Healthier You Fall
2015
cold an d flu seas on is here
Page 23
State-of-the-art
guide to vitamin d no smoking... protecting our patients!
Boost your immunity
surgical centre Bringing the best
in surgical care to Southern and Central Interior patients Fill your diet with healthy foods – p. 10
Volume 1, Issue 1
Fall
coverstory
2015
14
p.
State-of-the-art surgical centre The new Interior Heart & Surgical Centre (IHSC) opened to patients on September 28, at Kelowna General Hospital.
inside
Here are some tips on how you can tell if you or your child has a cold or influenza (the flu).
Protect our air, protect our patients ������������������������������ Page 6
Give it a shot! Importance of flu shot ��������������������������������������������������� Page 24
Achoo! Cold and flu season is here ������������������������������������������������������� Page 23
New signs remind patients, visitors, and staff that Interior Health buildings and grounds are completely smoke-free.
Flu shots are safe, effective and free for those at high risk of getting the flu.
Bolster your defences ������������������������� Page 10
Training tomorrow’s family doctors, right in our backyard ����������������������� Page 26
Nutrition combined with exercise is a powerful way to bolster your immune system.
Healthy holiday celebrations ����������� Page 12 If you are planning a holiday celebration, be sure to include healthy food and healthy activities.
Recruiting doctors to live and work in communities – particularly in rural areas – has long been a challenge. But family doctors are increasingly being trained right here in our backyard.
You are my sunshine: Vitamin D ��������� Page 20 Not only is Vitamin D important for healthy bones and teeth, but research suggests it may also play a role in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. fall 2015
Healthier You
3
WELCOMEmessage
Greetings from Interior Health
Healthier You Volume 1, Issue 1 – Fall 2015
On behalf of Interior Health and its Board of Directors, welcome to the inaugural issue of Healthier You.
published by:
These are exciting days for health care and we are pleased to share some of the highlights in this new magazine, which is produced in partnership with Glacier Media and distributed throughout our region.
By Erwin Malzer, Interior Health Board Chair
Where can you find Healthier You?
Look for Healthier You in our Interior Health facilities, as well as doctors’ offices, walkin clinics, pharmacies and other community settings throughout the Central and South Interior. We are committed to sharing stories and insight into health-related issues that matter to you.
With the launch of this publication our aim is to include helpful information about the complex health issues that matter to you, as well as inspiring stories about our staff and patients. For example, in this issue you will find useful health information on how to combat cold and flu season and stay healthy over the holidays. We have also included a feature about the new $381 million Interior Heart and Surgical Centre, which opened this September. We are absolutely thrilled to have a facility of this calibre to serve patients from every corner of Interior Health. Centrally located in Kelowna, this state-of-the-art integrated critical care facility, supported by a full range of clinical supports, offers the highest level of medical care ever seen in the Interior.
fall 2015
PUBLISHED BY interior HEALTH & GLACIER MEDIA
Copyright ©2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction of articles permitted with credit.
Interior Health
Contributors / Healthier You is produced by the Interior Health communications team with contributions from public health staff, in partnership with Glacier Media.
Glacier Media Group
Sales & Marketing Kevin Dergez Director of Special Projects kdergez@glaciermedia.ca
If you are one of many people in the province wishing we could train more of our own doctors, you’ll be interested to read about the University of British Columbia’s training programs for family physicians, based here in the Interior.
Ellyn Schriber Newsmedia Features Manager BC eschriber@glaciermedia.ca
There is no question that health care is important to each of us, whether we are staying healthy, living with illness, getting better, or coping with end-of-life issues. At Interior Health, our mission is to promote healthy lifestyles and provide quality health services in a timely, caring, and efficient manner – for all residents of the Central and Southern Interior, at all stages of life.
Advertising Sales
I hope you enjoy this first issue. Watch for the next issue due out in winter. In closing, I encourage you to share your feedback and story ideas with our team of writers and editors at IHAcommunications@ interiorhealth.ca. We would love to hear from you. Enjoy the read!
