Grey Bruce Health Services is expanding the hours of service at its opiate and alcohol addictions clinic in Owen Sound, thanks to the addition of a new physician.
The Rapid Access Addiction Medicine clinic opened in December 2015 to help patients manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings related to alcohol and drugs such as morphine, oxycodone, and heroin.
The clinic has been operating one afternoon per week and has so far received 200 visits.
Starting this January the clinic will see patients two full days per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Dr. Pauline Armour joins the current staff and is an experienced addiction medicine physician who has practiced for 15 years in the field.
Patients with alcohol and opiate addictions often end up as repeat visitors in the ER and do not get the treatment they need either because they are undiagnosed or they have difficulty asking for help.
Specialized addictions training will be offered to family physicians in the Wiarton area in January to expand the capacity to assist patients with addictions in that area.