Positive changes are on the horizon for the medical clinic in Clearwater. As of Dec. 13, the Yellowhead Community Services Health Centre in Clearwater will be physician-owned and have a new name: the Wells Gray Medical Clinic.
In a statement issued by Yellowhead Community Services (YCS) on Nov. 3, YCS Financial Manager Kathy Green provided some background about the health centre, which serves Blue River to Little Fort.
”In the fall of 2021, Dr. John Soles retired from his medical practice. At that time, Yellowhead Community Services was approached to take over the administrative management of the practice, and over the past 2.5 years, we have had the privilege of providing this support to the clinic and the community.
“Now, in collaboration with the physicians, we are pleased to announce that Doctors Ayosanmi, Ofoegbu, Okezue, Perdue, and Phillips have made the decision that on Dec. 13, 2023 [they will] move forward with managing the clinic. Accordingly, the YCS Health Centre will now be the Wells Gray Medical Clinic. Patients will remain attached to the clinic as they currently are.”
The move comes following a difficult period during the pandemic, which included multiple Emergency Room closures due to staff shortages and because of a lack of available ER-certified doctors to cover all shifts. The announcement brings a huge sense of relief to the valley, with a full complement of five permanent physicians making their home in Wells Gray Country.
Medical Director Dr. Kara Perdue spoke to the Times about the changes.
“It’s a very positive move, certainly a bit of a daunting task as it is still starting a new business. When Dr. Soles retired two years ago there was really nobody that was able or willing to take over managing the clinic, so YCS was approached due to their many ties to health care and especially the social health care in town.
“Some of us [have been] discussing for some time taking over managing the clinic in day-to-day operations and transitioning back to a physician-run clinic. We are looking forward to seeing what further changes we can continue to make to improve health care and access in our community and in the North Thompson Valley.”
The five physicians will have co-ownership of the business and all of them are “emergency room certified,” says Perdue. She adds that future goals for the clinic include making the building “more accessible, more welcoming and trying down the road to invite more allied health services in so patients won’t need to travel to Kamloops as often,” although there are no concrete plans at this point. Another goal is to make the building more “aesthetically pleasing.”
“The biggest reassurance for residents is to have no disruption to services. No one is losing their doctor or going to have to reapply to be a patient at the clinic. If you are attached to the clinic, you remain attached to the clinic.”
With regards to new patients, the doctors would like those seeking a doctor to book a face-to-face “meet and greet” with them through the clinic, to review any health issues. “We also will review our own practice ‘style’ and expectations that we have for patients and that patients have for us, to make sure it’s going to be a good fit and therapeutic relationship.”
Even though geographically the doctors are unable to accept new patients from the Darfield or Barriere areas, Perdue indicated they had recently heard that Barriere will be getting another doctor in the near future, possibly within the next month, and hopes this will help offset some of those concerns in those communities.
“It’s a busy day job that we have and it doesn’t usually end at the end of the day. All five of us are certified ER physicians, and Clearwater has always had a policy and expectation [that doctors] will work emergency as well. Certainly this is something we could look at if there was a doctor wanting to join us who did not have interest or skills in emergency. There would be enough patients needing clinic time that we could look at that as a group as to whether or not it would be feasible.”
Green, on behalf of YCS, concurs with the doctors’ vision.
“This is a positive step forward and we genuinely wish the physicians all the best in this new endeavour. We at Yellowhead Community Services, and the doctors at Wells Gray Medical Clinic, look forward to continuing to work in collaboration to ensure the best continuity of care for the community of Clearwater.”
The Wells Gray Medical Clinic doctors are Dr. Kara Perdue (Medical Director); Dr. Chibuikem Ofoegbu; Dr. Sandra Okezue; Dr. Marcene Phillips; and Dr. Stephen Ayosanmi. The clinic’s phone number is 250-674-3319.
