PAM updatedPeople in Chilliwack, Agassiz, and Hope who have had trouble finding a family doctor have been getting a lot of help from Pam.

Who is Pam? Pam is actually PAM: Patient Attachment Mechanism, a phone line set up to connect people to health care professionals.

People who call can be linked up to a family doctor, nurse practitioner, or primary care clinic.

Katrina Bepple from the Chilliwack Division of Family Practice, who run the program, says right now they’re looking after people who are unattached to any health care provider, but says they plan to expand to help others.

“People who have a primary care provider but outside of their home community and would prefer to have one local. That will be phase 2.  And then Phase 3 will actually be for those patients who have a provider within their community but for whatever reason that relationship isn’t working and they’re choosing to access walk-in or the ER instead.”

Bepple says since the numbers were launched in May they’ve been able to get over 700 people hooked up with family doctors or other health care professionals.

Residents in Chilliwack, Agassiz, and Harrison can call 604-795-0034. In Hope and the Fraser Canyon, phone toll-free 1-844-795-0034.