How to find a Vancouver doctor?

December 29, 2007 1:13 PM

My girlfriend and I need to find a doctor! We are in Vancouver (core) and we would like to find a doctor who will help us take maximum advantage of the health care resources available to us. And they should be ADD-friendly...

she's in her 30s & I'm in my 40s. Possibly we need two doctors because my girlfriend is interested in naturopaths / homeopathy while I am rather anti-woo.

I'm hitting that age where I need to start paying attention to regular tests etc. Fun.

My girlfriend wants a doctor closer to where she lives (Main St.) or I live (Kits).

Our current health issues are fairly minor: she has carpal tunnel and/or tennis elbow problems & I am an ADHD type. I medicate only occasionally, but I want to try some of the newer ADD drugs to see if they benefit me. On a long-term basis, I want someone who will be aggressive about keeping an eye on my heart health, as I have hereditary risk factors. My girlfriend has asthma and mild sleep apnea / night congestion and needs someone who can help her figure out how to sleep better.

Neither of us have a clue how to go about finding a good doctor.

posted by lastobelus to health & fitness (6 comments total)

Use the Find a Physician feature on the College of Physicians and Sergeons of British Columbia site.
posted by furtive at 1:54 PM on December 29, 2007

(and be sure to check off the "accepting new patients" box)
posted by furtive at 1:57 PM on December 29, 2007

for her http://www.midmaincommunityhealth.net/

there might be a waiting list to get in with a doctor there but it is well worth it.
posted by butterball at 7:25 PM on December 29, 2007

Even if somebody here could recommend a physician, you're still going to have to find out if he or she is taking new patients, assuming that BC works like the rest of Canada. Finding TWO family doctors who are BOTH taking new patients would be like striking gold here (Calgary) and I can't imagine why it would be better in Van. Good luck to you.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 7:41 PM on December 29, 2007

How about talking to your neighbours to get recommendations? You're never going to find a good doctor over the internet - for a start one person's good doctor is the next person's worst nightmare...but if you talk to people you can find out what they like about their doctor and what they dislike and see how that fits in with your own priorities...
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:06 PM on December 30, 2007

Thanks. We were at a clinic yesterday and they also told us that finding a family doctor in vancouver was not going to be easy :(
posted by lastobelus at 3:42 PM on December 30, 2007