Developments are underway to improve access to health care for Sudburians in an effort headed by former Sudbury mayor Dave Courtemanche.
Four sites have been named to house the City of Lakes Family Health Team, two of which are set to be operational by this spring.
Development of the first site – a wing at Pioneer Manor, the city-owned long-term care facility – was recently tendered and awarded to SRS Contracting Inc. The contract is valued at over $1.1 million.
The site requires major renovations before it can be occupied, said Courtemanche, City of Lakes project manager.
The second site, in the former Val Caron municipal building, is awaiting tendering by the city. Courtemanche explained that renovations are less extensive at this site and portions of the building are already ready for occupancy.
The final two sites are being planned for former municipal offices in Chelmsford and Walden, but a timeline has not yet been set for their completion.
Courtemanche explained Sudbury has a unique challenge when it comes to providing primary health care because of it's geographic size and as a result, must offer multiple sites.
"In other locations, you might only see one site set up for the Family Health Team but that just wouldn't work in our city.”
The project manager is expected to help thousands of Sudbury citizens who are currently without a family physician.
“What it really comes down to is the more physicians we can attract to the community and to the team, the more patients we'll be able to provide services to,” Courtemanche said. “It offers a way of delivering primary health care that I think will really benefit patients.”
While the sites are under development, the Family Health Team steering committee is working on recruiting members to the team.
Dr. Tom Crichton, who is considered the lead physician of the team, along with four other family physicians have already signed on, including Dr. Chris McKibbon, Dr. Lesley Mitchell, Dr. Chris Bourdon and Dr. David Topps.
“We will continue to make recruiting other family physicians to the team a priority this year,” the project manager said. “We'll be hiring the first three members (two nurse practitioners and one receptionist/clerk) of the team in a couple weeks and once they're in place, we'll be in a position to start delivering services.”
The team has been approved for 13 additional positions on top of the four family physicians for the first two sites, including nurse practitioners, registered nurses, a dietitian, a social worker, a pharmacist and clerical support.
“Each health team decides for themselves what the right make-up for their community is,” Courtemanche said, adding as the other sites come into place, the number of team members will increase.
In 2005, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced the Family Health Team initiative with the goal of establishing 150 teams around the province. Family health teams are a support system for doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and other health care providers throughout the city to work together, combining their experience to ensure the patient receives the best care within a reasonable distance from home.