4 Healthier You
www.glaciermedia.ca
Keshav Sharma Manager Specialty Publications ksharma@glaciermedia.ca The Daily Courier – Kelowna Kamloops This Week
Creative Director / Eric Pinfold
Advertisements in this magazine are coordinated by Glacier Media. Interior Health does not endorse products or services. Any errors, omissions or opinions found in this magazine should not be attributed to the publisher. The authors, the publisher and the collaborating organizations will not assume any responsibility for commercial loss due to business decisions made based on the information contained in this magazine. Speak with your doctor before acting on any health information contained in this magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without crediting Interior Health and Glacier Media. Printed in Canada. Please recycle.
FSC
AD VER TORIAL
MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE November or “Movember” has become the month where men everywhere show us their moustaches in support of men’s cancers. Movember is the perfect time to discuss the impact of exercise on cancer. Not just cancers affecting men but movement is medicine with a whole range of cancers. When faced with a diagnosis of cancer, very few people will think to hit the gym. Research is showing us that physical activity can play a very important role in the prevention, treatment and recovery of cancer. How? You ask;
What is the dose for this therapy? For maximal health benefits, the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology recommends that adults between the ages 18 – 64 years should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more. Strength training exercises should be added two days per week. Less time spend sitting and lying down throughout the day is recommended.
Prevention – a variety of biological mechanisms, primarily body composition, metabolic factors, inflammation, insulin resistance and immune function according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
If you are not currently active, its important to speak to your doctor and start slowly. Check with your Physician to see what medically supervised programs are available in your community and discuss with your doctor what programs may be best for you.
Treatment – When approved by the treating Oncologist, exercise can maintain muscular strength, improve sleep quality, improve mood, decrease anxiety and improve metabolism during cancer-targeting therapies. Exercise can also aid in the prevention of cancer-related chronic conditions.
If you do currently have a diagnosis of cancer, speak to your treating Oncologist regarding what level of Physical Activity is right for you. Ask what movements you should avoid or do with caution and what symptoms, if any you should look out for.
Recovery – Some forms of cancer require radical treatments that can leave the patient very weak and with a multitude of physical ailments. If left untreated, these physical ailments can have a major impact on quality of life and ability to perform life activities. Gradual and appropriate exercise can be employed to regain strength and improve muscle tone resulting in improved strength and stability.
Exercise can be a “four letter word” to some people. It can be a daunting recommendation when a Doctor tells a patient to start increasing physical activity. Start small, even modest increases in activity in the day can result in health improvements. Movement is medicine. We should all take our medicine every day for maximum health benefits!
There is evidence to suggest that physical activity reduces risk of colon, breast and endometrial cancers. Other research is suggesting the role of physical activity as a therapy to increase survival of breast and colon cancers. Moderate intensity exercise can reduce cancer related fatigue by 40 – 50%.
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Protect our air
protect our patients New signs remind patients, visitors, and staff that Interior Health buildings and grounds are completely smoke-free. Some of the signs feature actual patients, Ian and Sandra, who volunteered to be on the signs because clean air is essential to their health and recovery. Their powerful stories demonstrate why providing a smoke-free environment is an important part of health care. Ian Scoular lives with emphysema and Hepatitis C, yet he still goes out of his way to help other people. That’s one reason why you will spot his face on the smoke-free posters around Interior Health facilities. “It’s good to put myself out there so people can see who they need to protect,” he explains. Ian knows first-hand the problems cigarette smoke cause for people with compromised lungs. He was diagnosed with emphysema in 2006 after suffering with pneumonia for six months. “People also don’t realize how things like second-hand smoke will bother your condition. We already struggle with pollution and car exhaust every day.” Despite his debilitating illness, Ian tries to keep up his activity level. He bowls once a week with friends he met through Interior Health’s Breathe On lung health program and he attends two churches, both of which have helped him find peace.
6 Healthier You
fall 2015
Sitting in the small mobile home unit where he lives, he points to a dragon tattoo on his arm, noting it as the cause of his other health battle. Twenty-five years ago, he got the tattoo from a man who ran his business out of a home. Around the same time Ian was diagnosed with emphysema, he learned he also had Hep C, likely caused by unsterile tattoo equipment. He’s optimistic he will be eligible for new treatment to beat the deadly liver disease. It’s the same optimism you see in Ian’s face on the smoke-free posters as he asks anyone who might light up a cigarette or cigar on Interior Health grounds to think again and help him breathe clean air. Five years ago, Sandra Philibert led an active, energetic life. She worked full time, she went roller blading, she walked, and she was an involved grandma to a little girl. Then Sandra was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease and today her face is on Interior Health’s Smoke-Free poster, appealing for people to help her breathe by keeping her air clean.
