A new clinic in Montreal’s east end celebrated its inauguration on Thursday. It’s staffed entirely by nurse practitioners clocking in on voluntary overtime with hopes the centre will relieve stress on the system. When it’s fully up and running, the clinic should help to relieve pressures on nearby emergency rooms at the Santa Cabrini and Masionneuve-Rosemont hospitals. On Thursday, both had occupancy rates at around 150 per cent.
The clinic is opening Thursday at the CLSC Olivier-Guimond on Sherbrooke Street East, near the corner of Louis-Veuillot Street. It's not taking walk-ins, but patients will be referred to the clinic by ER triage nurses and the province's info hotline, 811.