We'd like to wish all of our patients a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
We will be closed over Christmas and New Year and we will re-open on Monday the 4th of January.
December 28, 2009
November 30, 2009
Dr Ashby's Patients Joining Our Clinic
Dr. Ashby has asked us to take over the care for some of her patients, as she will be returning to work next year part time.
We're delighted to have her patients join us.
If you have received a letter in the mail from Dr. Ashby asking you to register with us, then please use our online registration page.
Don't forget to print out and return your Patient Access Form to us - unless we receive that form we will not be able to register you.
Dr. Ashby's office has already sent a list of patients who are joining our clinic to the Provincial Register, so you don't need to call them yourself.
Welcome to our clinic - we look forward to seeing you.
We're delighted to have her patients join us.
If you have received a letter in the mail from Dr. Ashby asking you to register with us, then please use our online registration page.
Don't forget to print out and return your Patient Access Form to us - unless we receive that form we will not be able to register you.
Dr. Ashby's office has already sent a list of patients who are joining our clinic to the Provincial Register, so you don't need to call them yourself.
Welcome to our clinic - we look forward to seeing you.
November 10, 2009
Seasonal Flu
We are not currently planning another seasonal flu clinic. We will be holding one later in the year, but we don't know when yet.
This is because we are waiting for further advice on which patients should receive the seasonal flu.
Currently the advice is that only those patients over 65 years should receive the seasonal flu. There has been some (unpublished) data that getting the seasonal flu vaccine will increase your risk of getting H1N1. But, the data is that the extra cases are only mild. The risk of dying from H1N1 or being admitted to hospital does not go up.
We will be contacting our at risk groups over the next few weeks to advise them when to get the seasonal flu. We do not charge for our at risk patients (those with chronic disease or over 65 years).
Sherwood Drug Mart is planning a seasonal flu clinic in the near future. We will announce the dates here when we get them.
This is because we are waiting for further advice on which patients should receive the seasonal flu.
Currently the advice is that only those patients over 65 years should receive the seasonal flu. There has been some (unpublished) data that getting the seasonal flu vaccine will increase your risk of getting H1N1. But, the data is that the extra cases are only mild. The risk of dying from H1N1 or being admitted to hospital does not go up.
We will be contacting our at risk groups over the next few weeks to advise them when to get the seasonal flu. We do not charge for our at risk patients (those with chronic disease or over 65 years).
Sherwood Drug Mart is planning a seasonal flu clinic in the near future. We will announce the dates here when we get them.
More spaces for new patients
We've made good progress with the first batch of new patients, and so I've released the second batch of spaces. You can see the number of spaces available at the top of the page.
This second batch is likely to be our last set of spaces for new patients. Spaces are being taken rapidly, so please do make sure you tell any friends or family who need a family doctor.
This second batch is likely to be our last set of spaces for new patients. Spaces are being taken rapidly, so please do make sure you tell any friends or family who need a family doctor.
October 26, 2009
H1N1 Vaccination
PEI Public Health are now offering the H1N1 vaccine.
The vaccine is being provided free of charge at Public Health sites.
They have decided not to issue any of the family doctors with the vaccine, so we are not able to provide it directly to patients.
If you would like to be vaccinated for H1N1 please do not call us. Instead, call public health on 1-888-748-5454 or visit their website.
The vaccine is being provided free of charge at Public Health sites.
They have decided not to issue any of the family doctors with the vaccine, so we are not able to provide it directly to patients.
If you would like to be vaccinated for H1N1 please do not call us. Instead, call public health on 1-888-748-5454 or visit their website.
October 10, 2009
Our clinical system on the news
We use the OSCAR Electronic Medical Record. This allows us to provide much more organized and efficient care for our patients.
OSCAR was developed by the family practice team at McMaster University, Ontario. It is 'free' software designed by doctors for doctors in Canada and is, in my opinion, the best electronic record available today.
It's creator, Dr Chan, has been in the news a lot over the last week spreading the word about this fantastic Canadian product that is available free to any doctor in Canada (and beyond).
