A new local partnership is looking to expand healthcare options for patients in vulnerable communities.
The North Bay Regional Health Centre and the AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area (ACNBA) are collaborating to provide more options for treating wounds in the early stages, minimizing complications before they happen, helping reduce emergency visits and hospitalization.
“ACNBA has long been a low-barrier access point to the medical system and place to access wrap-around medical care for those in our community who are vulnerable, stigmatized, underserved, and unhoused,” explains Stacey Mayhall, Executive Director, ACNBA. “This collaborative partnership supports us in a very tangible way in continuing to provide low-barrier care and follow-up treatment in the community.”
Officials point out the partnership comes at a time when hospitals across the province are facing staffing and capacity pressures.
“With the usual seasonal surge in respiratory illnesses combined with the sustained strain on our healthcare system, our Emergency Department continues to be extremely busy, leading to long wait times for some non-urgent care needs,” says Paul Heinrich, President & CEO, NBRHC. “The opportunity to collaborate with ACNBA allows many patients to receive low barrier medical care and follow-up treatment in the community, diverting as many as 125 emergency visits a month.”
This new, collaborative effort is part of the City of North Bay’s Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan to foster a safe, healthy and inclusive community.
“Guided by our Community Safety and Well Being Plan, the emergency room benefits, the systems benefit, and most importantly, our community and medical patients benefit when we adopt a collaborative mindset for common goals,” says Brent Kalinowski, City of North Bay CSWB Coordinator.
To support the AIDS Committee to be able to respond effectively to common injuries, the Health Centre is supplying products for wound care.
