Improved directory for finding French-speaking health care professionals in NS published

Réseau Santé has launched an online directory of more than 300 health care providers who can offer services in French in Nova Scotia. The redesigned and enhanced directory will replace the directory of French-speaking primary health care providers on the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness’ website, which was the primary source of data for the directory.

Members of the Acadian and francophone community can access the directory at https://bit. ly/2NKCN4Z to find health care professionals who speak French close to where they live, working in over 30 professions.

The directory has some new features, including the ability to search by keyword and by city, town or village; to view providers on a map and to get directions, among others. It also includes more professions, going beyond primary health care, with the addition of professions such as acupuncture, speech-language pathology and massage therapy. The site was designed for use on smartphones and tablets.

The directory is made up primarily of health care professionals in private practice, as it is not possible to request a specific professional at hospitals or other public health care facilities. Nonetheless,

some public health care facilities that can offer services in French appear in the directory, even if the specific health care professionals who work there do not.

Health care professionals who can provide services in French who are not in the directory can

sign up by completing the sign-up form on the site and members of the community can also refer health care professionals who do not appear in the directory or report any errors on a health care professional’s listing. Health care professionals who were included in the old Department of Health and Wellness directory are encouraged to check their information to ensure that it is up to date.

“We are very happy to be able to provide this more capable directory to the community. We encourage members of the community to use it but also to refer health care professionals who speak French in their region to us and to let us know about information that is not up to date,” said Gisèle Thibodeau, president of Réseau Santé.

“This new platform will allow us to increase access to health care services in French in Nova Scotia.”