By Rebbeca Marroquin

Medimap to show wait times for walk-in clinics in P.A.

Aug 26, 2017 | 10:50 AM

A website showing patients estimated wait times at walk-in clinics across Canada now includes clinics in Prince Albert.

We’ve all been there: sick, agitated, and not wanting to wait in line.

A couple of innovative young men from British Columbia experienced this relatable frustration and decided to do something about it.

Blake Adam and Jonathan Clark founded medimap.ca, a website where patients can check estimated wait times at nearby walk-in clinics.

The website, according to Adam, will help patients decide whether they want to wait, go to a different clinic, or stay home. It will also show patients whether the clinic has closed early for the day to prevent inconvenient trips.

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“We thought it was a really simple solution that could help a lot of people,” Adam said, adding Medimap will further assist clinic staff by reducing the number of calls they receive regarding times.

The website launched in September of 2015 after testing the application in their hometown of White Rock, B.C. Since, they have added 370 walk-in clinics across the country and most recently, 23 in Saskatchewan.

Prince Albert’s SuperMed Family Medicine and Walk-In Clinic was the first on board in the province.

The clinic’s office manager, Sharon Ardell, said they were eager to enroll as they understand how frustrating it can be for patients.

“Being a walk-in, you don’t always know how long people are going to take. Some are quick and some are a little more involved,” she said.

Ardell said at times, patients come in with minor concerns but doctors discover the matter requires more attention.

 “I would prefer to give better patient care than to push patients through the clinic because we’re trying to make sure people only wait for five minutes,” she said. “If we need more time with patients, we need more time with patients. That’s just the way it is”

Approximate wait times are uploaded onto medimap.ca by receptionists at the clinic. Ardell said when they have wait long wait times, it’s likely that other local clinics do too. 

She also mentioned wait times fluctuate and can change quickly, which is why they allow their patients to check-in and come back when it’s their turn in line.

“That’s the way I would appreciate being treated, so that’s the way we do it with our clients,” she said. 

The Cornerstone and Central Avenue locations have also agreed to join Medimap. The South Hill, West Hill, and the Prince Albert Medical Walk-In clinic are pending. 

rebbeca.marroquin@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @becamarroquin