Clare Health Centre Recognized for Excellence in the Patient’s Medical Home Model

The Nova Scotia College of Family Physicians is proud to recognize Clare Health Centre as the 2025 recipient of our inaugural Patient’s Medical Home: Outstanding Team-Based Family Practice Award.

Located in the Acadian region of Nova Scotia, the Clare Health Centre has been a vital part of the community since opening its doors in 2008. The clinic embodies the principles of the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s Patient’s Medical Home model through a truly collaborative, team-based approach to patient care.

Clare Health Centre offers comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated care to approximately 10,000 patients in the Municipality of Clare and surrounding areas. Their interprofessional team is comprised of 11 family physicians, 1 nurse practitioner, 3 nurses, and 3 allied health professionals, all working together to improve health outcomes and patient experiences.

The clinic exemplifies the PMH vision by:

• Offering timely access to care through advanced access scheduling
• Supporting comprehensive care with a range of in-clinic and community services
•  Maintaining strong relationships with patients and their families
• Using EMRs and quality improvement initiatives to continuously enhance care delivery
• Prioritizing continuity and coordination through close collaboration among providers

This award celebrates the Clare Health Centre’s commitment to innovation, teamwork, and excellence in primary care – a true model of what family medicine can look like when it centers on the needs of patients and communities.

Congratulations, Clare Health Centre!

Dr. Michelle Dow, CCFP

Dr. Giselle Dugas, CCMF

Dr. Jean-Luc Dugas, CCMF, FCMF

Dr. Alain Blinn, CCFP

Dr. Erica Lasher-Coates, CCFP(EM)

Dr. Emma Leon, CCFP

Dr. Kristen Melanson, CCFP

Dr. Emma LeBlanc, CCFP

Dr. Joel Arsenault, CCFP

Dr. Dylan Engell, CCFP

Dr. Amanda Glenn, CCFP

Crystal Thibodeau, NP

Steven Baggs, RN-AP, Family Practice Nurse

Catherine Smith, RN, Family Practice Nurse

Nicole Meritt, Social Worker

Marsha Arnburg-LeBlanc, Dietitian

Amanda Thibodeau, RN, Diabetic Clinic

Jessica Eisener, Kinesiologist & Wellness Coordinator

 

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As a chapter of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the NSCFP supports the vision of a Patient’s Medical Home (PMH), a model of care that puts the needs of patients and their communities at the centre of care.

The PMH is where patients can receive the full spectrum of expert care. The PMH team is developed to meet the needs of its own patient community and, depending on those needs, may include nurses, other specialists, and other healthcare providers, who work together in one centre or virtually. The PMH supports the relationships between patients, family physicians, and other healthcare providers as they develop and strengthen over time, enabling the best possible health outcomes for each person, practice population, and the community being served.

*Recipients may be nominated by their peers, members of the public, or self-nominated.

AWARD CRITERIA

• The family practice or clinic must have been in operation for at least two years.

NOTE: Clinics where current members of the NSCFP Board and/or NSCFP Honours and Awards Standing Committee practise, are eligible for the award; however, the said committee member will abstain from the review process and vote.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Rooted in the trusted relationships fostered between patients and family physicians, the PMH promotes a team-based approach to the delivery of comprehensive and compassionate patient-centered care. There are 10 pillars with key attributes that make up a PMH and support all family practices and clinics to be better aligned with the PMH principles. They are grouped into three categories and are as follows:

Foundations Administration & Funding Appropriate Infrastructure Connected Care Functions Accessible Care Community Adaptiveness & Social Accountability Comprehensive Team-Based Care with Family Physician Leadership Continuity of Care Patient- and Family-Partnered Care Ongoing Development Measurement, Continuous Quality Improvement, and Research Training, Education, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The CFPC has developed multiple resources and a self-assessment tool to help clinics determine how closely they align with the principles of the PMH and offer actionable advice to be better aligned.
Reviewing and referencing these resources is strongly encouraged while completing your nomination.

Foundations – Establishing a PMH
ADMINISTRATION AND FUNDING | APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE | CONNECTED CARE

1. With the first three pillars in mind, please identify how the nominee has established the foundation needed to enable a PMH practice to thrive in their community.

Functions – Providing Exemplary PMH Care
ACCESSIBLE CARE | COMMUNITY ADAPTIVENESS AND SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY | COMPREHENSIVE TEAM-BASED CARE WITH FAMILY PHYSICIAN LEADERSHIP | CONTINUITY OF CARE | PATIENT- AND FAMILY-PARTNERED CARE

2. Keeping in mind the four pillars associated with Functions, what remarkable contributions has the nominee implemented to providing exemplary PMH care?

Ongoing Development – Growing and Improving PMH Practices
MEASUREMENT, CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, AND RESEARCH | TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND CPD

3. In considering the final two pillars, how does the nominee demonstrate its commitment to growing and improving PMH practices?

Going the Extra Mile

4. Provide a specific example where the family practice has gone “above and beyond” the expectations of a family practice clinic.

5. Explain why this nominee deserves the Patient’s Medical Home Clinic Award.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

Although not mandatory, the following elements are strongly encouraged in the submission of a nomination package:

• Patient testimonials
• Letters of support from peers, community organizations or groups, health professionals/administrators, etc.
• Relevant media reports, pictures, etc.