The population of White Rock/South Surrey is expected to grow by nearly a third in the next 10 years.
And with the largest growth predicted in those 65 years and older, efforts to ensure those without a family doctor receive the health care they need continue.
“In health care, we’re suffering a bit,” Dr. Grace Park told White Rock councillors during a presentation at city hall last month. “There’s congestion and increased fragmentation.”
Park, a local doctor and the medical director of Home Health, and Diane Miller, Fraser Health’s executive director of Primary Health Care, attended council to provide a briefing on the status of the city’s Primary Care Access Clinic.
Located in the Uptown Medical Centre, at 1545 Johnston Rd., the clinic launched last June to offer temporary support to patients who don’t have a family doctor – it is estimated seven per cent of B.C. residents are “unattached” – but require care following a hospital stay.
At the time, White Rock was one of the province’s prototype communities, Park said.
While initially focussed on unattached patients discharged from hospital, the clinic’s mandate has since expanded to include the 39 per cent of people living with one or more chronic conditions. That group uses 80 per cent of health care resources, Miller noted, and existing health care providers – including the area’s 75 or so doctors – are at capacity.
Miller said current efforts to drive change are focussed on four areas: redesigning community services, divisions of family practice, integration and a commitment to attachment.
Park described the latter as “a big, big issue,” one that has noticeable impacts on a person’s health.
“People who have regular family care providers have better outcomes,” she said.
Integration is an important step, and this month (February), White Rock will follow the lead of a home health initiative that was piloted in the Tri-Cities, she said. In that area, the initiative – which partners home health case managers with family physicians – is credited with a 33 per cent decrease in ER visits and 61 per cent fewer hospitalizations.
Park noted the Primary Care Access Clinic is an example of integration enabling attachment.
It is hoped that the clinic will eventually find a home in White Rock’s newly built Centre for Active Living. It’s future is “one that’s going to be more a part of the community,” Park said.
“The whole idea is to promote health maintenance, health management and self-promotion.”