Hospital to open Prenatal Care Clinic for low-risk patients

Sault Area Hospital has announced plans to open a Prenatal Care Clinic in partnership with community health care providers locally.

The clinic would be available to patients who have not been accepted into Obstetric or Midwifery care and whose primary care provider is not able to provide their prenatal care.

Following is a release from SAH on the program:

Obstetrics and Gynaecology have had significant recruitment and retention challenges over the last several years; this is a trend across Ontario, particularly in northern/rural communities.

To address the health needs of pregnant people in our community, SAH has partnered with community health care providers to open a Prenatal Care Clinic that will provide prenatal care for low-risk patients. Patients who have not been accepted into Obstetric or Midwifery care and whose primary care provider is not able to provide their prenatal care will be able to access care at this clinic. The opening of the Prenatal Care Clinic is an interim step to support the care needs of pregnant people in our community as work progresses to develop a future model of care for all obstetrical and gynaecology patients.

The Prenatal Care Clinic will immediately be accepting referrals. Low-risk patients cared for in the Prenatal Care Clinic will receive prenatal care at Sault Area Hospital, provided by Registered Midwives. An on-call Obstetrician will provide labour and delivery care to the patients of this clinic. Family Doctors and Nurse Practitioners will provide post-partum and newborn care.

Physician, Nurse Practitioner and self referrals are being accepted. Referral by a primary care provider is preferred; however, patients can self-refer by completing the intake form found on SAH’s website at Prenatal Care Clinic – Referral Form (preferred method) or by leaving a message at 705-759-3434 ext. is 2645.

The Prenatal Care Clinic is a step in ongoing efforts to improve access to care for those requiring obstetric and gynaecological care. More information will be provided as we build this new model of care for our community.

The clinic is located in the Women and Children’s Health Program (1A) and was launched on July 19, 2022.
Additional information is available on SAH’s website at Prenatal Care Clinic.