A publication for Staff and Physicians of IH
A message from Chris Mazurkewich, Interior Health’s CEO.
Wellness wisdom for work.
Health care assistants make sick people’s lives better.
Lillooet uses technology to ease patients’ surgical journey.
New care home offers valued support for couples.
Collaboration key for early learning.
Behind the scenes of an outbreak.
A spotlight on the South Okanagan Similkameen Foundation.
Staff-submitted photos of places where we live and work.
Snapshots of our staff in action and trending health-care videos.
On the cover: Deb Preston, Central Okanagan Community Administrator, was the operations lead on the massive effort to immunize Okanagan teens against meningococcal disease this winter. Story p. 16.
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 Editors: Beth Blew, Amanda Fisher Designer: Kara Visinski IH Communications Contributors: Haley Allen, Susan Duncan, Patrick Gall, Karl Hardt, Jessica Hewitt, Natalie Johal, Erin Toews, Breanna Traynor, Tracy Watson
Every person matters
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President & CEO Chris Mazurkewich
fter nearly three decades working in health care, and 22 of those years in IH, I have made the decision to retire this fall.
My transition to retirement is something I have been thinking about since last year. It has been both an interesting and challenging experience to get to this point; to look back at what I’ve been a part of and be ready to say “yes, it’s time.” I have been fortunate to work alongside amazing and caring people who are doing work that matters – probably more than anything else. In health care, we are saving lives, we are helping people, and we are making a difference each and every day. That will be difficult to leave behind.
care models, like the Seniors Health & Wellness centres; to opening mobile supervised consumption sites as part of our overdose emergency response; to renewing Letters of Understanding with each of the seven First Nations in IH, as well as the Métis Nation, and the overarching Partnership Accord for the Interior Region. I assure you that we will not pause on this strategic work – it will remain our commitment.
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I have been fortunate to
work alongside amazing and
caring people who are doing work that matters ...
But in moving on, I get the chance to look back at the highlights of my career – those things that stand out and mean the most, especially in the last three years as CEO. First, it has been the strategic work we’ve done to make health care more accessible in rural areas; the services we’ve developed to better support people living with mental illness and to help address the opioid crisis; and the efforts we’ve made to meet the needs of our increasingly older population; along with our more recent focus to ensure a safer, healthier workplace for all. When I returned to IH in 2015, my focus included implementing and maintaining health services that meet the needs of our population, in particular rural and Aboriginal communities. There are countless examples of how we are doing just that – from embarking on new primary health
every person matters.
In thinking about what stands out more recently, I can’t help but mention the wildfire season of 2017. It was unprecedented in the history of IH and B.C., and it was an experience I will never forget. Throughout that crisis, I witnessed an extraordinary response, which saw our entire team stepping up to ensure the care and safety of everyone impacted, including each other. It exemplified our belief that
More broadly, I am proud of the many examples of innovation, collaboration, and creativity that I see across IH in all of our programs and services, as well as the invaluable relationships we’ve built along the way. In addition, we have supported leadership development and succession planning, which is an area I am passionate about because it allows growth from within. We are bringing people along and giving them opportunities to shine. It has been an absolute honour to share a good part of my journey with you and to have had the privilege of working with individuals who make incredible contributions to the delivery of health care every day. I extend my gratitude to each of you – thank you.
Residential Care Aide Cindy Matter, centre, tries to light up the lives of residents Diane Fleury (L) and Carol White (R).
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t’s the little things a health care assistant does that make the difference in a person’s life. That’s the way Carol White’s husband, Michael, sees it.
That’s the type of attention Cindy Matter, a care aide at Overlander Residential Care in Kamloops, gives the residents on her watch.
medication distribution, and basic care. As time went on, she took the training course for health care assistant certification. She arrived at Overlander in 1994. “I take pride in my job. It’s fulfilling to do things for residents that they can’t do themselves. Sometimes it’s feeding, transferring, and bathing, sometimes it’s making them look beautiful.”
