January 16, 2015
Manitoba's Fifth QuickCare Clinic Opens
– – –St. Vital Location Ready to Serve Community: Minister Blady
St. Vital families will have a faster and more convenient primary health-care option for treatment of minor ailments starting Jan. 19, Health Minister Sharon Blady said today during the official opening of the province’s fifth QuickCare clinic at 620 Dakota St. in Winnipeg.
“This new QuickCare clinic will have weekend and evening hours and will offer families a convenient health-care option where they live when their regular health-care provider may not be available or when a visit to the emergency room may not be required,”said Minister Blady. “QuickCare clinics are part of our government’s plan to ensure any Manitoban who wants one will have a family doctor by 2015.”
These clinics are designed to meet the unexpected health-care needs of Manitobans during times when most other clinics are closed. They are staffed by registered nurses and nurse practitioners, diagnose and treat minor health issues, helping people avoid trips to an emergency room or having to wait for regular clinic hours. They also work closely with local family physicians to ensure care is co-ordinated with their regular primary care provider. The clinic, located at 620 Dakota St., will start seeing patients Monday, Jan. 19 and will be open weekdays from noon to 7:30 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The minister said that while most patients using this new clinic will likely be from the St. Vital community, anyone can visit a QuickCare clinic. These clinics do not replace regular visits with a patient’susual health-care provider.
The QuickCare Dakota clinic will be staffed by registered nurses and nurse practitioners who can diagnose and treat non-urgent care needs such as:
- bumps, bruises or sprains;
- rashes, eczema, infected cuts or minor sores;
- sore throats, earaches, colds and flu, coughs, hay fever or nosebleeds;
- immunizations including this season’s flu vaccine;
- stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting;
- headache, back or neck pain;
- breastfeeding issues;
- sexual health-related issues including birth control;
- stress or anxiety; and
- minor medical issues in children.
“Nurse practitioners and registered nurses working in teams in QuickCare Clinics have proven to be a valuable asset to our health-care system,” said Lori Lamont, vice-president and chief nursing officer, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. “They have proven to be a very good alternative the public can use to our busy emergency departments for minor illnesses and injuries.”
There have been more than 100,000 patient visits to the four existing QuickCare clinics in Manitoba since the first clinic opened on McGregor Street in Jan. 2012. Another three QuickCare clinics are schedule to open by the end of the year.
For more information on QuickCare clinics, visit www.myrightcare.ca/quickcare-clinics or www.gov.mb.ca/health/primarycare/public/access/quickcare.html.
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