Her health condition has so keenly brought home to her the need to keep the air – particularly around health facilities – smoke-free that despite severe anxiety, she volunteered to be the face of patients who rely on the goodwill of others to breathe more easily.
Mentally, it’s difficult to adjust to chronic poor health and then the depression kicks in, she adds. It’s easier to cope when you are not struggling to breathe. “That’s why I wanted to be on the poster. Second-hand smoke is so tough for any of us to handle.”
“People also don’t realize how things like second-hand smoke will bother your condition. We already struggle with pollution and car exhaust every day.”
Sandra Philibert and Ian Scoular are helping to remind everyone that all IH property is smoke-free.
– Ian Scoular
In early 2014, Sandra spent five weeks in Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver fighting for her life after she went into respiratory failure. “When I emerged from hospital, it felt like I started a different life. I was always so healthy. I was involved in the Parents Advisory Committees at my kids’ schools for 22 years. I was always out and about. “Now my lungs are very, very sensitive. I don’t like to be out of my house. I feel secure here. Even odors like perfume or deodorant can put me in bed for two days.”
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Healthier You
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www.rihfoundation.ca Amanda is grateful for the excellent care her family received at Royal Inland Hospital after the birth of her daughter, Norah, last year. With the help of RIH Foundation, babies in our community have access to life-saving care, so they can celebrate their first birthday at home with their family.
Amanda is grateful for the excellent care her family received at Royal Inland Hospital the birth of herher daughter, Norah, last Amanda is grateful forafter the excellent care family received at year. With the help of RIH Foundation, babies in our community Royal Inland Hospital after the birth of her daughter, Norah, last have access to help life-saving so they babies can celebrate their first year. With the of RIHcare, Foundation, in our community birthday at home with their family. have access to life-saving care, so they can celebrate their first birthday at home with their family.
When you leave a gift in your Will to the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation, you are contributing to healthcare excellence at RIH for years to come. State-of-the-art equipment, patient comfort items and When leave a gift Willoftothe theways Royalthat Inland Hospital Foundation, you are contributing medicalyoueducation areinjustyoura few a future gift can have a lasting impact on patientto care in healthcare excellence at your RIH for years to Royal come.Inland State-of-the-art equipment,you patient comfort items When you leave a gift in Will to the Hospital Foundation, are contributing to and our hospital. medical education areat just a few of thetoways that a future gift canequipment, have a lasting impact on patient healthcare excellence RIH for years come. State-of-the-art patient comfort items care and in
our hospital. medical education are just a few of the ways that a future gift can have a lasting impact on patient care in our hospital. Everyone who makes a legacy gift to RIH Foundation is welcomed into our Legacy Circle Society. It’s our way of recognizing generosity andtocommitment to RIH. Everyone who your makes a legacy gift RIH Foundation is welcomed into our Legacy Circle Society. It’s our way of recognizing your generosity and commitment to RIH. Call Alisa Coquet at 250.314.2836 for more information on how to remember the hospital in your Will. Call Alisa Coquet at 250.314.2836 for more information on how to remember the hospital in your Will.
Everyone who makes a legacy gift to RIH Foundation is welcomed into our Legacy Circle Society. It’s our way of recognizing your generosity and commitment to RIH. Call Alisa Coquet at 250.314.2836 for more information on how to remember the hospital in your Will.
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Immunity Boost your
Nutrition combined with exercise is a powerful way to bolster your immune system.