OSCAR was developed by the family practice team at McMaster University, Ontario. It is 'free' software designed by doctors for doctors in Canada and is, in my opinion, the best electronic record available today.
It's creator, Dr Chan, has been in the news a lot over the last week spreading the word about this fantastic Canadian product that is available free to any doctor in Canada (and beyond).
October 6, 2009
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF) points 2008/9
We use the Quality of Outcomes Framework (QoF) points system to measure the quality of the care that we provide to our patients.
This gives a score out of 1000 possible points, with points being scored for providing evidence based care across a range of chronic diseases and preventions. Also, points are scored for good quality clinic management and easy access to care for patients. It is the scoring system used nationally in the UK National Health Service, where the score for all family practice clinics are available online.
Dr Coull is using this score to compare how we are doing in the Sherwood Clinic, Canada, compared with how his staff are doing in his Strachur clinic in Scotland, where the same scoring system is being applied.
Currently, the scores are as follows:
You can download a breakdown of the scoring system here.
As you can see, the quality score in the Sherwood clinic is very low compared with our Scottish clinic. This is because we inherited paper charts without any computerized system of disease registers which make providing and scoring good care difficult. We've been improving our score in Strachur for several years now.
We have been working very hard over the last few months to get the quality systems up and running, and we expect to have a much improved score for 2009/10.
This gives a score out of 1000 possible points, with points being scored for providing evidence based care across a range of chronic diseases and preventions. Also, points are scored for good quality clinic management and easy access to care for patients. It is the scoring system used nationally in the UK National Health Service, where the score for all family practice clinics are available online.
Dr Coull is using this score to compare how we are doing in the Sherwood Clinic, Canada, compared with how his staff are doing in his Strachur clinic in Scotland, where the same scoring system is being applied.
Currently, the scores are as follows:
Strachur 2008/9 998.5 quality points out of 1,000Sherwood 2008/9 122.5 quality points out of 1,000
You can download a breakdown of the scoring system here.As you can see, the quality score in the Sherwood clinic is very low compared with our Scottish clinic. This is because we inherited paper charts without any computerized system of disease registers which make providing and scoring good care difficult. We've been improving our score in Strachur for several years now.
We have been working very hard over the last few months to get the quality systems up and running, and we expect to have a much improved score for 2009/10.
Seasonal Flu Vaccination Clinic Friday 9th October
We will be running our first Seasonal Flu vaccination clinic on Friday 9th October at 8.30am.
Please note that in accordance with PEI Dept. of Health guidance, we are ONLY VACCINATING THOSE AGED 65 YEARS OR OVER at this time.
Anyone aged 65 years or over should attend on Friday at 8.30am.
Please not that this clinic is free of charge.
We will be running other clinics over the next two months - please keep checking this site or add it to your RSS feed.
Please note that in accordance with PEI Dept. of Health guidance, we are ONLY VACCINATING THOSE AGED 65 YEARS OR OVER at this time.
Anyone aged 65 years or over should attend on Friday at 8.30am.
Please not that this clinic is free of charge.
We will be running other clinics over the next two months - please keep checking this site or add it to your RSS feed.
September 30, 2009
Season Flu and H1N1 Vaccination
There is a lot of confusion over this year's influenza vaccination program.
We have just received our guidance for this year's vaccinations.
1. We are going to vaccinate over 65s as usual with the season flu vaccine. We will be arranging days to hold vaccination walk in clinics once we receive our supplies.
2. We are going to vaccinate all age groups for H1N1 in November when supplies become available.
3. We are going to vaccinate other at risk groups (children and those with chronic diseases under the age of 65) after the H1N1 vaccinations are completed.
Bear in mind that:
- the last time we had an H1N1 pandemic was 1956, so people over the age of 65 are at high risk from seasonal flu and lower risk from H1N1 as they will likely have had previous exposure when they were younger.
- children and younger adults are at higher risk of H1N1 as they will not have encountered it before, but are at lower risk from seasonal flu.
