Western PEI’s Patient Medical Home: Alberton Community Health Centre (CHC)
Since October 2023, the Alberton Community Health Centre (CHC) has been welcoming West Prince residents to a bright, welcoming and new building. Located at 397 Church Street, the CHC provides nearly 20,000 square-feet of specially designed space to allow for multiple health care teams to work closely together. These teams were previously spread out across the community.
The centre provides space for:
- six nurse practitioner and physician offices
- two Mental Health & Addictions exam/consultation rooms
- nine Mental Health & Addiction consultation offices
- thirteen medical exam rooms
- two nursing exam room/offices
- four allied health offices
- telehealth room
- public health exam room/office
- minor procedure room
- four program delivery and education meeting rooms
Andrew Ramsay, manager of West Prince Primary Care Network, says the CHC is helping with health care practitioner recruitment. The design of the facility enhances opportunities for collaboration between staff, making it an attractive place to work.
“We have hired a nurse practitioner and a physician just prior to the new facility opening, bringing it to three physicians and two nurse practitioners. We have also hired medical office assistants, licensed practical nurses, a registered nurse and a physiotherapist.
The Alberton CHC has increased access to Allied Health professionals including dieticians, social workers and registered nurses, who collaborate with physicians and nurse practitioners to expand services to patients of the medical home. The centre had also worked with Western Hospital to provide an Emergency Department (ED) Decanting service that gave ED patients the option to see a virtual nurse practitioner at the health centre if they met inclusion criteria.
At the Alberton CHC, the Open Access approach to mental health and substance use means that people can access care when they need and want it, without having to wait for intake or book an appointment. A discrete waiting room, separate from the primary care clinic, respects patient confidentiality.
The Alberton CHC serves as a prime example of how a Patient Medical Home effectively addresses the diverse and complex needs of patients by fostering collaboration among health care professionals under one roof.