UPCC to stay open, but not business as usual
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PRINCE GEORGE – Prince George and area residents will see changes happening at the Prince George Urgent and Primary Care Centre at the Parkwood Mall, starting on Sunday. It will not be business as usual.
Northern Health will be adopting a triage model of care at the Prince George UPCC. Under this model, urgent care, or walk-in patients, will be registered and triaged by a nurse upon arrival. Depending on the patient’s needs, they may be seen at the UPCC on the same day by a physician, nurse practitioner, nurse or other health professional. Patients will be seen in order of urgency, rather than in order of arrival.
“So we’re going to move to a model where we’re going to use what’s called a “triage system,” which means instead of first-come, first-serve, and people are going to be seen in the order of urgency. So when you get to the urgent and primary care center, what you can anticipate paid is that you will come in and you will immediately be there, not immediately, but initially be seen by a nurse. And that nurse is able to help decide, is this something that needs to urgently go to a physician or can this wait?” explains Shelley Cathrea, Director, of Community Services.
Under the current service model, patients are routinely turned away from the clinic once all the available appointments for the day have been filled. Northern Health understands that this can be frustrating and challenging for patients, who may have to attend the clinic multiple times before seeing a physician. Under the new service model, all patients will be triaged upon arrival and directed to appropriate care.
