Community Collaboration Brings Back Health Care

Scotch Creek

The Challenge

Scotch Creek and area has not had consistent medical care for over 15 years. The medical centre was operated by the local health authority, but in 2012 they were unable to continue operations. That is when the North Shuswap Health Centre Society was formed to save the health centre. Without access to health care locally, residents and visitors were required to travel out of the area for medical care. 

The Solution

Create a self-sustaining health clinic with the permanent placement of health care professionals. To do this, the Society had to retire the mortgage, renovate and enhance the 15-year old clinic to bring it up to a standard for modern, technological health care. The Society fundraising efforts included participation from local governments and businesses, private donations, as well as a grant from the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust.  

Benefits

• Locally accessible health care is critical to the long-term viability of Scotch Creek and area
• A fully functional modern clinic, providing a variety of health services, with further hope of enticing a full-time physician to permanently move to the area

Outcomes

• The Society has successfully retired their mortgage and has updated their equipment and facilities
• Local employment has been created for both temporary contract work and permanent part-time positions
• They currently have regular lab times and a rotating schedule for doctors from outside of the area to attend at the clinic
• Leasing space to Interior Health and a private laboratory service provides sufficient revenue to pay the ongoing costs and maintenance of the clinic
• A national marketing campaign has been created to recruit doctors

Lessons Learned

• Scotch Creek residents, when faced with the challenge of losing locally provided health care, can band together to maintain a level of health care for their community and surrounding area
• The Community’s focus on maintaining ongoing health services, ensures that residents, tourists, and potential future residents, will continue to receive health services close to home
• Scotch Creek continues to look for a full-time physician to move to their area
• Local health care in a small community improves health outcomes for the population
• Providing local health care in a small community supports job creation and community wide benefits that include increased revenue for local businesses

February 3, 2017