There have been new changes at the Portage Clinic, and Executive Director Brenda Martinussen says the future of care in the Central Plains looks bright.
Clinic services are many, including a UVB booth for skin conditions, allergy testing, penicillin desensitization, EKG/ECGs, spirometry, and 24-hour blood pressure testing. Available procedures include vasectomies, toenail and wart removal, birth control implants, colposcopies, and epidural steroid injections.
In partnership with Southern Health, the Portage Clinic’s MyHealth and the Interdisciplinary Team Demonstrative Initiative (ITDI) team consists of a chronic disease nurse, a prenatal nurse, an immunization nurse, a social worker and a mental health worker, a Sexually Transmitted and Blood Borne Infections (STBBI) nurse, a pharmacist, a kinesiologist, and a skin and wound care nurse. Beyond their current skills, physicians are often pursuing additional training in fields like obstetrics, gynecology, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine.
The Portage Clinic has three general surgeons on staff, two ENT specialists, and 28 family medicine practitioners. Their physicians also provide services at the Portage and District General Hospital, local personal care homes, the Rapid Access to Addictions Medical Clinic (RAAM), and the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, as well as two satellite clinics in MacGregor and Elie.
“We recruit physicians on an ongoing basis, working to meet the needs of the community,” Martinussen says. “We’re also entering into a partnership with the Dakota Wicozani Tipi Health and Wellness Centre to provide physician support for their community.”
Portage Clinic also partners with the University of Manitoba and supports placement of both medical students and graduates. Dr. Michael Omichinski is the site education director and also oversees the residency program.
“The residency training program allows exposure to the unique skills needed to be a good rural family doctor,” Dr. Omichinski shares. “The Portage Clinic has been fortunate to be able to retain a number of the resident trainees to set up practice in the community becoming excellent additions to the medical community as well as the community at large.”
Looking ahead, Michelle Nostedt, general surgeon and Portage Clinic President, says they are excited to welcome two new general surgeons to the Portage Clinic – Dr. Roberta Freire and Dr. Pamela McIntosh – which will reduce the wait time for procedures and allow patients to stay local for post-op care.
"Dr. Freire started working with us this past December and has significant experience while working as a general surgeon in Brazil, and Dr. McIntosh is completing her residency in General Surgery at the University of Manitoba. She will be starting at the Portage Clinic in the fall. We believe their talent and sharp surgical skills will be an asset to looking after the surgical needs of our community, including breast cancer care, colon cancer care, c-sections, hernia surgery, gallbladder surgery, among other emergency, elective, and minor procedures."
Sam Hawco, Director of Operations and Clinical Lead, states, “We are actively researching new and innovative ways to provide high quality patient care to our community, serving over 30,000 people in the Central Plains region over the course of the last year.” With all these changes, Martinussen emphasizes the need for feedback from their community.
“In the past, we’ve used data collected from patients to identify gaps, find efficiencies, and improve services,” she elaborates. “For example, the data collected on phone wait times resulted in hiring additional staff, and a restructuring of reception services, with staff dedicated solely to answering phones. With this change, we have seen a 68% decrease in wait times. We also recently added a voicemail to the Same Day Clinic line for when it is full. This way, people do not need to wait on the line to be told there are no appointments available. Hopefully, this will also reduce wait times for other calls. We acknowledge that we still have room for improvement, but we are taking steps in the right direction and are currently collecting data with surveys at the clinic relating to patient satisfaction.”
Martinussen also notes that the Same Day Clinic is a wonderful community service, similar to a walk-in clinic, but without the need to sit for hours in the waiting room to hold your place in line. Open seven days a week, this service is for minor problems such as earaches, bladder infections, and minor injuries. Appointments are booked on a first come, first served basis. Call (204)-857-5905 to book your appointment.
“The Portage Clinic phones are often very busy in the morning with calls for the Same Day Clinic,” Martinussen notes. “So, if you’re calling to make an appointment with your family doctor or for a non-SDC reason, we recommend that you call later in the morning or in the afternoon.”
The SDC phone number is 204-857-5905, and the main clinic phone number is 204-857-3445.
Hawco also notes, “We are fortunate to have such wonderful support staff and physicians in our clinic, who work tirelessly to care for our community members.”
For more information about the Portage Clinic and how it can take care of you and your family, stop by 140 9th Street SE, or visit their website.
