By Doug Collins

Interior Health opens second phase of Primary Care Services clinic

Mar 4, 2017 | 7:31 PM

KAMLOOPS – Interior Health has now opened the new Interior Health Primary Care Services clinic on Kamloops’ North Shore.

The first floor clinic was opened Friday by Health Minister Terry Lake and Kamloops South Thompson MLA Todd Stone. 

In a news release, Lake says “This new clinic is a great example of team-based care, and it will help to ensure that Kamloops residents receive high-quality health care on the North Shore.”

The clinic is located in the 300 block of Tranquille Road.

Six nurse practitioners will take on patients of all ages from the waitlist administered by HealthLinkBC. Five NPs will begin work immediately, with the sixth starting in early April.

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Recruitment is also underway for family doctors. A primary care nurse, an office manager and medical office assistants will also be located at the clinic.

The nurse practitioners will help take the load off physicians and help fill the gap in a time when there is a shortage of family care physicians available.

“The opening of this clinic represents a great day for Kamloops residents who have been seeking a constant provider for their primary care needs. These highly trained nurse practitioners will help ease the pressure for those people without a family doctor or nurse practitioner,” said Interior Health Board Chair John O’Fee in the release. 

This is the second new IH health-care site to open as part of the four-point action plan to enhance patient access to primary care in Kamloops announced by Health Minister Lake in October 2016.

The second floor of the NSHSC opened February 6th, providing specialized, team-based care for people living with complex health challenges such as lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, or mental health and/or substance use problems. The new clinic completes the renovations to the NSHSC.

The IH Primary Care Services capital renovation project on the first floor of the NSHSC is anticipated to cost approximately $1.3 million, funded by Interior Health.

The next phase of the four-point plan will be the opening of a facility in April at Northills Mall. That site will deal largely with seniors over 65 years of age, including a Seniors Health and Wellness Centre.