New clinic set to revolutionize respiratory care in Nova Scotia – Faculty of Health

New clinic set to revolutionize respiratory care in Nova Scotia

School of Health Sciences respiratory therapy students with Nick Hilton (MLA, Yarmouth/ministerial assistant to the Minister of Health and Wellness) Hon. Michelle Thompson (Minister of Health and Wellness) on the left. And Sridhar Venkatesh (President & General Manager, GSK Canada) and Shawn White (Senior Manager, Government Affairs, GSK Canada) on right.

Dalhousie University, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health’s INSPIRED COPD Outreach Program, the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub and LungNSPEI, has announced the upcoming launch of the Nova Scotia Lung Wellness Clinic, a groundbreaking initiative designed to address urgent respiratory health challenges and improve outcomes for Nova Scotians.

Made possible through a $300,000 investment from GSK Canada, this cutting-edge clinic will open its doors later this fall at the Fenwick Medical Centre in Halifax. It represents a pivotal step in alleviating the province’s long-standing health system pressures, including long wait times for pulmonary testing and limited access to community-based, integrated chronic disease management.

“Nova Scotia presents a significant opportunity for advancing respiratory care innovation,” said Sridhar Venkatesh, President & General Manager of GSK Canada. “GSK is committed to uniting science, technology, and talent to get ahead of respiratory diseases, and we believe in supporting initiatives that have a meaningful impact on patients and communities. The Nova Scotia Lung Wellness Clinic is a beacon of what can be achieved through collaboration, and we’re proud to help shape a future where timely, proactive care can significantly improve the quality of life of people living with chronic lung conditions and reduce the burden on the healthcare system.”

A game-changer for respiratory care in Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia Lung Wellness Clinic will serve as a cornerstone for community-based respiratory care, offering a comprehensive range of services focused on early intervention, chronic disease management, and patient education. Key offerings include:

• Spirometry testing and specialist interpretation to triage patients more efficiently and preserve hospital capacity for complex cases.

• Smoking cessation support, provided via QuitNS and education programming.

• Vaccination services for influenza, pneumococcal, and COVID-19.

• Inhaler technique coaching and chronic disease self-management education to empower patients to take control of their health.

• Exercise and wellness navigation, as well as follow-up care for unattached patients.

This novel clinic will provide important preventative care for patients with mild to moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma and other chronic lung conditions. By improving patient outcomes, these patients will feel better, do better and their chance of presenting to an emergency department will be decreased thereby alleviating strain on Nova Scotia’s healthcare system.

“This is a great example of industry, community and the healthcare system coming together to do things differently to better support Nova Scotians,” said Nova Scotia Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “The Lung Wellness Clinic is an innovative approach that will offer Nova Scotians community-based respiratory care more quickly, support chronic disease management, and add capacity to train future health professionals.”

Supporting Workforce Development in Respiratory Care In addition to serving patients, the clinic will play a vital role in training the next generation of respiratory care professionals. As a clinical placement site for Dalhousie University School of Health Science’s expanded Respiratory

Therapy (RT) program, students will gain hands-on experience under the supervision of licensed RTs. This model addresses a critical workforce gap in respiratory care and contributes to the retention of skilled health professionals in Nova Scotia.

“This initiative is about more than just access—it’s about building capacity,” said Dr. Sanja Stanojevic, Associate Professor in Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine. “By embedding students in community-based care, we’re training future healthcare professionals while directly improving patient outcomes. We’re deeply grateful to GSK for their generous support, which is helping turn this vision into reality.”

Addressing Nova Scotia’s health system challenges Long wait times for pulmonary testing remain a significant barrier to timely diagnosis and care in Nova Scotia. The Lung Wellness Clinic will address this by offering community-based spirometry testing, delivered by respiratory therapists authorized through the INSPIRED program. This innovation will free up hospital-based Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) labs for more complex cases while improving access for patients who do not require full diagnostic assessments.

Beyond diagnostics, the clinic embraces a holistic, team-based care model that connects patients to essential services, including chronic disease education, lung cancer screening referrals, and community health programs. This proactive approach aligns with Canada’s evolving models of comprehensive primary care and chronic disease management, emphasizing upstream intervention and integrated care pathways.

“The Nova Scotia Lung Wellness Clinic is more than a clinic—it’s a hub for innovation, education, and community health,” said Catherine Gunn, Director School of Health Sciences within Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Health. “Working with our partners, we’re building a healthier future for Nova Scotians.”

“GSK’s support for this initiative underscores our commitment to respiratory health and improving access to care,” said Sridhar Venkatesh, President & General Manager, GSK Canada. “We’re excited to see this clinic not only enhance patient outcomes but also serve as a replicable model for other communities across Canada. By working collaboratively and focusing on early intervention, we can transform respiratory care and help more people breathe easier.”

The Nova Scotia Lung Wellness Clinic is scheduled to begin accepting patients in Fall 2025.