“She takes the time to talk to people. She makes them look nice – she just does the extras like bringing in her stained Michael says Cindy understands people aren’t in residential glass artwork and putting it up in their windows,” says care because they want to be. Things have happened in Michael. their lives that resulted in need for full-time care. He references his wife, Carol, 78. She fell down a flight of Cindy was a care aide since before there was a training stairs two years ago, which left her with a severe spinal program. She started in Surrey in 1976 as a nurse’s aide, cord injury. He is at Overlander daily and sees the with a matron showing her the ropes of dressings, importance of compassionate, hardworking care aides.
Cindy currently works with palliative patients and residents who need special care, but she has worked everywhere that health care assistants are employed – hospital, community, and residential care – and with all ages of patients with varying medical conditions. She has seen many changes over the years, with the care aide role expanding to the point where today they are considered part of the team with licensed practical nurses and registered nurses.
personally. “It’s a challenging job because you have to get around all kinds of obstacles and know how to provide the right care for each individual. It’s important to know when to step back and not take over. It’s easier to do it all because you think you are helping, but it’s not good for their ability to stay as independent as they can for as long as possible.” While she worked as a care aide, Cindy also got married and raised two boys. Now she and her husband, Randy, are looking forward to welcoming their first grandchild.
“We all work together.” That team approach is one reason Cindy would recommend a career as a health care assistant to people wanting to work in health care, particularly if they are eager to start working quickly. The health-care assistant program is offered at post-secondary institutions across Interior Health and people earn their certificate in as little as six months.
It was a good job while she was raising children and she still appreciates the variety the career offers. She takes advantage of education that has allowed her to expand her skills into new areas, such as the palliative work she is doing now at Overlander.
“You work a lot with families and The aging population, plus a you need to know when to be growing demand for these roles there and when to give them as we shift resources to the space. Everyone grieves in community or open new different ways. I let people know Residential Care Aide Cindy Matter with residential beds, mean there is an I am here if they need anything. Overlander resident Kathy Budarick. abundance of jobs available Sometimes it’s as simple as throughout the health-care sector, says Cathy Stashyn, bringing them a coffee. I also understand how important it IH Director of HR Operations and Recruitment. is for people to have this time with their family members. I looked after my mom who recently passed. “The salary and benefits are attractive and people can get to work almost the minute they finish their program. “If they need me to, I am there too when the end comes, Currently, health care assistants make up about 20 per so people know their loved one was not alone.” cent of the total IH workforce.” Being a care aide has been the perfect career for Cindy Cindy says some people obtain their health care assistant who started life with an abundance of compassion for certificate with the intention to later train as an LPN or RN, humans and animals alike and never lost it throughout a but she has always preferred the direct patient care that 42-year career providing care to the most vulnerable of comes with being a care aide or community health worker. people. She encourages people to consider the career, but to also make sure they have personality attributes that will help them work well with people who need kindness and gentle care. “I love the work, but it certainly can be challenging. The best care aides are patient, tolerant, and understand why a resident might be difficult, cranky, or slow moving. I want to make my residents happy and sometimes that’s as simple as listening. Some people have no one to come see them, so you become like their family.” But, Cindy says, it’s also important to set boundaries, remain a professional at all times, and not take things
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Health care assistants are one of the largest growing professions in B.C. It only takes 26 weeks to become a certified health care assistant. Health care assistants make up approximately 20 per cent of the total IH workforce. In 2015, 35 health care assistants in IH were men. Now, in 2018, 55 are men. Learn more at Interior Health jobs.
’ Mary Preston is an Interior Health community health worker in Salmon Arm. She completed training to become a health care assistant in her 40s after caring for her father in his final days. This is why she loves her job and would recommend community care work to others.
