Orangeville, ON, July 10, 2009 – Today the Central West Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), in conjunction with Headwaters Health Care Centre and Saint Elizabeth Health Care, formally launched its first nursing clinic. Located at the Orangeville site of Headwaters Health Care Centre, the clinic treats patients who may have previously received nursing services at home or in the emergency department.

“This clinic is intended for mobile patients, many of whom prefer to have a set appointment time when they know they will assessed and treated,” explained Cathy Hecimovich, Chief Executive Officer, Central West CCAC. “Physicians can refer eligible patients to the Central West CCAC, and a CCAC case manager will connect the appropriate patients to this clinic. We’re working collaboratively with our health care partners to make access to nursing services as convenient for our patients as possible.”

By improving access to these services, the clinic will also help divert non-emergency patients requiring nursing services away from the emergency department.

“We often see people in the emergency department simply because they don’t have anywhere else to go for treatment,” said Cholly Boland, Chief Executive Officer, Headwaters Health Care Centre. “This clinic will help some of those people by meeting their needs outside of the emergency department, which is better for them and will also shorten wait times for those who come to us with emergencies.”

CCAC case managers may refer patients to the nursing clinic for a number of services, including health counselling, intravenous drug treatments, wound management, and catheter removal and insertion. Nursing services at the clinic are provided by Saint Elizabeth Health Care.

"Saint Elizabeth Health Care is very pleased to be partnering with the Central West CCAC and Headwaters Health Care Centre in the establishment of this nursing clinic," said Rheta Fanizza, Senior Vice President, Saint Elizabeth Health Care. "It's been an extremely positive experience for our staff, who are greatly enjoying their interactions with the patients."

Information:

Laura Glynn, Manager of Communications

Central West CCAC

905-796-0040, ext. 2268

laura.glynn@cw.ccac-ont.ca

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