Medical equipment is not funded by the government and yet it is so critically important for the delivery of healthcare. Having the right equipment also plays a vital role in recruiting and retaining physicians and nurse practitioners in our community.
We all have an important role to play to ensure that everyone has access to health care. Fundraising, such as the Breast Health Bunkie Lottery, provides community members with an opportunity to invest in quality care close to home.
Group Health Centre
Group Health Centre (GHC) is an organization that strives to provide exemplary care and drive better health outcomes for our community. GHC provides healthcare throughout the Algoma region, including areas such as Elliot Lake and Wawa, with a combined total of over 300,000 visits per year across their eight sites in Sault Ste. Marie. In addition to providing primary care to approximately 55,000 rostered patients, GHC also provides healthcare services to over 80,000 people in Algoma.
Their committed and dedicated leadership is doing everything possible to help find a local solution to the national and provincial healthcare crisis. A recent example is the opening of the Access Care Clinic (ACC) in Sault Ste. Marie. The ACC provides a temporary solution for recently de-rostered patients. The GHC is also committed to long-term solutions that will enable them to re-roster these patients, as well as roster others in our community who need access to primary care.
“Without community support we are unable to purchase and upgrade vital medical equipment,” says Lil Silvano, CEO of GHC. “Equipment, such as a new mammography unit, allows us to provide timely access to care close to home for our community.”
GHC is part of the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) and conducts 6,000 mammograms annually. The OBSP is a province-wide screening program that aims to reduce breast cancer mortality through regular screening. The program provides screening for most people ages 50 to 74, and for people ages 30 to 69 who are confirmed to be at high risk of developing breast cancer. As with other public service programs, all eligible individuals in our community can book a screening appointment at GHC and no physician referral is required.
The Trust Fund
The Trust Fund exists as GHC’s sole fundraising/charitable arm, with a mission to raise money to purchase needed medical equipment.
All the proceeds raised go towards the purchase of medical equipment and upgrades. Funds raised primarily support the 18 public services offered by GHC, which include the OBSP, Cardiac Rehab, Diagnostic Imaging, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Physiotherapy and Surgery. You do not need to be enrolled as a patient at GHC to utilize these public services.
“The majority of the medical equipment that must be upgraded and purchased is of significant cost,” explains Tricia Lesnick, Trust Fund Manager. “90% of the funds raised by the Trust Fund are used to purchase equipment for the public services and programs available to our community.”
The Trust Fund is currently campaigning to replace the mammography unit, as it is nearing the end of its life. The expected cost is approximately $200,000. This piece of equipment will support GHC’s Diagnostic Imaging Department and the OBSP. GHC Diagnostic Imaging is an accredited service recognized for some of the best imaging in the province and is open to the community. More than 45,000 services are performed each year.
If the unit is not upgraded, this may result in longer wait times, fewer people getting screened and more strain on the hospital. “Since early detection is key, we lose valuable time in diagnoses when there are extended wait times,” says Kim Cadham, Manager, Diagnostic Imaging.
OBSP screening eligibility expands in October 2024
This Fall, the Ontario government is expanding the eligibility for screenings to 40 to 74 years of age. This will significantly increase the number of screenings that take place each year.
“Not having an operational mammography unit for screenings will have a significant impact on our community,” warns Cadham.
The Access Care Clinic
Patients who were recently de-rostered still have access to care through the Access Care Clinic (ACC) at 170 East St. These patients can call the ACC at 705-908-3875.
The clinic was established as a temporary solution for those patients who were de-rostered on or after May 31, 2024. Here, these patients have access to Nurse Practitioner-led healthcare services and can book a same-day appointment.
The clinic provides several essential services, including:
- urgent care
- episodic care
- chronic disease symptom management
- prescription maintenance
- ongoing referrals
These patients also continue to have access to all GHC programs and services.
Grow Your Own Nurse Practitioner Program
GHC will soon be launching a new “Grow Your Own Nurse Practitioner” program. It is a vital component of the new funding, designed to ensure that there is a sustainable solution in place to deal with the shortage of primary care providers.
Learn more about Group Health Centre, the Access Care Clinic and the Ontario Breast Screening Program.
Find more information about the GHC Trust Fund, the Breast Health Bunkie Lottery and the Health Centre Lottery.
The Breast Health Bunkie Lottery
TICKETS:
- $70,000 in prizes
- 12,000 tickets available
- 11 chances to win
The proceeds will help purchase a new mammography unit for Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Grand Prize Draw will be held on Wednesday, August 28th at 4:00 pm. Tickets must be purchased by 3:30 pm that day.
