Need a Family Practice Registry

The Need a Family Practice Registry supports Nova Scotians who are looking for a primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner).

If you do not have a primary care provider, or your provider is moving, retiring, or closing their practice, there are two ways you can join the registry:

1. Register online by clicking the button below.
2. Register by phone by calling 811, Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You must choose this option if you are new to Nova Scotia and do not have a Nova Scotia Health Card.

Sign up for the Need a Family Practice Registry

Frequently Asked Questions

Registering and Confirming Your Status

How do I find out where I am on the list? When will I find a provider?

When Nova Scotia Health is contacted by a primary care practice that is accepting new patients, we send them the list of people on the Registry for that community. The practice will accept new patients from the Registry based on their capacity at that time.

Therefore, we are unfortunately unable to confirm where you are on the Registry, nor when you will find a primary care provider.

To improve access to care, Nova Scotia Health is continually working to recruit family doctors and other health care professionals. We are also working to create more and strengthen existing Health Homes to enhance access to primary healthcare for Nova Scotians.    

How can I confirm that my dependents or I are on the Registry?
If you are not sure if you are already on the Registry and want to check, please click the "confirm" button on the Need a Family Practice Registry web page or call 811, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

If you want to check if any of your dependents are already on the Registry, please call 811.

How can I remove my name from the Registry? 
If you have found a primary care provider, please let us know by clicking on the "remove" button on the Need a Family Practice Registry web page or call 811, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

How do I sign up family members on the Registry?

You can sign up family members either by clicking the "register" button on the Need a Family Practice Registry web page or by calling 811. Please have their information ready so you can complete the application on their behalf. 

Where to go for Care

Where can I access primary healthcare while waiting to be connected to a primary care provider?

To learn more about healthcare services that are available to you:

• this website will provide you with a ‘Where to go for healthcare’ handout for your community, information about calling 811, and the YourHealthNS* app.
• you can also try Nova Scotia Health's Accessing Primary Care tool to answer some questions and get connected with the options that are right for you.

*YourHealthNS is a new app that helps you navigate health information, book services and discover care options, easier and faster than ever before, right from your phone or computer. You can download the YourHealthNS mobile app through the Apple Store or Google Play Store. 

Health Questionnaire

What is the health questionnaire?

Nova Scotia Health has updated the Need a Family Practice Registry to include a health questionnaire. The information you share on the questionnaire will help us understand the health concerns of Nova Scotians and allow us to improve or create the right support and services.

This questionnaire will help us share information with you about primary healthcare services that you can access while you are on the Registry.

How the Registry Works

Do all family practices use the registry to accept new patients?

Nova Scotia Health encourages clinics to contact us when they are able to accept new patients. Primary care providers are independent health care providers who determine how and when they accept new patients into their practice. This can be from the registry, or another method that works best for their practice (e.g. their own wait list, advertisements, family members of existing patients, etc.).

I already have a family doctor/family practice but would like to change doctors/practices. Can my name be added to the Registry?

Our immediate focus is helping those Nova Scotians without a primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) to get access to primary healthcare. Given the high demand for this service, we are asking that people only add their name to the Registry if they do not have a primary care provider or their provider is retiring or closing their practice in the near future.

I have a family practice but have moved to another part of the province. Can I add my name to the Registry?

Yes. If you are unable to access your primary care provider because you have moved, please register.

I'm new to Nova Scotia and I don't have a health card yet. Can I add my name to the Registry?

Yes. You can start your registration by calling 811. Please note: you must provide a health card number within four months of registering.  

Your registration is not complete until a Nova Scotia health card number is obtained from MSI. Once you receive your health card number from MSI, please call 811 again to complete your registration for a family practice.

Please note that if you have not yet received your Nova Scotia health card, you are not eligible for some health care services such as VirtualCareNS and Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinics.  

If you have questions about your Nova Scotia health card, please contact MSI at 1-800-563-8880.

Can I register in multiple communities for the first available family practice?

No, we are unable to offer registration in multiple communities. You can add your name to the registry using one address (such as your home or workplace), depending on which location may be more convenient for accessing a family practice (e.g. when you work in one community and live in another).