New ophthalmology clinic in Timmins to offer extended vision care to patients
A new ophthalmology clinic in Timmins has opened.
The clinic is a result of a team effort with many partners collaborating to make it happen. It's located in the medical office building next to the Timmins and District Hospital on Ross Avenue.
Dr. Alejandro Oliver pitched the idea to the hospital and its foundation – now several months later, a turnkey office is equipped with the staff and machines necessary to diagnose eye disorders and diseases.
One ophthalmologist from Ottawa has already offered to work there one week out of every month so she can also visit her new grandbaby at the same time who just so happens to live in Timmins.
“It’s real pathology that needs desperate care," said Dr. Marie Louise Lapointe.
"It’s not like in Ottawa where there’s a lot of ophthalmologists. So it’s (a) very interesting practice and a lot of...grateful patients," she said.
“Even if it’s a small procedure with a laser I can’t do it," said Oliver.
"So having Dr. Lapointe here is tremendous; all of our local referring doctors are extremely excited to offer this to their patients so it’s going to be a real game changer for the community."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Dr. Doug Arnold is the chief of staff at the Timmins and District Hospital. He said an ophthalmologist would traditionally be responsible for purchasing all their own equipment – but with proceeds from the Timmins and District Hospital Foundation's 50/50 draw in December to pay for equipment along with additional funding from the province for renovations and other expenses, the new initiative will help many people get the care they need closer to home.
“It would be fantastic if we ended up with a full-time ophthalmologist to provide care, but that’s probably not still meeting the needs of Timmins,” said Arnold.
“So we need to continue looking at ways to expand … this is a great first step."
Dr. Lapointe and Dr. Oliver show some of the equipment purchased for the state-of-the-art ophthalmology locum clinic opened in Timmins. (Lydia Chubak/CTV News Northern Ontario)Now, officials said the search is on for someone who can perform cataract surgery
“Patients that require cataract surgery require extremely precise measurements – we bought that equipment for future surgeries," said Oliver.
"All that is here and ready for those who’d like to visit us.”
Arnold said this is the first time the hospital has created a locum clinic like this and it'll consider the concept to expand other areas of patient care in similar fashions in the future.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.