August 28, 2023
STONY PLAIN – A pediatric clinic that opened earlier this year at the WestView Health Centre in Stony Plain is helping more families living in rural areas get the care they need in their community.
Having a pediatric clinic in the area helps break down barriers such as time, financial resources, and travel, all of which can prevent families - including those in Alexis Nakota Sioux and Paul First Nation - from accessing healthcare.
“When we received a pediatric referral, I thought we would have to plan for a trip into Edmonton,” explains Stony Plain mom Kenzie Broadbent. She and two-year-old daughter Emryn were pleasantly surprised when they only had to make a five-minute trip to WestView.
“The clinic is easier to get to and it’s very beneficial having it in our community, I think anyone with young kids would agree,” says Kenzie.
WestView is the perfect setting for the pediatric clinic because the site has space and clerical support available, with no additional equipment or staff required. The pediatric clinic operates in an existing shared clinic space that also offers clinics for casts, geriatric assessment, pediatric asthma, and home living.
Pediatrician Dr. Jay Patidar has been working in the community since 2011 and he spearheaded the creation of the clinic, which opened earlier this year in January.
“Childrens health matters and accessible pediatric care is essential for every family,” says Dr. Patidar. “Regular consultations close to home mean we can identify and address issues as soon as possible, so that we can find a resolution quicker.”
The clinic can see up to 12 patients each month and runs on a referral model – this means that patients are referred to the clinic and after they are assessed by Dr. Patidar, they return to their family physician with a care plan.
Having a clinic in the area also means more families have easier access to referrals for specialized treatment such as the Pediatric Specialized Rehab Outreach program at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.
“The addition of the pediatric clinic at WestView is wonderful news for families in the area,” says Searle Turton, MLA for Spruce Grove-Stony Plain and Minister of Children and Family Services. “This is a great example of the innovative work being done to improve access to healthcare so all Albertans can get the care they need where they need it.”
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Our mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait-times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow.
