People aged 70 or older, living in our catchment area, with any of the following:

• Complex medical conditions
• Disabling physical or mental symptoms
• Geriatric syndromes like chronic pain, mobility and balance problems, cognitive impairment, mental health problems
• Difficulties with daily function like household management and personal care
• Difficulty getting to a doctor’s office because of mobility and health problems

The direct physician services, hospital care, specialists, and labs are all covered by MSP (provincially-funded healthcare). Nursing, physiotherapy, and exercise trainer services, as well as indirect medical care (e.g. email communication over and above a maximum allowed) are not publicly insured services through MSP. Patients of HomeTeam Medical Services™ can either pay an additional annual fee for these uninsured professional services, or pay for each of these services as they use them.

No. Medical care for the elderly can become very complex. It is vital that only one professional provides continuity of care and coordinates clinical services.

It is our priority to monitor our patients’ wellbeing on a regular basis. People who are acutely ill will be seen within one working day and followed until they are better.  

Otherwise, a nurse will routinely visit patients every 4-6 weeks if there are no acute problems. A physician will also see people proactively to review their conditions and medications. You will be seen more frequently if your condition changes or your medications are altered.

Our physiotherapists see patients if they have neuromusculoskeletal pain, mobility, and functional problems that require this intervention. Services also include acupuncture when available, as well as management of chronic pain until a patient’s condition stabilizes.

Our rehabilitation assistants will work under the direction of the physiotherapist. They will follow patients for a course of exercises when needed to improve strength, flexibility, balance, and conditioning.

We follow our patients who move from their homes to retirement homes and assisted living facilities. We do not follow people who move to nursing homes. You will need to transfer to another physician if you move to a nursing home or long-term care home. There are a couple of long-term care homes that we visit. You can check with our office for more information.  

The focus of our care is to keep people in the community.  Once someone goes into a nursing home they are usually safe, have access to an interdisciplinary team, and may not need our services.   

Yes, you will be eligible for Case Management and Home and Community Care, the homecare services provided by Island Health. Many of our patients utilize these services, and we are in close communication with these agencies.