Â鶹ӳ»­

Weekday evening and weekend care options returning to community

PICTURE BUTTE ¡ª A new ambulatory clinic operated by Â鶹ӳ»­ (AHS) is scheduled to open at the Piyami Health Centre on May 27.

The clinic will be open weekdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The non-urgent walk-in clinic offers care to people who need to see a doctor but don¡¯t need to be seen in the emergency department.

¡°I am very pleased for the residents of Picture Butte, who now have more options to access healthcare in their community when they need it,¡± says Joseph Schow, Cardston-Siksika MLA, Minister of Tourism and Sport. ¡°Thank you to AHS and our local teams for continuing to be responsive to local, rural healthcare needs.¡±

AHS has recruited physicians who will offer a rotation of service to support the clinic, creating a sustainable after-hours healthcare model. A licensed practical nurse will also provide care.

¡°The new, AHS-run clinic will provide improved access to care outside of regular family physician clinic hours for Picture Butte and area residents,¡± says Aaron Low, Medical Director for AHS South Zone. ¡°We¡¯re grateful to the physicians who have signed on to support the clinic and discover the benefits of serving rural communities.¡±

¡°We¡¯re happy that AHS followed through on their commitment for an after-hours clinic,¡± says Picture Butte Mayor Cathy Moore. ¡°They continued to keep us updated on the progress and we knew they were dedicated to open this clinic in our community.¡±

The Piyami Health Centre continues to be home to many other healthcare services, including laboratory and diagnostic imaging, seniors housing, supportive living, home care, allied health, public health and a private family physician clinic.

Â鶹ӳ»­ is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Â鶹ӳ»­. Our mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Â鶹ӳ»­ns. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow.