Menzies Medical Centre (MMC) has a glimmer of hope amidst a very strained healthcare system, with only so many hours in a day, and so many physician hours available in the ER, MMC Executive Director Nicole Walske said she is grateful for some good news.
"We're very excited we were able to welcome two physicians to our facility, one in August and one now in September. These are residents that were trained here at Boundary Trails Health Centre and so they've worked together with our team and enjoyed the collaborative nature of our area and have agreed to stay for a one-year term to try it out. So, we're very glad to welcome Dr. Raj Dhaliwal and Dr. Katie Takatch to Menzies Medical Centre."
Although she is clear, like a year ago when she stated the need was great, this is a small drop in the bucket as even if ten doctors started tomorrow, there would still be residents in the area without a family physician.
Walske said doctors Dhaliwal and Takatch will gradually build their practices.
"We introduce new patients to our physicians gradually, so they have an opportunity to do meet and greets and get to know the medical needs. For both Dr Takatch and Dr Dhaliwal, they're each taking a portion of Dr. Holmberg 's panel, who's on a leave of absence right now. So, they'll each cover part of that panel and then they will build their own panel from Family Doctor Finder. Some of our residents will have already received phone calls and have had their initial meet and greets with these new physicians and so they'll get a call from Family Doctor Finder saying they've been matched. If they are of the priority or on the wait list, then they're scheduled and then will be looked after by them in the clinic."
Walske noted, family physician clinic hours are only some of the works they do.
"In the interim, they're also providing some walk-in care, which has been very helpful to try and increase that capacity. Then, also the hospital work that goes along with that; some ER work, some ICU work, some hospital work, looking after all those patients that are in the hospital. So, there's lots of times they might not be in our clinic but they're providing care at Boundary Trails Health Centre."
She added, although this gives a bit of hope, there is a lot of work to do. Other positive actions are being taken to build capacity here at home like having conversations with current medical residents and upcoming medical students to encourage them to consider opening their practice here in the Pembina Valley and in Morden, but this will take time with their availability years away.
"This is a great step in the right direction, but it is a small step. So, for us this is a step that gives us hope and it helps us to believe that we're going to have some reprieve, but unfortunately, it's not enough to say that we're better. Many people know and have probably heard me say before that our healthcare system is in a very, very difficult position and so every time we have some good news, we really hold on to that as hope and even the physicians and myself we need that in order to continue to provide the work and service that we do. But we do know that we have a long way to go."
Walske encourages people to keep themselves healthy and well the best they can. She suggested people make sure they get their prescription refills well in advance of the end of their supply. With clinics at capacity, access to the ER right now is very strained. She continued, "We are not alone in this." Noting, there are several reports across the province, and in other regions, of healthcare facilities not having the capacity to maintain services, never mind grow them.
While the area is growing, Walske admits it's hard to have a growth mindset when we are hardly keeping ourselves going where we are at. She is grateful for the community's patience and encourages them to be proactive in their own healthcare.
She may not have all the answers, and for her that is heart breaking, but Walske invites people to ask her questions, and she will do her best to help people better understand what is happening right now and what they need to know.