The closed Beach Avenue Medical Clinic in Peachland is reopening as Beachside Health Limited this coming fall.
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July 21, 2022 - 2:42 PM
A small Okanagan town with a population of around 5,000 without a medical clinic for the last three years is about to get one.
This fall a new clinic will open its doors in Peachland to fill the gap left when the Beach Avenue Medical Clinic closed its doors in 2019 when the medical director retired.
It's not the only town to face doctor shortages in the Thompson-Okanagan region. Thousands across the Thompson-Okanagan region are without a family doctor, and roughly one million B.C. residents are in need of one.
READ MORE: Why thousands of Thompson-Okanagan residents can’t find a family doctor
Co-owners Sarah Kendrick and Jubi Steinhauer will open Beachside Health Limited in the fall and plan to have the same number of physicians, five, as the former clinic.
“I grew up in Peachland and we moved back here full-time a couple of years ago and the impetus is really the need is there and we thought we could lend our skills to bring medical care back to Peachland,” Kendrick said.
Kendrick and Steinhauer are actively recruiting doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses for the clinic’s opening.
“We would also like to have physiotherapists, chiropractors, mental health professionals and other allied healthcare professionals as well,” she said.
This is the first time they’ll be stepping into the medical field, with a background in business and organic foods.
"There's a need here in Peachland for healthcare so we can use our business expertise to relieve that administrative burden for care providers and hopefully get a clinic up and running and serve our community as soon as possible,” Kendrick said.
She said the feedback has been great and the community support has been overwhelming.
"We have the support of local and regional politicians and the wellness centre that also serves the senior population so we’ve been working with them to full any gaps."
The building is owned by her parents and long-time Peachlanders Wes and Judy Bedford.
“I grew up here and my parents are very active in supporting their community and it’s definitely a legacy we want to continue,” Kendrick said.
The clinic will be able to serve patients in Peachland as well as Summerland and West Kelowna.
More information for patients and prospective staff can be found on the clinic's website here.
Over the past two years, 16 Central Okanagan doctors have left their practices with no replacements. Since 2019, 30 Central Okanagan doctors have retired but some have been replaced. There are currently 38,000 Central Okanagan residents without family doctors and 8,000 on a waiting list for family doctors.
For those interested in applying for staff positions or for more information, you can send them as email here.
The clinic is currently building a website.
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