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was inspired to work as a community health worker in my forties after my experience caring for my father who was very Mary Preston loves her job as a community grateful to die health worker in Salmon Arm. at home with his family, supported by the health-care system. This unforgettable, challenging, and rewarding event left me with lots of energy to try to help other families care for their loved ones at home at the end of life. My first step was to take volunteer training with the Shuswap Hospice Society. Afterwards, I began volunteering once a week, working as companion to a 90-year-old patient with cancer. After she passed, I had a different client with complicated medical needs and I got a whole new window on what it's like for folks of any age living with chronic and life-limiting illnesses. With three teenagers to raise, I decided to enrol in the health care assistant training program. Within a year of making that decision, I was on the job. My idea that I would like the varied pace, independence, and social aspect of community care work was right on target. My new basic nursing skills, as well as social and detail/reporting skills, are constantly challenged and honed as I provide care to so many mostly independent members of our community. I am paid for my time and mileage as I navigate through the community providing my services, and I feel protected and supported by my union and the training and supervision of my nurse supervisors.
I'm proud to be part of a team that is delivering personalized care on so many levels to the people of B.C., rich, poor, and in-between, helping people to stay independent and living life on their terms in as many ways and as long as they are able. I find that my community health co-workers are some of the kindest and most respectful people I know. As a team, we aim to assist our clients in a myriad of ways that improve their health and safety, while always keeping in mind each person's right to privacy and his or her own decision-making. Community health workers across Interior Health are young, middle-aged, and nearing retirement. They come from many countries and walks of life. There are many positive things about working as a community health worker, but the biggest rewards can come in the smallest moments or gestures: • When you spend time one-on-one with a senior and converse in a way that honours and respects their contributions and you leave their house knowing they feel they've had a really good visit. • When you assist someone with physical limitations or a chronic illness to continue living in dignity day-today in their own home. • When you know by safely administering medications that you've helped a person with mild to moderate dementia stay where they're most comfortable and oriented. • When you can just give the main caregiver a break. • When some sweet lady swears there's a special place in heaven for all us nice folks who have been coming by to help her. The main reason I love my job is that I get to help the folks who have been helping make the world a better place for decades, some for close to 100 years, working, parenting, farming, immigrating, staying, and caring. I am so honoured to help them get the care they need and that they really have earned and deserve.
Virtual is the reality
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andi Gowda is a farmer who lives near Walhachin. Her three-acre crop is grapevines, which she hopes will eventually mature into viable fruit for one of the many emerging wineries in the Thompson region.
“It was convenient to go to Ashcroft and have the video conference there,” says Sandi, 55, who had her procedure on Jan. 25. “I may not have opted to have my colonoscopy at Lillooet if I would have had to drive there for the pre-operative appointment as well. I would have probably asked to go to Even in the midst of winter, she prefers Kamloops (30 minutes away) instead.” not to stray too far from her vines. That’s why Sandi didn’t hesitate when Sandi is one of about 40 patients who the call came to attend a virtual have so far taken advantage of the pre-surgical appointment at Ashcroft new virtual perioperative clinic at Hospital, about 30 minutes from home. Lillooet Hospital. Lillooet performed It made for a much shorter day than a approximately 230 elective daycare two-hour drive would have been to procedures in 2016/17, including Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre, esophagus and digestive system where she was scheduled for an biopsies, hernia repair, vasectomies, upcoming colonoscopy. gynecologic surgery, hand surgery, laparoscopy, and dental and periodontal interventions.
Lillooet’s virtual perioperative clinic was designed using a team approach. Lillooet’s surgical team includes (L-R): Maria Mascher, Megan Delf, Nicole Hochleitner-Wain, Dr. Karlheinz Mascher, Dr. Suman Sharma, Bobbie-Jo Allen, and Dr. Nancy Humber.
