A publication for Staff and Physicians of IH
An extraordinary coincidence
Chris Mazurkewich talks about our top priority work in IH – the transformation of primary and community care.
Ways you can stay engaged in your day-to-day.
Patient rep praises plan for care in Kamloops.
A Thanksgiving for resilience in health care.
Celebrating the contributions of IH’s auxiliaries.
A 25-year-old photo connects two people, now colleagues.
Introducing the Secwepemc Nation, the fourth of eight Nation profiles.
Staff submitted photos of places in our region.
Snapshots of our staff in action and trending health-care videos.
Karen Davies and Caitlyn Atkinson have a surprising 25-year history. Story p. 12.
The @InteriorHealth magazine is a monthly publication created by the Communications Department of Interior Health. Past issues of @InteriorHealth can be found on our website under About Us/Media Centre/Publications & Newsletters. If you have story ideas for future issues, please e-mail: IHAcommunications@interiorhealth.ca Deadline for submissions to the December 2016 @InteriorHealth magazine is November 10. Editors: Amanda Fisher, Karen Hurst Designer: Kara Visinski IH Communications Contributors: Lesley Coates, Susan Duncan, Patrick Gall, Karl Hardt, Megan Kavanagh, Erin Toews, Breanna Traynor, Tracy Watson
Every person matters
I
n last month’s @IH magazine, we featured a story about how patients are benefiting from team-based care at Kimberley Health Centre, an Interior Health site that helps us better understand the concept of a primary care home and a patient medical home. Although it doesn’t have all the attributes, it’s an excellent start. The patient and provider perspectives shared in the story are clear evidence we’re doing the right thing in that community – very few of Kimberley’s residents are without a family doctor and each and every one has access to primary health services. The story was also timely; it came to my inbox the very same day I joined the Minister of Health for an announcement about how residents living in the North Shore neighbourhoods of Kamloops will soon benefit from expanded access to primary health-care providers.
because it means these clients will have one entry point rather than having to contact multiple services. I experienced the frustration of our system myself when I was trying to help my son find mental health support. He fell victim to the economic slowdown in Alberta and became depressed when he found himself without work. He has no family physician so we didn’t know what route to take because it’s the primary care provider who usually provides that direction. I made personal phone calls to figure out how the system works and this was just for low-level mental health depression. I can only imagine the frustration and feelings of helplessness for people who are completely unfamiliar with the system and are dealing with much more serious issues.
We have to do better, which is why the implementation of single access and team-based care are so important. Now our Interior Health’s role in the announcement is related to the goal is to have the model spread to all areas of IH because it’s specialized care teams we will introduce to the area – one team a key component of our commitment, and our mandate, to for a new Seniors Health and Wellness Centre; and another transform primary and community care. There is no opting out. team at a second location providing diabetes, lung, and heart health programs, as well as services for clients with mental To ensure success, I’ve recently announced some changes to health and substance use illnesses. When the new sites open, our structure. I’m thrilled to be welcoming Jason Giesbrecht teams of health-care professionals will focus on patients who back to IH and into a new role as Executive Director - Primary require significant support – those with the most complex & Community Care Transformation. Jason will report directly to conditions. me and I will provide oversight for this work. In addition, I have decided to restructure the Integration and Strategic Services In addition, these teams will be integrated with primary care portfolio in order to put greater focus on system providers to support them with their most complex patients, transformation. giving providers the ability to focus on other patients in need and ideally take on additional patients. This is our top priority work, it’s what needs to happen in communities across Interior Health, and it’s why we’re Another key piece of work underway is the development of accelerating our efforts in primary and community care. Stay a single access point for our clients who might require a few tuned for updates and related @IH stories as we achieve different IH community-based services. This is good news milestones along the way! Photo above: (L-R) CEO Chris Mazurkewich joins Dr. Chip Bantock, Board Chair, Thompson Region Division of Family Practice; Terry Lake, Health Minister; Dr. Alan Ruddiman, President, Doctors of BC; and Todd Stone, Minister of Transportation, at an event to announce expanded access to primary care providers on the North Shore of Kamloops.
