Charlotte Varcoe
THE state’s only regional Urgent Care Clinic has been officially opened amid soaring patient numbers.
The bulk-billed clinic first started treating patients late last year and has since welcomed and treated up to 60 patients per day.
In December, on average the clinic treated between 30 and 35 people per day with opening hours now extended until 10pm.
Running in conjunction with his Mount Gambier Family Health practice, Doctor Richard Try has been leading the team treating sporting injuries, coughs, colds, infections, burns, lacerations and more.
Since first opening, Dr Try said he had noticed a significant gap in the health system with many patients not knowing how to access medical attention.
The Border Watch reported in December Dr Try discovered many Mount Gambier/Berrin residents were not registered with a general practitioner or were unaware where to find one.
“We did expect similar numbers right from the start,” Dr Try said.
“We had a lot of statistics which we got from the Limestone Coast Local Health Network to say roughly how many patients we may get.”
Dr Try said staff worked on the assumption of the numbers provided while also adding on 50 per cent.
“As we talk to various stakeholders around the town we realised there were not a lot of people who were getting care and so we expected people to then start to ask for it because it is another route into the health system,” he said.
“There are people we have seen here who do not know how to use the health system or even get a Medicare card so it has been an important role for a lot of people.”
Dr Try said he also factored in potential capacity especially while approaching 60 patients per day.
“It was more than what we expected,” he said.
“But we are so happy to be open until 10pm now and excited to have been able to get there.
“There were a lot of people who said we would never make it, find the doctors or the nurses but we have and I think that shows just how much people want to provide the services.”
Dr Try said staff had also helped recently when there were difficulties at the Mount Gambier and District Hospital emergency department.
“We helped fill that gap because we are part of a medical community really,” he said.
“We can see scheduled triage four or five patients but we cannot see the ones higher up.
“Seeing those patients relieves the capacity from the emergency department which was the purpose of the Urgent Care Clinic in the first place so we are really happy to work in a collaborative way with the emergency department.”
Dr Try also stated staff at the emergency department had been “brilliant” to work with while also stating the future of the clinic was consolidating where it was.
“We have got the clinic’s hours expanded but now we are just concentrating on making sure everything is working as it should,” Dr Try said.
“We have to make sure we continue to provide the services at a good level.”
Country South Australia Primary Health Network (PHN)- which partnered with Dr Try – chief executive Mark Hartigan said the initiative was “really proud” and “pleased” with the response the clinic had received.
“We are really proud and pleased with the response the clinic had received, especially for Dr Try and his team who has been able to establish the wonderful clinic so quickly,” Mr Hartigan said.
“Mount Gambier is a key part of our region and to have a facility like this where people can walk, bulk-bill and come to such a professional environment is terrific.
“We are really pleased to have partnered with Dr Try and his team.”
Mr Hartigan said the PHN was also pleased with the future of the clinic which he said was looking bright.
“As it becomes more known the number of patients coming through will increase,” he said.
“Even if it does not, it is still delivering a service right now which is needed and providing a difference.”
He said the PHN had been told the emergency department was already observing an impact on patient numbers in a positive way.
“That is exactly what we wanted to see,” Mr Hartigan said.
“The PHN would also welcome if there were other care clinics established across the region as our region is nearly a million square kilometres and it is all outside metropolitan Adelaide.
“Obviously it depends on the population but if the decision makers decide there should be more Urgent Care Clinics in the country, we would welcome that.”
During the official opening, Limestone Coast Local Health Network director of governance Angela Miller also spoke, reciting Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton’s official note of the event.
The Mount Gambier Urgent Care Clinic is open seven days a week between 9am until 10pm.
