One less walk-in clinic

Photo: Contributed

There's about to be more pressure on walk-in clinics in the Central Okanagan.

On the heels of the recent closure of a walk-in medical clinic in Rutland comes word a clinic in Glenmore is scaling back its acceptance of walk-in patients.

A sign on the door at Glenvalley Medical Centre says as of Jan. 9, 2017, the walk-in clinic will be permanently closed.

While the clinic will remain open, as of that date, walk-in patients will no longer be accepted.

An official with the clinic says only patients of one of the doctors will be admitted.

They are not accepting new patients.

The closure of the walk-in portion of Glenvalley Medical Centre will leave the region served with six walk-in clinics in Kelowna and four in West Kelowna.

Mike McLoughlin, head of the newly formed Walk-In Clinics of BC Association and owner of a clinic in Kelowna, says while it is somewhat concerning, there are still options.

For one, he said people who do have a family doctor should stick with them.

"As a courtesy to those who don't have a family doctor, use your family doctor. If you are at the walk-in clinic, then you are occupying a space instead of somebody who doesn't have a family doctor," said McLoughlin.

"It makes sense if you do have a family doctor not to use a walk-in clinic."

The other option, he said, is the hospital.

"I know emergency is not always the best option because people end up there and don't need to be. If they really do need attention, there is that option.

"It is a long wait and they can't look at you like a GP can look after you."

As for the physician shortage, McLoughlin said there are more doctors registered in B.C. now than there have ever been.

So, why then are so many people without a family doctor?

One of the factors, said McLoughlin, is the complexity of people's care needs.

"People are older and have more care needs. It requires more attention from the doctor, so they can't take on the number of patients they used to be able to," said McLoughlin.

He said there is also a lot of competition for doctors. Alberta, he said pays doctors better, so many will open a practice there, as opposed to B.C.