Patients First Bringing care closer A
fter Jody Sloper volunteered to be a patient voice on two Interior Health teams studying health care for older adults in Kamloops, she was eager to see better services on the city’s North shore.
Although she lives on the opposite side of town, she understands that a large population of seniors resides on the North Shore and that it is challenging for many to travel to the south side of the river for the majority of their health care. The committee work clearly identified the gap in care and that’s why she was on the sidelines cheering when she heard Interior Health’s CEO join B.C.’s Minister of Health in announcing the opening of two health sites in North Kamloops. In her mind, the move to improve patient access to primary and community care services in the previously underserved area of the city will be greatly welcomed by local residents. Interior Health will relocate about 80 staff to the North Shore and create targeted specialized teams to support complex medical and frail elderly patients and people with mental health and substance use illnesses.
Kamloops resident Jody Sloper is a member of the Patient Voices Network and served on two IH committees studying how to improve health care for older adults in the city.
On Oct. 6, CEO Chris Mazurkewich told a crowd of IH staff, community representatives, and news reporters that the teams will work collaboratively with primary care providers to proactively support access to a full range of primary care services. “The creation of two new centres for Interior Health community-based services on the North Shore of Kamloops will bring care closer to where residents live. The sites will include teams of health-care professionals working together for seamless and streamlined service so patients can more easily access the care they need.” The announcement was part of a four-point action plan outlined by Health Minister Terry Lake to address patient access to primary health care in the Southern Interior community, which is challenged by a significant shortage of family physicians. The plan for Kamloops primary care involves:
Steps to increase capacity at walk-in clinics and existing doctors’ offices through the use of local family doctors over the next six months. Increasing existing ongoing practice capacity through targeted recruitment of family doctors and a new “nurse-inpractice” program. Establishing and recruiting practitioners to new “practice-ready” primary care centres, including placing internationally educated doctors from the Practice Ready Assessment program and recruiting nurse practitioners. Setting up specialized community care teams on the North Shore for the frail elderly, patients who are medically complex, and people with mental health and substance use concerns.
Renovations are underway at the two centres – one is on the second floor above a medical walk-in clinic and a pharmacy; the second encompasses a large section of a shopping mall. The mall site will also include a seniors health and wellness centre, which will be designed to provide short-term care to individuals with complex medical conditions and frailty through access to a collaborative team including a geriatrician, nurses, and allied health. The goal is to provide targeted community support for these individuals, reducing emergency department visits and hospital admissions. “This is a positive step going forward to give patients and families support. The seniors health and wellness centre model responds to what we identified as being needed,” said Jody. As a person who helped care for three elderly family members and a friend’s husband, Jody well understands the challenges that come with understanding what services are available to support people at home, as well as learning to be a caregiver to a frail senior. “It’s not just the physical care, but the education is essential to help people in this situation learn how to deal with it. It’s critical to be supported by a team of professionals like physio and occupational therapists,” she said, adding that is what is exciting about the plan for the North Shore. Services for these populations will also continue to be provided at Interior Health sites on the South Shore of the city. The full news release is available on the Ministry of Health website.
Above: Doctors of BC President Dr. Alan Ruddiman meets geriatrician Dr. Smita Varma, who is providing care to Kamloops frail elders with complex medical conditions. Below: Kamloops media interview Health Minister Terry Lake on Oct. 6 after an event at the Northills Centre mall outlining his four-point action plan for improved primary care.
Patient STORY by Wrae Hill, Human Factors and System Safety (Medicine and Quality)
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n July 28, my mom’s birthday, my dad was admitted to Kelowna General Hospital’s emergency department with a serious bleeding condition and several other serious complications. He spent the next five days in the intensive care unit (ICU) and then four weeks on 6 West. He was visited almost daily by his family physician, his wife, and family. At times, Dad was clinically between a “rock and a hard place.” However, he is now at home, walking and returning to his favorite activities and for that we are very, very thankful.
Don and Betty Hill with son Wrae Hill over Thanksgiving.
