There was positive engagement and a good crowd tonight in Summerside for the health information meeting.
“Prince County Hospital is the cornerstone of acute health services in Summerside,” said Health and Wellness Minister Doug Currie. “Our commitment is to support PCH in providing health care services, not only to the people of Summerside but for individuals Island wide as a key part of our provincial system.”
Dr. Richard Wedge, Health PEI Interim CEO, outlined the wide variety of services provided at Prince County Hospital (PCH), including ambulatory care, emergency services, mental health, addictions services, acute care, restorative care, palliative care, diagnostic imaging, and CT Scanning. PCH has a 97% patient satisfaction rate.
Dr. Wedge also provided an overview of primary care services in Summerside, including the overwhelming success of the recent COPD clinic. “We have seen a decrease of 1,000 visits this year to the PCH emergency department directly related increased primary care initiatives, such as the COPD clinic – which is a wonderful success story. Also, the addition of a nurse practitioner at Harbourside Health Centre has increased access to primary care appointments.”
Minister Currie was asked for a commitment to sustain surgical services at PCH. “I am completely committed to surgical services at Prince County Hospital and going forward I want to see expansion to those services.”
Questions were also asked about inter-facility transfer fees, to which Dr. Wedge responded:“Not everyone who has surgery at PCH will be transferred. The vast majority will be treated for their normal level of care at PCH; only those who need extended care will be transferred to another facility for their recovery. If someone is transferred at the request of the system to better utilize the bed, the system pays for that transfer.”
Additional information on Better Access can be found online at www.betteraccessbettercare.ca or by calling 1-800-236-5196.