Whitemouth clinic seeks ‘homecoming’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/03/2018 (2225 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority wants Whitemouth patients used to driving long distances in search of a family doctor to know an array of primary care services are now available much closer to home.

Whitemouth’s new “home clinic,” staffed by a physician and a nurse practitioner, is currently accepting new patients, and the RHA has partnered with the RM of Whitemouth to encourage local residents to give it a try after years of driving to regional hubs like Steinbach or Beausejour for care.

Previously, the community of 300 struggled to retain doctors, but a concentrated recruitment effort last year aimed to address rural shortages.

Home clinics bring together primary health care providers like doctors, nurse practitioners, chronic disease nurses, dieticians, and mental health workers under one roof. Unlike traditional primary care centres, home clinics have a more localized catchment area to specifically serve residents of the community in which they are located.

Whitemouth’s is one of 25 such clinics now located throughout the RHA.

Medical records are shared among the health care team to allow any provider to treat any patient.

Appointments can be accommodated in as little as 48 hours, and referrals to other community health services can also be arranged through the home clinic.

Whitemouth’s home clinic can be reached by calling 204-348-2291.