Calling the seasonal care clinic a success worth evaluating further, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance officials believe there is the potential to expand its hours next season.
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Last November, the hospital partnered with Chatham-Kent EMS to operate the trailer, which was located near the emergency department in Chatham.
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The aim was to provide timely clinical services, and ease wait times, for patients with cold and flu symptoms, and other minor ailments. However, it also helped those without a family physician access care.
In its inaugural season, the clinic served nearly 1,600 patients, wrapping up in early March.
Caen Suni, vice-president of clinical programs and operations at CKHA, said approximately 400 patients provided feedback, with 92 per cent rating their experience as excellent.
“We managed to provide the care so rapidly to the patients who required it,” he said during a media update on an array of topics Tuesday.
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“I think we can agree, at this point, given what we’ve seen, it has been a successful experiment, we’ll call it, something that we would certainly seek to try to modify and improve on.”
The next step is to speak with Medavie EMS on how to best meet the needs of the population next season, Suni said.
Since the clinic closed on the eve of March break, he said there was a spike in emergency department usage, although he didn’t immediately have specific figures.
“It was observable to us in the first week after closure,” he said, noting the hospital will take a closer look at the data. “We’re very much in early days of understanding the impact on the ED.”
When asked whether increased hours of operation were possible, Suni said it is “definitely on the table,” given the public response.
“I think we’ll need to review what makes the most sense in terms of what both the community took advantage of, but also what they truly need,” he said. “That’s to be determined.”
What the clinic could look like next season will depend on discussions with community partners.
“There are virtues, for example, in looking after a post-March break period, given children and families are congregating,” Suni said.
“Certainly, an expansion of those days, weeks or even months is on the table, if possible … I would say that it’s not a set in stone schedule at this point.”
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