While province tries to fix health-care, other options present themselves

With thousands of people still without a family doctor, and emergency rooms that are now routinely closed on weekends, health care is a growing concern for many Nova Scotians -- especially those in rural areas where a lack of services is keenly felt.

“It has evolved into such a poor state it's unbelievable,” Karen Mattatall, the mayor of Shelburne. “The town of Shelburne is the fastest growing community in south western Nova Scotia. We have an increased population of young working people, of retired people and the services are not here to support them.”

Nova Scotia’s health minister says efforts continue to recruit more doctors to the province.

Until they do, other options are beginning to present themselves, such as a new facility in Halifax called Unified Health.

It's a pilot project intended to ease the burden on the health care system.

It’s a place where people with non-urgent health needs can be treated in a variety of ways.

“What we're trying to do is facilitate a bit of a culture shift away from that sense of acute care, of something's really wrong with me now I need to go to a doctor to help fix that,” said Rhys Bevan-John, the chief cultural officer at Unified Health. “We want people to start thinking about their health and wellness in a different way.”

Unified Health says they're not looking to replace the traditional health care model and it's not privatized health care.

Two nurse practitioners will be on site to treat patients.

“There is a fee,” said Bevan-John. “It's $35 to see the nurse practitioner for 15 minutes and there are fees for all of the alternative and complimentary health care things.”

Plans are already in place to expand Unified Health and open other offices around the province.

Some of which will have doctors on staff.

“Our goal is to take non-emergent cases out of emergency services, out of walk-ins, out of emergency rooms -- people that can seek care elsewhere,” said Unified Health president Alan Attwater.

There are 56,000 people in Nova Scotia without a family doctor.

People who do not have a family doctor are able to add their name to a wait list. The Nova Scotia Health Authority says since the launch of that registry, more than 19,000 people have found a primary care provider.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Natasha Pace.

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  It’s a place where people with non-urgent health needs can be treated in a variety of ways. “What we're trying to do is facilitate a bit of a culture shift away from that sense of acute care, of something's really wrong with me now I need to go to a doctor to help fix that,” said Rhys Bevan-John, the chief cultural officer at Unified Health.