Portage la Prairie's walk-in clinic on Royal Road North will be making a move. The doctors and staff at the facility will begin working out of the Portage Clinic main office, starting August 15th. Chief Operating Officer Chris Tompkins while the newly expanded location on 9th Street South East provides no shortage of space, but they only recently realized they'd be able to move the walk-in to the same facility. He says by having the Portage Clinic's operations run out of a central location, they'll be able to greatly improve their patient support.

"It helps us get all of our resources under one roof, all of our staff under one roof, all of our computers under one roof, and most importantly all of our doctors under one roof. So let's say it's flu season, the waiting room is backed up and people are waiting an hour. If we have a doctor in the other side of the clinic here doing paperwork, the doctor at the walk-in can send out the call for help. Then someone just needs to walk across the building, and we'll speed the waiting room up."

Tompkins notes they expect little to no disruptions with the change, as the hours of the walk-in will remain the same in the new location. He also notes all services, including the UVA light treatment booth will all be available at the main clinic as well.

He notes it's not a decision they took lightly, as they had gauged the public's opinion of the move through an informal survey conducted at the Royal Road clinic. Part of that survey focused on how people traveled to the clinic, and Tompkins says only ten per cent of respondents had actually walked to the facility. He notes there were some initial concerns outlined in those surveys, but says much of those were address by keeping the clinic's hours the same.

"There were some people who didn't want it to move, but we found out after we got the surveys back that many of those people thought the hours were going to be shortened to what they are at the main clinic. So we have to take that with a grain of salt. It was put where it was originally, so that people could walk there, and there will be some people who live close to the walk in today, who probably walk there, well they can walk here, it's just a little farther."

Tompkins says they also heard some concerned because the current walk-in is close to the Shoppers Drug Mart, which has a pharmacy. However, he notes the new expansion has Hill's Drug Store on site, adding Shoppers is still within walking distance.

As for those concerned about leaving an empty building on Royal Road, Tompkins says it won't be vacant for long. He notes they own that facility, and will likely be renting it out in the near future. He feels that despite some initial concerns, these changes will greatly improve the care they're able to provide to patients, adding that's the most important focus of this change.