As a patient safety practitioner, I’m particularly interested in inter-professional communication and care continuity. What really struck me was how fantastically good the inter-professional communication between all those caring for my dad was. Many clinical experts and sub-specialties were involved. A key factor was Dad and Mom’s pre-existing relationship with their family physician, who was involved, daily, in all phases of care. The ICU team was particularly impressive in balancing risks and effective communication in the dynamic situations. Nursing skill and care was great in all areas. Throughout Dad’s stay at KGH, my family, including those who arrived from Tasmania and Scotland, commented on the amazing teamwork, inter-professional communication and collaboration we saw every day from everyone, including some talented UBC nursing students. We also appreciated the attention to infection control by all and the cleanliness afforded by friendly, caring cleaning staff. I learned first-hand that patient safety does not occur by accident. Excuse the pun. Modern resilience science sees safety as a verb rather than a noun. Safety is something that everyone in the system does, not something a system already has. Safety is not merely the absence of negatives and it’s not just vigilance. It is about the presence of a capacity to enable things to go right in the context of great complexity. Resilience involves anticipation, monitoring, responding, and learning. All health-care workers are both sensors and communicators for what is going on within the care teams. So Murphy’s Law is wrong. What can go wrong usually goes right. It goes right because skilled practitioners know that standard practices and appropriate flexibility of practice is necessary. Above all else, the central feature in my experience of Dad’s care was fantastic inter-professional communication and collaboration leading to the best possible outcome. This Thanksgiving we toasted to great health care … and making up for that missed birthday party. Thank you so much from a grateful family.
making a difference H
ealth-care auxiliaries play a significant role across Interior Health. They provide non-medical services and comforts to the patients of our hospitals by hosting fundraisers, operating thrift and gift shops, and volunteering huge amounts of time. The men and women who generously volunteer their time are integral in helping improve the lives and experiences of our patients and their families.
The contributions of all auxiliaries are worthy of celebration and we’d like to recognize and profile a few in this month’s @IH.
Cariboo Memorial Hospital Auxiliary President - Judy Newbery When did you join the auxiliary? I have been a member of the Cariboo Memorial Hospital Auxiliary since 2010 and currently serve as President. I joined the auxiliary to give some of my time in a volunteer capacity and to give back to my community. The auxiliary is 23 members strong, and I believe all our members have joined for similar reasons, several of whom have volunteered for 30 years.
What are some highlights of the auxiliary? The CMH Auxiliary was founded in 1923 – we have been serving the community for 93 years! In that time, our volunteers have been able to provide patient comfort and care, and purchase much-needed equipment for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital, by raising funds through our gift shop, convenience cart, bake sales, and silent auctions. In 2016, we will have provided $22,000 in funds towards items such as two vital signs machines for medical/surgical units, a Carescape vital signs machine for oncology, three neonatal stethoscopes for obstetrics, a VWR digital mini incubator for lab, two suction regulators for medical/ surgical, and more! Many of these are not large items, but they all work toward allowing staff to have the equipment they need to provide the best care for the patients. We also support two $1,000 bursaries for Grade 12 students who are going on to take education in a health-care related field – another way we are able to give back to our community!
The CMH Auxiliary provided $300 toward the construction of these activity boards for dementia patients. They were built by Leo Veerkamp, the father of CMH inpatient services care manager, Lisa Ryll. Showing the boards are: (front, L-R) Lisa Ryll and Auxiliary Volunteer Janet Miller; (standing, L-R) Auxiliary President Judy Newbery and Leo Veerkamp.
What are you currently fundraising for? Our latest fundraising project is a raffle for a beautiful handmade quilt donated by a local quilt maker, a Robert Bateman limited print, and a Reva Schick doll. If all the tickets are sold, we will be raising another $3,000 for equipment purchases. And we will add those items to the wall across from the gift shop, where all of our donations since 1924 have been recorded. We are proud to be supporters of Cariboo Memorial Hospital.
We would also like to recognize the Afternoon Auxiliary to Royal Inland Hospital for its recent Kamloops Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award. They won the Rocky Mountaineer Environmental Stewardship Award for their Thrift Seller store. Visit the In The Loop article for more information.
South Okanagan Auxiliary President – Carol Howes When did you join the auxiliary? I’ve been with the auxiliary for the past 16 years and in 2014 I was made president. All of us at the auxiliary are proud of our hospital here in Oliver and we greatly enjoy raising money for new equipment. Our thrift shop is also a fun place to work and meet new people.
