Community partnership opens doors of new family health centre
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/haltonhealth.jpg” caption=”Cutting the ribbons to open the Halton McMaster Family Health Centre on Harvester Road are, from left: Adam Grzeslo, a physician at the Centre; Eric Vandewall, president and CEO of Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital; John Kelton, dean and vice-president, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University; Dr. Dennis Brodie, a physician at the Centre; Cam Jackson, mayor of Burlington; Graham Swanson, lead physician at the Centre; David Price, chair, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University and Gary Carr, Halton regional chair. Photo by Ron Sheffler.”]
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The Halton McMaster Family Health Centre is officially opening its doors as a community-based family practice teaching unit which will provide care for Halton residents while training new doctors and other health care professional students of McMaster University.
The centre at 3155 Harvester Road in Burlington is the result of collaboration between four community physicians, McMaster University, the City of Burlington and Halton Region.
The new teaching unit is in response to the need for an increase in the health workforce in the region, and will be a hub for McMaster medical learners, including physician assistants and nurse practitioners as well as doctors, working at clinical locations throughout the Halton region. There are currently five family medicine residents at the centre. A permanent location for the clinical teaching unit is expected to be located in downtown Burlington in 2013. McMaster's plan for Halton and Burlington also includes the September opening of the Ron Joyce Centre at the DeGroote School of Business.
“McMaster is pleased to be developing a closer relationship with Burlington; the Halton region, as well as Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital. This Centre is an excellent location for training the next generation of health care professionals,” said John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “We certainly appreciate the warm welcome from the community.”
“Establishing a teaching centre in Halton is a win, win, win situation,” said Graham Swanson, lead physician for the centre and an associate clinical professor with the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. “It's a win for the university, as we have a great team of doctors and nurses to help learners develop as professionals. It's a win for the people of Halton, as new health care professionals who train here may want to stay here. It's a win for our patients, who are exposed to learners who bring the latest knowledge from the University.”
“Burlington Mayor Cam Jackson said: “This is a historic commitment and investment to improving the health outcomes of our citizens as we continue to seek more and better ways to improve the quality of life for Burlington citizens.”
“Today's opening is a very important event in Halton,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “Halton is pleased to be a funding partner im this great endeavour, as this centre will provide Halton's residents with access to first-rate healthcare in our community.”
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