Health’s Executive Medical Director for IH West-Rural. Thus, the Lillooet virtual perioperative clinic was born. “We responded to a need,” says Nancy. “It was an opportunity for Lillooet Hospital to be a leader. It was an opportunity to mitigate barriers that geography creates by using technology, and to create a service delivery model from a regional lens instead of a community lens.” Here’s how it works:
Using funding from Rural and Remote Divisions of Family Practice and Facility Engagement, Nicole Hochleitner-Wain, project coordinator in Lillooet, books patients to attend a video conference Lillooet may not seem like the at Ashcroft Hospital. She travels there, obvious choice for patients in the sets up the telehealth equipment, Ashcroft region to have a surgical meets the patients, and gets them procedure, given its more remote settled – which is especially important location and smaller size as for older patients who are apprehensive compared to Royal Inland about technology, says Nicole. Hospital in Kamloops, where patients from communities such The patient then meets virtually as Ashcroft, Walhachin, Savona, with the surgical team; a consultation Cache Creek, Bonaparte Reserve, that includes a GP surgeon, GP Nicola Reserve, and Clinton may anesthesiologist, and an operating normally go. room nurse. With this complete, the patient only needs to travel for the However, Dr. Nancy Humber, procedure itself. Follow up is also done who is a general practitioner with virtually or by telephone. enhanced surgical skills (GP-ESS) at Lillooet Hospital, saw an That the appointment is done with a opportunity to make the surgical team approach was intentional, says experience better for patients in RN Bobbie-Jo Allen. the region. She envisioned a person-centred approach using “It cuts down on time for patients, technology that would reduce nurses, and physicians, because it’s all overall travel time and, at the being covered in one appointment,” same time, build an innovative says Bobbie-Jo. “If we take a good, surgical service delivery model for solid history and ask good questions, rural patients. It’s the latter that that covers everything, because most was especially important to of the questions we would ask were the Nancy, who is also Interior same.”
There is some patient travel for the video conference, because it requires the use of a telehealth mobile unit. But operating room lead Maria Mascher says the use of video was an important component. Patients like the opportunity to meet the entire team. The team has the opportunity to hear the answers and ask questions together. It’s team building and high-quality communication between the team and the patient for the best quality of care. “This way, patients can see the person behind the voice of their physicians and nurses. We thought it would be nice, getting to see a face,” Maria says, adding that helps make patients more comfortable before their procedures.
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And, adds Bobbie-Jo, the consultations normally are between 20 to 30 minutes, making a short commute to Ashcroft preferable to a longer drive to Lillooet.
Sandi Gowda never likes to be too far from her grapevines. With the Lillooet Hospital’s new virtual perioperative clinic, she didn’t have to be.
“If a patient has to travel two hours for a 20-minute “It’s a great model for the future for rural areas, for people appointment, and then two hours home, that’s a lot of time who have a hard time getting to hospitals and clinics.” for a 20-minute appointment. That’s a whole day,” says Bobbie-Jo. Nancy says that it’s a model that can be built on for the future, too, as it identifies a good and efficient way to use The first virtual perioperative clinic was held July 24, 2017, health-care funding. In this case, they had help from the with 12 clinics now complete. The Ashcroft hospital site is Rural Division of Family Practice, and IH’s Telehealth hoping to expand its network access to services with its working group is also supportive. A blended model of own portable videoconferencing unit. face-to-face and virtual care is a way to address equity and access with fewer resources in rural and remote This virtual clinic model also exists in other communities communities. in Interior Health, like Trail, and work is underway to incorporate more telehealth options for pre-surgical “It shows that when a highly functioning team of people screening at several sites in the health authority. are resourced, they can address what is possible locally,” says Nancy. “It’s about seeing a need and having a team of Feedback for Lillooet’s clinic has been positive, says Dr. people work well together to develop a service to meet Suman Sharma, a GP anesthesiologist. need and respond and adapt to what the needs are.” “Patients are very happy. One of the reasons it works is the one-to-one care given in a smaller centre. In a bigger centre they can feel lost.” Sandi echoed that sentiment. “I thought it was very efficient,” she says. “Even though it wasn’t in person, you’re still in contact. You’re still on real time. It’s very convenient. It’s private. You never have to feel uncomfortable if asking questions about personal issues. The doctor was thorough in explaining the process and what to expect. It was comfortable – the same as if I visited in an office.
