**** CNS Media Release

Shorter Wait Times for Eye Surgeries
————————————————————–
More Nova Scotians will get their eye surgeries sooner thanks to an expanded partnership between Nova Scotia Health and Halifax Vision Surgical Centre.

Under a new agreement, the centre will perform up to 6,000 cataract surgeries next year, an increase of about 3,700 from this year. The surgeries will continue to be available to patients at no cost and will be performed by the same eye surgeons who perform surgeries through Nova Scotia Health.

“We know vision impairment can have a devastating effect on a person’s life,” said Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness. “This expanded partnership with Halifax Vision will help Nova Scotians who are waiting for much-needed eye surgeries see the world a little clearer and brighter, sooner.”

Relocating cataract surgeries will free up operating room time for more complex eye surgeries at Nova Scotia Health’s Eye Care Centre, which provides specialized surgeries for people across the Maritimes. Doctors at the Eye Care Centre, located at the Victoria General site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, perform retina, glaucoma and oculoplastic surgeries, which can include procedures on eye sockets, eyelids, tear ducts and the face.

The new contract with Halifax Vision Surgical Centre will be worth about $5 million a year. The centre has been performing cataract surgeries for Nova Scotia Health since 2020.

Reducing wait times for surgeries is part of the Action for Health, the government’s strategic plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia.

Quotes:
“Our partnership with Halifax Vison Surgical Centre has so far allowed close to 4,000 patients to have their much-needed cataract surgery, in a time when surgeries were being restricted in the hospital due to the pandemic. This expanded partnership will comprehensively address waiting times in all areas of ophthalmology, allowing patients from the whole province timely access to eye surgeries.”
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ – Dr. Marcelo Nicolela, Chief of Ophthalmology, Nova Scotia Health

Quick Facts:
— since 2020, Nova Scotia Health has paid about $4.2 million to Halifax Vision Surgical Centre; this does not include physician fees, which are billed directly to MSI

Additional Resources:
Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/

Mandate letter of the Minister of Health and Wellness: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf

 

**** NSHA Media Release

Primary care pop-up clinic at Dartmouth General Hospital this weekend

 

Nova Scotia Health, in partnership with IWK Health and Emergency Health Services (EHS), is providing a primary care pop-up clinic for the public on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at Dartmouth General Hospital from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Please read the directions to the clinic carefully:

• Use the main hospital entrance and follow the blue arrows on the floor to the Neville Gilfoy Wing (past Starbucks).

• Take elevator to the third floor and follow the arrows on the floor to the waiting area.

This is a temporary service to provide an appropriate primary care setting for an increased number of people with mild or moderate health concerns currently being experienced.

The clinic can only address non-urgent, low-acuity health issues and is not an emergency service. See a list of types of concerns below if you are not sure where to go.

Care at the clinic will be provided by a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Upon arrival you will be asked the reason for your visit to ensure we are able to treat your concern. If yes, you will be screened for COVID-19 and given an approximate appointment time. Your patience is greatly appreciated as we aim to provide you the best possible care.

Please have your health card and a list of your medications ready.

Types of concerns that may be addressed at the mobile primary care clinic include:

Prescription refills or renewals

Minor respiratory symptoms

Sore throat

Earaches

Fever

Headache

Rashes

Minor gastrointestinal concerns (vomiting and diarrhea)

Cough, flu, or cold symptoms

Urinary tract infections

Muscle pain

Minor pelvic pain or abdominal pain

The clinic cannot address urgent or life-threatening concerns. You will need to call 911 if you are experiencing any of the following:

Stroke/facial weakness

New onset of weakness

Heart attack/chest pain or tightness

Unable to wake/unconscious

Sudden onset of severe headache or confusion

Seizure and/or severe head injury

Major assault

Severe difficulty breathing or trouble speaking

Uncontrolled or severe bleeding

Major trauma such as loss of limb or laceration

Severe allergic reaction

Severe burns

There will not be access to lab or diagnostic imaging services at the mobile clinic.

Please note other options for care:

• Do not hesitate to visit an emergency department if you are experiencing an emergency. Anyone with urgent medical needs should call 911.

• Nova Scotians who are on the Need a Family Practice Registry may now access VirtualCareNS, which provides free, temporary access to primary health care. Visit virtualcarens.ca to register or request a virtual visit. VirtualCareNS is not an emergency service.

• For general health advice and information call 811, which is a service offered 24 hours a day, seven days a week by experienced registered nurses.

• The provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line can also be reached 24/7 by calling 1-888-429-8167.