Early Pregnancy Access to Care & Triage Clinic

11/04/2025

Great ways to support a family with a new baby!

PC: Mishuarmama

10/23/2025

The Early Pregnancy Access to Care and Triage (EPACT) Clinic is open to all pregnant individuals seeking care, including ultrasounds, referrals and early pregnancy screening tests in their first and second trimesters.

Call or text today! 250-318-3861

How our team-based service is meeting the goals we set out to achieve:

1) Reduce barriers for families seeking access to early pregnancy care: No doctor? No problem! We invite patient self referral by text message or by calling 250-318-3861. Flexible in-person or virtual care supports families in rural communities around Kamloops. Translation services available.

2) Reduce burden on acute and urgent care services in Kamloops: Since opening, significantly fewer people present to the RIH Emergency dept, and the Urgent Primary Care Clinic, which does not offer maternity care, for early pregnancy care or concerns. This helps improve ER wait times and urgent care capacity for people with non-pregnancy related care needs!

3) Identify and mobilise under-utilised healthcare providers! Our innovative, flexible team approach creates opportunity for health professionals, many of whom stepped back from the burden of heavy caseload maternity care, to return to work in ways that support both their work enjoyment and their family life balance! We also invite participation of all the maternity care professions; midwives, nurse practitioners, nurses and physicians.

Our service is not "the" solution and was never meant to be... but we are a new and vital service within what needs to be a new and multifaceted approach... one big beautiful vision for the future of maternity care in Kamloops! ❤️

Thanks for two years of community support and over 1500 families served!

10/17/2025

10/15/2025

The Early Pregnancy Access to Care and Triage Clinic is still open and celebrating 2 years of service to families in the Thompson Region!

Who? All pregnant individuals seeking essential care, including ultrasounds and early pregnancy screening tests in their first and second trimesters.

How? Call or text today! 250-318-3861

Our team-based service is a vital lifeline in the Thompson region, helping to reduce strain on the emergency department and providing a critical service, especially with the continued challenges for local maternity care.

The clinic, now officially known as EPACT: Early Pregnancy Access to Care and Triage Clinic and Cyecwmenéllcwten, a caregiving place, has provided timely, comprehensive care to over 1,400 individuals since opening in Sep 2023.

In recognition of our commitment to culturally appropriate and responsive care, the Tk’emlúps Fluent Elders group gifted our clinic the beautiful Secwépemc name Cyecwmenéllcwten, meaning "a caregiving place”.

08/01/2025

Actually, no one will be denied care, regardless of attachment to a primary care provider. There is a dedicated team of nurses, midwives and physicians ready to receive you and provide necessary assessment and medical care. The decision to transfer any patient is based on their medical need and available local resources. If you are concerned about your pregnancy or your baby, please go to the hospital for assessment.

Due to potential gaps in maternity department physician scheduling, we are advising expectant parents and families of potential changes to maternity services at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) in over the summer, beginning July 26.

Anyone in labour should go to RIH to be assessed and emergency care for people in imminent labour or experiencing urgent complications will be available at RIH.

Expectant parents without a regular primary care or maternal care provider will be assessed at RIH and may be transported to alternate hospitals to deliver their babies if they require specialized care or their care history is unknown. If out-of-community care is required, families will be informed and transportation and accommodation supports will be provided if needed.

Individuals with a maternal care provider will continue to receive care through their provider and will deliver at RIH, in most cases.

We recognize the significant impact any change in maternity services can have on expectant individuals and families. Our top priority is to provide high quality and safe care to patients and newborns.

For information and assistance, patients may call 250-314-2635 to speak with RIH Labour and Delivery.

https://www.interiorhealth.ca/media/temporary-change-maternity-care-royal-inland-hospital-july-24-2025

06/24/2025

We have confirmed a single measles case in .

We are following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to the case as part of normal contact tracing. The risk to the broader public is considered low.

However, if you were at the following locations during the time listed below, you may have been exposed to measles:

▶️ Denny’s Restaurant
570 Columbia St, Kamloops, BC
June 16, 2025 between 12:00 and 2:45 p.m.
▶️ Aberdeen Mall
1320 Trans-Canada Hwy, Kamloops, BC
June 16, 2025 between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.
▶️ Earls Restaurant
1210 Summit Dr, Kamloops, BC
June 16, 2025 between 6:30 and 11:30 p.m.
▶️ Shoppers Drug Mart
1210 Summit Dr, Kamloops, BC
June 16, 2025 between 9:30 p.m. and 11:35 p.m.
▶️ Castles and Cottages
347 Victoria St, Kamloops, BC
June 18, 2025 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

People who are at risk of getting measles are:
- Those who have never had measles disease, and
- Those who have not had two doses of a measles vaccine on or after 12 months of age.

For people who are not fully protected against measles and may have been exposed, we recommend:

- If you were born in 1970 or later and have not had two doses of measles vaccine, you should get a booster dose of measles vaccine. It is most effective if received within three days of being exposed but still can be received after that.

- Certain people should not get the measles vaccine. These include babies less than six months of age, pregnant people, and people with certain immune conditions. If you, or your child, are in one of these groups, please call your local Public Health team as soon as possible and no later than six days after being exposed. You may be advised that you, or your child, receive a medication that can prevent measles disease. This is also provided free of charge.

If you may have been exposed and have not been vaccinated against measles or are unsure, are immunocompromised, have an exposed child under one year of age, or are pregnant, please call 1-855-549-6364 and leave a message. The IH communicable disease team who will review your vaccine history, determine your immunity to measles, and provide recommendations.

Learn more: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/media/confirmed-measles-case-interior-health-june-24-2025

This is the first confirmed measles case in the Interior in 2025. However, there are other cases around the province which may impact people in this region as they travel during the summer. For a full list of exposure locations across B.C., please visit the BC Centre for Disease Control website. This will be updated with any possible exposures for flights and airports, as well as potential exposures at BC Ferries: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/measles

06/20/2025

Did you know? First Steps Early Pregnancy Triage Clinic provides support, clinical care and specialist referrals as needed for our clients who experience pregnancy loss 💔

The SOGC's new Clinical Practice Guideline on Early Pregnancy Loss includes new recommendations aimed at providing pregnant individuals with more specialized, comprehensive and compassionate care for early pregnancy loss.

To read the press release on the SOGC's new clinical guideline, visit:

SOGC Releases New National Guidance to Improve Care for Women After Early Pregnancy Loss

12/10/2024

Tips for winter car seat safety!

-Don’t put a coat on a baby in a carseat.

-Dress baby in thin layers, add mittens and hats and a blanket on top of baby if needed.

-Only use car seat covers if they don’t go underneath baby.

-Be emergency prepared, have a bag in your car!

09/01/2024

The Pregnancy HUB is a FREE virtual program for pregnant, postpartum, and newly parenting people in BC that provides:
• Prenatal classes
• Feeding support
• Parenting courses
• Resource HUB full of evidence-based information
• Referrals to local in-person services across BC

To register for The Pregnancy HUB, click on the link below.
https://www.pregnancyhub.org/Resource-HUB

07/19/2024

There are options for non-medicated pain relief during labour!

• a supportive partner
• breathing and relaxation techniques
• warm baths or showers
• comfortable positions
• ice packs
• acupuncture and acupressure
• hypnosis
• massage
• walking

SOURCE: Baby’s Best Chance

07/19/2024

Don't miss out. Still time to sign up for the BCACCS Bringing Tradition Home training. July 26, 2024 from 9:00 - 4:00 PM. Online via Zoom. Cost: $30.00. Seats are limited, so register soon!
https://www.acc-society.bc.ca/bcaccs-events/