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A dozen people lined up at new walk-in clinic in Kensington, P.E.I., Wednesday, in an illustration of the pressure being relieved from emergency rooms by the newly opened service.
Clinic at Murphy’s Pharmacy diverts non-urgent care from Summerside
Roughly a dozen people lined up at a new walk-in clinic in Kensington, P.E.I., Wednesday — evidence of the pressure being relieved from emergency rooms by the newly opened service.
The clinic at the local Murphy’s Pharmacy will allow residents of the town of about 1,800 to get non-urgent care without travelling the 15 kilometres to Summerside.
Health P.E.I. says emergency departments have been busy, hospitals have been “very full” and walk-ins can help ease some of the pressure.
“People were very grateful to have the services here and look forward to have something right in their community,” Atlantic Medical Centres director of operations Derek Tweel said after the first day.
The clinic, meant for non-urgent care such as ear infections or rashes, is for walk-ins only but adding appointments in the future is a possibility, he said. Tweel said the focus is working with the community and the physicians to figure out what works for everyone.
The hours will fluctuate, with the next clinic scheduled for Saturday. The goal is to have four to five clinics a week.
In a statement sent to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said the clinics provide intermittent drop-in care but the agency’s intent is “to continue to build our Patient Medical Homes so that all Islanders will have access to their own health-care team who can provide access to health care on a regular basis.”
With files from Sheehan Desjardins
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