Orillia clinic expands services to address growing need in the community

Orillia's Soldiers' Memorial Hospital (OSMH) is expanding services at its Couchiching Ontario Health Team Care Clinic to ease the strain on the health care system.

The clinic initially opened as a COVID-19 testing centre during the height of the pandemic but now offers access to physician appointments for those living within the community without a family doctor.

"The growing need is just exponentially expanding, and without seeing an influx of primary care providers to our community, we know that this care clinic provides that gap need for patients to access care," said Melanie Moore, Director of Integrated planning with OSMH.

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Recent numbers indicate that within Orillia alone, just over 15,000 people do not currently have access to a family physician, leading to increased wait times at emergency rooms.

"If patients are going to the emergency department seeking treatment for comprehensive needs, that's not necessarily the right care in the right place, so we want to be able to serve them with that ongoing support that they need to improve their health outcomes," said Moore.

For 82-year-old Martha Visser, getting access to a physician has been a challenge since her family doctor of several years retired in December.

"I'm looking for another doctor, I have tried so many, but nobody is taking new patients, and it has been difficult to figure out how to get my prescriptions filled," said Visser.

After waiting 10 hours in the hospital's emergency room for another ailment concern several weeks ago, Visser said she has since relied on walk-in clinics, but with the expansion of the Ontario Heath Team Clinic, she has now been able to access non-urgent care sooner.

The Couchiching Ontario Health Team Care Clinic is open seven days a week, and anyone without a family doctor wanting to book an appointment is encouraged to contact the clinic by calling 705.325.2201 ext. 8250 or online.

The clinic serves nearly 60 people daily through appointments.