The St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network in Morinville has moved to a new location. Starting on Feb. 2 patients will receive care in the new office in Morinville Provincial Building on 107 St. in Morinville.
Jane Newman, program manager for Home Living with Alberta Health Services, said the move will improve communication between the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network and Alberta Health Services.
"Obviously the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network is a significant partner for us in supporting the clients and families that we work with," she said.
Home Living is a program that is run through Alberta Health Services. It helps people people receive medical care at home so they can live independently. Health professionals will make home visits throughout the day, providing necessary medical care to clients.
Next to the network, Home Living has been one of the biggest advocates for the move. The two groups frequently collaborate about shared patients.
"Any opportunities that we can set things up to work with more closely with our partners are really wonderful opportunities to have, and the ways we can build those relationships to really set up a health system that can benefit people in the way it needs to," Newman said.
The Primary Care Network also joins mental health, immunization and child health clinics in the building.
Dena Pedersen, executive director for the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network, said now services will be a one-stop-shop for patients seeking medical care from both the Primary Care Network and Alberta Health Services.
Now patients who need mental health services, for example, can visit both the Primary Care Network and the mental health clinic within the same building.
“Being co-located with them, we’re hoping will allow for more collaboration,” Pedersen said in a phone interview.
Pederson said she hopes the Primary Care Network and the Alberta Health Services offices get to a point where they could integrate patient care. That means patients who need space for exercise could access it through the Primary Care Network by using space available at one of the Alberta Health Services medical offices.
Its current location next to the Grandin Medical Clinic and Associated Medical Clinic doesn’t have enough room for any exercise programs, an issue that could be resolved with the move.
St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network provides access to nurses, pharmacists, mental health nurses, dietitians and social workers. The network also provides free programs for mental health, nutrition and overall health.
Shelley Porter, clinical lead for mental health and social work at the Primary Care Network, said in the news release that the clinic might look different, but “the message remains the same. We are still here and available to our patients, just in a new and improved location.”