A strong immune system is the body’s best defense against colds and flu, and good nutrition is key to building your body’s defenses. Use these tips from Interior Health’s Public Health Dietitians to help fight common bugs by filling your diet with healthy foods: Load up on fruits and vegetables. They contain powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, which will build up your immune system to help fight off illness. Choose brightly colored or dark green fruits and veggies for the most antioxidants. Aim for seven to eight servings per day. One serving equals one small to medium sized piece of fruit or vegetable or half a cup if chopped. Digestive health plays an important role in preventing sickness. Normally, your body contains “friendly” bacteria, or flora, that help fight off any “bad” bacteria trying to gain access to your system. Diets high in refined sugar, frequent antibiotic use, and everyday stress can disrupt this healthy balance of “friendly” versus “bad” bacteria, leaving us more vulnerable to sickness. You can help restore healthy digestive flora by eating foods that naturally contain good bacteria and/or by taking a probiotic supplement. Probiotics can be found naturally in fermented foods such as yogurt, buttermilk, miso, tempeh, and fresh sauerkraut. Vitamin D is also thought to play an important role in strengthening the immune system. Health Canada recommends 400-800 international units (IU) per day depending on age. Some other national health organizations recommend higher doses. For instance the Canadian Cancer Society recommends 1000 IU per day for adults during the fall and winter months. Dietary sources of vitamin D include milk, fortified soy beverage, salmon, tuna, sardines and egg yolks. Talk to your health-care provider to learn if you are getting enough Vitamin D. Of course nutrition is only part of the solution. Exercise is also a powerful way to bolster your immune system. Among the many benefits of exercise is stress reduction. Stress takes a significant toll on our immune system so it’s important to take time for yourself. Get out for a brisk walk, bike ride, take part in yoga, or any physical activity that you enjoy!
fall 2015
Healthier You
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healthy holiday
Celebrations
The holidays are around the corner, and so are celebrations with friends, family and coworkers. But all that eating and drinking can take a toll.
12 Healthier You
fall 2015
If you are planning a holiday celebration, be sure to include healthy food and healthy activities. These ideas from Interior Health’s Public Health Dietitians can help make your holiday celebrations both healthy and fun: Christmas sandwiches: Cut sandwiches in the shape of gingerbread men, snowmen, and bells (try soft fillings like salmon, egg salad, or peanut butter and jam spread thinly). Don’t forget to ask if guests have allergies.
Snowman pizza: Use whole wheat English muffins or pitas as the pizza crust. Top with tomato sauce and shredded cheese. Arrange two or three pizzas to resemble a snowman. Decorate with chopped vegetables, pineapple, ham, cooked chicken, and black beans.
Rice pudding: This is a traditional Christmas Eve dessert in Sweden.
Vegetable Christmas tree: Arrange broccoli florets on a platter in the shape of a Christmas tree. Decorate with cherry tomatoes and red and yellow peppers.
Fruit punch: Skip the soda. Mix together your favourite 100 per cent fruit juices and add sliced strawberries and kiwi. For some fizz add carbonated water.
Apple tea: Add apple slices, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves, and vanilla to warm water. Steep for five minutes, strain and enjoy. Plan celebrations to include a variety of activities, games, and crafts for all to enjoy, so eating, drinking, and time on the couch are not the only activities. For example, bundle up and have a sledding party, sing Christmas carols, or take a walk around the neighbourhood to look at all the lights.
Have a happy and healthy holiday!
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Healthier You
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state
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New centre brings state-of-theart surgical care to Southern and Central Interior patients
14 Healthier You
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What began as a long-term project to bring full cardiac surgery services to the Interior of B.C. for the first time in history, is now a state-of-the-art integrated care and surgical facility. The new Interior Heart & Surgical Centre (IHSC) opened to patients on September 28, at Kelowna General Hospital.
A key component of the IHSC is the cardiac surgery program – the first such program outside of Victoria and the Lower Mainland – which decreases the need for patients to travel long distances away from family and friends to receive life-saving care. Although it is now housed within the new facility the program originally began in 2012 at KGH and has benefitted more than 1,500 patients from every corner of the region. For example, more than 600 patients a year have open heart surgery in Kelowna – patients that previously would have had to travel outside of the Interior.
