Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 25/02) - Whether Yellowknife clinics provide the quickest possible access to physician-patient care is the focus of an evaluation of the four primary clinics in Yellowknife.

The $20,000 review is being conducted by Yellowknife Health and Social Services, which took over administration of local clinics in 2000.

Since the administration change YKHSS implemented a computerized patient booking program, added new staff and doctors to the system and reduced patient no-shows from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.

Now they want to ensure everything that has been done has improved patient access and if not, what can be done to meet that goal.

"We certainly feel it's time to make sure we are running the clinics as efficiently as possible," said Heather Leslie, director of clinical services for YKHSS.

The review will look at staff, clinical administration procedures and the use of locum (relief) physicians.

"We are going to be ensuring we have the right kind of staff, following the most effective practices, to ensure people see a family physician as quickly as possible," said Leslie.

Don Price and Associates based in Ottawa will be conducting the review scheduled to begin on October 3.

The firm comes highly recommended and has conducted clinic studies in Yellowknife in the past.

The company reviewed the Frame Lake Family Physicians in 1996.

The opportunity was tendered and Leslie said there were no Northern companies with the expertise to perform the type of study YKHSS was looking for.

Leslie said there will be no patient consultation with this review. She added that in hindsight that may have been a good idea.

However, YKHSS will be sending out patient satisfaction surveys in the near future.

"There are likely areas where we can improve and we are certainly open for that," said Leslie.

Dr. David Butcher, medical director for YKHSS, believes the review will provide good value for the money being spent. Butcher ran Frame Lake Family Physicians when Price did that review.

"He is very well respected in the family physician community and in knowing what best practices are," said Butcher.

Since YKHSS took over operations of the clinics in Yellowknife Butcher said there has been improvement in the system.

"It's not ideal, but some barriers have been reduced," said Butcher.

Having all the clinics operate together allows them to share staff and have physicians cross coverage.

The review won't address the doctor shortage that still exists in the city.

Currently there are 25 physicians in Yellowknife and the community is funded for 26.

Ideally, Butcher said, Yellowknife needs 36 doctors.