Welcome to the Mentor Clinic Blog!
We’re excited to share updates about our journey as a demonstration clinic for the Patient Health Home model of primary care. Since launching in September 2023, Mentor Clinic has been fully funded by Nova Scotia Health, and we’re committed to transforming the way healthcare is delivered.
Through this blog, we’ll keep Mentor Clinic patients and the general public informed about this new model of care and what we’re learning along the way.
What is a Patient Health Home?
A Patient Health Home is a neighbourhood approach to healthcare, similar to how the school system assigns students to specific schools. Instead of being attached to an individual healthcare provider, patients are connected to a designated clinic in their area.
This means that even if a provider is on vacation, retires, or leaves, you will continue receiving care from the clinic’s team. The goal is to improve access to healthcare while ensuring continuity of care for all patients.
For more details, you can check out Nova Scotia’s vision for this model in the document: [Strengthening Primary Healthcare.pdf].
What Makes Mentor Clinic Different?
While many clinics are discussing Health Homes, Mentor Clinic is actively running one. Our team of dedicated healthcare professionals works collaboratively with patients to help them understand their health and take an active role in managing it.
We also regularly report our results to Nova Scotia Health to ensure we’re delivering value. Here are some of our key accomplishments so far:
✅ Building a Strong Healthcare Team
We’ve assembled a diverse team of healthcare professionals, including:
✔ 2 Family Doctors
✔ 4 Nurse Practitioners
✔ 2 Nurses
✔ 4 Medical Administrators
✔ 1 Dietitian
✔ 1 Occupational Therapist
✔ 1 Social Worker
✔ 1 Physiotherapist
✔ 1 Exercise Physiologist
✔ 1 Clinic Director
✅ Improving Patient Access
✔ 4,018 patients attached to the clinic (as of Dec 31, 2024)
✔ 1,000+ patients from the “Need-a-Family-Practice” (NAFP) list
✔ Expanded hours:
• Monday – Friday: 9 AM – 5 PM
• Thursday evenings: Open until 8 PM
• Saturday: 9 AM – 4 PM
✔ Same-day appointments available 6 days per week through our duty clinician role
✅ Measuring Impact & Satisfaction
We actively collect data and feedback from both patients and staff to evaluate the effectiveness of this model. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Here’s what people are saying:
📢 From Our Doctors
🗣️ “I was able to take a week off this summer without having to be the one to check on things. And we did the same for other people.”
🗣️ “Patients love it because they get longer visits—30 minutes with the nurse, 15 minutes with me. It’s just better care, and more issues get addressed.”
📢 From Our Patients
🗣️ “I feel a level of trust and transparency here that I haven’t had elsewhere. I don’t feel rushed out the door.”
🗣️ “I’m more intentional about my health now. I feel like an active participant in my overall well-being—physically, mentally, and spiritually.”
🗣️ “The level of coordination and collegiality here is mind-boggling. It’s been seamless.”
🗣️ “I truly hope this pilot program becomes the standard for care in Nova Scotia.”
📢 From Our Staff
🗣️ “This is the most supported I’ve ever felt in practice. It motivates me to do my best for both the team and our patients.”
🗣️ “The culture here is so much more positive and collaborative. I feel like we are the changemakers, and that’s inspiring.”
Looking Ahead
The Health Home model is a major shift in how primary care is delivered. At Mentor Clinic, we’re proud to be leading the way and learning what works best for both patients and providers.
Through this blog, we’ll continue sharing updates, success stories, and insights into how this model is evolving. Stay tuned for more!
Have questions or feedback? We’d love to hear from you! Drop by the clinic or reach out to our team.
Mentor Clinic – Setting a new standard for healthcare in Nova Scotia.
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