Primary care access point (GAP)

This service gives access to orphan patients (people without a family physician) to better assess their ad hoc physical and mental needs by being oriented to the right health specialist that’ll be able to take care of his needs.

The digital GAP allows you to be directed towards the proper health services.

Primary care access point | Gouvernement du Québec

What is the primary care access point (GAP)?

Orphans patients who are calling the primary care access point (GAP) are referred to a health care specialist who can address their ad hoc physical or mental needs while waiting to be taken care of by a family physician.

In order to be seen by a family physician, the patient must be registered to the local Québec Family Doctor Finder (GAMF).

Orphan patients who are calling the GAP will be registered to the GAMF if they are not already registered.

Who can have access to the primary care access point (GAP) services?

This service is only available for people who don’t have an assigned family physician.

You also need to be registered to your regional Québec Family Doctor Finder (GAMF) to get access to this window access.

You can submit your application online to the GAMF service or by updating your profile at www.gamf.gouv.qc.ca

How to register with a family physician?

Subscribing through a family physician can be made via a family doctor access window (GAMF). This access window has been created in order to easily give access to a family physician to all population.

You can submit your application online through the Québec Family Doctor Finder (GAMF) at www.gamf.gouv.qc.ca.

Once you completed your registration to the access window, your request will be analyzed and a priority level will be given to your health status. It is impossible to predict how soon you will be seen and being taken care of by a family physician. Delay may vary depending on the number of people registered on the list and the availability of physicians in your region.

While waiting to be taken care of by a physician, you can call the primary access care point (GAP) for any mental and physical ad hoc needs. Your priority level at the GAMF will be updated when you call to the GAP.

If your health status deteriorates while waiting for a referral to a physician, it is your responsibility to inform your health team who will then reassess your priority level.

Eligibility Criteria for GAMF registration

• You must have a valid health insurance card ;
• You must not already be registered with a family physician;
• You must live at the address currently listed on file with the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). If this is not the case, it is possible to change your address online through the Service québécois de changement d’adresse;
• You must be over 14 years old. If you’re less than 14 years old, a person over 14 years old must proceed to your registration;
• Your residence must be located in Quebec and your zip code must be listed by Canada Post;
• You must not live in the Nunavik region or James Bay Cree regions. Doctors in these regions can’t register patients.

How does a call to the front-line care window access works?

GAP’s team is composed of administrative agents and clinical nurses specially trained to assess the needs of people without a family physician.

Some ad hoc needs may be addressed upfront while others may need to be orientated or referred to the appropriate specialist at the right moment while waiting to be taken care of by a family doctor. Orphan patients could be orientated or referred to:

• A Family Medicine Group (FMG) for a medical appointment;
• An access window or existing services of the CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue;
• Info-santé or Info-social;
• A community pharmacy;
• A community-based organism;
• Etc.

What is an orphan patient?

An orphan patient is a person who is not registered with the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) by a family physician.

A patient remains orphan as long as a physician hasn’t proceeded to his or her registration with the RAMQ, even if the patient previously consulted the same physician on several occasion in the past.

In case of an emergency

Please note that the front-line access care point is not an emergency line. In case of a serious issue or urgent need, it is important to call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately.

How to get an appointment with a health specialist?

To get an appointment with a health specialist, you must first confirm your health condition with a family physician. This person has the knowledge and is qualified to refer you to the right professional.

Here is an overview of the medical specialties available in Abitibi-Témiscamingue : Medical specialties offered in Abitibi-Témiscamingue – CISSS – Abitibi-Témiscamingue (gouv.qc.ca)

Medical clinics

In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, family physicians practise in about twenty medical clinics spread throughout the territory. Some of them have joined forces to form different family medicine group (FMG). A family medicine group is a group of physicians working in close collaboration with nurses and other health specialists.

The objectives of the Family medicine group (FMG) mainly are:

• Provide the local community with a better access to a family physician;
• Improve the quality, organization and medical service offer of the primary care services;
• Ensure a better accessibility, care and continuity of services to registered persons;
• Develop a trusted complementarity and partnership relation with the institutions of the health and social services network.

You are looking for a medical clinic : Visit the Health and social services portal : Find a resource

To learn more about family medicine groups, visit the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec website, in the Service Organization section : Service organization – Health | Gouvernement du Québec (quebec.ca)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

If you have any questions or comments about the primary care access point, you can send your request to : 08.cisssat.gap@ssss.gouv.qc.ca