Integrated Chronic Care Service (ICCS)

Integrated Chronic Care Service (formerly known as the Nova Scotia Environmental Health Centre), is an interdisciplinary chronic disease management team that provides time-limited specialty assessment, education, and self-management support.

ICCS accepts referrals for the following conditions:

• Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
• Environmental illnesses including Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
• Fibromyalgia
• Post-COVID-19 Syndrome (Long-COVID)
   

ICCS does not accept referrals for conditions outside our service scope. Examples include:

• Lyme disease
• Injection injuries
• Chronic pain without an eligible ICCS condition
• POTS as a standalone referral
• Other conditions outside the diagnoses supported by ICCS

Our Approach

Our interdisciplinary team provides evidence-informed assessment and care planning focused on education and self-management. Depending on a patient's needs, services may include:

• Medical assessment
• Nursing
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Dietitian services
• Clinical therapy / psychotherapy
• Group education
• Individual self-management support

Our goal is to help patients better understand and manage their condition while supporting their ongoing care with their family doctor or nurse practitioner.

What ICCS does not provide:

• A permanent family doctor or nurse practitioner
• A chronic pain clinic
• A long-term or ongoing management service 
• A service for routine investigations or diagnostic work-up unrelated to the conditions we support
• We do not provide treatments that were previously available through the former Environmental Health Centre, such as IV infusions, sauna therapy or other interventions with limited evidence to support their use

How do I access this service?

You can access Integrated Chronic Care Service (ICCS) through a referral from your family doctor or nurse practitioner.

If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, you can request an appointment through VirtualCareNS – Full Care or contact your local Primary Care Clinic to discuss your symptoms and whether a referral to ICCS is appropriate.

How do I prepare for my appointment?

Please make every effort to keep your appointments.

• If you need to cancel an appointment, give at least 24 hours (1 day) notice by phoning 902-487-0578. This gives us time to book another patient.
• If you miss three (3) appointments without cancelling with proper notice, you will be discharged from ICCS.
   

Review the following before your appointment:

• Body Mind Awareness Program Meditations audio playlist (external site)
• Integrated Chronic Care Service (ICCS) Scent-free Information for Patients and Families (.pdf)
• Approved Scent-free Personal Care Products: Integrated Chronic Care Service (ICCS)
• Optional: Resource binder for scent free products (.pdf)