April 7, 2026
Innovation Fund series: ‘We have been following the Patient’s Medical Home model at the Nest from day 1.’
Drs. Ankit and Julia Kapur, The Nest Health Centre, Regina
The $10-million Innovation Fund was negotiated as a key component of the 2022-26 agreement. Twenty‑eight medical clinics across Saskatchewan have received support from the Innovation Fund to better meet the needs of their patients and communities. These projects are helping clinics add team members, improve care, and build stronger, physician-led, team‑based care.
The Saskatchewan Medical Association is profiling individual physicians whose Innovation Fund project ideas are leading change in family medicine in Saskatchewan. Featured are Drs. Ankit and Julia Kapur of The Nest Health Centre in Regina.
Dr. Ankit Kapur spent two years in residency at the La Ronge Medical Clinic and Dr. Julia Kapur spent one, where they experienced the benefits of a Patient’s Medical Home (PMH) model.
“The La Ronge clinic is a wonderful example of numerous services and supports all in one location serving an extended catchment area – not just for patients of La Ronge but also providing care through satellite clinics in northern Saskatchewan. The PMH model in La Ronge has influenced our ideas of what a family medicine clinic should look like to provide for patients.”
Dr Julia Kapur also spent a year in Winnipeg, where the Wellness Institute, a medical fitness facility, is integrated with the Kildonan Medical Center and the Seven Oaks Hospital. This innovative care design demonstrated the transformative impact a medical fitness facility can have on rehabilitation, particularly for cardiac patients.
Aim is one-stop PMH for 25,000 patients
Drs. Ankit and Julia Kapur are now working to implement innovative change within Regina’s health care community through the Nest Health Centre. The Nest’s Innovation Fund project aims to use its large facility to develop a one-stop PMH for 25,000 patients serving Regina and surrounding communities with a focus on serving a number of vulnerable populations.
The Nest integrates family medicine and specialist services with other co-located allied health services, including a comprehensive fitness facility, with nurses and lab technicians, personal trainers, mental health practitioners, physiotherapy/kinesiology, dietician, diabetic nurse educators, chiropractor services, massage therapy and lactation consultants with others to be added in the near future.
“We have been following the Patient’s Medical Home model at the Nest from day 1. One of our goals is to address critical gaps in access to care for vulnerable populations including the elderly, Indigenous people, economically disadvantaged, and houseless and transient people – all who would normally go to the hospital for care.”
The clinic is experiencing a noticeable rise in chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension among its patients. Some patients are skipping essential rehabilitation services due to a lack of integrated care facilities. Elderly and vulnerable populations have limited access to services, particularly due to transportation challenges and structural barriers. There is a growing demand for gender health, diabetes management, and services for immigrant patients who find it challenging to receive care in the community.
The Nest’s Innovation Fund project has four areas of focus:
A single facility with medical care and wraparound services in a Patient’s Medical Home/Neighbourhood.
Continuity of care for houseless shelter patients needing medical care.
PMH clinic partnerships with a focus on chronic disease and rehabilitation to meet the needs of our Health Network and city.
Align with Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action and strengthen current partnerships with Indigenous organizations, leaders, and communities while creating a Community Engagement Circle to guide our programming.