All Saints Collaborative Emergency Centre Providing Springhill with Better Care Sooner

People in Springhill now have shorter waits for emergency and primary care. Premier Darrell Dexter officially opened the province's second collaborative emergency centre at All Saints Hospital today, April 10.

"The grand opening of the province's second collaborative emergency centre is a key part of government's commitment to ensure Nova Scotians and their families receive better health care, sooner," said Premier Dexter. "By bringing emergency departments and local family practices together to work as a team, we are fulfilling that commitment in a way that makes sense."

Collaborative emergency centres keep emergency rooms open, reduce patient wait times and provide a team-based approach that offers continuity of care. This ensures patients can get the appropriate treatment before a minor health issue turns into a health crisis.

"The highly trained doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, paramedics and other health-care professionals at this collaborative emergency centre are doing an exceptional job, and I want to thank them for their admirable work and support," said Premier Dexter. "These committed health-care professionals are working diligently to ensure that this facility will continue to be a trusted, integral part of the community."

The services at the collaborative emergency centre in Springhill include:

• access to primary health care by a team of professionals, including doctors and nurse practitioners, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week
• same-day or next-day access to medical appointments
• 24/7 access to emergency care

During the day, doctors and nurse practitioners are available at the collaborative emergency centre to treat patients. Between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., a team, including a primary care paramedic and two registered nurses, staffs the centre to ensure patients get the care they need. An EHS oversight physician provides assistance by phone.

"Based on our experience with the first CEC, we are confident this new model will meet the health care needs of this community, as has been the case in Parrsboro," said Bruce Quigley, CEO of the Cumberland Health Authority. "As we ultimately make the transition to overnight care being provided by two registered nurses in collaboration with the online oversight physician, it will be an opportunity to introduce yet another model of emergency care that builds on the training and expertise of our highly skilled nurses."

The province will announce at least four more collaborative emergency centres this year.

For more information on the province's Better Care Sooner plan, visit www.gov.ns.ca/health/bettercaresooner.