Bedford Basin Women's Health Clinic Physicians
All of the doctors at the Bedford Basin Women’s Health are female Family Physicians who provide services such as Pap smears based on the Nova Scotia guidelines to screen for cervical cancer; breast exams to follow up on breast lumps or nipple discharge; screening for sexually transmitted Infections (STI); a bimanual exam (an exam which is also called an “internal” that helps the physician know if the uterus is larger than normal or if there is pain in the pelvis, for example) to check for enlargement and/or tenderness of the uterus and/or ovaries; educating and prescribing to women about STI’s; counselling and prescribing birth control; safe sex practices; Nexplanon insertion and removal; intrauterine device (IUD) counselling and insertion; menopause and incontinence counseling.
You can learn more about sexual health HERE, and you learn how to find us and contact us HERE.
In 2009, I met a 16 year old girl who went to a walk-in clinic for her first Pap smear. I knew after that visit that I wanted to create a clinic for patients to have other options. My training as a physician did not include how to start a business. Over the next 3 months, I learned and created a business plan for my dream.
Next, I went in search of a space which led us to our current location – easily accessible from major routes and the highway, wheelchair accessible and also on bus routes. Within 6 months, I had secured the future home of our clinic and watched it go from an open space into the clinic it is now. I was fortunate to be able to design the layout and choose colours that I felt would give the clinic a warm, welcoming feel for women during their experience here.
The clinic would serve as a place for patients who did not have a family physician or needed an independent place from their family doctor for women’s health for a variety of reasons such as they may see their family physician in a social setting as well as in the clinical setting or they would like to see a female physician. Sometimes, it is because a patient is seeking more information or that they’re looking for a service that a family physician cannot provide such as help with fitting of devices for bladder issues. Our goal is to always work with and support their family physician, which is why a copy of the visit is always sent to the family physician unless the patient opts out. We make arrangements for any follow up if needed for tests that we order.
We had a wonderful showing of community support as we launched the open house on Friday, January 15, 2010 for Bedford Basin Women’s Health Clinic, with patient care starting the Monday after that.
Our Clinic has grown to offer more services and include more physicians. Patients travel to us from all over the province. We look forward to continuing to provide excellent care to women as they look after their health.