Patients have responded positively to the Lillooet virtual perioperative clinic. Here are some of their comments:
“The nursing team is outstanding.” “I felt very confident in everyone skills and expertise.” “I loved the relaxed atmosphere, the care was
outstanding, and I feel the staff are ‘real’ people.” “The doctors are very caring and friendly.” “Excellent care received and good experience.”
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hen Ralph Rushworth and his wife Ellie McNeill first moved to the North Okanagan from Calgary in 2007, they were looking forward to a slower pace of life. Ralph, an avid golfer, was enticed by the many golf courses throughout the Okanagan and Ellie was drawn to the relaxed lifestyle of a smaller community vibrant enough to offer plenty of activities for seniors.
Ralph and Ellie built a home for themselves in Desert Cove, just north of Vernon. However, when Ellie started to experience difficulty functioning, she and Ralph faced a challenging situation. “Ellie was in the early stages of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,” says Ralph. “We were both approaching stages where we required care but she required more complex care than I did.” They knew it was likely time for assisted living. However, they didn’t like the idea of giving up the home they built and they especially didn’t like the idea of potentially being separated. Around this time, Ralph heard about a new care home being constructed in Vernon. The Hamlets at Vernon had officially broken ground in March 2016 and construction was moving along quickly. The six-storey building houses 85 publicly funded and 15 private pay residential complex care beds, as well as 52 private pay assisted living units. “This type of facility is perfect for providing different levels of care to seniors while allowing them to continue living together,” says Karen Omelchuk, North Okanagan Residential Health Services Administrator. With both assisted living and complex care in the same building, Ralph and Ellie can continue living together.
Director of Operations Kim Magarvey and Resident Ralph Rushmore at the Hamlets in Vernon.
“The Hamlets was what we were waiting for and we’re very happy here,” says Ralph. “It works very well for us, we’re still somewhat independent and so we can go as please. However, we know care is available for us now and down the road when we both require it – and when partners don’t have to be separated, life is a lot better.”
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ucked away on a tree-lined street in a quiet Williams Lake neighbourhood is a non-descript house filled with the sounds of children playing, laughing, and singing.
The Little Moccasins Learning Centre provides early learning programming for 40 local children of Aboriginal ancestry. Many are from the three prominent Nations in the area – Chilcotin, Shuswap, and Carrier. These Nations cover a large area and include 15 different bands. The cultures of all families are represented. For example, at mealtime the children are taught to say “thank you” in six different languages. It is a special place, made more so by weekly visits from Speech Language Pathologist Alys Wardlaw. In 2006, shortly after the centre opened, Alys had a number of children on her caseload who attended the Little Moccasins Learning Centre. “I asked if I could visit on a weekly basis. This also allowed me to observe the children who were not on my caseload and provide suggestions on how to make the program even better for all the children,” recalls Alys. “For example, I was able to make suggestions for noise reduction, like covering the ceiling with billowing material, using curtains instead of blinds, putting up corkboards, and putting tennis balls on the feet of all chairs and tables. The centre staff were very open to suggestions and quickly implemented what they could.” Early intervention is important. Children may develop social, emotional, behavioural, physical, or learning difficulties if speech, language, hearing, or dental problems are not identified and addressed early on. Because of this, Interior Health’s Hearing, Dental, and Speech Language programs began screening all of the children at Little Moccasins on a yearly basis in 2008. The screenings are part of IH’s outreach with Early Years groups. In Williams Lake, the Hearing, Dental, and Speech Language programs work as a team, participating in community events such as Ready Set Learn, and travelling to outlying communities to participate in preschool screenings. “It is amazing to watch these families get their kids in here and to grow with the program,” says Sheena Rogers, the Little Moccasins coordinator. “The visits allow services to be provided to families who may not make it to a formal clinic
Each week, Speech Language Pathologist Alys Wardlow visits Little Moccasins Learning Centre to support children like Bailee Meldrum. Learning occurs in all environments at the centre, including outdoors.
