Flu assessment clinic to close Monday
Updated 2 months ago
The Simcoe County Flu Assessment Centre, at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Steel Street in Barrie, will continue to operate through the weekend, however, will officially close as of Monday as a result of a steady decline
in the number of patients.
The centre opened Nov. 16 to quickly assess individuals with influenza-like symptoms, while reducing the burden of non-urgent cases on overwhelmed hospital emergency departments and walk-in clinics. Although the centre was initially very busy, during the past several days a decreasing number of patients are visiting the centre.
"The flu assessment centre provided care for nearly 300 people over the past two weeks," says Dr. Monica Wolnik,
Medical Director of the assessment centre. "The model that we used to screen, assess and treat patients was extremely
effective. It also allowed us to come together, quickly, as a community to determine how to best utilize our health care
resources in response to a pressing health issue. In the future, if we begin to see the incidence of influenza increase in
our community, we have the strategies in place to be able to re-open the centre."
The centre, a partnership between Royal Victoria Hospital, the County of Simcoe, North Simcoe Muskoka Community
Care Access Centre, the Barrie and Community Family Health Team, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and City
of Barrie, had a positive impact on RVH. At the height of the second wave of H1N1, volumes in Royal Victoria Hospital's
department skyrocketed between 30% and 50%, creating long waits for patients exhibiting mild-flu-like symptoms. In
the vast majority of these cases, patients had mild symptoms and they were sent home to recover.
