A new medical clinic in Qualicum Beach is preparing to open its doors, bringing more options for primary health care to a community that has been grappling with limited access to family doctors. Primrose Medical Centre is scheduled to open Nov. 2, with four physicians ready to begin seeing patients. A nurse practitioner is also expected to join the team shortly after opening. The clinic is the result of a community-driven effort to address gaps in local health care, led by medical director and family physician Dr. Kelly Hadfield. Hadfield says the initiative grew out of frustration among residents who were struggling to find family doctors and facing lengthy waits for specialist appointments. “Not accessing family doctors and having long delays to see specialists,” says Hadfield. “They took ownership over their own health-care and decided to come up with their own sustainable solution.” The Mid-Island Health Alliance (MIHA), a non-profit organization focused on improving access to primary care across the region, raised $1.1 million this year to help fund the project. Chair Susanne Cunningham says the need became clear early in the organization’s work. “When we first started this journey over two years ago, we realized that there were quite a large number of folks who didn’t have family physicians,” says Cunningham. Beyond family medicine, Primrose Medical Centre is also hoping to make specialist care more accessible to people on the mid-Island. “We already have 14 specialists and surgeons who are interested in coming to do outreach specialty clinics here, reducing that wait time as well,” says Hadfield. The facility has room to grow, with capacity for more than a dozen physicians and nurse practitioners when fully staffed. Recruitment efforts are continuing as the clinic works to expand its services and bring additional health-care providers to the community. The four physicians opening the clinic on Monday will be accepting new patients. However, patients must first be registered through the provincial Health Connect Registry to be considered for attachment to a family doctor. Residents can find information about registering through the provincial Health Connect Registry through HealthLink BC.