Speech Language Pathologist Alys Wardlaw (front row, centre) with the staff at Little Moccasins Learning Centre.
or doctor’s office. Many of our families wouldn’t be able to take children to another program. This outreach can break down barriers that may exist for parents and grandparents who may have had a horrendous past experience with institutional-type care. Alys makes our job easier.” The Early Childhood Development Speech Language Pathology program provides services to children from birth to school entry, along with their families. “Our philosophy is to coach parents and caregivers to help support their children’s communication goals,” says Practice Lead Christina El Gazzar. “We provide services in-clinic as well as in the client’s home, preschool or day care, out in the community – wherever communication happens. “Across IH, we have strong partnerships with early years programs, such as Success by Six, Early Years Centres, Strong Start, Ready Set Learn, and Ministry of Children and Family Development-funded partners, including child development centres, infant development programs, supported child development, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy.” Christina says they are working at increasing connections with Aboriginal partners, and this looks different in different communities. “Our first step is always to build trusting relationships, which takes time. Little Moccasins is a great success story. It is unique in that it is located within a short walk of the health centre, making it easy to visit often and build that relationship. As well, Alys has worked in the community for over 25 years – many children know her and their caregivers trust her – which provides the perfect foundation for the work of speech therapy.”
PREVENTING DISEASE Behind the scenes of an outbreak
The meningococcal disease immunization clinics, like this one in Kelowna, saw a great turnout of 15-19 year olds.
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s a parent and a health employee, Mike Jackson got a firsthand look at the massive undertaking behind the scenes at Interior Health and across B.C. to protect Okanagan teenagers from meningococcal disease this winter. Mike was a member of the Emergency Operations Centre table established after IH declared an outbreak of the disease on Dec. 14, 2017, in response to an unusually high rate of illness in Okanagan youth. It was confirmed over as of Feb. 14, 2018. Mike’s role as IH Leader of Human Resources (HR) Operations for the Central and North Okanagan was to ensure collective agreement rules were followed as more than 500 staff members worked to identify cases of meningococcal disease, followed by contact management, and then to organize, supply, set up, and run immunization clinics in schools and at health sites. What quickly became apparent to him as a father was the urgency to get youths between 15-19 years olds living in Okanagan communities vaccinated with the Meningococcal Quadrivalent vaccine. “As I sat at the table, I learned about this thing that was going on and I thought, ‘Hey, my son is in that group and this disease sounds really bad.’” Calvin Jackson is in Grade 12 and turns 18 this year, meaning he was in the older age group recommended for immunization. It is also the age group that was getting the lowest response to the call to get vaccinated. “I told him that getting immunized was the best thing he
could do and he should let his friends know about it too.” Medical Health Officer (MHO) Dr. Karin Goodison said the alarm about the meningococcal outbreak was raised by Interior Health epidemiologists who identified four cases of meningococcal disease, all clustered together in time and geography. “That’s what made us say this is an unusually high number of cases in the same region,” she explained. “We consulted with experts from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and then we decided to declare an outbreak and offer meningococcal immunization to all youth aged 15-19, on top of our routine Grade 9 immunization program.” Just two months into her MHO role with Interior Health, Karin took the lead on the outbreak. She was not new to the role of medical health officer, having worked in the same position for three years in Alberta. “However, this was something MHOs might see once in their lifetime. Fortunately, our MHO team is really collaborative and we shared the work amongst ourselves.” MHOs take the lead on outbreaks because they are population health experts with legislated responsibility under the BC Public Health Act to monitor and protect the health of the population. When there is a potential outbreak of a communicable disease, such as meningococcal disease, the MHO and public health teams investigate the outbreak, and guide the response, working with a variety of stakeholders.
In this case, Karin worked with Deborah Preston, Central Okanagan Community Administrator, to ensure every step was covered in the effort to protect the target population. They decided to use incident command principles as the plan rolled out because they knew the outbreak would require a huge amount of work, which means people are busy, working quickly, and disorganization can occur. “We set up the Emergency Operations Centre so we could meet daily and plan everything in a systematic fashion, so everyone knew what their job was and what other people were doing,” says Karin. Deborah said the first discussion was about who would do what and what was needed most. Offering the free immunization clinics to the target population, as identified by the MHO, was clearly the high priority. Her role evolved quickly into the operations lead and she worked closely with the managers in the Okanagan – Charlene Cornwallis-Bate, Rhonda Wigglesworth, Patricia Park, and Michele McCready – to organize the mass clinics for immunization.