(above) The new Interior Heart & Surgical Centre (IHSC) at Kelowna General Hospital.
fall 2015
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In addition to cardiac surgery, the centre provides: urology; vascular; thoracic; gynecology; ear, nose and throat; orthopedics and orthopedics trauma; plastics; neurology; and other general surgeries. There is also a highly specialized hybrid operating room equipped with an advanced medical imaging device that enables minimally invasive surgery, which is less traumatic for patients. Also located in the IHSC are new pre- and post-operative, day surgery, and post-anesthetic recovery bays, and a cardiac surgery intensive care unit. On the third floor, a brand new medical device reprocessing (MDR) department is bathed in natural light, delivered through large windows and skylights. MDR is where the decontamination, inspection, maintenance, assembly, disinfection and sterilization, and storage of reusable instrumentation and patient care equipment happen. This important work is completed by specially trained staff. A new maternity unit, located on the top floor of the IHSC, opens in spring 2016. The new maternity unit replaces the hospital’s existing labour and delivery unit and features expanded private and semiprivate spaces, and an upgraded neonatal intensive care unit. It will also have its own dedicated C-section operating room. Dr. Guy Fradet, medical director of the Interior Health Cardiac Surgery Program, performs heart surgery.
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“I was on call on the second day the IHSC was open and had to perform two emergency surgeries that evening,” said Dr. Mike MacLeod, head of general surgery at KGH. “I was pleased to see how well the staff was adapting to their new surroundings, and I was proud to be in the new IHSC. The patients seemed reassured by the attentive staff, and the state-of-the-art facility. Everything went so well.”
– Dr. Mike MacLeod
Dr. Mike MacLeod, head of surgery at KGH and operating room nurse Leanne Rains.
fall 2015
Healthier You
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Plagued by...
“I am so proud of our project team for their years of dedication and hard work on the new surgical centre,” says Norma Malanowich, chief project officer and corporate director capital planning at Interior Health, who is overseeing the IHSC project. “It takes an incredibly multitalented team of professionals to complete a project of this size.”
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As the latest addition to the KGH campus, the IHSC is part of an expansion of health facilities across Interior Health, which has seen more than one billion dollars invested in the construction and renovation of its hospitals since 2002. Some of these projects are the new Polson Tower at Vernon Jubilee Hospital; an expanded emergency department at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson; a new intensive care unit currently underway at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook; the recently approved patient care tower at Penticton Regional Hospital that begins construction in 2016; and the start of planning for a new patient care tower at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.
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You are my sunshine:
Guide to Vitamin D
The days continue to get shorter as we head into winter, and with shorter days comes less vitamin D. So why is vitamin D, or ‘the sunshine vitamin’, important?
20 Healthier You
fall 2015
We need calcium to build strong, healthy bones and our bodies need vitamin D to absorb calcium. Not only is Vitamin D important for healthy bones and teeth, but research suggests it may also play a role in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases.
Before taking vitamin D supplements, consult your pharmacist or doctor, particularly if you are taking other medications.
Years ago, most of us were able to get the vitamin D we needed from the sun. Nowadays, we spend more time indoors and take measures to protect our skin from cancer-causing sun rays. Protecting our skin is important, but it does make it more difficult for our skin to make enough vitamin D. Here in Canada, in the fall and winter months when the sun is low in the sky, we don’t make any vitamin D.
continued on next page >
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The amount of calcium and vitamin D you need each day depends on your age and if you are male or female. Bone thinning occurs as part of aging. After age 30, men and women begin to lose bone mass. If over time your bones thin so much that they become fragile and in danger of breaking, you have osteoporosis. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is especially critical for women in the first few years after menopause. During this time, bone mass is lost faster.
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We can get some vitamin D from our diets. Fortified food is the best source of vitamin D and calcium. The main source is vitamin D from fortified cow’s milk. Each cup of milk gives toddlers, children, and adults about one sixth of the vitamin D they need each day. Fatty fish and eggs also contribute a little, but not enough.
