BY NORM TOLLINSKY

A group of emergency physicians at Sault Area Hospital has announced plans to open an independent walk-in clinic and family practice in the city.

“Other communities have a lot of walk-in clinics that people can access and we haven’t had that resource here for a very long time,” said Dr. Alan McLean, a family physician and spokesperson for the new SaultCare Medical Clinic.

“Access to primary care has been a problem in Sault Ste. Marie and manpower has a lot to do with that. We just don’t have enough physicians.”

The other five doctors who will be practicing at the clinic are all full-time emergency physicians at Sault Area Hospital. They will continue to maintain their commitment to the hospital’s emergency department and work additional shifts at the clinic.

Consultants brought in over the years to advise hospital management have repeatedly voiced concern about the number of lower priority patients who seek care at the hospital’s emergency department, said McLean. “Every consultant who has come here has made the statement that some kind of private clinic would be helpful for overall care in the Sault.”

The shortage of walk-in clinics in the Sault is largely due to the predominance of the city’s Group Health Centre (GHC), where most family physicians in the Sault practice.
“They have a same-day evening clinic, which has a very limited capacity – certainly not enough capacity to look after all of the drop-ins,” said McLean, who has, until now, also practiced at the GHC. “They have a mandate to only look after rostered patients, so they don’t see any orphan patients or patients from out of town.”

The SaultCare Medical Clinic will offer minor acute care, appointment-based prescription renewals, annual physicals and employment medicals in conjunction with family practice and is certain to take some of the pressure off the hospital’s emergency department.

According to McLean, the clinic will also help recruit new physicians to the community because “variety appeals to a lot of physicians. The GHC is one option, but it’s nice to have other options as well.

“They can come in and work and not worry about the organizational structure. It will be all set up for them. They can come in and do a shift and leave without further responsibility.”
In addition to seeing patients with coughs, colds and minor injuries, physicians at the clinic are also expected to provide care for orphan patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

The clinic will be equipped with a state-of-the-art electronic health record system and is scheduled to open May 1.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s recent announcement of funding for a new nurse practitioner clinic in Sault Ste. Marie will also improve access to primary care in the city.