People in Mission who are looking for a doctor are finding help at the Mission Attachment Clinic.
Kimberley Bonk, a medical office assistant, is part of the team that is matching patients with family physicians.
“We see a really diverse group of patients here,” said Bonk. “These patients really need care and it gives me real joy to work in a place where I can facilitate that.”
Bonk has been a medical office assistant for the past three years and part of the team at the clinic since it opened two months ago. It’s operated by the Mission Division of Family Practice, a non-profit group of local doctors who are working to help patients get better access to primary care in their community.
Patients who don’t have a family doctor can call the attachment clinic hotline and make an appointment to see a doctor there. The physician will assess their medical needs and, if there is a doctor available to take them on, they will be referred to a family practice. If none are available, they will receive care through the clinic until they can be matched with a family physician.
“Every person deserves a family doctor. It’s comforting to have someone you trust.”
Bonk said that she has already seen the positive impact of the clinic.
“One lady was in tears because she was so thankful to have met and seen a doctor that she thought was so kind and caring. There was an elderly lady that found a doctor. She was so happy because she felt comfortable and thought she could trust the physician she had seen.”
In addition to the clinic, the group has launched a central online registry called FETCH – For Everything That’s Community Health. FETCH will provide patients with easy access to information about all of the health care resources available in the community. The website is at mission.fetchbc.ca.
To more information, call 604-820-1021.