Cornwall, P.E.I., clinic taking team approach to improving primary services

CORNWALL, P.E.I. — Lightening the affected person load for health-care suppliers and enhancing the flexibility to entry care are two of the largest priorities within the system proper now, says one of many nurse practitioners on the Cornwall Well being Centre. 

Nicholas van Kampen says the method of offering care must be improved so these with a household doctor can get well timed entry and ultimately the system can begin taking individuals off the provincial affected person registry. 

“How come Nick simply can’t see extra individuals?” van Kampen says rhetorically. “It’s as a result of I’m going to interrupt.”

SaltWire was invited to go to the centre on July 25 to get an replace on the progress being made on the centre. The Cornwall Well being Centre runs at the side of the South Shore Well being and Wellness Centre in Crapaud to cowl southern Queens County. 

A yr in the past, there was no household physician in Crapaud and van Kampen was the one health-care supplier in Cornwall. At present, Dr. Meghan Cameron has joined the apply in Crapaud whereas Cornwall now boasts two nurse practitioners, van Kampen and Kristina Weatherbie, and Dr. Padraig Casey. 

Van Kampen says Well being P.E.I. and the Queens West Major Care Community have been holding high quality enchancment conferences to see how the lives on sufferers who’ve suppliers on the Cornwall centre will be improved whereas the a great deal of these suppliers will be eased. 

“One factor we actually wish to concentrate on in Cornwall is entry,” van Kampen stated. “The objective is same-day care.”

That doesn’t imply the three suppliers on the centre wish to see extra sufferers. 

Van Kampen makes use of an instance of somebody who believes they’ve a bacterial urinary tract an infection. That individual would name the centre and be instructed to return in to see one of many licensed sensible nurses, who would ask the affected person a collection of questions. A urine pattern could be taken, despatched for a tradition and if it comes again optimistic, the nurse will seek the advice of with the supplier a few prescription for antibiotics. The affected person would solely see one of many health-care suppliers if the prognosis had been extra severe, similar to if a kidney an infection was suspected. 

It reduces the variety of sufferers the supplier should see whereas the affected person will get well timed care. 

Cornwall Medical Centre

Following is details about the Cornwall Medical Centre: 

• There are three health-care suppliers: Nicholas van Kampen, nurse practitioner, greater than 800 sufferers; Kristina Weatherbie, nurse practitioner, greater than 600 sufferers; Dr. Padraig Casey, near 1,400 sufferers. 
• Becoming a member of the centre a physiotherapist in August, a diabetes/dietician in September, a diabetes/RN within the fall and is promoting for a social employee. 

Carol Sellar, supervisor of Queens West Major Care Community, stated it additionally eases the prepare on walk-in clinics the place individuals can wait as much as 5 hours to see a doctor. 

“There isn’t any want of that, so we’ve developed a course of,” Sellar instructed SaltWire, referring to the staff that works with the suppliers that may have interaction sufferers.

“The purpose of medical houses is to verify we don’t lose any extra suppliers and so a lot of our suppliers (nonetheless) have much more sufferers than they need to have.”

Sellar stated physicians are quitting as a result of their affected person masses are too heavy and their apply was not collaborative sufficient. 

“Earlier than we are able to begin to take individuals off the registry … we have to develop methods in order that we are able to see the sufferers they have already got.”

Sellar stated the answer to taking individuals off the registry isn’t going to occur shortly. 

“Proper now, the objective is healthier entry,” van Kampen added, pounding his hand on the desk for emphasis.

“It’s not about getting individuals off the registry (proper now). I’m not fascinated by that. Now we have to enhance our apply, enhance major care.”

Dave Stewart is a well being reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He will be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @DveStewart.