“Heading into Christmas added to the challenge,” says Deborah. “We had to make sure we had the staff and we also had to work with our Chronic Disease Prevention and Immunization Manager, Pam De Bruin, and the Regional Biological Inventory Coordinator, Jodi Fayant, to see if we had enough vaccine.” Meanwhile, the MHOs were relying on IH’s communicable disease control nurses to track down all the patients who were sick and interview them or their families to find who they had been in contact with, both to find out where the illness originated and whether they may have passed it along. “Meningococcal bacteria is spread by, as I like to say, swapping spit – sharing drinking glasses, cigarettes, kissing, and those kinds of activities,” says Karin. “If this had been a measles outbreak, it would have been much worse because that virus spreads through the air.”
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Continued from page 17 There were a lot of interviews with youth who were assured their conversations would be kept private so they could be completely honest. “We also kept the sick person’s name confidential. Confidentiality is a high priority."
Along with nursing, staffing, clerical, human resources, security, and protection services were involved in helping with the clinics. “We didn’t have enough public health nurses to handle all the clinics, so we reached out to our colleagues for support,” says Deborah. “Many casual nurses who normally work in hospitals stepped up to help out. In the end, we calculated 2,847 hours of staff went into the mass immunization and that didn’t include the behind-the-scenes teams.” External partners were equally accommodating, including school superintendents supporting immunization clinics in the schools and pharmacies providing coverage during the holidays and after hours. The First Nations Health Authority was on the daily EOC calls and helped with communication to First Nation nurses. There was also a process developed for followup on reserve in the event of an identified case. “What continued to amaze me throughout the two months was everybody’s dedication and can-do attitude,” reflects Deborah. “People worked on their days off and everyone was pleasant and willing. The public was welcomed into clinics where the environment was safe and comfortable.” Initially, there were concerns about having enough supply, but it quickly became a non-issue because people found a way to make it work, including other health authorities.
Mike Jackson, with his son Calvin, was among the many parents who made certain their son or daughter was protected against a potentially dangerous disease.
The medical health officers also worked closely with care providers, such as physicians and nurses, to confirm the diagnosis, confirm appropriate treatment, and encourage health-care providers to have a higher suspicion for meningococcal disease in people presenting with compatible symptoms.
“What people were able to pull off in short order was pretty magnificent,” says Deborah. “Pam and Jodi were getting vaccines from literally all across Canada. Mark Balson in Logistics was there with whatever we needed for the clinics. And those are just a couple of many, many examples.” Karin witnessed the same dedication, in and outside Interior Health.
“I got a call from a public health physician from the BCCDC in Vancouver. She was overseeing the loading of vaccine supply onto the truck and she was just as anxious as we were to make sure it all went according to plan. That’s how Immediately after the outbreak was called, weekend clinics invested everyone was in this.” were held up and down the Okanagan Valley and the EOC worked with the Communications team on appropriate Transporting vaccine is always tricky because it has to be messaging. stored within a specific temperature range or it can impact effectiveness, Karin added. “You just don’t know what’s “We didn’t want to scare people, but it was important that going to happen in the winter.” people understood this was very, very serious,” says Deb. “It was quite unprecedented in our health authority and Both Deborah and Karin agree there are lessons to be we needed people to pay attention.” learned in any major undertaking. But, overall, with the meningococcal outbreak, great work by a lot of people The last mass immunization in IH took place in 2009 with resulted in a mass immunization that helped prevent more the H1N1 influenza outbreak. cases of this serious disease.
