By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS has launched its first specialized nurse practitioner clinic (Clinique IPS) in Sherbrooke, setting a new benchmark in accessible healthcare for residents without a family doctor. Located at 50 Camirand Street, the clinic opened on Oct. 15 and has already addressed significant demand. In just its first 22 days, the clinic completed 435 appointments for 380 unique patients. Annie Boisvert, Assistant Director for General Physical Health Programs at CIUSSS, praised this milestone at a Nov. 8 press conference, noting, “This clinic represents a turning point in access to healthcare for our population.”
Boisvert explained that the clinic’s role is twofold: to fill a pressing healthcare gap for patients lacking family doctors, or “orphan” patients, and to alleviate pressure on emergency rooms. “Our aim is to bring healthcare services closer to the community, reducing the need for emergency room visits for non-urgent issues,” she said. The clinic is staffed with a multidisciplinary team, including four specialized nurse practitioners (IPS), three clinical nurses, two auxiliary nurses, a physiotherapist, and administrative staff, all providing integrated healthcare services.
The specialized nurse practitioners at the clinic are equipped to perform a broad range of primary care services, previously accessible only through physicians. Boisvert explained, “IPS professionals can conduct comprehensive health evaluations, diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and develop individualized care plans.” This autonomy allows the clinic to deliver care swiftly and independently. Each day, the clinic serves between 15 and 25 patients referred through the Guichet d’accès à la première ligne (GAP), a frontline access point that matches patients with necessary health services.
