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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2010-02-04, Page 17Members of the Huron Community Family Health Team were in Toronto discussing the benefits of their recently- implemented open access system. The system, implemented by Dr. Jason Datema and Dr. Heather Percival from the Family Health Team in Seaforth, provides their patients with health care when they need it and doesn’t expose them to long waiting times, which could result in the worsening of symptoms or the need for a visit to a local emergency room. Datema has arranged that fewer patients will be booked in per day and that appointments will not be booked too far in advance so most patients will be able to see him the same day they call, if not within two or three days. This system has exposed the need for more employees on the telephones between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., when patients are calling, attempting to book an appointment for the day and the system has proven to work smoothly throughout the office. While there were some bumps along the way throughout the implementation of this new system, Family Health Team executive director Barb Major-McEwan says it has helped their patients and hasn’t taken long to get used to. After Datema put the system into play at the beginning of April, Percival followed suit, implementing the system to her practice in September. Major-McEwan says that while this system isn’t for every practice, it certainly has worked out well for Datema and Percival. In fact, she said, at a recent convention in Toronto, Datema was asked to present the system as part of the Family Health Team’s Quality Improvement and Innovation Team at the Royal York in Toronto. Datema explained that patients were waiting up to three months for appointments in the previous system. Despite the back-up, he said, no extra hours were dedicated to cleaning up the backlog of patients waiting for appointments. Datema says the reason the system is a successful one for Seaforth is that it doesn’t leave a mismatch between patient demand and physician availability. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010. PAGE 17. FHT doctors present system at TO conference The issue of school names nowappears to be an inevitableconsequence of the Avon MaitlandDistrict School Board’s ongoing process of decreasing the number of facilities it operates. In Goderich, Victoria Public School was closed and most of the students moved into a significantly- renovated version of what once was known as Robertson Memorial Public School. Following a public input process, however, it was decided to change the name of the new facility to Goderich Public School. In St. Marys, Arthur Meighen Public School and St. Marys Central Public School are still in operation. But, when the entire town’skindergarten-to-Grade 6 pupilsmove into a brand new elementaryschool in September, they’llsuddenly become students of LittleFalls Elementary School. Amid concerns about the loss of the heritage that comes with naming one of the town’s schools after former Canadian Prime Minister Arthur Meighen (who once studied in the building that – for the next few months, at least – bears his name), the Little Falls name won out during a similar public input process last year. By contrast, the prevailing opinion in Mitchell – according to a report delivered to trustees during a regular meeting Tuesday, Jan. 26 – is to maintain an existing school name.The board is working towards theclosure of Mitchell Public School,with all elementary students beingaccommodated at the newer UpperThames Elementary School. According to the Jan. 26 report, a request for alternative names resulted in three suggestions, but none received support from more than three people. “Arguments in favour of keeping the school UTES focused on the fact that all Mitchell Public School students eventually become UTES students already, that the community favoured keeping the current name, that the name had been chosen to represent the region, that it was part of the community’s history that needed to be preserved, and thatrenaming the school would createadditional costs such as new schooluniforms and signage where moneywas already scarce.”Looming on the horizon is a brandnew school near Wingham, planned to replace four existing elementary schools. Even before then, however, will likely be a return to St. Marys. Municipal council has sent a letter to the board requesting a name change for the town’s secondary school, St. Marys District Collegiate and Vocational Institute (DCVI). Again citing the loss of the Meighen heritage from the soon-to- be-closed elementary school, council wants to rename the high school in honour of the former prime minister.After the Jan. 26 meeting, Reidacknowledged receipt of the letter.“I think it’s a legitimate concern,to be honest,” the director ofeducation said. “But we also have to take into account what the educational community want,” he added, noting there was not strong support for maintaining the Meighen name during considerations for naming the new elementary school. Currently, it is proposed that the Grades 7-8 portion of the high school could be renamed “the Arthur Meighen campus of St. Marys DCVI.” The school board has not yet considered the request from St. Marys town council. Business Directory Offering a full range of services: auditing, accounting, business planning, income tax planning, personal financial planning, computer and management services. BDO Canada, LLP Chartered Accountants and Advisors Alan P. 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RR #6 Goderich, ON N7A 3Y3 519-529-7571 or 519-482-7860 JAMES BROWN PHARMACY 198 Josephine St., Wingham, Ont. 519-357-1629 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 4 Rear Parking Available Delivery available SUNSHINE COUNTRY CONSULTING ACCOUNTING & INCOME TAX SERVICES Ralph Watson 810 Turnberry St., Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 Bus.: 519-887-6011 sunctry@ezlink.ca School name issue seems inevitable for AMDSBBy Stew SlaterSpecial to The Citizen By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Read Rhea Hamilton Seeger’s Gardening column on the Huron Home and Garden Guide section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca