The Temiskaming Speaker article (PDF) published October 16, 2019
TEMAGAMI (Special) — It's been ten years since the Temagami Family Health Team moved into its new home.
The Temagami Medical Centre opened its doors on O'Connor Drive in the fall of 2009, at a construction cost of about $2.3 million.
It's home to the family health team that has a roster of 1,450 patients. But it provides health care services to some 3,100 patients, including seasonal residents.
And like many families, it's grown over the years.
Ten years ago, it consisted of physician Stephen Goddard, who began serving the community in 1995, as well as a nurse practitioner and a receptionist.
Goddard, a nurse practitioner and receptionist are still there.
But they've been joined by a registered nurse, a mental health worker, a registered dietitian-diabetes educator, a respiratory therapist, an occupational therapist, and a pharmacist.
There are also 4.5 administrative support professionals, including a part-time quality improvement support person and a full-time executive director.
The team provides a long list of programs and services, including acute care, diabetes-focused visits, nutrition counselling, foot care, smoking cessation, and management of hypertension, COPD and asthma.
It offers grief support, anger management, and help to people coping with depression, anxiety and stress.
Other services include falls prevention, foam rolling for chronic pain, custom splints, assistive device authorization, osteoporosis-related education and training, a memory clinic, and medication review with a pharmacist.
It utilizes telemedicine technology for psychiatry, dermatology and other services.
It works with the Timiskaming Diabetes Program and Lifelabs medical lab services as well as individuals providing massage therapy, chiropractic care and physiotherapy.
In a news release, the team described its focus as chronic disease prevention and management, comprehensive primary care services, health and wellness promotion, communication and partnerships.
It recently established its first patient and family advisory council of six members of the Temagami community.
The council held its inaugural meeting August 8.
To view The Temiskaming Speaker article (PDF), click here.