Huron Expositor, 2007-12-12, Page 9The Huron Expositor • December 12, 2007 Page 9
- - ----- ---- --- ---- News
Brussels healthcare clinic
to reopen in Januar
Huron FHT in Seaforth *starting to offer new programs, clinics for local patients
Susan H u n d e r t m a r k lems, who use anti -coagulation med- needs a nurse and a pharmacist to that would benefit from an INR
ication. be trained about the. new technology clinic as well. We just need someone
Attending a FHT meeting in and to run the clinic. to champion it," she says.
Toronto this summer, Verberne "There are a lot of orphan patients
heard a presentation from a phar-
macist from Kitchener, where an Health unit c
INR clinic is in operation.
"I thought it sounded like a great
idea to bring to our team," she says. about low flu shot n
International Normalization
Ratio, or INR is the standard unitth for reporting the clotting time of in Huron -Count
iye a r
sy
The INR clinic uses a blood test- The Huron County Health Unit is match were premature.
ing machine similar to a glucometer concerned about the low numbers of "This year's influenza vaccine is
that reads the blood for its, ability to people getting the flu shot this year. expected to be a good match. It
clot, rather than for sugar levels as Medical Officer of Health Beth would be unfortunate if earlier
a glucometer does. Henning says numbers are general- reports suggesting otherwise is the
So, rather than having venous ly low across the county. She says reason people are not getting their
blood drawn at a lab which is then the health unit is particularly con- flu shot."
sent off for results from another lab cerned that health care institutions Henning says it's not too late to
and then interpreted by a doctor, are reporting low coverage rates for get a flu shot this year. While the
the INR clinic would use a finger- health care providers. community flu shot clinics are over
prick for the blood sample and "It is critically important for now, people can ask their health
receive immediate results from the health care providers to get the flu care provider for the free flu shot.
machine. shot to protect their own health and They can also contact the Health
"We could then adjust the dosage the health of the clients they serve. Unit for Health Link clinic hours by
on the spot and give face-to-face Like washing hands, it's a way of - calling 519-482-3416 or check the
health teaching instead of giving ensuring infection is not spread. An website at
patients instructions over the phone individual can spread the influenza www.huroncounty.ca/health.
the way it happens now," says virus for 48 hours before personally
Verberne. experiencing
"That will ensure patients are symptoms."
taking the right dose and we'll have Henning says
more compliance and less confusion, earlier reports
hopefully cutting down on side that this year's
effects," she says. vaccine is a poor
Verberne says the INR clinic still
Patients in the Brussels area will
soon be able to get healthcare in
Brussels one day a week, says nurse
practitioner Cate Verberne.
The Huron family health team
(FHT) in Seaforth is currently
stocking the Brussels medical clinic
and its two examining rooms with
hopes of beginning to see patients in
January.
"Right now, we've got two exam
tables and a lot of empty cupboards.
We need everything from scales to
gowns to q -tips and band-aids," says
Verberne, who adds she's planning a
site visit to the clinic in Goderich to
get some pointers on stocking a new
clinic.
The Brussels clinic will be staffed
by Verberne and a nurse and family
physician, neither of whom have
been named yet.
"My idea is to pre -book 30 to 40
per cent of the patients and have
the rest as same day or walk-ins.
It's satisfying to be able to get your
appointment the same day when
you have a concern and not have to
go to emergency for it," she says.
Verberne says as electronic
records become more accessible, the
Brussels clinic will be able to use a
laptop computer to access medical
records at the Seaforth clinic.
Another new clinic that could be
set up soon within the Huron FHT
in Seaforth is one for patients, such
as those with strokes or heart prob-
Cate Verberne, nurse
practitioner, is starting a
WELL
WOMAN
CLINIC
(includes pap test, BP, contra-
ceptive counselling, breast
exam, menopause counselling,
STD screening) for patients
unable to find a family doctor or
prefer a pap and breast screen
from a female practitioner.
The clinic will be held
Monday mornings
9-12 at
. Dr. Carolin
Shepherd's. office
148 Goderlch St.. W. Seaforth. Ontario
Call Jill (519) 527-1707
for an appointment.
2007 Holiday Recycling
& Garbage Pick Up
Schedule
* McKillop, Grey - no change in your regular blue box and
garbage pick up schedule.
* Brussels - no change to blue box schedule.
- no garbage pick up on Dec. 26; there will be a
special garbage pick up Sat., Dec. 29.
Regular pick up resumes Jan. 2.
* Seaforth - No blue box collection on Wed., Dec. 26, 2007.
- regular collection on Wed., Jan. 2, 2008.
* Egmondville, Harpurhey, Vanastra and the rest of
Tuckersmith - no blue box or garbage collection on
Christmas and New Year's Days. There will be a special blue
box pick up for everyone on Sat., Dec. 29, 2007. Please have
your blue boxes out by 7am as the driver may be earlier than
usual. Regular collection resumes on Tiles., Jan. 8, 2008.
* Lamont Sanitation customers - there will be no garbage
pick up on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, or New Year's Day. If
your regular collection falls on these days, there will be a spe-
cial collection for you on Fri., Dec. 28, 2007. Customers with
regular Thursday collection will have no change.
* Clammy Sanitation will be picking up garbage in
Vanastra on its regular Thursday schedule.
To view the recycling schedule for your area, please visit the Huron East
Website at bardbammitain and click on the Bluewater recycling link
under the Waste Management tab on the left side of the main page.
Box Furniture
&Floor Coverings
20 Main St. Seaforth (519) 527-0680 www.boxfumiture.ca