PCN 6 Featured Provider: Dr. Poornima Senra

How long has your clinic been in PCN 6? 

My clinic has been a proud member of the primary care network since its opening in September 2018. Over the years, we’ve made significant strides in building our practice, and during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we extended our services to accept new patients from various sources, including walk-ins, word of mouth, referrals from the Division of Family Practice, and other healthcare professionals. We’ve also actively collaborated with the Division of Family Practice to accept patients matched from retiring physicians and the Patient Attachment initiative, further strengthening our commitment to providing accessible and comprehensive primary care.

What do you like about your community?

As a family physician, what I like most about my community is the strong sense of unity and support among the residents, given the multi ethnic and multicultural population. It’s heartwarming to see how the people come together in times of need whether it was during covid pandemic or in organizing cultural and local events or simply offering helping hand to their neighbors. I really like the close knit and friendly vibe of my community. It makes me feel connected to my patients and their families and I very much enjoy my work and helping them stay healthy.

What is a recent success you feel you’ve experienced in your clinic?

I started as a solo practitioner at my clinic and have made significant progress that led to successes that have positively impacted patient care and overall clinic reach, expansion and effectiveness:

• Telemedicine implementation: One of the notable successes has been the implementation of telemedicine services at our clinic during the covid pandemic. It’s been a game-changer in terms of accessibility and convenience, ensuring that patients can receive timely medical advice and follow-up care without having to physically come to the clinic even after the pandemic.
• Hiring a Second Family Practitioner: Bringing in a second family practitioner was a pivotal success. It has significantly expanded our capacity to see more patients, reduced wait times for appointments and provided coverage when needed.
• Engaging Medical Students and Residents: I have always created a learning environment at the clinic and have been accepting medical students and residents at our practice since opening from UBC. This collaboration with medical students and residents has enriched the clinic’s learning environment while bringing fresh perspectives to patient care.
• We are eagerly anticipating the addition of two new professionals to our interdisciplinary team through the PCN, which would further improve our holistic approach to patient care. We are working to co-locate a PCN Clinical Pharmacist to enhance medication management and optimization, and we are hoping to add a registered nurse to support patient education and chronic disease management.

What types of patients do you support? 

At our clinic, we proudly support patients from all walks of life, spanning various healthcare needs. Our practice has a particular focus on women’s health, mental health, and geriatric care, but we’re dedicated to providing comprehensive care to everyone. This includes managing complex care and chronic diseases, offering early prenatal care and guiding new mothers and babies, providing specialized mental health services, and tailoring care plans to meet the unique needs of our elderly patients. We also offer well-woman examinations to ensure women’s health at every stage of life. Our mission is to offer patient-centered, compassionate care that promotes overall well-being and addresses individual healthcare needs.

What else do you want people to know about your clinic?

At our clinic, we take pride in fostering a warm and patient-centered environment. Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals are always committed to providing personalized care that addresses the diverse needs of our community. We believe in the importance of building strong patient-provider relationships, which enables us to offer comprehensive care for a wide range of medical conditions. Whether you’re seeking care for chronic diseases, prenatal and maternity services, mental health support, geriatric care, or well-woman examinations, we’re here to ensure you receive top-quality healthcare with a focus on individual needs, empathy and respect. Your health and well-being are our top priorities, and we look forward to building further capacity with diverse health care professionals and in serving our patients and their families for years to come.