Petawawa walk-in-clinic declared a success
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While its only been open since November, the new walk-in clinic at the Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre has been declared a success.
The clinic was established as a stop gap for residents who don't currently have a family doctor and found themselves in a real bind since the closure of Pembroke's Lake Street walk-in clinic.
That building was purchased by Pembroke city council who plan to convert it into a police station ready to host the Ontario Provincial Police when it takes over the city's law enforcement duties later this year.
The Petawawa walk-in clinic, located at the health centre on Civic Centre Road, is open from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis.
Deputy Mayor Tom Mohns, chair of the Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre, said the clinic has been taking in about 20 to 25 patients on the nights it is open. He added the clinic has had an impact.
"We are definitely taking some of the traffic away from the emergency room at the hospital," said Mohns.
The number of patients have also jumped with the cold weather and flu bugs going around. Mohns said they would like to offer a third night, however, the centre does not have the doctors to staff that option.
"Currently we don't have any physicians available to do the extra work but if we should be fortunate enough to find somebody then we will definitely do that," he said.
The walk-in clinic will be operated for a three-year trial period.
Sean Chase is a Daily Observer multimedia journalist