Last walk-in clinic in Mallorytown, Ont. to close Friday – Kingston | 24CA News
There’s extra unhealthy news on the native health-care entrance, as a walk-in clinic in Mallorytown is ready to shut its doorways on Friday, which provides to a regarding pattern throughout the province.
“They’re all devastated, they have nowhere to go,” stated Suzanne Westgate, a Registered Practical Nurse.
Around 60 purchasers per week from as distant as Seeley’s Bay come to the Good Doctors Medical Clinics location in Mallorytown, however after Friday, will probably be no extra.
“There’s a change in OHIP codes, OHIP fee codes, that result in a cut in funding,” stated Leo Liao, Good Doctors Medical founder and CEO.
Clinic proprietor Leo Liao says the Ontario authorities’s choice late final yr to chop charges for digital physician visits is guilty for the pending closure.
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But he says, he doesn’t suppose his clinic ought to be lumped in with different digital clinics, since there are workers on-site to work with sufferers in individual.
A registered sensible nurse takes in sufferers, assesses them after which contacts a health care provider who oversees their care — a private contact that sufferers at Mallorytown are upset to lose, to say the least.
“It’s like being kicked in the you-know-whats,” stated clinic affected person George Sparrow.
However, a gaggle of Mallorytown residents isn’t letting the beloved native clinic go with no battle.
“It’s inconceivable and it’s irresponsible of our government to be cutting OHIP funding to this clinic,” stated clinic affected person Angie Cowan.
Cowan stated she’s began a petition to save lots of the clinic and already has over 1,500 signatures.
“It’s sad. I feel really bad for people,” stated Westgate the clinic’s solely RPN. She stated she’s already discovered a brand new job however is aware of she’s leaving a group in want.
“You feel like you want to help them but there’s absolutely nothing you can do.”
“What else is available?” famous Sparrow. “Is there an alternate? I don’t know.”
The mayor of Front of Yonge Township stated the municipality plans to advocate for the clinic with the well being minister.
But Liao stated if they’ll’t get clinics like his excluded from the charge cuts, his different Good Doctor clinics in Kingston and past will ultimately should shut down as nicely.
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