Local leaders walk in to new Telemedicine walk-in clinic

 Local MPP Vic Fedeli walked right on in.  Minutes later Mayor Al McDonald walked in too.

Right into the recently unveiled telemedicine walk-in clinic located at Phil’s Lakeshore Pharmasave at 41 Lakeshore Drive, that is.

Since opening its doors on Monday, the clinic has handled numerous residents, both from North Bay and from the outlying communities like Callander and Powassan.  Many who were seen didn’t have a family doctor, and were grateful to access a physician with such convenience, not only for serious concerns such as ear infections and urinary tract infections, but also for less urgent but equally important issues like prescription renewals and sick notes.

Fedeli and McDonald toured the new facility, located at 41 Lakeshore Drive, housed inside Phil’s Lakeshore Pharmasave, where substantial renovations and expansion had recently taken place.  Both walked away impressed.

“I think it’s an exceptional service that’s being offered, particularly for people without a doctor,” beamed Fedeli, who recently addressed Queen’s Park on the benefits of telemedicine walk-in clinics in his riding. 

“It makes fabulous use of today’s technology.  It’s convenient, accessible and is a solution whose time has come.”

The Mayor was also encouraged by what he saw, speaking with the clinic’s on-site telemedicine assistant, Ilia Tchistiline, a Laurentian University graduate who ventured abroad to earn his medical degree, as they waited for Dr. Abhishek Raut, a Toronto-based physician who completed his studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and at McMaster University in Hamilton, and who will be consulting with North Bay patients via telemedicine technology on a regular basis, to join the conversation.

Improving access for North Bay residents to a family physician or nurse practitioner continues to be high on the Mayor’s priority list.

“We have over 10,000 orphan patients in the city of North Bay,” explained McDonald. 

“This clinic goes a long way in assisting our citizens.  Here’s a case of using technology to assist patients.  What I see and hear from patients who have gone through this process is that they appreciate and feel comfortable with it.”

The Mayor feels that the new walk-in clinic could offer benefits beyond providing necessary primary health care for citizens, citing a link between primary health care and the decisions made by potential employers whether to invest in the city.

“When employers look at any city to determine if that’s where they want to locate, they look at a number of factors, but looking after their employees is always one of their top considerations,” said McDonald. 

“In the case of North Bay, we have a first-class hospital, with great technology and an MRI service.  A telemedicine walk-in clinic such as the one here at Phil’s Lakeshore Pharmasave enhances our ability to sell our city from an employee health care perspective.”

The new facility, named ‘Phil’s Lakeshore Walk-In Clinic’ (in Association with Appletree Medical Group) will be open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. 

Last intake occurs approximately 30 minutes before closing. Telemedicine technology uses HD video cameras and HDTV monitors to connect people with the health care they need.