Orillia hospital offers new care clinic for patients without a family doctor

Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital (OSMH) is currently dealing with the highest occupancy of any Ontario hospital and anticipates a new cold and flu care clinic will help ease the pressure.

The new cough, cold and flu clinic will serve patients without a family physician or nurse practitioner seven days a week

The clinic is located in the Kiwanis building at the West Entrance of the hospital, previously home to the COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Clinic and is being offered by the Couchiching Ontario Health Team (COHT) at OSMH.

Dr. Kim McIntosh, COHT physician lead, noted the multiple benefits the clinic offers.

"First and foremost, it's delivering much-needed care to a growing segment of our population, particularly as more clinicians retire or leave the profession.

Second, it will help relieve pressure off hospital emergency departments, where many of these patients would attend simply because they had no other alternative."

In addition to caring for respiratory illnesses, the clinic will provide a Cervical Screening Day on Thurs., Dec. 15.

"Screening is particularly vital for patients who have not had a cervical screening in three years or more," a release stated on Wednesday.

Patients can book appointments at the Care Clinic online or by calling 705-325-2201, ext. 8250.