Hospital, paramedics team to launch temporary seasonal care clinic

A new temporary clinic in Chatham will offer timely car to people with cough, cold and flu symptoms and other minor ailments, especially those with no family doctor.

Article content

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance has partnered with Chatham-Kent EMS to operate the Chatham-Kent Seasonal Care Clinic, out of a mobile trailer near the CKHA’s emergency department in Chatham.

Article content

Dr. Peter MacKinnon, who was working with paramedic Amy Larsen in the seasonal clinic Friday, said a combination of factors led to this first-time venture.

“There’s certainly a need for it in Chatham-Kent; 20 per cent of the population doesn’t have a family doctor,” he said.

Noting the emergency department is chronically jammed, MacKinnon said, “I think the straw that broke the camel’s back was the hacking of the computer system and things got even more backed up.”

The clinic aims to lighten some of the load on the emergency department by treating “people who have got nowhere else to go,” he said.

Article content

“I think it’s a great little addition to our service,” Larsen said. “We’re trying to do new things to serve the community in a good way and this is an easy way to do that.”

The clinic may decrease ambulance calls, ashed added. “Making a place for (people with minor ailments) to go is to go to alleviate them calling 911 to get into emergence.”

The clinic opened Wednesday, MacKinnon said, “so we’re hoping word gets out and we can make a difference here.”

When patients go to the emergency department to register, the triage nurse will let them know if the seasonal clinic is appropriate, so they don’t have to wait in emergency for hours.

“We see them and discharge them hopefully within five or 10 minutes,” he said. “They’re in, they’re out.”

Article content

The clinic will continue Saturday, Sunday and Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 from 10 am to 5:30 pm, the health alliance said. After that, hours will vary from week to week; check CKHA’s social, media channels or ckha.on.ca for details.

“Typically, this is the time of year our communities see a rise in cold, flu and respiratory illnesses,” Dr. Pervez Faruqi, CKHA,s chief of staff, said in a release.

“Partnerships like the seasonal care clinics will lead to improved continuity of care and is another great example of how together we can create innovative solutions that deliver high-quality services to those who need them most,” added Pete Morassutti, Chatham-Kent EMS manager of mobile integrated health programs.

The CK Seasonal Care Clinic

Article content

Individuals can choose to be seen at the clinic for:

• Cough, cold and flu symptoms
• Urinary tract infection
• Earache
• Rash
• Eye infection
• General minor complaint
• Prescription refills

When should I visit?

Call your doctor or nurse practitioner first if you or your child have the symptoms above and you feel you need care. They will offer advice, which may include:

• Caring for yourself or your child at home
• Seeing your doctor or nurse practitioner virtually or in-person
• Going to the seasonal care clinic

Consider visiting the seasonal care clinic if:

• You have no doctor or nurse practitioner
• Your or your child’s symptoms are worsening or not improving, and you feel you need medical care
• You have been told by any health professional to visit

For more information:

Visit ckha.on.ca/chatham-kent-seasonal-care-clinic

Article content