OXBOW - Residents of southeast Saskatchewan have another option for medical services with the arrival of Guardian Radiology in Oxbow.
A grand opening celebration was held May 1 at Guardian's lab, located in the RM of Enniskillen's office on Main Street in Oxbow. Representatives of Guardian and the RM were on hand for the festivities.
Guardian Radiology head of operations Nadine Kanigan told Â鶹´«Ã½AV the process in bringing the service to the southeast started because two stenographers who were working at Guardian's Saskatoon location are from the Oxbow area.
"It was one of these scenarios where we knew at some point the two girls would want to go back to their home communities once they started to raise their families. And sure enough, they both went on maternity leave," said Kanigan.
Knowing the two women weren't going to come back to work in Saskatoon, Guardian started exploring opportunities closer to the two employees' home. Kanigan credited the RM of Enniskillen for helping to create jobs for the two women in Oxbow.
The two stenographers are joined by a receptionist at the Oxbow office, which is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
"The phone has been ringing off the hook," said Kanigan. "Yesterday [May 1] was our opening day, and we are already looking at a pretty full schedule going into the week. We're getting people from across the Manitoba border. We're getting people from the surrounding towns."
People have been waiting four to five weeks for an ultrasound in southeast Saskatchewan, Kanigan said, so they are very optimistic they will fill a void.
Ultrasounds are their focus right now, but Kanigan said is is a full-service provider, so other services could be added. As the volume and demand increase, Kanigan said Guardian could take on additional staff.
RM of Enniskillen administrator Pamela Bartlett said the grand opening celebration was a great day. There was a ribbon cutting with the RM and Guardian Radiology staff, and Kanigan gave what Bartlett described as a "very heartfelt speech". Guardian has been "fantastic" to work with.
"We're very thankful. Every step along the way has just been very seamless and it's been so easy to work with them."
Bartlett is glad to see another service in the community that people don't have to travel for, and she's pleased to see it's already been busy. She predicted it will also bring people to the community for appointments, which will support the local economy.
Bartlett pointed out that while Guardian is a private clinic, as long as someone has a referral from their health-care provider and a valid health card, the cost will be covered by Saskatchewan Health or Manitoba Health.
"A lot of people believe that because it is a private clinic, you have to pay for service, but that's not the case," said Bartlett.
Bartlett said the RM is looking forward to improving health care for everyone. And the community is fortunate to have two stenographers who wanted to move back to the southeast.
After the grand opening Kanigan said she reflected on the genuine welcome from the RM and the community.
"We had a few physicians stop by and thank us for the effort we're going to put into the community, so it was a very well received, warm welcome from the town," Kanigan said.
Guardian Radiology also provides ultrasound services at the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation clinic in Estevan, and it has offices throughout the province. While they have an office in Saskatoon, Kanigan said their focus to provide access to otherwise underserviced rural communities.
"I think this is definitely a win all around the board, a win for the stenographers who are able to practice their professional careers in their hometowns, so a win for them and their families. It's great for the community. They don't have to commute. And great for the physicians. Physicians want to be able to provide timely access to their patients to get those diagnoses done."
