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Halifax - Nova Scotia Health’s Geriatric Medicine Clinic has expanded its services from two locations to three with a new location on the Dartmouth General Hospital campus.
This expansion will increase access to services in more rural communities in Central Zone and is anticipated to help older adults remain at home, reduce emergency department visits, and improve the quality of life of people and their families.
This past fall, the Geriatric Medicine Clinic began seeing patients at a new location at 18 Acadia St. who were experiencing frailty, dementia, increased falls or other age-related health issues such as changes in memory or thinking.
This new clinic location means patients in Dartmouth and along the province’s Eastern Shore now have the option to access a clinic closer to their community.
“This beautiful new clinic space enables our team to connect with patients and their care partners closer to home," said Dr. Maia von Maltzahn, physician co-lead, Geriatric Medicine Outpatient Services, QEII Health Sciences Centre. "Care closer to home means patients from Dartmouth and surrounding areas have reduced travel time and improved access to geriatric services."
Prior to opening this new clinic, geriatric outpatient services have been available at:
The Geriatric Medicine Clinic has expanded, thanks in part, to the government's Health Transformation Funding, which aligns with Nova Scotia’s Action for Health strategy to improve the coordination of care services for Nova Scotians with complex needs.
This funding has supported the hiring of three new geriatricians, facilitated by Nova Scotia Health’s Frailty and Elder Care Network, to support both inpatient and outpatient geriatric medicine services, as well as the equivalent of five additional interprofessional team members, (e.g., nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and pharmacy) to support Nova Scotia Health Geriatric Medicine Outpatient Services.
The expanded team, along with a more interprofessional and collaborative team-based approach, provides patients with more comprehensive, seamless, and timely care and increased access to home, clinical and telephone visits.
This approach, and the addition of a third location, may lead to a 40 per cent increase in new patients being seen.
Older adults (65+) are referred to the Geriatric Medicine Clinic by their physician or nurse practitioner for a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Through the renewed Geriatric Medicine Clinic, patient referrals are now more centralized and triaged by a geriatrician to prioritize patients with the greatest needs.
Following the referral, a geriatrician or nurse practitioner completes a consultation in a clinic setting or at a patient’s home, depending on the situation. Based on the consultation, a patient’s geriatrician or nurse practitioner may involve other members of the geriatric interprofessional team.
“To provide person-centered care, our team may visit patients at home or by telephone, providing the care they need when and where they need it,” said nurse practitioner Dana McNamara Morse.
A private donation from the J&W Murphy Foundation through the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation was used to update the Acadia Street space to make it more functional for patient care. The clinic’s design incorporated features such as calm, quiet well-lit space, non-reflective flooring, neutral walls with colour contrast for patient areas, and signage with familiar images.
“This project is a great example of government and donors working together to make the Geriatric Medicine Clinic a reality in Dartmouth - that’s the magic of philanthropy in action," said said Stephen Harding, President & CEO, DGH Foundation. "Thank you to the J&W Murphy Foundation for bringing this patient-centered investment in seniors’ healthcare close to home."
“We love the culture at Dartmouth General Hospital that continues to encourage innovative approaches to patient care. We applaud the healthcare teams who have come together to bring this clinic to the Dartmouth community,” said Lisa Murphy, spokesperson for the J&W Murphy Foundation.
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About Nova Scotia Health
Nova Scotia Health provides health services to Nova Scotians and some specialized services to Maritimers and Atlantic Canadians. We operate hospitals, health centres and community-based programs across the province.
About the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation
The Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation’s sole mission is to support innovation and exceptional care at the Dartmouth General by connecting with those who believe in the Dartmouth General and the communities it serves.
About the Nova Scotia Health Frailty and Elder Care Network
The Nova Scotia Health Frailty and Elder Care Network (the Network) is a multidisciplinary group with a provincial mandate to design and recommend strategies to improve seniors’ health across all healthcare settings.