Head injury, concussion clinic has helped 28 Islanders

The provincial concussion and brain injury clinic in Summerside has helped 28 Islanders since it opened in July.

Located in the Harbourside Health Centre, the clinic is an initiative of Trauma P.E.I. and provides support to primary care providers and patients with concussions or mild brain injuries.

Under the leadership of Health P.E.I.’s medical director of trauma, the head injury support and recovery clinic’s care team includes a primary care nurse, as well as doctors and nurse practitioners who work at the health centre.

The clinic provides education, consultative services and reference materials and in-person appointments and telephone consultations on the “how-to” of the stepwise head injury recovery program.

It also supports patients when they are no longer able to participate in contact sports due to risk.

“While most concussions can resolve in as little as a week or two, some can be difficult and take a lot longer to recover from,” said April Mills, Trauma P.E.I. provincial co-ordinator.

“We now know more and speak more about concussions and mild brain injuries, along with their long-term effects on a person’s health and well-being. Having the proper information, clinical protocols and resources in place, such as the new clinic, are all critical to our ability to provide our patients with the best possible road to recovery.”

Last year a provincial trauma registry was established — and a co-ordinator hired — to collect data and carry out programming.

In 2017, more than 1,200 Islanders went to an emergency department with a head injury.