PREVENT Clinic

The PREVENT Clinic, powered by Manulife, is a multidisciplinary, risk-factor reduction program for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Focusing on prevention, not events, it operates as part of St. Mary's Regional Cardiac Care Centre. 

Located within St. Mary’s Cardio Pulmonary Rehabilitation (430 The Boardwalk, Suite 308), St. Mary's multidisciplinary team includes nurse practitioners, registered kinesiologists and exercise assistants, registered dietitians, clerical staff, smoking cessation counselling with a respiratory therapist, and social work support.

Who can be referred to the PREVENT Clinic?

A patient must be deemed high or at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, with documented sub-optimally controlled modifiable cardiac risk factors. They may include poorly controlled hypertension, hyperlipidemia, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, being a current smoker, having a family history of early-onset coronary disease in a first-degree relative, among others. 

Referrals are sent by completing the PREVENT Clinic eReferral Form on OceanMD by a patient’s primary care provider, or, if a patient does not have a primary care provider, by an emergency department physician/nurse practitioner, or hospitalist. 

Can patients self-refer?

Referrals must be made by a primary care provider, emergency department physician/nurse practitioner, or hospitalist. Patients cannot self-refer to the PREVENT Clinic.

What services are provided in the PREVENT clinic?

Our multidisciplinary team will provide education on lifestyle interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk. This may include an individualized exercise prescription from our registered kinesiology team, with time-limited access to onsite exercise classes. Patients will also receive guidance on evidence-based heart-healthy diet modifications and smoking cessation counselling if needed, with access to free nicotine replacement therapy, through the CAMH STOP program. If a patient does not have private drug coverage or has other concerns, we can offer an appointment with our social worker. And for those patients referred to the PREVENT clinic who don't have a primary care provider, our nurse practitioner will provide a clinical assessment and, where appropriate, initiate evidence-based, preventative medical therapy, such as diabetic management, optimization of blood pressure treatment, and lipid-lowering agents, based on national guidelines. If additional testing is required, investigations will be ordered and/or referral to specialist care will be initiated.