The Primary Health Care Team consists of Medical Doctors, Nurse Practitioners (NP), Registered Nurses (RN) and Registered Practical Nurses (RPN). Primary health care is offered to clients who are registered with the Health Centre. Providers (MDs and NPs) address acute and chronic health needs, preventive care, rehabilitative care and palliative care.
We offer care through a team approach. Each client is assigned to either a nurse practitioner or physician, depending on individual medical needs. In the event that the primary provider is not available and the client’s need is determined to be of a more urgent nature, the client may be seen by another provider.
Preventative Care
Early detection of illness can be important for early treatment and best outcomes. Screening for health concerns at certain times over the lifespan can help keep you healthy. Even if you are well, it is important to think about your health. We encourage clients to have a complete health review at least every two years. Those who have chronic illness will need to book more regularly and should consult their provider for input into the frequency that would best meet their needs.
Accessing Care
You can book an appointment by calling the reception desk during regular hours of operation. Make sure you book as soon as possible for non-urgent concerns including medication/prescription renewals to ensure that you always have an adequate supply. Health care providers do make home visits for clients who have special circumstances such as palliative care clients.
If you are not sure if you should continue to manage an issue at home or come in to see a provider, call the Centre and our nursing staff can help you determine what is best at that time and if needed they will book an appointment for the earliest time with an available provider.
Emergency Care
If your concern requires emergency attention you should CALL 911 immediately or go directly to the nearest hospital emergency department.
"On-Call" Access
We provide on-call care for clients who are registered with our clinical team to address urgent primary health care needs. On-call care is provided outside of regular hours of operation, including weekends, by a physician or nurse practitioner.
Are we accepting new clients?
Yes, we are accepting new clients. To see a member of our health care team, you must be a registered client of the Centre. To become registered you would follow the steps in the Want to become a Registered Client section.
Family Physicians
The family physician is a doctor who has been educated in the field of family practice and is a member of the College of Physicians of Ontario. Family practice is a widely encompassing medical specialty.
The role of the family physician is to provide medical services to each member of the family. These specialists have unique skills, attitudes and broad-based medical knowledge, which qualify them to offer their patients continuing and comprehensive medical care. The family physician provides preventative and health maintenance services regardless of age, sex, or type of medical problem.
As needed, the physicians may also refer clients to physicians in other specialties and other members of the Health Care Team such as the Diabetes Team, Chiropodist, Dietitian etc. The family physician also serves as a resource to the community and is involved with our local hospitals, educational and medical projects, committee work and other community related activities.
Nurse Practitioners
As members of the Primary Care Team, Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses in the Extended Class (RN(EC)) who have advanced education and decision-making skills which permit them to address many of your health care needs. They work independently and with physicians or other members of the Health Care Team to diagnose and manage health care concerns, monitor chronic disease illnesses, provide immunizations and order certain drugs, tests and treatments within their scope of practice. Their scope of practice is governed by the College of Nurses and various Health Care Acts.
Nurse Practitioners are also involved in a variety of educational activities for which they provide ongoing clinical support. For more information on Nurse Practitioners visit the Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario.
Nursing Team
Our nursing team consists of Registered Nurses (RN) and Registered Practical Nurses (RPN). They are regulated by the College of Nurses of Ontario. They help to coordinate the activities of the Primary Health Care Team in addition to seeing clients on an individual basis to provide care, treatments and monitor client progress as prescribed by the physicians and nurse practitioners (monitoring weights, blood pressure checks, dressing changes etc).
The nursing team also provides "triage" phone support to our clients to help determine the best approach to managing health related concerns. The nursing team works with the local Public Health Unit to provide support for our clients. In addition, our nursing team organizes annual Flu Clinics for our clients. These dates are posted each fall on the website, at the clinic and in the local paper.
How To Become Involved In Your Own Care
We believe that clients are equal partners in their health care decisions. We believe health should include not only physical health, but also social, emotional and spiritual health. This means making sure clients are properly informed about their medical condition, understanding the reasons for tests and options for treatments. In addition, we encourage questions about your health care.
Clients have a responsibility to make decisions regarding healthy lifestyle choices on issues such as smoking, alcohol abuse, healthy eating and so on. To assist individuals make positive changes in their lifestyle, our providers are available for support. The client is encouraged to play an active role in creating a plan that meets their health care needs and to follow those plans. In addition, we provide a wide variety of programs and services that can help you.
