COVID-19, cold and flu care clinic now open
A new South Georgian Bay COVID-19, Cold and Flu Care Clinic provides assessment and care, by appointment, for people experiencing COVID-19, cold or flu symptoms to help offset pressures facing the hospital emergency department.
“The COVID-19, Cold and Flu Care Clinic is for those experiencing COVID-19, cold or flu symptoms who feel they need to see a doctor or nurse practitioner,” said Dr. Carola Elkhuizen, Physician with the Georgian Bay Family Health Organization. “We suggest that patients first access their family doctor or nurse practitioner if possible. The clinic offers quick and safe access to care to support our community and ease the burden on our local emergency department. Patients should know that the clinic will not be providing COVID-19 testing, or sick notes.”
OHT Partners and primary care physicians are supporting the clinic’s daily operations. It is staffed by local nurse practitioners from the Georgian Bay Family Health Team (GBFHT) and local primary care and hospital physicians, partners and staff. This includes clinic operational support through the GBFHT management staff, and resources from the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital in supplying essential infrastructure and Personal Protective Equipment, to keep clinic staff and patients safe.
“The successful and efficient establishment of the clinic to keep our community safe during this Omicron wave and beyond is a direct result of the longstanding relationships and shared purpose of the SGB OHT partners and supporters to keep our community safe,” said Marie LaRose, executive director of the Georgian Bay Family Health Team.
“In a few hours, we went from meeting as a planning team to seeing our first patient. Thanks to our strong relationships, we were able to quickly come together, devise a plan and create this new clinic to ensure that everyone in South Georgian Bay can access health care for their symptoms and receive additional support as needed.”
Appointments to the clinic are available Monday to Friday afternoons and can be booked on the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team website: www.southgeorgianbayoht.ca/information-testing, by contacting your family physician, or dialling 2-1-1 (24/7 bilingual helpline). The booking system opens the day before the appointment is available. Once an appointment has been booked, patients are asked to arrive at 186 Erie Street in Collingwood and stay in their vehicle to await a call. During this call, a nurse practitioner or physician will assess whether an in-person physical assessment is needed, or the patient is able to return home with health teaching and advice.
