Unattached patients are permanent residents of a community without a primary care provider. Increased community growth, physician retirement and fewer new providers leave rural communities with very high numbers of unattached patients, particularly in Northern Ontario. Larger communities help alleviate this through walk-in clinics, but that model of care is not always applicable or feasible.

Unattached patients requiring complex care and follow-up often have no option other than attending and returning to the emergency department (ED) for their care and follow up. The result is excessive burden on the ED, poor continuity of care, and in many cases prolonged inpatient stays as physicians are reluctant to discharge complex patients who are unable to access follow-up.

The Annex was established through commitment of rural clinicians, administrators and allied healthcare providers, supported by the Town of Huntsville to provide comprehensive primary care to unattached residents. This study will investigate if the provision of care at The Annex reduces ED use and hospital readmission by unattached patients discharged from MAHC.

Within The Annex, patients are cared for by a comprehensive interdisciplinary team.  Patients can schedule appointments at their convenience with the most appropriate provider. Patients discharged from inpatient care will receive routine comprehensive follow-up to promote recovery and prevent readmission. This model of care, if successful, can easily be translated to any similar community within Canada. This program aims to provide optimal care through an interdisciplinary team approach enabling healthcare providers to work at their full scope of practice.

For more information please go to the Annex Website: https://algonquinfht.ca/theannexclinic/