Medical clinic in Whistler accepting patients from Sea to Sky communities

Residents of the Sea to Sky region, from Britania Beach to Pemberton, can now secure a family doctor, as a medical clinic in Whistler has announced a patient intake.

Dr Danielle Lewis, the medical director of the Whistler Creekside Health Clinic, told the Sea to Sky Healer  the clinic has hired three new doctors and is accepting patients from all Sea to Sky communities. The clinic, located at 2059 Lake Placid Road in Creekside Village, opened in 2021 and has brought six new doctors to Whistler.

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Lewis said that in Squamish, an estimated 1,800 people are still waiting for a family doctor. “When we announced our first family doctor, we had a waitlist of probably 1,000 people, and we are slowly working through that. Initially, we gave priority to Whistler so we could prioritize, but now we are recruiting more and more doctors. We have patients from Pemberton, and we have had patients from Birken drive down because they don’t have primary care providers. We have patients from Britannia Beach and Squamish, of course. W are accepting patients from throughout the Sea to Sky.”

Last year, the clinic brought three doctors on board: Dr. Paulina Gasiorowska, Dr. Sarah Pankratz, and Dr. Melanie Levesque. Dr. Stephanie Warwick, who joined the clinic last month, is taking on new patients. Two more doctors will join the clinic later this year. Creekside Health has also started hiring a nurse, who will likely join in September this year, though finding housing for doctors remains a challenge.

“Housing was the biggest and continues to be the biggest barrier because I do have lots of interest from physicians who want to come live and work with us, but they simply cannot afford the housing,” Dr. Lewis said.

Those interested can visit the clinic’s website to register for a family doctor, and someone will contact them in two weeks. The clinic also offers virtual telehealth appointments. “We do provide virtual telehealth appointments, so that is also an option, but many of our patients from Squamish and Pemberton also work in Whistler,” Dr. Lewis said.  “We are also located in Creekside, so complimentary parking is very nice for Whistler.”

One of the clinic’s notable features is its interdisciplinary model, with medical practitioners offering a diverse range of health services working under the same roof. In addition to primary care, patients can consult physiotherapists, massage therapists, and even a sleep coach.

Dr Lewis says one of the clinic’s aims is to relieve the pressure on emergency health care by providing a family physician available for extended hours. “Our goal is to have physicians available to the community seven days a week, with extended hours in the evening on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, so that the community has availability and access to a primary care provider.”

Meanwhile, a new pharmacy and medical clinic that opened on Dowad Drive in Squamish is also accepting patients.

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