With five QuickCare clinics currently open in the province, including the Steinbach location at Clearspring Centre, the province has confirmed construction of three new clinics in Southdale, Seven Oaks and west Winnipeg. The new locations will soon be completed, allowing staff to start seeing patients as early as January.
“QuickCare clinics have served more than 160,000 patients since the opening of the first clinic, in 2012,” said Minister Health Minister Sharon Blady. “With three more clinics open by spring 2016, we can only expect these numbers to grow. Patients have told us how much they appreciate being able to have more options in their health care that results in timely and efficient access to primary care services.”
The minister said residents of Southdale will be first to see their local Quickcare clinic open its door in early January. The west Winnipeg clinic is also expected to open later that month, while the Seven Oaks location is expected to be operational by spring, the minister added.
“We are pleased to see more opportunities for nurse practitioners and registered nurses to provide care in the community,” said Lori Lamont, vice president and chief nursing officer, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. “Nurse practitioners provide effective management of chronic disease in the community and help our system provide timely access to care for minor illness and ailments.”
QuickCare clinics are designed to meet the unexpected health-care needs of Manitobans and offer timely care for minor ailments and routine health needs such as a minor infection, sore throat, ear ache or the flu.
The minister said with weekend, evening and holiday hours, and their community locations, QuickCare clinics are convenient for families when their regular health-care provider may not be available or when a visit to the emergency room is not required. The minister noted these clinics do not replace regular visits with a patient’s usual health-care provider. They work jointly with local physicians and clinics, as part of My Health Team, to build strong and co-ordinated care options for families, she added.
Minister Blady said the government continues to support several initiatives in addition to the QuickCare clinics as part of the broader Family Doctors for All strategy. This includes funding for new health-care professionals at doctor’s offices, and the launch of five My Health Teams built on partnerships between fee-for-service primary care practices, the regional health authority and community organizations.
