The Penticton Herald published an article on February 1, 2024
By Julian Orlando Chaves
Amid the shortage of family doctors, the Algonquin Family Health Team is looking to expand its services at The Annex through funding and partnerships.
AFHT executive director Janine Van den Heuvel told Huntsville council on Jan. 29 that permanent funding and partnerships are needed to keep The Annex running.
Currently, The Annex will be able to remain open for the next six months, she said.
“The Algonquin Family Health Team is seeking permanent ongoing funding to support and expand this clinic in an effort to provide primary care to unattached patients and divert these patients from local emergency departments,” said Van den Heuvel in the presentation.
“We have applied (to the province) for a primary care expansion expression of interest to fund and sustain the operations of this clinic.”
AFHT proposed two budget options with the funding request — essential and comprehensive.
While the essential budget of $272,500 per year includes an administrative assistant, a nurse practitioner and operational funding, the comprehensive budget of $702,500 per year adds in physio, mental health care and a co-ordinator, support services.
Both budgets aim to expand The Annex's operation hours from three to five days a week.
Van den Heuvel added that an answer to obtain funding is expected before February.
Hours before the council meeting, the Ontario Medical Association shared a press release warning the family doctor shortage will continue to grow unless the government takes immediate action.
“Far too many Ontarians, a staggering 2.3 million people, are already without a family doctor, and that number is expected to nearly double in only two years,” OMA's press release reads.
According to Van den Heuvel, there are about 4,000 people without a family doctor in Huntsville and surrounding areas. That number is expected to grow.
“Two great factors are the growth within the community and the retirement of family physicians. Without access to primary care, attached patients will seek care and local emergency departments,” said Van den Heuvel.
Through the press release, OMA pointed that 118 physicians are needed in the Barrie and Muskoka region to meet the demand.
During the presentation, Van den Heuvel added that 60 per cent of patients on the wait-list had been there for over a year, and 25 per cent had been waiting for more than two years.
Although The Annex fills an immediate need by serving about 20 patients daily, a number that increases to 40 on busy days, it is not a long-term solution.
“This whole application that we've made (to the province) was based on the premise that this would be a short-term clinic in the sense that we don't want people to use this clinic — we want them attached (to a family doctor),” said Van den Heuvel. “While we're working on a recruitment strategy (to get more family doctors), we hope to attach these people over the next several years, and then we can transition a clinic like this into more integrated services.”
To book an appointment at The Annex call 705-789-1744. To get more information about where to get health care, visit MACH's website.
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