Nurse practitioner wants province to cover visit fee

A private nurse practitioner in Rapid City is advocating for the Manitoba government to cover patient visit costs, which she said are a barrier to health-care access for people in the community.

The nurse, Michelle Weighell, called on residents last month in a community newsletter for RM of Oakview residents to sign letters and send them to Minister of Health Uzoma Asagwara. The letters advocate for the government to change its funding model for nurse practitioners outside of health authority employment.

Weighell operates a private clinic, where health-care services, such as lab testing, can be billed to the province. But she says she takes issue with the fact that patient visits are not publicly funded.

“I don’t like having to charge people, but I do have to be able to provide food and shelter for my child. So that’s a requirement,” she said. “What I am charging is $60 — and that was a rate set to not provide an unnecessary burden on the public.”

Weighell said that the community has an aging population, many with fixed incomes, and who also have difficulty travelling. These people face a barrier to accessing timely and nearby health care because $60 per visit can deter them from visiting, even if they have a health condition that requires attention, she said.

Weighell can provide a variety of health-care services, including helping to manage diabetes, prenatal exams, cervical screenings, basic annual physical exams and pre-operative assessments.

Her letter argues that nurse practitioners are highly educated and regulated professionals who are insured under the Canada Health Act, but “despite this, current funding structures in Manitoba limit how nurse practitioners can provide publicly funded care outside of health authority employment. This restricts patient access and prevents the healthcare system from fully utilizing qualified providers.”

Weighell said Manitoba has fallen behind other jurisdictions, which have provided funding to support private nurse practitioners. She pointed to Saskatchewan and said it was an example where the professionals are able to deliver care in community-based settings.

“They’ve developed these contracts. They’ve got a bunch of nurse practitioners all across the province that are opening up private practices, basically in small communities,” she said. “In Manitoba, nothing has been done as far as that goes.”

The letter, signed by a number of residents so far, asks that Asagwara support an update in Manitoba funding models. Weighell said that all she wants is visitations to be covered by the province so she doesn’t have to charge community members.

Weighell said her new clinic, which opened in November last year, is busy and already booking weeks in advance, and that a large portion of clients say they came to the clinic after waiting years to be paired with a doctor in the province.

In response to the advocacy, Asagwara told the Sun last week in an email that the Manitoba government is committed to ensuring accessibility of necessary health care through the publicly funded system without direct charges.

“We recognize the advocacy from residents who rely on the Oakview Clinic and share their goal of improving access to health care in rural communities,” Asagwara said. “We will continue covering medically necessary care while working with nurse practitioners and other partners to improve access through a clear, consistent and collaborative framework that protects patients, maintains strong standards and ensures Manitobans do not fall through the cracks.”

Asagwara agreed that nurse practitioners are highly skilled health-care professionals who play an important role in improving access, particularly in rural communities.

The minister said the province’s work is guided by the Canada Health Act, and that patients should not be paying out of pocket for medically necessary, insured health services.

»cmcdowell@brandonsun.com