Reposted from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2023/health/0314n02/
March 14, 2023 – St. John’s, NL:The Provincial Government continues to carry out its plan to improve health care in Newfoundland and Labrador with its approach to creating a more effective and efficient system that is focused on improved service delivery and health outcomes for the people of the province, with input from Health Accord NL. With this in mind, Eastern Health has issued a Request for Proposals for space for an Urgent Care Centre in the St. John’s metro region.An Urgent Care Centre will help address wait times for non-emergent care in the region by providing an additional access point, which will help alleviate pressures in emergency rooms on the Northeast Avalon. The request for proposals can be viewed here.
Globally, Urgent Care Centres help offload increasing demands from emergency departments, treating patients with primary health care and urgent medical needs. They provide access for unexpected, non-life-threatening health concerns which require same day or next day access. Examples of conditions that can be treated through urgent care may include:
- Sprains and strains;
- New and worsening non-emergent pain;
- Fever and infections; and
- Childhood illness and injury, cuts, wound or skin conditions.
More information on Urgent Care Centres can be found here.
The Provincial Government continues to implement its plan, which places emphasis on addressing short and long-term needs, as well as the recruitment and retention of health care professionals. The creation of an Urgent Care Centre in the St. John’s metro region to help alleviate the strain on local emergency departments is in keeping with this plan.
Quotes
“We continue to implement innovative solutions to address the challenges our health care system is facing and provide our residents with access to primary care. While it is difficult to feel the immediate impact resulting from initiatives like this one, significant change takes time and the solutions are complex, and it is all part of our larger plan. Establishing an Urgent Care Centre is a step in the right direction, and will help yield positive results by providing non-emergent care for those who need access but do not need emergency care.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
“Eastern Health is committed to providing safe and accessible health-care options for our clients and their families. This Urgent Care Centre will provide an additional access point of care for non-emergency patients in the metro region, and will help alleviate some of the current pressures and challenges being experienced in both primary health care settings and emergency departments.”
Dr. Rebecca Rudofsky
Clinical Chief, Primary Health Care, Eastern Health
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