What are some highlights of the auxiliary? We’ve raised more than $172,000 towards the Cancer Car program and equipment for the new Patient Care Tower. That funding has also supported the continued work of the South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver and supports the continued work of the Members of the South Okanagan Auxiliary at their thrift store in Oliver. Sunny Bank & Desert Valley Hospice Society in Osoyoos. We’ve also made funding available for bursaries for students pursuing a career in health care.
What are you currently fundraising for? We continually raise money for the South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver. However, we are currently giving as much as we can to the new Patient Care Tower project associated with Penticton Regional Hospital.
Cranbrook Health Care Auxiliary President – Bonnie Close When did you join the auxiliary? I have been a member of the Cranbrook Health Care Auxiliary since 2010 and have been honoured to serve as president for the last two years.
What are some highlights of the auxiliary? For a relatively small community and a region of about 80,000, we have had tremendous success in supporting major projects as well as smaller initiatives that all make a difference in supporting our community – and I don’t just mean Cranbrook. I mean the entire East Kootenay and all those people who access services at East Kootenay Regional Hospital. Since 2002, the auxiliary has raised approximately $6 million. Our 250 or so volunteers collectively donate close to 50,000 hours of their time to health care in our area. A few volunteers have been with us for 45 years. We all IH Board Director Dennis Rounsville (left) and Board Chair Erwin Malzer believe we are doing good work. Our members (right) present CHC Auxiliary President Bonnie Close with a plaque in volunteer for the friendships that come with being honour of the Auxiliary’s tremendous contributions over the years. part of the auxiliary and the warm and fuzzy feeling we get from helping others in our local area. Even members who have challenges getting out into the community continue to contribute, doing things like knitting baby hats and other outfits that are sold at our gift shop in the hospital.
What are you currently fundraising for? This year, the auxiliary has committed to raising $650,000 for a new permanent MRI for EKRH, which will replace the current mobile MRI service and provide better, more timely access to MRIs for East Kootenay residents.
An extraordinary coincidence A 25-year-old photo connects two people, now colleagues
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aren Davies and Caitlyn Atkinson work together at used the needle to ‘give the bunny a drink.’ In hindsight, it the Kelowna Health Centre, but they didn’t know may not have been the best technique,” says Karen with a they had met before – more than 25 years ago. laugh. “But I just love the look on Caitlyn’s face. She’s so surprised, like, ‘what are you doing to my sister?’ ” “I have been with Interior Health for 35 years now,” says Karen, Community Integrated Care Coordinator and leader Karen doesn’t often provide school vaccinations anymore, of Kelowna public health nurses. “When I started as a but helps out on occasion. nurse, I was working at the Westbank Health Centre, now the West Kelowna Health Centre, immunizing children.” “Recently, I was immunizing Grade 6 students and I really enjoyed it – I strongly believe in immunization. We are As part of the promotions very fortunate to have to advertise the Westbank vaccines that prevent kindergarten immunization diseases, once feared by clinics in 1991, Karen invited parents, and now no longer the local newspaper to take a common in childhood.” photo. After it was published, Karen asked for a copy. Right now, there are many different vaccinations “I just love the picture,” says available to the public at Karen. “The face of the little Interior Health, including girl watching her sister diptheria, tetanus, whooping getting an influenza shot cough, polio, hepatitis, from me is priceless! I measles, mumps, rubella, framed the photo and I have chickenpox, and influenza, had it here on my shelf ever to name a few. since.” “Our immunization program Little did Karen or the little is complex in comparison to girl in the photo know they what it used to be,” says would meet again as Karen. “We offer so many colleagues 25 years later. different vaccines now, that it takes a team of nurses and a collective effort to make these available to the public. This summer Caitlyn, a health unit aide in charge of I couldn’t perform my role without the dedication and ordering and maintaining vaccines at the Kelowna Health passion of our public health nurses. Caitlyn is an integral Centre, walked into Karen’s office to ask a question and part of this team and our jobs would be very difficult noticed the framed newspaper clipping. without her.”
