Telemedicine visits increasing at PR health clinic

The Point Roberts health clinic continues to see a slow but steady increase in office visits of which a significant portion are telemedicine visits, according to medical director Dr. Sean Bozorgzad.
Speaking at the Point Roberts regular hospital commission meeting on December 8, Dr. Bozorgzad pointed to the pandemic as the driver behind the trend towards the rise in telemedicine visits. Approximately one-quarter of patient visits in November were telemedicine visits. He related how he was still able to see patients one day when he was unable to get to the Point due to flood-related road closures.
A recently introduced service offering free or low-cost antibiotics to clinic patients is proving popular, Dr. Bozorgzad told commissioners, saying patients don’t have to go across to the other side just to get typical antibiotics. He added that the clinic was gearing up to offer expanded testing in upcoming months so patients wouldn’t have to go to Bellingham just to have, for example, blood drawn.
Local resident Elizabeth Mason suggested the clinic should produce a mailing piece to send residents that would outline all of the services the clinic now offers. “There are many new residents who don’t know much about the clinic,” she pointed out.