH do not.^[3][4][5][6] Confirm on the health authority website before you go, since equipment and hours can change.

Pharmacy and 8-1-1

BC pharmacists can assess and prescribe for 21 minor ailments, and also provide contraception.^[7] Examples include uncomplicated urinary tract infections, pink eye, cold sores, acne, eczema, hives and insect bites. The in-person assessment is free for BC residents; medication costs are separate, and the pharmacy can explain details.^[7][8]

8-1-1 nurses answer 24 hours a day, all year, and you can ask for a Chinese interpreter. Pharmacists answer from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. daily and can tell you whether medications are safe to take together. If a child has a fever in the middle of the night and you are unsure whether to go to hospital, 8-1-1 is a reasonable first call.^[9]

Poisoning and routine needs

If a child swallows medication or a cleaning product, call the BC poison line at 1-800-567-8911 (604-682-5050 in the Lower Mainland). It runs 24 hours with service in more than 150 languages. If the person cannot be woken or is breathing poorly, call 911.^[10]

Prescription refills, chronic-condition follow-ups, specialist referrals, sick notes and forms are handled by a family doctor or walk-in clinic.