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The Primary Health
Care Centre
The Primary Health Care Centre is owned and operated by the
Arnprior and District Memorial Hospital Corporation. The facility was
constructed in 1977 and was further expanded in 1990 when the second floor
was built to accommodate the additional needs of healthcare providers in
our community.
Our Primary Health Care
Centre leases space to the majority of our community family physicians
and, with this close proximity to the hospital, it provides these
physicians with easy access to their patients in hospital. In addition to
family physicians, space is also available to a number of other health
care providers. Examples include dentists, public health, community care
access centre, family and children’s services, a private physiotherapy,
and a private laboratory.
The Family Health Team
Main Line: 613-622-5763
Fax 613-622-0320
Email:
info@arnpriorfht.ca
October 2011, story by Theresa Fritz
EMC News - Arnprior has taken a major step forward in improving access to
health care for local area residents.
The Arnprior and District Family Health Team opened its doors at the
Primary Care Centre, 346 John St., Sept. 6. It was part of 30 new Family
Health teams announced back in August 2010, bringing the total in the
province to 200.
The team is lead by executive director, Maureen Sullivan-Bentz and a board
of directors comprised of local community and physician representatives
governs it. Also on board is nurse practitioner Susan Allen and she will
be joined by another nurse practitioner later this month.
Other allied health care professionals will be added to the team by the
end of November.
According to a news release sent out by family health team, the
organization "brings together a variety of health care providers including
family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers,
dietitians, and other professionals who work together to provide a wide
range of health options that have not been available to the community in
the past."
Although the local family health team is a separate not for profit
corporation that functions independently from Arnprior and District
Memorial Hospital, the two organizations worked together to complete the
application process. The health care team is made up of 13 local
physicians - 11 of whom practice in the Primary Care Center and two of
whom practice in neighboring Pakenham, along with a newly forming team of
inter-disciplinary health care providers. According to Sullivan-Bentz, the
benefits to the community by having access to a health care team will be
many.
"It's that comprehensive access to a health care team with physicians and
other allied health care professionals to receive comprehensive care in a
timely fashion," she told the EMC. "Eventually, over time, we will see the
family health team be instrumental in easing the use of the emergency
department."
LOCAL NEEDS TO BE MET
According to an issued news release, the Arnprior and District Family
Health Team "is set up based on local health needs, focusing on chronic
disease management, disease prevention and health promotion and will work
in concert with other established health care programs and organizations
in the community, such as public health units and Community Care Access
Centres to ensure that people receive the care they need in their
communities."
One of the key components in family health teams is involvement of nurse
practitioners. Nurse practitioners are nurses who have undertaken
extensive specialized training and education and are able to provide
advanced physical assessments, diagnose and treat illnesses and/or
injuries, order and interpret diagnostic tests, write prescriptions, and
make referrals to family physicians, specialists and other health care
professionals, among other duties.
"Being part of a family health team is exciting," said Allen, a University
of Ottawa graduate, who has been trained in primary health care.
"My training is similar to a family physicians but they have a great depth
of knowledge," she added.
Allen said she enjoys nursing at the level she is at because she enjoys
patient contact and developing a relationship with a patient, if even only
on a short-term basis.
Like Sullivan-Bentz, she sees the benefits of having a family health team
in Arnprior to be far reaching.
"It will increase access to services. There will be an ability to receive
services in the community in a timely fashion," Allen noted.
Along with the benefits to residents of the community, she noted
physicians would benefit from working in a team environment. This will
allow physicians to send patients to other team members and in the end,
should allow everyone in need to have access to a physician and nurse
practitioner.
"It really is about providing care to the community in a very
comprehensive manner," Allen concluded.
One of the lead physicians with the Arnprior and District Family Health
Team is Dr. Aya Suzuki. In fact, while renovations to the family health
centre space are underway a the Primary Care Centre, Allen is currently
working out of the office shared by Suzuki and doctors Susan Kurian and
Jennifer Becker in Suite 257 of the health centre. The family health team
is also working out of Suite 154 temporarily as well. Since there is no
direct phone number in place to access the family health team, patients
should contact their family physician and will be referred accordingly.
"Right now, we are seeing acute and chronic care illnesses that need to be
seen within a 24 hour period," Allen explained.
"We will work as a team...community is the key to success," emphasized
Sullivan-Bentz, adding that future health team plans could include
visiting senior patients in their homes, working on health promotion and
offering programs in the community.
Further details regarding the operation and expansion of the Arnprior and
District Family Health Team will be provided to the public in November.
For more information about the family health team contact the executive
director at info@arnpriorfht.ca.
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