‘Any sudden closure is a challenge, but our focus is on continuity of care rather than the business bottom line,’ says pharmacist\/co-owner of Colborne Street clinic<\/p>\n
City Med Walk-In Clinic and Pharmacy, which\u00a0was forced to close two weeks ago due to a roof collapse at the 43 Colborne St. W. plaza<\/a>, is on the hunt for a new location in Orillia.<\/p>\n Pharmacist and co-owner Riham Kassem said the structural engineering report from March 15 showed a significant portion of the roof over the pharmacy and clinic collapsed due to ice accumulation.<\/p>\n “Crucially, the inspection also identified multiple cracked joists in the remaining structure,” she said.<\/p>\n The City of Orillia issued a formal closure order until reconstruction is completed by the building owner. Full Ontario Building Code-compliant repairs are expected to take a couple of months, Kassem said.<\/p>\n “Because our patients rely on us for daily, life-sustaining care, we cannot wait for that timeline. As a result, we have made the decision to start the relocation of our practice to a new location in Orillia immediately,” she said.<\/p>\n Shortly after being forced to close, the business pivoted to online care, posting a notice at the top of its\u00a0website and on the window of the business, letting clients know they can call 705-327-3300 to speak to the pharmacist or email staff at [email\u00a0protected]<\/a> to request prescriptions.<\/p>\n “Any sudden closure is a challenge, but our focus is on continuity of care rather than the business bottom line. By pivoting to a 100 per cent\u00a0delivery-based model and virtual care for our clinic, we are mitigating the disruptions in the continuity of care while protecting the jobs of our dedicated health-care staff during the tough times of the transition,” Kassem wrote in an email to OrilliaMatters.<\/p>\n The three family doctors associated with the clinic are offering virtual care\u00a0so appointments are not missed, and the business is offering free, city-wide delivery for all prescriptions.<\/p>\n “We are deeply grateful for the patience and support the Orillia community has shown us,” said Kassem.<\/p>\n The business owners have been in communication with the landlord regarding the closure and the findings from the engineering report. Those discussions are ongoing as they navigate the logistics of the site’s recovery, said Kassem.<\/p>\n In the meantime,\u00a0City Med, which has business insurance, has filed a claim for business interruption and for damages to pharmacy hardware and stock.<\/p>\n