For more than a decade, family physicians in Caledonia, NS, operated out of a double trailer that once served as the community's liquor store. Now, the town has built its doctors, nurses, technicians and receptionists a 4500-square-foot health centre that comes complete with examining rooms, a small emergency room and a facility for local programs such as diabetes clinics. The North Queen's Community Medical Centre cost $450 000, and residents proudly point out that “not a nickel” came from the federal or provincial governments.
For Dr. Jim Rafferty, one of the community's 2 family physicians, the new centre represents more than a place to work. “I don't know if this is a unique community,” he says, “but it is unique in this sense — residents directly involve themselves in their own care. They see a bigger picture.”
This bigger picture was painted with a number of small steps. In one fundraising effort, nearly 350 residents and businesses — the town has 3400 residents — contributed $100 each to buy a square foot of the new centre. They also sold pies and poinsettias and raffled off a vintage Volkswagen. Bowater Mersey Paper Company, a major employer, contributed more than $80 000, and a neighbouring county donated money because some of its residents use Caledonia's facilities.
The entire building was painted by volunteers — it received 3 coats — and one local resident took responsibility for all the paperwork related to the construction and another coordinated all the electrical work.
The end result, says Rafferty, is a health care centre that belongs to everyone. “Sometimes we define our team as ‘us’ — the medical staff,” he says, “but we don't have that feeling here.”