Ottawa pop-up Pap check clinic to encourage overdue sexual overall health tests

3 Ottawa-region physicians are organizing a entire-day Pap examination clinic for individuals who are because of for cervical screening assessments but do not have a family medical professional. They are contacting the celebration Pap-apalooza.

Dr. Lesley Spencer, a family doctor with a exercise concentrating on women’s wellness and just one of the organizers of the event, suggests there are heaps of people today who are overdue for Pap exams as it was not an urgent critical provider through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re pretty much using (the celebration) as a reminder to people today to get this performed for the reason that I consider a large amount of persons place it off,” Spencer said.

The concept of organizing the party was reinforced by identical Pap-apalooza situations in British Columbia, where doctors get the job done with professional medical learners to provide pop-up Pap smear clinic occasions across the province, Spencer stated. “It was a person of those items wherever it was like, ‘Oh, it would be fantastic,’ and then somebody in B.C. was undertaking it. So why not just design off what they are undertaking?”

The Ontario Ministry of Health and fitness suggests aged 21 and more mature sexually active gals and transgender adult men with a cervix get Pap assessments each individual 3 several years to test for irregular cervical cells that can lead to human papillomavirus (HPV) bacterial infections and cervical cancer.

The pop-up clinic will be at the Rideau Valley Overall health Centre on 1221 Greenbank Rd. in Barrhaven from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Might 5.

At the very least a few medical professionals will be doing work at the event, with maybe two far more helping dependent on the quantity of Pap check bookings. Spencer explained Pap-apalooza hoped to get Ottawa health-related students involved by offering them an opportunity for arms-on encounter operating at the clinic.

If the party is prosperous, Spencer and her colleagues, Dr. Kaitlyn Orton-Schmitt, Dr. Caitlyn Schwartz, Dr. Annelise Miller and Dr. Tonja Stothart, are looking to extend Pap-apalooza gatherings throughout the metropolis in Kanata, Orléans and central Ottawa. If there is continued demand, clinics will prolong to spots outside the house the metropolis this kind of as Kemptville and Arnprior.

Spencer and Orton-Schmitt previously hire clinic space at the Rideau Valley Overall health Centre. Ontario Well being Insurance coverage Program is masking the value of tests supplies and the health professionals are paying out for staffing at the clinic.

The function will have audio in the waiting around home, snacks, beverages and loot bags for these who indicator up.

To be suitable for Pap checks at the function, registrants will have to have legitimate OHIP playing cards and not have household physicians. Medical doctors will contact individuals with abnormal outcomes.

People can call to reserve Pap assessments at the party at 613-258-8710 x4 or by means of walk-in at the clinic on May 5.