For years, Crowsnest Medical operated out of two separate locations: one in Bellevue and the other in Coleman. But if all goes according to plan the new central location of the Crowsnest Medical Clinic will be open January 18.

The consolidation is happening in stages.

The Bellevue clinic will be closed Friday, boxed up, moved over the weekend and will be set up so the new clinic is operational by Monday, Jan. 18. Crowsnest Medical’s Coleman location will remain open until Jan. 22.

After ten years in Bellevue, Turtle Mountain Pharmacy is relocating next the clinic at the Crowsnest mall.

“It looks like it will be a much different environment than any of us have worked in up until now,” said Dr. Allan Garbutt. “For a start it’s much bigger, we might have to put GPS trackers on people. It’s also way closer to the hospital and having the pharmacy next door is a huge benefit for us and the patients.”

Richard Milford, assistant at Turtle Mountain Pharmacy, said he is excited to relocate to Blairmore.

“The opportunity came up that we thought it was a central location to serve all the people in Crowsnest Pass,” he said. “We’re sad to be leaving Bellevue but we’re looking forward to the change.”

The consolidation will just about double the clinic’s capacity. There are three examination rooms at the Bellevue location and seven at the Coleman location but the new space in Blairmore will have 21.

The community’s physicians said they’ve outgrown the two old locations to the point where some doctors don’t have room to work.

“We are taking turns sometimes where someone has to sit out a day,” said Dr. Colin Muscat in October. “And that won’t be an issue any more.”
Muscat said the consolidation would eliminate confusion for patients who sometimes show up to the wrong location for appointments.

Crowsnest Medical serves roughly 3,500 patients and employs nine family doctors, an orthopedic surgeon, a general surgeon, a visiting gynecologist and gastroenterologists and an anesthesiologist.

“I think we are well served, especially for a small community. We have a lot of physicians who are attracted by the great community and the great setting out here,” said Muscat. “We’re lucky to have reasonable access to family physician in a reasonable amount of time.”

A project manager with experience setting up clinics has been hired to facilitate the consolidation to ensure continuous service for the community.