The Bonnyville Primary Care Network is hoping additional funds will improve medical access for area residents.
The province announced last week $3-million will be put toward hiring up to 30 new nurse practitioners in rural and remote communities’ Primary Care Networks and medical clinics where patients don’t have a family doctor or face difficulties accessing them. Among those receiving assistance is the Bonnyville clinic.
“We’re really excited that we’ve been allotted two full-time equivalent nurse practitioners,” exclaimed Jesse Stein, executive director of the Bonnyville Primary Care Network.
According to the province, there are currently 600 patients on a waitlist for a doctor in the area.
Stein said the local Primary Care Network is still working out the finer details for the positions.
“We’re just in the process of evaluating how this will fit into our current community initiatives, the primary care initiatives, as well as provincial initiatives. This would be working towards… supporting and enhancing some of the work that we’re doing from an access perspective, continuity in-care, programs, and reducing waitlists,” she detailed. “There’s been a lot of work that’s been done in the Bonnyville Primary Care Network to already reduce that waitlist, however, this will allow us to provide more access.”
Recruitment is already underway.
“We do have a few candidates in mind, but we’re also looking at external, non-local nurse practitioners that might be looking for a change or looking to work in a rural community,” Stein said, adding they were hoping to hire people within the next couple of months and have them up and running by the end of the year.
“It will take some time to get them fully operational, but we’re hoping to have that accessible as quick as possible.”
Town of Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski described the news as a phenomenal first step in addressing the gaps in medical care for rural communities.
“There’s more work to be done obviously, but we always have to do things in baby steps. The ultimate goal is to try and mitigate all the transfers and the reliance on having to go to the city.”
MD Reeve Greg Sawchuk agreed.
“The level of healthcare that we’re receiving in the rural areas, our wait times, of course, are longer, and the ability to get in to see doctors as well seems to be longer. Any time we can get any sort of help in regards to have people access the healthcare system is great.”
As experienced registered nurses with advanced education, nurse practitioners can perform tasks similar to a family doctor.
“They can diagnose patients, provide them ongoing follow-ups, essentially they’re working in the capacity almost as a family practice physician, just at a slightly different level,” detailed Stein.
She added, “Nurse practitioners can also maintain a practice base of patients. Just as you’re registered with a physician, you can actually register under a nurse practitioner. We will be able to reduce some of the waitlist, which has been actively done by current physicians in the practice, but this will help us support patients in the surrounding communities.”
The two full-time nurse practitioners will be the first ones hired to work directly for the Bonnyville Primary Care Network. Currently, those roles are covered by another medical department. They will work out of the Bonnyville Medical Clinic.
“Across Alberta, we look at potential shortages or physicians also looking for quality of life and balance as well. That’s why it’s so crucial to have practitioners that can see our patients, reduce our wait times, and create an environment where they have a medical home where they can come back to,” expressed Stein. “Increasing availability from not only a physician support, but nurse practitioners, is crucial just for that access.”
With planning underway, Stein noted these positions could assist with monitoring medical conditions, such as weight management, diabetes, and cardiac issues.
“Often times, you’re hearing patients who may have to wait weeks for an appointment, but we’re hoping to reduce those wait times to really provide increased access, so hopefully that improves health outcomes.”
Although nurse practitioners have been around for a long period of time, Stein noticed it wasn’t until recently that there’s been widespread knowledge of their importance.
“We’re starting to understand how to utilize a nurse practitioner properly, and use their scope of practice in a primary care setting. I think there’s a lot more education happening across the province, and that’s why it’s becoming more widely accepted from a government perspective to support financially.”
Along with the Bonnyville Primary Care Network, nurse practitioners will increase services at Sherwood Park-Strathcona County Primary Care Network in the hospital’s opiod dependency clinic and Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network to increase services for foster children at the Covenant Health Foster Care Clinic.
“We’re delivering on our campaign commitment to add more nurse practitioners, to give people in undeserved communities more access to primary care and other health services,” said Alberta Minister of Health Tyler Shandro in a press release. “Nurse practitioners are valuable, skilled health care professionals, and we look forward to working with them to strengthen our publicly funded health system.”