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390-546 St. Paul Street Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5T1
Achoo! Cold and flu season is here
It’s the time of year when sneezing, coughing, and runny noses become more common. Here are some tips on how you can tell if you or your child has a cold or influenza (the flu). A cold is usually a milder illness than the flu. Cold symptoms can make you feel uncomfortable for a few days, while influenza can make you feel ill for a few days to weeks. Influenza is also more serious and can cause other health problems, like pneumonia. Visit HealthLink BC’s health files for more information about the difference between colds and the flu. Influenza spreads easily from person to person through coughing, sneezing, or having face-to-face contact. The virus can also spread when a person touches tiny droplets from a cough or a sneeze on another person or object and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands. An infected person can spread the influenza virus even before feeling sick. An adult can pass along the virus from about one day before, to five days after symptoms start. Young children may be able to spread the virus for a longer period of time.
Prevention is the best medicine. Here are a few tips to help you and your family stay healthy:
et a flu shot! When everyone in your family (above G six months of age) gets the flu shot, it helps protect those who are too young to get vaccinated or have compromised immune systems. Flu shots are free for many people including young children (6-59 months) and their families. ash your hands, wash your hands, and wash your W hands! Especially after coughing, sneezing or wiping your nose, your child’s nose, or being in contact with someone who is ill. ough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and teach C children to do so too. S tay home if you are sick. If your children are sick with the flu, keep them home from daycares and schools.
eep babies away from people who have a cold or flu K whenever possible. void sharing toys that kids place in their mouths until A the toys have been cleaned, and avoid sharing cups, utensils, or towels until they have been washed. For more information on the flu vaccine and to find a free flu clinic near you, visit www.interiorhealth.ca
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Healthier You
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give it a shot! Importance of flu shot
Public Health staff are gearing up for seasonal flu clinics across the region.
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Elinor and Wilson Smith, along with their mother Sydney Folk, will be getting their annual flu shots this fall. Families with young children are among those for whom the vaccine is free.
The leaves are changing colours, a signal for Penticton resident and busy mother Sydney Folk to plan to get the influenza vaccine for herself and her family this season. She first received the vaccine when she was pregnant with her first child five years ago. Since then, the shot has become an annual tradition for her and her two young children. “I think it’s important because I have a lot of people in my life who are immunosuppressed and it’s important to me to keep them as healthy as possible. It’s especially important over the holidays when there is lots of travel and visits. I’d hate to miss out on family time because of the flu,” Sydney says. “Plus, practically speaking, I can’t afford to get sick and miss work.” All forms of influenza, or ‘the flu’, are highly contagious. Influenza is also the leading cause of preventable death due to infectious disease in Canada – each year about 3,500 Canadians die from influenza complications. Seniors, infants under two, and people with chronic illness are most at risk. Those who are not eligible for the free seasonal flu shot may still get vaccinated at many pharmacies, private travel clinics, doctor’s offices or walkin clinics for a fee. Also, check with your employer to see if vaccines are being offered at your workplace. Individuals are required to have either had a flu shot or wear a mask when visiting patients during the flu season (from the beginning of December to the end of March). By following this policy, you will help protect your loved ones – the people you are visiting – from getting a potentially serious illness. To find a flu clinic near you, visit the Flu Locator at www.immunizebc.ca, or contact your local Public Health Centre. To learn more about this year’s influenza vaccine, visit www.interiorhealth.ca.
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Halloween is a good chance for staff – including Williams Lake Dental Assistant / tooth fairy Michelle Hilton, to have fun rolling up their sleeves for the flu shot.
The seasonal influenza vaccine is 60 to 80 per cent effective in healthy children and adults in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza infection. Flu shots are safe, effective and free for those at risk of getting the flu and its complications, including: • People 65 years of age and older and their caregivers/household contacts. • People of any age in residential care facilities. • Children and adults with chronic health conditions and their household contacts. • Children and adolescents (six months to 18 years) with conditions treated for long periods of time with acetylsalicylic acid / Aspirin (ASA) and their household contacts. • Children and adults who are morbidly obese. • Aboriginal people (on and off reserve). • All children 6-59 months of age. • Household contacts and caregivers of infants and children 0-59 months of age. • Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy during the influenza season and their household contacts. • Visitors to hospitals, health centres, and residential care facilities. • People who work with live poultry. • Health-care and other care providers in facilities and community settings who are capable of transmitting influenza disease to those at high risk of influenza complications. • Individuals who provide care or service in potential outbreak settings housing high risk persons (e.g., crew on ships). • People who provide essential community services (first responders, corrections workers.) • Inmates of provincial correctional institutions.
