The addition of four permanent full-time nursing positions and the successful recruitment of more physicians are helping Cochrane’s urgent care centre better meet the needs of the town’s growing population.
Barb Shellian, director of rural health for the Calgary zone of Alberta Health Services (AHS), told town council Monday night that after about 18 months of discussions, the permanent nursing positions have finally been secured. Previously, they were unfunded, leaving her to explain the variance every month.
Without those permanent positions, staff were often staying until 2 or 4 a.m., even though their shifts were scheduled to end at midnight.
“We’ve restructured that process totally,” said Shellian. “We have additional triage nurses, and now staying late past their regular shift is really unusual.”
She said wait times in Cochrane are nowhere near as long as in urban facilities.
Visits to urgent care have continued to climb alongside the community’s growth. In the most recent fiscal year, the centre saw 42,321 visits, up by over 6,000 visits from 36,302 the previous year.
“We’re managing the volumes we have right now,” said Shellian. “If we ever go back to having staff here until 3 or 4 a.m., that would be an indication we need to stay open later. But right now, we’re clearing our waiting room very efficiently by 10 p.m.”
Shellian also praised Dr. Simon Warwick, the centre’s medical director.
“He is very well connected to emergency physicians in the city, and he’s been able to add to the urgent care roster, which means people can be seen more quickly,” she said. “The more doctors we have, the faster we can get patients through.”
She noted that Warwick’s military background — he previously served in the Canadian Army — has contributed to a streamlined and efficient care model.
“It’s all, ‘hop to it, people — meet them, stream them, treat them, and away we go,’” she said.
The urgent care centre is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. It provides same-day treatment for unexpected, non-life-threatening health concerns.
While many in the community believe a 24/7 urgent care facility is needed, Shellian said that’s not something within her authority — or AHS’s — to implement. That decision now rests with Acute Care Alberta and the provincial government.
The Town of Cochrane lists the need for a 24/7 urgent care and improved ambulance service among its top advocacy priorities.
She encouraged residents to advocate with Acute Care Alberta and high-level health bureaucrats, including provincial ministers.
The centre currently has 150 staff, most of whom live in the Cochrane area. While many Alberta communities face staffing challenges, Shellian said Cochrane has no vacancies.
“We have a long list of people on our casual list who want to work in Cochrane,” she said. “I think that speaks volumes. If people want to work in a place, I’m happy about that.”
The Cochrane Urgent Care Centre has been described by health officials as a gold standard for community care. It has hosted multiple visits from provincial health leaders, including deputy ministers and assistant deputy ministers.
“They are modelling other sites based on Cochrane’s urgent care because we’ve been very successful with patient satisfaction and patient flow,” Shellian said.
Health officials from Regina have also visited the Cochrane facility twice to help inform plans for a new urgent care centre in their city.
“I think that’s a real feather in our cap for our urgent care and community health centre,” said Shellian. “I’m really proud of the care provided there.”
Those unfamiliar with the facility may not realize the wide range of services available at the Cochrane Community Health Centre. In addition to urgent care, the centre offers mental health and addiction services, immunizations, pediatric and postpartum care, lab and diagnostic services, home care, public health programs, and access to specialized supports such as cardiology, asthma management, and rehabilitation.
The centre opened in February 2011, consolidating previously scattered health services under one roof to provide a more integrated care experience.
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