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September 12, 2016 | The Vermilion Voice
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New Doctors – “Not As Busy As They Would Like To Be”
Marie Conboy Reporter
Council members raised the concern that Vermilion’s new doctors at the Midtown Medical Clinic ‘were not as busy as they could be,’ at the Council meeting on September 6. “It has been tricky recently, with all three of the new physicians starting at once. With the college and the schools off on holidays, we felt we would have liked it to have been slightly busier, but I don’t think it ’s going to be an issue in the long run,” said Dr. Gordon McLean, who has been practicing at the Midtown Medical Clinic for the past two years. “I think it is fantastic that we are now able to offer this service to the communit y. With more doctors, we are able to focus more on preventive medicine. We are also considering the option of starting satellite clinics in the surrounding communities. We have spoken with Lakeland College, and there is talk of opening a weekly clinic for the students. We are considering infiltrating more into the nursing homes” added McLean. “Each of the new doctors are committed to four year contracts in Vermilion, which is reassuring. It seems that the general feeling in Alberta is that most physicians are comfortable with a panel of about one thousand patients, it keeps the physicians busy and at the same time, patients can get an appointment” said McLean. Dr. Yuma Salumu, Dr. Ali Alshalchi and Dr. Frans Kruger all began working at the Midtown Medical Clinic earlier this summer. The fourth new doctor, Dr. Andrew Liebenberg, will be joining them at the Clinic within the next few weeks. Manager for the Town of Vermilion, Dion Pollard, who is also on the Physician Committee board with Alber ta Health Ser vices, said that a lot of
clients were previously lost to Lloydminster and Wainwright when Vermilion didn’t have enough do c tor s to supply the people’s needs. “Currently the doctors are looking at reaching out to the surrounding communities, for example Dewberry, to let the people know that there are now new doctors available in Vermilion and that they are all taking new clients” said Pollard.
Dr. Salumu Yuma.
Vermilion Mayor, Bruce MacDuff said that he is satisfied because he no longer has to wait to see a doctor. “ The possibilit y of ex tending the clinic’s opening hours is being looked into. The issue with extending the opening hours is that doctors are already on call ever y night. In the winter time when the children are all back to school and when it gets busier with flues and colds, we
will see more people returning to Midtown Medical Clinic,” said Mayor MacDuff. Pollard said that with the new doctors in Vermilion, there is a need for more equipment. We purchased new equipment to the value of $15,000 and now we have been made aware that we may need to invest more money to update the existing computers,” added Pollard.
Dr. Ali Alshalchi. Photos Marie Conboy
Beautiful Blooms
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24 HO U R EMERGENCY SERVICE
Photo Angela Mouly
Olga Dutchak noticed wildly changing colour blooms on her hydrangea plant this year. Having received it for Mother’s Day last year, she got a few blossoms last year, but nothing nearly this impressive. After keeping it in the garage over the winter, this year she set it outside to receive the morning sun and shade in the afternoon.Throughout this summer, it has produced at least six blossoms, each one a foot in diameter. In their different stages, the blossoms turn from green to pink, and back to green again. “In my lifetime, I’ve never seen a flower like that,” said Dutchak. Dutchak has another variety of hydrangea in her yard that she was able to plant outside and have it survive through the winter. This one with the big leaves and delicate petals she plans to give a larger pot but keep it more protected.
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