New Thunder Bay family health clinic helps 'orphaned patients'

A new medical clinic in Thunder Bay could eventually serve as many as 8,000 patients.

Dr. Michael Long, who helped found the Aurora Family Health Clinic along with three other doctors, said he's always wanted to start his own practice.

The idea to create a clinic that was run efficiently with like-minded individuals all young and enthusiastic was just sort of one of my dreams, he said.

The clinic opened in the Superstore in September.

A fifth doctor, from Fort Frances, will join the practice in the new year, Longsaid. A sixth doctor is in the works. All doctors are recent graduates of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Long said he hopes to help the people he calls "orphaned patients" because they have no family doctor.

I believe it's been many years since a brand new medical clinic has been opened up in Thunder Bay, he said.

One thing that's good about where we've located our clinic is it's a little more central.

In the month-and-a-half the clinic has been open, the four doctors have taken on about a 1,000 patients.

When two more physicians come aboard, the goal is to serve up to 8,000 patients.

In addition to the four current doctors, there are two registered practical nurses, two receptionists and a clinic manager. The clinic consists of family practices and a walk-in clinic.

It's been quite exciting and a lot of hard work, but we've been definitely enjoying ourselves and the camaraderie in the clinic, he said.

Long started taking online applications from patients in August, so by the time the clinic opened, they already had a "big list of patients to start booking appointments and, right off the get-go, we were already doing new patient assessments on opening day."