The area’s Ontario Health Team, announced the official opening of a new medical clinic that will offer next-day appointments for people suffering from COVID-19, cold, or flu symptoms.
The South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team opened its COVID-19, Cold, and Flu Care Clinic at the 186 Erie Street medical building in order to offer options for people who can’t get in to see their family doctor quickly.
The clinic is there for people who are struggling with symptoms that may require treatment, but do not need urgent care provided by hospital emergency departments. The clinic will provide assessment and care, by appointment, for COVID-19, cold, or flu symptoms.
Patients can call or book online for an appointment the following day. Once they arrive, they remain in their car for a phone assessment by a nurse practitioner or physician to determine whether the patient requires an in-person physical assessment or they can return home with health advice from the clinic staff.
Marie LaRose, executive director of the Georgian Bay Family Health Team (part of the local Ontario Health Team), said the clinic was set up quickly thanks to strong relationships in the South Georgian Bay health network.
“Ontario Health was really encouraging anyone running an assessment clinic to add on this [care clinic] feature,” said LaRose.
The Georgian Bay Family Health Team was running the Sough Georgian Bay COVID assessment centres until December when the operation switched to Canadian Health Labs.
Part of the trigger for setting up the clinic, said LaRose, was knowing there are people living in and visiting Collingwood and area who may not have a family physician or who may not be able to get an appointment with their doctor quickly.
“If you think you need to speak to a nurse practitioner or family physician and can’t access a local physician, give us a call and you’ll get on the list,” said LaRose. “Family physicians wear many hats … this provides an alternative of care for those who can’t immediately get in with their physicians.”
Another goal in setting up the care clinic was to offset pressure on local hospital emergency departments by reducing the number of people with non-urgent symptoms going to the ER to speak with a physician.
“It’s not the result of an overrun ER, so to speak, it was in anticipation of that possibility,” said LaRose.
Gaynor Edwards, clinical director for the Georgian Bay Family Health Team, said anyone experiencing urgent symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, difficulty breathing, unconsciousness or changes in consciousness should still go to the ER.
Otherwise, patients should first call their family doctor or nurse practitioner. Then, if necessary, they can book a next-day appointment at the clinic.
“The clinic will not be providing COVID-19 testing or sick notes,” noted Dr. Carola Elkhuizen, a physician with Georgian Bay Family Health, in a news release.
The South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team website includes a list of symptoms for coronavirus, cold, and flu for patient reference.
The clinic will operate by appointment with current availability Monday through Friday in the afternoons.
LaRose said the clinic is scalable based on need, so it can open longer and be open seven days a week if required.
Appointments can be made online via the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team website, by contacting your family physician, or by dialling 211.
Patients are asked to arrive at the 186 Erie Street medical building in Collingwood for their designated appointment time and wait in their vehicle. They will receive a call from clinic staff at their appointment time for a phone assessment. A physical exam would follow if necessary.
For information from the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the University of Toronto and the Ontario College of Family Physicians about how to manage COVID symptoms at home and when to call a doctor, click here. For resources on how to determine if you have COVID without testing, click here