| | | | Questions/Answers
What is a Community Health Centre?
What is a Point of Access?
Who funds the CHC?
How many CHCs are there in Ontario.
Can I become a patient at the Rainbow Valley CHC?
Do I have to give up my own doctor to use the CHC?
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
How is a CHC different from the Public Health Unit, and is it a duplication of the unit's services?
What is a Community Health Centre?Community Health Centres are non-profit, community-governed organizations that provide primary health care, health promotion and community development services using multi-disciplinary teams of health providers who are paid by salary rather than through a fee-for-service system.
At the Rainbow Valley Community Health Centre- Point of Access our team is comprised of nurses, a social worker, an office administrator and a program director. We are currently recruiting for a physician and a nurse practitioner.What is a Point of Access?A Point of Access is a site that offers 21 hours or less of service each week. The Lanark Health and Community Services governs and manages the Rainbow Valley - Point of Access. Most Satellites and Points of Access are close to the main CHC; however some such as Rainbow Valley Point of Access are geographically further away. A point of access will offer a smaller number of programs and services than the main site.Who funds the CHC?The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has been the funder, but effective April 1, 2007, CHCs will report directly to the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). Our LHIN is called the Champlain LHIN. The CHCs receive a yearly budget, costs are known to the funder, as all staff are on salary and all the programs are funded with a designated budget. There is no cost to the local community. How many CHCs are there in Ontario.Currently there are 65 CHCs and satellites in Ontario. In 2005 an expansion plan was announced by the government to fund approximately 30 more CHC and Satellites.Can I become a patient at the Rainbow Valley CHC?(You may notice that we often use the word client instead of patient - CHCs use this more modern term). Currently any resident of the Killaloe community and surrounding area can is able to access the nursing services. We are continuing to recruite for physician and nurse practioner services.Do I have to give up my own doctor to use the CHC?The answer is Yes if you want to be a primary care client which means the CHC becomes your medical care provider. However, there are services at the CHC that are available to all members of the community. Examples of these services are: counseling with our social worker, and access to any of the many community groups that are offered. What is a Nurse Practitioner?A Nurse Practitioner is registered nurse (RN) who has completed additional courses and specialized training. Nurse practitioners can work with a physician to provide more complex care or without the supervision of a physician for many things that are more routine medical care such as maternal and child care, pre and post natal care, ongoing care of generally well people. They can diagnosis and treat many conditions and can write many prescriptions without consulting a physician. Our Nurse Practitioners have their own client practices, provide school outreach services and provide education and health promotion community services.How is a CHC different from the Public Health Unit, and is it a duplication of the unit's services?Public Health (in this area, the Renfrew County and District Health Unit) does not provide individual health services. The mandate of Public Health is legislated health protection and health promotion. CHCs and Public Health work together to provide health promotion services in the local community. |
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