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We are very fortunate to
have vaccines that prevent diseases, once feared by
parents, and now no longer common in childhood.
Pointing, with a quizzical look on her face, Caitlyn said, “That photo looks familiar.” “Oh, that’s just me,” said Karen. “It was taken a long time ago, when I was younger.” Caitlyn walked over to the shelf, “Oh my gosh, no, that’s me! It’s me, my sister, and my mom!” The pair pulled the photo off the shelf and laughed at the coincidence. “It’s just crazy that I noticed the picture sitting on Karen’s shelf,” says Caitlyn. “My mom has a copy of the old newspaper too, and remembers the day she took us to get vaccinated.” Karen says she recalls giving Caitlyn’s sister Courtney her immunization. “We used to draw a bunny on the child’s arm and then
At Interior Health, all employees, physicians, volunteers, students, or contractors are offered the influenza vaccination free of charge as per the Influenza Prevention Policy. For those who missed the workplace flu clinics, the influenza vaccination is still available at any public health clinic, pharmacy, or your doctor. “I think that getting the influenza vaccination is important to protect those around me with a low immune system,” says Caitlyn. “For me, that’s my nieces, nephews, and grandparents. I wouldn’t want to spread the flu to them.” Once you have received the influenza vaccine, or decide to wear a mask, self-report your decision to ensure we have an accurate report in the event of an outbreak. IH employees self-report at flu.interiorhealth.ca. IH physicians self-report at medicalstaffhealth.phsa.ca. Please visit the Influenza Protection Program web page on InsideNet for more information about this year’s influenza season.
This is the fourth in a series of eight profiles of Aboriginal Nations within Interior Health. This month we feature the Secwepemc People.
Secwepemc First Nation
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Coldstream Submitted by: Gina Eubanks
Canal Flats Submitted by: Cathleen Christensen
Kamloops Submitted by: Chongjian Hong
Nelson Submitted by: Vicki Hart
Where We Live & Work ... A Spotlight on Our Communities Covering more than 215,000 square kilometres, Interior Health is diverse in nature and composed of vibrant urban centres and unique rural communities. Photos are submitted by employees and posted to the InsideNet. Select photos are featured in @IH.
Submit your photos of the beautiful places that make up IH on InsideNet Spotlight Photos.
The Thompson Cariboo Shuswap Staffing Clerks – a.k.a. the Muddy Ducks – recently tackled Mudderella, a 9.5-kilometre adventure event in Whistler in which participants work together to conquer a muddy obstacle course designed by women. The event brings together thousands of people with the common goal of empowering women and raising awareness for breast cancer research. (L-R): Dorothy Woodland, Chelsey White, Paola Bruno, Sarah Mackay, Sheila Negraiff, and Kathie Fidanza.
Geriatric psychiatrists Drs. Carol Ward and Barbara Prystawa are presenting four dementia workshops using P.I.E.C.E.S.™ and the BC Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) Algorithm for medical directors, geriatric psychiatrists, and other physicians working in older adult mental health. The workshops are funded through a Specialist Services Committee project to improve care for those with dementia and related behaviours. For more information regarding the series of education opportunities, contact Specialist Services Committee/IH Residential Initiatives Project Coordinator Petra Bader at 250-546-4740.
After the East Kootenay Regional Hospital emergency department challenged the rest of the hospital to see how much food and household items they could collectively raise for the local food bank in 10 days, EKRH had collected more than 650 pounds of food and other items for the local food bank. In the photo are EKRH ED Patient Care Coordinator Michele Hromadnik, who organized the efforts along with registered nurses Wanda Lacoste, who first suggested the idea of the challenge, and Cory Greidanus.
Lots of talk about Naloxone lately – if you are wondering what it is and how it works, check out this video.
Dr. Shirzad of the VGH emergency room reveals a crucial component of emergency room care. Learn more at Knowledge Network, www.knowledge.ca.
Trusted contractor Mike Holmes and a radon dream team including The Lung Association and CARST (Canadian Association of Radon Scientists & Technologists) – talk about radon and why it is important to get your home tested. Learn more at Take Action on Radon, www.takeactiononradon.ca.