St. Joe’s launches mobile unit for schizophrenia patients
Van-based clinic serves patients locally and as far away as Brantford
Even with the risk of catching of COVID-19, hundreds of patients still make their way to St. Joseph’s Healthcare West 5th Campus to receive essential mental-health services.
They take public transit, taxis or ask others for rides — putting themselves in danger of catching the respiratory virus.
To help mitigate that risk for those under the care of the Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic, manager Alycia Gillespie said the health-care network has launched a new initiative.
Based in a van provided by Voyager, Gillespie said nurses can now perform blood work as well as administer injections of antipsychotics for patients that would normally come to them — as well as those who were a part of their previous outreach programs.
“It’ll be a service that is well utilized,” said Gillespie.
Resembling a DARTS bus, the clinic is outfitted with privacy curtains and the equipment needed for the service, she added.
Once they arrive at a client’s home, they come down to them as opposed to health-care workers entering their residence.
Gillespie said for some clients, who live in lodging homes or who may be precariously housed, the van allows staff to provide an essential service with minimal exposure.
For those who may live in poverty and rely on transit, it allows them to get treatment without unnecessary potential for exposure.
As of Monday, there were 489 positives cases of COVID-19 in the City of Hamilton. Twentyfour people have died.
“This provided a nice option, so that was a part of our rationale as well,” she said. “We come to them.”
Gillespie said the van is currently on the road four days a week.
Having launched April 29, she estimated that by Friday the clinic would have served at least 100 patients between the four teams that use it.
Those teams include two Assertive Community Treatment Teams, Gillespie’s clinic and the Transitional Outpatient Program of Schizophrenia Service, whose clients can span from Hamilton and Stoney Creek all the way to the Brantford area.
Gillespie said, so far, patient feedback has been “positive” and that St. Joe’s is mulling keeping the van on the road beyond the pandemic.
But they would have to rely on donations to the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation to do so, she added.
“I think it’s exciting,” said Gillespie. “It’s an innovative way in taking services to them that are really essential.”