New Lung Clinic Opens Soon to Slash Waitlists for Breathing Tests

URGENT UPDATE: A new lung clinic is set to open in Halifax at the end of November 2023, aiming to address the staggering waitlists for breathing tests affecting thousands of Nova Scotians. The Nova Scotia Lung Wellness Clinic is a critical response to the healthcare crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where patients faced wait times of up to four years for essential spirometry tests.

Experts, including Sanja Stanojevic, an associate professor at Dalhousie University, emphasize the urgency of this initiative. “When I tell my colleagues elsewhere in the world about how long people wait here for a breathing test, it’s quite embarrassing. We know we can do better,” she stated. The clinic’s launch is not just timely; it is essential for accurate diagnosis and timely treatment for respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

An estimated 13 percent of Nova Scotians suffer from COPD, yet many are misdiagnosed due to long delays in receiving diagnostic tests. Stanojevic warns, “Making someone wait for a spirometry test is like making a diabetic wait years for a diagnostic blood test.” This innovative clinic will not only provide much-needed tests but also serve as a training ground for respiratory therapy students from Dalhousie University.

The clinic is a collaborative effort between the Lung Association of N.S. and P.E.I., Nova Scotia Health, and the provincial Health Department, with a substantial investment of $300,000 from GSK Canada to establish an 18-month pilot program. This partnership showcases how healthcare systems can unite with community and industry to tackle pressing issues in healthcare delivery.

“We’re going to be taking a couple of hundred patients off the list every month,” said Catherine Gunn, director of the school of health sciences at Dalhousie. This clinic is set to significantly reduce the backlog of patients waiting for testing, while also addressing the critical shortage of respiratory therapists in the province. Currently, Nova Scotia Health reports 37 full-time vacancies for respiratory therapists, representing about 20 percent of its staffing needs.

Furthermore, the clinic will provide real-world training experiences for students, allowing them to learn and practice in a supportive environment. Gunn explained that this initiative enables students to stay in the province for their training, increasing the likelihood of them continuing their careers in Nova Scotia after graduation.

As the clinic prepares to open, it is reaching out to individuals who have been waiting the longest for tests, particularly in the Western Zone. Once the initial backlog is addressed, the clinic plans to expand its services to allow referrals from primary care providers and eventually self-referrals from patients without a provider.

“This is an innovative step towards improving healthcare access,” Gunn added. The opening of the Nova Scotia Lung Wellness Clinic marks a pivotal moment for respiratory health in the province, and it is expected to make a significant impact on patient care and the training of future healthcare professionals.

Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as the clinic gears up to begin operations and change the landscape of respiratory care in Nova Scotia.