New primary care clinic in Kingston, Ont. will service up to 8,000 people in the region

A new primary care clinic has opened in Kingston, Ont., after Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC) received $4.1 million in funding from the provincial government.

The clinic is located at 791 Princess St., and officials say the location is key.

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According to KCHC, roughly 4,000 people that live in the direct vicinity of the clinic do not have access to a family doctor.

"We know there is a lot of need, and there's thousands of unattached people in Kingston," said KCHC's Director of Clinical Services Meghan O'Leary. "So we are taking a geographical approach to our plan to attach people to ongoing primary care."

The Health Home is currently located in the building formerly used by the Frontenac Medical Associates, who closed their practice when several doctors retired in 2023.

"We're really thrilled that this is opening up because community health centres are community-run. They have a community board and they respond to community need," said Ross Sutherland from the Kingston Health Coalition.

"It's patient focused and it's community health focused."

O'Leary told CTV News Ottawa the clinic will offer a team approach for primary care. There is currently a staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered practical nurses and medical secretaries.

"It's a team working together to provide comprehensive primary care," she explained. "That creates a lot of efficiency for the system and allows us to see more people when we're working together as a team."

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The Health Home already has plans to expand. The lease at 791 Princess St. is only for one year, as the clinic looks for a larger space so they can provide more services to their patients.

Some of those services include a certified diabetes educator, social work and mental health counsellors, and beginning in 2025, medical residents from Queen's University will have placements at the clinic.

Once those services are offered, up to 8,000 people in the region will have access to primary care.

"The hope is to be able to have health homes throughout our region where people have access to team based primary care, close to where they live," O'Leary concluded.

KCHC added that the clinic will not be accepting inquiries, instead reaching out to area residents who are registered with Health Care Connect, the provincial government's resource for people without a family doctor.