An interview with Carey Bornn, Chief Executive Officer Tell us about the focus of the Foundation and why what you do is important. We feel the phrase that best describes who we are and what we do is: providing patient comforts for those living in the South Okanagan Similkameen region. It explains why we are able to raise millions of dollars each year and why it is important to have the most up-to-date medical equipment and services. With this in place, people seeking health care can have peace of mind and comfort, knowing they have the best possible care. Do you have any favourite fundraising campaigns? We officially launched our current $20-million campaign for the new Patient Care Tower at Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH) almost three years ago. This five-year campaign to provide the medical equipment for this $312.5-million expansion is by far the biggest in our history. Two major campaigns prior to this were to buy a new digital mammography unit in 2008 and a CT scanner in 2011. When announced, both were almost immediate successes. Many people quickly stepped forward with donations to meet the need and we raised more than $2.9 million. What’s one of the Foundation’s proudest moments? Certainly the naming of the new tower after Penticton businessman David E. Kampe in March 2017 was a great moment in the Foundation’s (and the hospital’s) history. Mr. Kampe effectively launched our current campaign with a $2-million donation in March 2015. He also donated a nearby parcel of land, which was valued in 2011 at $1.5 million, and a further $3 million for a permanent MRI at PRH, plus $1.4 million for a SPECT-CT unit used in nuclear medicine. Is there a particular donation over the years that stands out in your mind? We have so many donors who stop by our office with a gift that seems to stop us in our tracks. After they leave, we all turn to each other and say, “Did that just happen?” For example, an elderly couple recently came in to make a donation. The woman explained she had been coming into the hospital for quite some time for oncology treatments. She was so thankful and felt blessed for the wonderful care she received from PRH staff. She shared that she knows her time is not long and wanted to give, to say thanks. As we spoke, I thought she might be writing a cheque for a few hundred or maybe even a couple of thousand dollars, something which happens quite regularly. She wrote the cheque for $5,000, but then her husband said to her, “You need another zero.” It was in fact a $50,000 donation! It’s just amazing and so rewarding to see such generosity firsthand. Any parting words? We at the SOS Medical Foundation never cease to be amazed at the generosity of people within our community. It’s truly an honour to meet these people and receive their donations for a positive future – not only at PRH, but also at health-care facilities throughout our region.
Front row (L-R) Lissette Little, Liz Grosch, Marybeth Zelent. Back row (L-R) Carey Bornn, John Moorhouse.
$1.3m
Total foundation donations in 2016/17
$18.5m
Total foundation donations since IH began
Affiliations with hospital auxiliaries/charitable groups
Penticton Hospital Auxiliary Hospital’s Gift Shop Auxiliary The Summerland Health-Care Auxiliary The South Okanagan Health Care Auxiliary Princeton Auxiliary The Rotary clubs in Penticton, Oliver, Osoyoos and Princeton Royal Canadian Legion branches Oliver Kiwanis Dorcas Unit of the Osoyoos United Church
1981
Foundation began
There are countless other organizations stepping forward to help – tremendous support from the entire community.
Campaign stories, videos, and profiles can be found at www.sosmedicalfoundation.com.
Crooked Lake (Okanagan) Submitted by: Deb Brinkman
Revelstoke Submitted by: Earl Hayhurst
Cranbrook Submitted by: Marian Kabatoff
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In 1967, Winnipeg hosted the fifth Pan American Games. Ten young Indigenous athletes from First Nations across Manitoba were selected to run the Pan Am torch from Minneapolis to Winnipeg. But just before the athletes arrived at the opening ceremonies, the torch was taken from them and handed to a non-Indigenous athlete. 50 years later, the runners reunite to discuss the injustice and disappointment they faced at the end of their journey. This documentary shares their story.
Charlotte Day Wilson’s music video re-imagines the familiar image of people commuting to work as a moving portrait of the diverse experiences of women. March 8 is International Women’s Day. Check out the IH Facebook page for features on some of our own great female leaders.
Is vaping less harmful than smoking? Can smokers quit by using e-cigarettes? This video outlines vaping research and recommendations.