Northeast seniors clinic is not closing

Re. “Retiring doctor blasts succession plan for seniors clinic,” March 12

Alberta Health Services is extremely grateful for the excellent care provided by Dr. Douglas Duke and the team at the Seniors Clinic located at the Northeast Community Health Centre (NECHC).

For more than 15 years, Dr. Duke and a nurse practitioner have been the driving forces behind the Seniors Clinic, caring for a group of seniors with complex needs.

The Seniors Clinic is not closing. Patients of the clinic will continue to receive the care and support they need.

With the impending retirements of Dr. Duke and the nurse practitioner, AHS is taking the opportunity to review the model of care for the Seniors Clinic, to ensure it best meets the future needs of its patients, and the community.

We will soon begin recruiting for a geriatrician and a nurse practitioner at the NECHC and undertaking work with the community to best design the services to meet its needs.

During this transition, those under the long term care of Dr. Duke will have their care provided by the Family Health Clinic at the NECHC and new referrals will be directed to the Specialized Geriatric Outpatient Program’s central access intake.

Other short-term patients are being referred back to their primary-care provider by the retiring physician, or to the Family Clinic at the NECHC.

In coming weeks we will be working with patients and families as we develop the future Seniors Clinic’s service model.

Heather Durstling, executive director, suburban hospitals, Edmonton zone,

Alberta Health Services

Dr. Adrian Wagg, clinical section head, geriatric medicine, Edmonton zone,

Alberta Health Services