When Nurse Practitioner (NP) Jennifer Vandusen arrived at the Wolfe Island Medical Clinic, March 25, there were at least 10 patients waiting for her. Ms. Vandusen is one of the owners of Aridia Medical. She and her colleagues provide primary-care and urgent-care hours to residents of Wolfe and Simcoe Islands two days per week under a new one-year joint pilot program.
The initiative, to provide NP services on Wolfe Island at no cost to residents, is funded through community fundraising and grants from the Township of Frontenac Islands and the County of Frontenac. There is also a new partnership with the Queen’s University School of Nursing that will see aspiring Nurse Practitioners attend Wolfe Island while gaining valuable clinical experience.
Wolfe Island Community Medical Clinic President Kathy Ganz and Treasurer Sheila MacDonald presented the case for funding the pilot program at the February 18 Frontenac County Council meeting.
“This (funding) motion indicates that the Township is doing whatever we can to start improving the medical situation on the island,” said Frontenac County Warden Bill Saunders. “I believe this is an important step for us to start resolving the issue of minimal medical support on the island.”
Warden Saunders is also Deputy Mayor of the Township of Frontenac Islands.
While health care program funding is distributed under the authority of the Province of Ontario, adjustments to Wolfe Island’s Rurality Index for Ontario (RIO) score and changes to the public funding model for medically necessary services provided by nurse practitioners takes time. The intention is that this one-year nurse practitioner pilot project will provide on-island care for residents until those changes come into effect.
“We’re hoping this initiative will help bridge the gap,” said Ms. Ganz.
Video of Ms. Ganz and Ms. MacDonald’s Feb 18 presentation to Frontenac County Council
Video of Feb 18 Frontenac County Council discussion and vote to extend funding
Wolfe Island Community Medical Clinic and its nurse practitioner program