Ms. Judy Watts, Dr Robert Roberts, Ms. Virginia Turner

Specialty Clinics at Baffin Regional Hospital- Iqaluit, Nunavut

The Baffin Regional Hospital is the only hospital in Nunavut. The hospital has twenty-five inpatient beds: nineteen acute care adult, and six pediatric beds. The hospital also has eight newborn bassinets.  A Chief of Staff guides a medical team of nine resident doctors who provide general practitioner, anesthetics and surgical services.  A tenth family physician resides permanently at Pond Inlet, on the far northern shore of Baffin Island. As well, Community Health Centers, with their dedicated teams of community health nurses, serve all twelve communities on the island.   For medical care beyond that available in the Qikiqtani [Baffin Region], clients are flown to Ottawa.

Ottawa Health Services Network Inc. augments the care given at Baffin Regional Hospital by recruiting medical specialists, and their residents, to attend week long specialty clinics at Baffin Regional Hospital.

In year 2006 -2007, the following clinics occurred at Baffin Regional Hospital

Adult cardiology -2 clinics Pediatric cardiology- 1 clinic Obstetrics/ gynecology - 3 clinics Ears, nose and throat- 4 clinics Adult orthopedics - 2 clinics Pediatric orthopedics- 1 clinic Respirology- 1 clinic

Ophthalmology- 2 clinics Internal medicine- 2 clinics Dermatology- 2 clinics Rheumatology - 1 clinic Adult Neurology-  1 clinic Pediatric Neurology - 1 clinics Dental surgery - 3 clinic Urology-1 clinic

This involved 34 medical specialists, 16 residents or fellows, 6 nurses and 8 applied health personnel (ortho tech., EEG tech, RT, ECHO tech, dental assistants) trips to the north.

OHSNI's Program Manager assists each professional with Nunavut licensure, scheduling clinics, and, requesting travel and hotel accommodations.  As well, the Manager acts as a resource to the personnel travelling north, their families and their staff in Ottawa. 

OHSNI, also, expedites the process by paying these professionals for their work. Each physician signs a contract, with OHSNI, for a per-diem payment for his or her professional services.  After the actual days-worked is verified by the Manager of the Specialty Clinic, at Baffin Regional Hospital, OHSNI dispenses a cheque for services rendered. The Government of Nunavut, in turn, reimburses the OHSNI program, after they have completed their internal accounting processes.

OHSNI's Support Care Coordinator assists the specialist's office staff arrange follow up appointments, for any Nunavut resident seen in the north by the doctor, but who needs further assessment or treatment in Ottawa.