New “PFHT Clinic” bridging gap in care for permanent & seasonal residents

LAKEFIELD, ON – Peterborough Family Health Team (PFHT) is excited to announce the launch of the PFHT Clinic on Tuesday, September 11 at the Morton Community Healthcare Centre that will provide acute and episodic care to patients. These patients will meet with PFHT Nurse Practitioner (NP), Lorie Dunford, who will provide permanent residents with continuity of care until they become connected with a family doctor and seasonal residents with access to episodic care. The main goal of the PFHT Clinic is to connect unattached permanent residents to new family doctors who move to the community.

The PFHT Clinic will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; however, these hours are subject to change during the busy summer months. Patients are encouraged to book an appointment by calling (705) 651-4866 and walk-ins will be given the next available appointment. In addition to providing care, the NP will help connect patients with local supports to help them manage their health care needs. Patients are asked to present 30 minutes early to the first appointment to complete the appropriate paperwork. Please note that narcotic prescriptions will not be available to any patient at this clinic.

“First and foremost, we want to recognize the generosity of the Morton Community Healthcare Centre Foundation as the PFHT Clinic would not exist without their donation,” says Lori Richey, Executive Director of the Peterborough Family Health Team. “Both the Foundation and PFHT strive to meet the needs of permanent and seasonal residents in the area, and we are on our way to meeting this target. Similar to the Peterborough Virtual Care Clinic, which was launched last month, this clinic will help give us an idea of the health care needs of our community and assist with physician recruitment. Our end goal is to have all residents of Peterborough City and County connected with a family physician.”

The Morton Community Healthcare Centre is owned and operated by the Morton Community Healthcare Centre Foundation, a non-profit organization operating under the guidance of a volunteer Board of Directors. The considerable donation of $100,000 over the next five years will ensure that unattached residents and seasonal residents have access to care. In turn, this will help alleviate the pressure felt by the local emergency department during the busy summer months.

“The new clinics are bridging a gap in our local healthcare system,” explains Richey. “We are providing care to residents who don’t have access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner, creating rosters of patients for new physicians, and collecting data on the healthcare needs of our community.

“However, we recognize that this clinic can potentially be time limited as there is a shortage of funds, and any donations are appreciated.”

The PFHT Clinic will focus on the unattached residents living in the rural parts of our county, and those living within the City of Peterborough will continue to have access to the Peterborough Virtual Care Clinic. For details on both clinics, visit www.peterboroughfht.com.