A community-led clinic that would bring three new doctors to Penticton could open on the south end of the city by next summer.
The South Okanagan Similkameen (SOS) Health Care Society presented its vision to address frequent clinic closures and physician shortages across the region during Penticton City Council's meeting on Dec. 3.
The group, in partnership with the local Division of Family Practice, says it working to open the Community Primary Care Clinic at 3115 Skaha Lake Road by July 2025.
Coming in at a budget of $2.1 million, the clinic would be operated by the SOS Health Care Society. The SOS Division of Family Practice, Community Futures, Community Foundation, and SOS Medical Foundation would serve as its partners.
鈥淭his is truly a community solution, developed and led by people who live here and understand the unique healthcare needs of our region,鈥� said Dr. Tim Phillips, board chair of the SOS Health Care Society.
Around $320,000 of the project's budget will be used for equipment, with the remaining funds pegged for renovations. The office would serve both as a walk-in and primary care clinic.
The clinic has already had 15 physicians sign on to do shifts in the walk-in clinic portion, another nine primary care providers who have signed on to move into the community clinic and three new physicians who have committed to moving to the community to work at it, once it is open.
"It's quite an expensive endeavour but it's a large facility that will host a lot of doctors and a lot of physicians," said Aaron McRann, board member at the SOS Health Care Society.
McRann says the SOS medical foundation has a donor who has already contributed $1 million to the project. The community foundation, meanwhile, has secured a donation of $430,000.
"We're a fair distance to where we need to be," he added. "Not having a clinic would be a disaster for our community. You can see them shutting down all around the province."
Three new doctors would be able to attach up to 3,000 additional patients in the community, according to the presentation to council.
The healthcare society requested that city council waive all permit fees for development and issue a permissive tax exception to help make the clinic's opening a reality by next summer.
Municipal politicians 鈥� while acknowledging the project's tight timeframe 鈥� first opted to seek more information from staff about the state of walk-in clinics in the community and the healthcare society's proposal.
"There may be ways that we can help them in ways they didn't mention if we had more information," said Coun. Helena Konanz, who presented a notice of motion to receive a related staff report. Her motion passed unanimously.
A full report with more information on the proposal is expected to be presented to council in February, at the latest, according to city manager Anthony Haddad.
People can donate to the project through the clinic's fundraiser
