A lack of family physicians is leading walk-in patients straight to the emergency department waiting room. However, as one doctor suggests, this solution is not viable long-term.
Dr. David May, Powell River Division of Family Practice board member, was commenting on the recent closure of a walk-in clinic at the Marine Medical Building. As reported in the Peak last week, the clinic closed after a policy change was made by College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC requiring walk-in clinics to provide continuing care to patients without family doctors.
“In the short term it will be harder for patients to see doctors,” said May, of the closure. “The emergency department is really meant for people with emergencies.”
According to May, who argued previously in the Peak that walk-in clinics do not provide continuity of care, the Marine Avenue clinic was opened as a “stopgap” measure, while the division worked to bring more doctors to the region using the province and Doctors of BC’s initiative GP for Me, together with the community, City of Powell River and Vancouver Coastal Health.
“The problem is that we don’t have enough family doctors,” said May, who explained that there are approximately 5,000 residents without family doctors in Powell River. “We are trying to get other options in the meantime.”
May said the division is working with Vancouver Coastal Health to have nurse practitioners see non-emergency patients and fill prescriptions. Currently, two nurse practitioners work in Powell River, David Marceniuk at Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation, and Erin Berukoff, who works at various locations including Family Tree Health.
In BC, nurse practitioners regulated by the College of Registered Nurses of BC can fill prescriptions for all medications except for opioid painkillers and benzodiazapene-based tranquilizers and sleeping pills.
For many in Powell River without access to a family doctor, the emergency department is the only option for basic medical care, “which is not a viable option at all,” said May.
While he said he is not in support of patients having to access the emergency department at Powell River General Hospital for basic medical care he added there are some tricks to getting seen in a timely fashion at the hospital.
“Seven o’clock in the morning…is usually quite quiet,” said May. “If you don’t mind going early, that would be a good time to go.”
Nevertheless, said May, there is hope as medical organizations like Doctors of BC are working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC to try and clarify its walk-in clinic policy.
“Doctors of BC was not consulted during the development of the revised guidelines,” said Charles Webb, president of Doctors of BC, in a press release. “We will be meeting with the college to seek clarification so that there is a better understanding of the impact of these guidelines.”
As of press time, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC was not available for comment.
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