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Training tomorrow’s doctors
for your family
Recruiting doctors to live and work in communities – particularly in rural areas – has long been a challenge. But family doctors are increasingly being trained right here in our backyard.
The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine’s Rural Training Program, originally launched in 1982, prepares doctors who have completed medical school and are interested in working in nonurban communities. There are now 18 sites in communities across the province, training tomorrow’s family doctors. This year the Kootenay Boundary Family Medicine Residency Program began training residents across several communities including Trail, Nelson, Grand Forks, Nakusp, Fruitvale , Salmo and Castlegar.
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(above) Kamloops Family Practice Residency Program participant Dr. Harpreet Ghuman checks on a young patient. photo credit: Laurel
Thompson.
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This year UBC’s Family Medicine Residency Program began training medical residents throughout the Kootenay Boundary region.
“They will have a truly genuine rural medical training experience as part of one of the two most remote sites in the Province, the other being in Fort St. John. Residents will have the opportunity to train in a regional referral hospital in Trail, and in smaller community hospitals in Nelson, Grand Forks and Nakusp,” says Kootenay Boundary Family Practice Program Site Director Dr. Cheryl Hume. “They will be trained by experienced and very competent rural physicians and the hope is that by exposure to the rewards of living in and practicing medicine in remote rural areas, they too will one day consider rural practice.” In addition, the UBC Family Practice Residency Program opened in Kamloops in 2014. Although not specifically for rural practice, training in Kamloops opens up options for physicians who may not otherwise consider working outside of major urban centres. “It’s important to train doctors throughout the province,” says Dr. Selena Lawrie, site director of the family medicine residency program in Kamloops. “The residency program not only helps meet the needs of under-resourced communities, but sites such as Kamloops provide an ideal training ground for young doctors.” The city’s professional medical community exposes residents to diverse clinical settings and a wide variety of patient experiences over the course of their residency. “One of the beautiful things about training in a community like Kamloops is that, unlike in some large urban centres, many doctors still do everything. They still provide obstetrics, palliative care, hospital care, and we have a regional hospital with a busy trauma centre. It’s great for training residents who are really looking to experience the full scope of practice in a mid-size setting,” says Dr. Lawrie.
a resident in Kamloops. “The incredible thing about Kamloops is that it has both amenities and assets of a larger city with the charm and friendliness of a small town. I’ve also felt incredibly spoiled having Sun Peaks just 45 minutes away for skiing and some of the best mountain bike trails out there to explore!” To date, more than 200 residents have graduated from the Rural Training Program, 70 per cent of whom are practicing in rural communities in B.C., Canada, and even internationally. Next July, the Kamloops site will join those sites training International Medical Graduates. These are doctors who have completed medical school outside of Canada and the U.S., who will sign return of practice contracts, increasing odds that they will continue to practice in the Interior. “It gives our Interior Health communities a buzz. Prior to our residency, many people didn’t know about Kamloops or the Okanagan, or the smaller communities in the Kootenays. Now, the new young doctors of tomorrow are given the opportunity to learn about these communities and develop contacts here.” “Our hope is that people will come to our community and choose to stay. Some of the residents come from across Canada, so they may or may not stay. However, many of them have roots here in the Interior. By giving them an opportunity to complete their training here, we allow those roots to deepen,” adds Dr. Lawrie. Residents are linked with a primary preceptor and may work in the hospital, a health centre, an office, in remote communities or in more urban settings. They may be in residential care or work with home-care clients and staff.
Kamloops currently has six doctors completing their final training. The program will soon expand to include eight doctors.
“The medical community here in Kamloops has been overwhelmingly positive and welcoming,” says Dr. Lawrie. “It is truly a win-win for the community and these residents who want to do full scope family practice. They are excited to be here and we are excited to have them.”
“I could not have imagined a better start to a brand new program… We have had both patients and preceptors welcome us whole heartedly,” says Dr. Harpreet Ghuman who is currently
“It’s very interesting and it’s a real privilege to be a rural doctor,” says Dr. Hume. “It’s a demanding job and it takes someone who has an adventurous spirit.”
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