Referrals

The BC Centre for Vulvar Health offers different programs and services to individuals in British Columbia with chronic and complex vulvar disorders.

Please note that many vulvovaginal conditions can be treated by community gynaecologists, including biopsy of concerning lesions. All referrals are triaged by one of the BCCVH gynaecologists.

Referrals for patients seen only by telehealth will not be accepted.

If you feel a photo may help with triaging your referral please email BCCVH@vch.ca for more information.


Clinic Wait Times (Approximate)
Updated November 2023
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Vulvar Disease Clinic

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Urgent  
Non-urgent
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Accepting Referrals:
7-8 months wait-time

Vulvar Pain Assessment
Clinic ‍

New patient
assessments
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Accepting referrals:
6-8 months wait-time
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Click here to view alternate health care providers if your patient does not seem appropriate for one of these clinics. See below for detailed inclusion / exclusion criteria.
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How to Refer

‍If you would like to be seen at the BC Centre for Vulvar Health
Please discuss with your physician (G.P. or specialist), and have them fill out both pages of the BC CVH Temp Referral (pdf)
Your physician can then submit by fax at 778-504-9743.
We only accept referrals from B.C. physicians for residents of B.C.


Triage Process

Once we receive your referral

Your physician’s office will be sent a fax acknowledging we have received the referral.

If the Acknowledgement fax is not received within a couple of weeks, it means we did not receive the referral. Please fax the referral again.

Once received in full

The referral will be reviewed and triaged by one of the Clinic's physicians.

We will fax the results of the triaging process to your referring physician.

To facilitate the triage process, ensure that the correct referral form is filled out in full, and that all consults are sent accordingly.

Please note

When a patient’s name comes up on the waitlist, we will contact the patient directly to book their appointment. Please indicate on the referral the best way to contact your patient (eg. mobile phone or email). A message will be left for the patient with a specific date and time for the appointment.

‍The patient will need to CONFIRM this appointment within 48 hours by leaving a message on our confirmation line. If we do not hear from the patient, the appointment will be given to another patient. ‍

*** Given our long waitlist we appreciate greater than 48 hours notice for those who need to cancel or reschedule their appointments. If patients cancel their appointment or no-show more than once then they will not be rescheduled.

‍Vulvar Pain Assessment Clinic (VPAC) – the Clinical Coordinator will contact individuals referred to the VPAC prior to their assessment appointment. The Coordinator will review the format of the multidisciplinary assessment process and treatment planning.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria for clinics


Clinic

Inclusion (patients accepted)

Exclusion (not accepted)

Vulvar Disease Clinic

Please note that many vulvar skin conditions can be managed by community gynecologists

>18 years old with

  • more than 3 months of vulvar symptoms that associated with objective clinical findings.
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  • no symptoms but objective vulvar skin changes and or lesions.

We are unable to see patients referred for

  • general gynecological care (eg. Pap smear).
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  • cosmetic gynecological surgery.
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  • infectious vulvovaginal conditions (recurrent yeast, BV, HSV and genital warts)
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  • emergency gynecologic care (eg. acute bartholin’s cyst).
  • vulvar lesions that can be seen and biopsied by community gynecologist


Vulvar Pain Assessment Clinic

This is a multidisciplinary assessment clinic which introduces strategies for managing vulvar pain for individuals with a new diagnosis of vulvodynia. We work with patients to develop a treatment plan, but do not provide ongoing care.

‍Follow up care is provided by the referring physician.

>18 years of age and with >6 months of

  • vulvar discomfort or pain NOT related to a specific disorder (eg. herpes) or associated with objective clinical findings.
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  • superficial pain with vaginal penetration/sexual intercourse NOT related to a specific disorder (eg. atrophy), or associated with objective clinical findings.

We are unable to see patients who:

  • do not have a physician willing to provide shared-care. Our patients are discharged back to their health care provider for ongoing care.
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  • are currently breastfeeding and/or less than 6 months’ post-partum.
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  • have deep dyspareunia/pelvic pain.
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  • have sexual pain NOT related to a vulvar disorder.
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  • have complex chronic pain patients with multiple pain conditions.
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  • have poorly controlled psychiatric conditions

Vulvar intraepithelia neoplasia / Vulvar Oncology Clinic

  • previously diagnosed and treated VIN
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  • objective vulvar skin changes that are highly suspicious for VIN or vulvar cancer.
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  • biopsy proven VIN referred for treatment.
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  • benign vulvar conditions requiring complex vulvar surgery (eg. Crohn’s disease).

Those with:

  • biopsy proven vulvar cancer should be referred directly to BCCA.

Vancouver Coastal Health provides health care services through a network of hospitals, primary care clinics, community health centres and residential care homes. Search our health care services in Vancouver, Richmond, North and West Vancouver and along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, Sunshine Coast and BC’s Central Coast.

Contact Information
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📞604 875 5022 Press #3

📧 BCCVH@vch.ca

Visit Us
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6th Floor, Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9
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Go to Map
Office Hours

Appointments are offered Monday-Thursday

8:00 am – 3:30 pm
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