Nearly $1.6 million in provincial funding committed earlier this year to connect more than 3,200 Chatham-Kent residents with a family doctor or nurse practitioner is paying off.
There are doctors and nurse practitioners looking to take on new patients across Chatham-Kent, said Kait Pataki, population health and quality improvement specialist with the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team (CKOHT).
Although she didn’t have the exact number of doctors and nurse practioners taking on new patients, Pataki said there are more than six doctors taking patients in Chatham, Wallaceburg, Dresden and Tilbury.
She said there are number of ways patients can get registered with doctors and nurse practitioners looking to roster more patients.
Amy Vickery, the supported attachment coordinator, with the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team, gets patients connected with a new doctor or nurse practitioner.(Supplied)
One way is calling Amy Vickery, the supported attachment co-ordinator at 519-354-2172 ext. 1330.
Pataki said Vickery will match people with someone in their area.
She noted there was a soft start in June for Vickery to get patients registered and has been able to connect quite a few patients.
“We are at a point, though, where we needed to do further communications” to let people know doctors and nurse practitioners are taking on new patients, Pataki said.
“We are in an influx of rostering (patients) which is exciting,” she said.
Two other ways to register to be rostered with a doctor or nurse practitioner is through a primary care connection clinic, pop-up clinic or online through Health Care Connect.
Pataki said primary care connection clinics are being planned for the future and those planning to attend should bring their Ontario Health Card and any medications they are taking.
Even if someone doesn’t have a health card, they can come to clinic, she said.
Ellwood Shreve has worked as a reporter in the community since 1993, joining The Chatham News in 2002, covering a wide range of stories. He can be reached at eshreve@postmedia.com.
eshreve@postmedia.com