Thursday, January 31, 2008

Burnaby's New Canadian Clinic now open

Burnaby's New Canadian Clinic was established as part of Fraser Health’s new primary health-care network with start-up funds provided by the Province’s Health Innovation Fund.

The Burnaby clinic is one of two New Canadian Clinics established by Fraser Health. The second clinic, located in Surrey, has been accepting referrals since late November and offers the same range of integrated medical and social support for new immigrants.

“Each clinic is staffed by a multidisciplinary and multilingual team that includes a nurse practitioner, nurse, mental health counsellor and community support worker who each specialize in addressing the needs of recently-arrived immigrants,” said Connie Lapadat, the nurse practitioner who leads the Burnaby clinic’s team. “Interpreters are scheduled to assist clients as needed, and our team works in collaboration with Dr. Baldev Sanghera, the primary care physician I consult for more complex medical issues.”

The new clinic’s focus is on providing health management, education and self-management support for new immigrants with chronic diseases and two or more co-existing illnesses, such as diabetes, heart, lung and renal disease.

Burnaby's New Canadian Clinic is currently operating Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will adjust and extend its hours of operation based on evolving client needs. Visits are by Appointment only.