Dalhousie University is opening a new community clinic this fall designed to improve outcomes for Nova Scotians experiencing urgent respiratory challenges.
The clinic, based in the Fenwick Medical Centre in Halifax, is supported by a $300,000 investment from the biopharma company GSK Canada and in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health’s INSPIRED COPD Outreach Program, the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub, and LungNSPEI.
According to Nova Scotia Health, lung conditions are very prevalent in Canada. These conditions include lung cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nova Scotia has the highest rate of lung cancer with more than 700 related deaths annually.
At the same time, the increasing risk of wildfires caused by a rapidly changing climate decrease air quality and increase the risk of respiratory infections.
Nova Scotia also has the highest proportion of teens and 20 to 24-year-old smokers, according to a report from Prezner Injury Law. Among adults, the province ranks sixth.
Heather Mulligan, senior manager of advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society, previously told 95.7 NewsRadio that if this issue is left unchecked it will lead to serious healthcare repercussions across the province.
The cumulation of these factors means Nova Scotia’s healthcare system must be poised to handle an increasing number of respiratory concerns. With the formation of the community clinic, it can help keep mild to moderate respiratory concerns out of the emergency room to allow hospitals to take on more complex cases.
“Nova Scotia presents a significant opportunity for advancing respiratory care innovation,” Sridhar Venkatesh, president and general manager of GSK Canada, said in a statement. “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,” he added.
The clinic will be able to offer services including spirometry testing for triage, smoking cessation support, vaccination services for respiratory illnesses, inhaler coaching, exercise and wellness navigation, and follow-up care.
“The clinic will also provide important preventative care for patients with mild to moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, and other chronic lung conditions,” Dalhousie University said in a release. “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.”
In addition to serving patients, the clinic will also play a vital role in training respiratory care professionals. The clinic will serve as a placement site for Dalhousie’s School of Health Science’s expanded Respiratory Therapy program.
The clinic will allow students to gain hands-on experience under the supervision of licensed therapists, addressing a critical workforce gap in respiratory care.
“This initiative is about more than just access — it’s about building capacity,” Dr. Sanja Stanojevic, associate professor in Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine, said. “By embedding students in community-based care, we’re training future health-care professionals while directly improving patient outcomes. We’re deeply grateful to GSK for their generous support, which is helping turn this vision into reality.”
The clinic is set to begin taking patients this fall.
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