The South Peace Division of Family Practice is looking to partner with municipal and corporate partners to operate the Eljen Medical Clinic as a regional primary care hub, which could service the needs of Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, and rural areas in the South Peace.
Dr. Magda Du Plessis, Practice Chair, and Kyle Pearce, Consultant for Primary Care Network Planning, appeared as a delegation during the Peace River Regional District's March 7 board meeting, and explained the practice's steering committee has drafted a new plan that would add 19 new healthcare roles to the region, including family physicians and nurse practitioners.
"This is not a private clinic, this not a clinic where doctors are coming in and making wild coin," said Pearce. "The bulk of the roles would be funded by the ministry once our plan is approved, and once we can recruit those healthcare providers."
The City of Dawson Creek and Conuma Resources have been approached by the practice about purchasing the clinic and covering operating costs, Pearce noted.
The proposed South Peace Service Plan is conditional on approval by provincial funding partners, and requires a letter of support for the Ministry of Health, which the practice has requested from the PRRD and has offered to help draft.
The practice is also looking to partner on the team-based care initiative, explained Dr. Du Plessis, as Eljen Medical Clinic has come up for private sale but no physicians have expressed interest.
"We are looking to have a partnership to purchase the building to be operated by a non-profit society to be running the primary care network out of," she noted. "And the primary care network will house an array of different services."
Maternity care, longitudinal primary care, after hours care, community outreach to seniors and youth, physiotherapy, respiratory therapy, a chronic disease program, and accessibility for mental health and substance use support are all services the practice would like to offer and improve.
Chickadee Maternity could move into Eljen if the project was to move ahead, along with other services, added Dr. Du Plessis, with the facility focusing on unattached patients without family doctors. The primary care hub initiative is contingent on a society forming.
"All these services are new services or existing Chickadee service to bring team based care so that we can move away from primary care provider being the focus of a patient's healthcare, but a team of people that takes care of the patients in a well-organized structure to improve access for all of the people in the South Peace," said Dr. Du Plessis.
6,500 patients remain unattached in the South Peace based on a provincial registry, added Dr. Du Plessis, with the regional primary care hub intended to address a portion of that figure.
Pouce Coupe Mayor Danielle Veach said the lack of family doctors has been a concern for the region.
"My own senior parents have not had their own doctor for over a year," noted Veach. "So, that's definitely a big problem within our surrounding region."
Electoral Area E Director Dan Rose said he would be favour of supporting the initiative.
"I think it's great work and it's a different model, but I think it has great potential, so I certainly support it," said Rose.
You can read the practice's presentation below:
South Peace Division of Family Practice Presentation by Tom Summer on Scribd
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story reported the South Peace Division of Family Practice was looking to purchase the Eljen clinic, they've clarified that they're looking to partner with municipal and corporate partners to operate it.
The draft plan is also conditional on approval by their provincial funding partners. We regret the errors.
