A simple solution for acute health-care needs

Many times we need help with a relatively minor and easily diagnosed ailment like strep throat, the flu, an ear infection, etc.

In the United States, you will find “minute clinics” in most pharmacies and many grocery stores. It is simply a small office with one nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant treating people with mild, acute illness.

You sign in to the computer in-person or online, and you’re given an appointment time to return. If there’s a wait, it’s usually no more than a few hours because there are many of these small clinics. Imagine that.

With all of the recent stories about the lack of urgent care, B.C. could really benefit from these clinics:

• Nurse practitioners can be trained far faster than doctors. Train them for free if they’ll work in B.C. for three years. Pay them well.

This program could be up and running relatively quickly.

• Even those with a family doctor will be happy to have these clinics available when they have a mild, acute-care need after hours, on the weekend, or when they can’t get into see their doctor same-day. Many family doctors’ schedules fill up immediately after opening for same-day.

On a personal note, I went to a minute clinic with shingles on a Saturday morning and got prompt treatment. If I had delayed treatment even a couple of more days, the situation would have been far worse for me.

The minute clinics won’t fix the whole health-care system, but they are an easy and quick solution to provide same-day care for acute, mild illness while reducing pressure on the ER and urgent care facilities.

Liz Steffanick Victoria