- there are unconfirmed reports that people who have had seasonal flu vaccination are at higher risk of becoming ill from H1N1.
We have just received our guidance for this year's vaccinations.
1. We are going to vaccinate over 65s as usual with the season flu vaccine. We will be arranging days to hold vaccination walk in clinics once we receive our supplies.
2. We are going to vaccinate all age groups for H1N1 in November when supplies become available.
3. We are going to vaccinate other at risk groups (children and those with chronic diseases under the age of 65) after the H1N1 vaccinations are completed.
Bear in mind that:
- the last time we had an H1N1 pandemic was 1956, so people over the age of 65 are at high risk from seasonal flu and lower risk from H1N1 as they will likely have had previous exposure when they were younger.
- children and younger adults are at higher risk of H1N1 as they will not have encountered it before, but are at lower risk from seasonal flu.
- there are unconfirmed reports that people who have had seasonal flu vaccination are at higher risk of becoming ill from H1N1.
September 29, 2009
We're Hiring!
Edit: we have now filled these posts - thank you to everyone who applied, and welcome to our new staff!
We are expanding and we are looking to hire two new staff - a clinic nurse, and a receptionist / secretary.
We are a state-of-the art, fully computerized, paperless clinic concentrating on chronic disease prevention and management. We emphasize a collegiate style of work and practice based on the biopsychosocial model of medicine.
We're looking for a nurse and a receptionist who are interested in helping us to provide top quality care to our patients.
If you are interested in either of these posts, or you know someone who might be, then download an application form and job description using the links below.
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 20th October.
Nurse job description
Nurse application form
Receptionist / Secretary job description
Receptionist / Secretary application form
We are expanding and we are looking to hire two new staff - a clinic nurse, and a receptionist / secretary.
We are a state-of-the art, fully computerized, paperless clinic concentrating on chronic disease prevention and management. We emphasize a collegiate style of work and practice based on the biopsychosocial model of medicine.
We're looking for a nurse and a receptionist who are interested in helping us to provide top quality care to our patients.
If you are interested in either of these posts, or you know someone who might be, then download an application form and job description using the links below.
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 20th October.
Nurse job description
Nurse application form
Receptionist / Secretary job description
Receptionist / Secretary application form
September 26, 2009
Waiting times
As with other physicians, our clinics can often run late for various reasons. For example, a patient may require more time than usual or an urgent problem may crop up that needs to be dealt with straight away.
This can be frustrating for patients who are waiting past their appointment time.
To help, we now have a Waiting TIme Display. You can see this online on our website (either at the top right of the site under 'Today's Clinics' or by visiting the page directly), on a display in our waiting room. It will also be available upstairs in the walk in clinic when Dr Coull is seeing patients.
The display lists all the staff who have booked appointments for that day and whether they are running on time or late. This can help patients plan when the clinic is running behind.
In our main clinic we can catch up quickly sometimes, so to avoid being bumped please do let the staff know if you are going to be stepping out.
If you are a family physician and would like to implement this Waiting Room Display in your clinic it can be downloaded for free from the tech.oscarpei.net website.
March 8, 2009
My new clinic is now open
I've now have my new clinic open in the Sherwood Family Medical Practice.
The clinic is downstairs in the modern Sherwood clinic and is completely paperless. It uses the OSCAR Electronic Medical Record to keep track of patient consults, prescriptions, letters, and results.
The contact details for the clinic are:
Sherwood Family Medical Center
15 Brackley Point Road
Charlottetown
PE C1A 6Y1
Tel. 1 (902) 894-7369
Fax. 1 (902) 894-8164
The clinic is downstairs in the modern Sherwood clinic and is completely paperless. It uses the OSCAR Electronic Medical Record to keep track of patient consults, prescriptions, letters, and results.
The contact details for the clinic are:
Sherwood Family Medical Center
15 Brackley Point Road
Charlottetown
PE C1A 6Y1
Tel. 1 (902) 894-7369
Fax. 1 (902) 894-8164
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