A publication for Staff and Physicians of IH
Dr. Halpenny talks about our organization as he sees it from his day-to-day perspective.
Making engagement part of our every day, we pose a new question.
Find out why IH is, yet again, a B.C. Top Employer.
Keeping it rural! Accomplished Board Director retiring.
Woman says wound care nurse made life worth living again.
Learn more about an initiative that’s engaging staff and improving quality in our hospitals.
Cake again? A community nutritionist shares her thoughts on why those of us in health care should ‘walk our talk.’
Shining a spotlight on the many communities that make up where we live, work, and play.
Snapshots of our staff in action over the last month.
Jill Worboys, Cathy Richards, and Cheryl Sidenberg show how healthy choices can be fun! Story p. 14.
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 April 2014 @InteriorHealth magazine is March 14. Editors: Amanda Fisher, Breanna Pickett Designers: Breanna Pickett, Kara Visinski, Tracy Watson IH Communications Contributors: Lisa Braman, Lesley Coates, Susan Duncan, Karl Hardt, Erin Toews, Tracy Watson
H
ow many of you followed the Winter Olympic Games this year and proudly cheered on our Canadian athletes?
Of course, the last few days of the Games truly stood out with gold all around for our women’s and men’s hockey and curling teams! Hockey fan Dr. Robert Halpenny cheered on Team Canada during the 2014 Winter Olympics.
At Interior Health, we want to set new standards of excellence in the delivery of health services in B.C. and to also promote healthy lifestyles and provide needed health services in a timely, caring, and efficient manner. To achieve this, we are guided by the following strategic goals: Goal 1 Improve Health and Wellness
Goal 2 Deliver High Quality Care Goal 3 Ensure Sustainable Health Care by Improving Innovation, Productivity, and Efficiency Goal 4 Cultivate an Engaged Workforce and Healthy Workplace
The articles featured in the @IH newsletter are great examples of how we’re achieving our goals … and realizing our vision and mission.
While the Olympics shine a spotlight on the athletes and their performances, the Games are about more than sport, often highlighting the generosity of the human spirit – from making sacrifices for fellow teammates to offering a helping hand to those in need. And IH is made up of people with that same giving spirit – a spirit that contributed to our designation, for the second year in a row, as one of B.C.’s Top Employers. The Top Employer competition weighs many factors as the selection panel wades through the applications searching for those organizations with the most forward-thinking programs. The award also speaks to the high calibre of our employees – you make us the best at what we do. In addition to cheering on Team Canada over the last few weeks, I was able to head south and escape the snow and ice for a while. It was great to play some golf and spend time with my family. For those of you who also got away this winter, and for those of you planning to do so during spring break, I say, “Good for you!” It’s necessary to give ourselves a break; vacation time is vital in achieving a healthy work-life balance. While March brings spring break, it also marks the end of our fiscal year. I want to thank each of you for doing your part to help IH meet its commitment to a balanced budget for 2013/14. It was
a difficult year for us, requiring specific actions to reduce costs and find savings, but our efforts have paid off. We are forecasting to end the year in a positive position due to achieving strategies identified internally, as well as receiving one-time relief related to a number of provincial decisions. Despite the good news, we know the next several years will be equally challenging, which makes it even more important for us to create better value for our patients through innovation and continuous process improvements. Our benchmarking initiative is a great example of how this is already happening in IH through a redefined goal of creating value. With a focus on improving quality within existing resources, we have re-engaged clinical staff. Site teams have taken responsibility for establishing targets and managing change, while working groups have collaborated to share information and evidence-based best practice. Some of the progress we are making in our intensive care units and emergency departments is featured in this issue of @IH in the article
Benchmarking: Building value, improving care (p. 12).
On Feb. 2, Wiarton Willie, Canada's leading spring prognosticator, saw his shadow, forecasting six more weeks of winter, and it appears that he was correct. However, the snow will melt and the sun will shine more often over the coming weeks and months. Spring is one of my favourite times of the year for many reasons, but mostly because it means I will again head out on the road to visit our sites around IH. These visits give me the opportunity to talk with front-line staff and to say, in person, “Thank you for being a part of the IH team.” See you soon.
your
opinions
count @
What little differences do you feel you make at work each day? Visit the Engagement web page on the InsideNet to view the complete list of responses.
“I have a blackboard outside my office and like to post inspirational quotations on it. Staff enjoy reading it.”
“I treat my coworkers with CARE and RESPECT … I genuinely take an interest in their lives.”
“I think communication between staff and management is the key to making a difference. It’s important to make sure that everyone feels like they are in the loop.”
“… I ask them, ‘Has someone said thank you to you today, for what you do for us?’ “
“You are the happiest while you’re making the greatest contribution.” ~ Robert F. Kennedy
Keeping this quote in mind, the March topic for discussion is…
What makes you feel like a valued contributor? Please send your feedback to YourOpinionsCount@interiorhealth.ca and we’ll share excerpts in the next @IH, along with a new topic for discussion.
H Ashcroft.
ave you heard? IH was recently named one of B.C.’s Top Employers, for the second year in a row! Being a Top Employer means attracting top employees, investing in those employees, and creating an environment where employees want to stay. Employees like Jessi Minnabarriet, a public health nurse in
“Never did I realize, when I was hired 10 years ago, that I would look back with such pride and emotion,” says Jessi. “Interior Health has fostered personal and
professional growth, has opened doors to education and collegial mentorship and, most importantly, has ensured that I know my work matters. I am so thankful that I actually get paid to do this!”
Each year, public and private sector organizations with a head office located in B.C. apply to be named a Top Employer. This special designation recognizes B.C. employers who lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Jessi Minnabarriet, Public Health Nurse in Ashcroft.
A selection panel evaluates the applications based upon a variety of criteria including: recruitment and retention; high employment standards; physical workplace; work and social atmosphere; benefits and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and, community involvement. A small working group of seven compiled this year’s application – an application so large it fills a three-inch binder! The working group consisted of Sherri Lampman, Elisa Brown, Galadriel Jolly, Megan Kavanagh, Crystal Miller, Alanna Van Den Berghe, and Vincent Yew. When asked how she felt about being involved in this project, the first word that came to Sherri’s mind was “proud.” “After spending hours with our working group going through information and material for the application, I could not contain the pride I felt when reading about all of the caring and dedicated people who work at Interior Health,” says Sherri. “How lucky am I to have the opportunity to help showcase our incredible employees making a difference in people’s lives every day? It was a wonderful experience.”
Left: Sherri Lampman, Administrative Assistant, Transformation, Innovation & Change. Right: Elisa Brown, HR Advisor — Benefits, was part of the working group that compiled the 400-page application for Top Employer.
Jessi and Sherri are not alone in their feelings about the opportunities IH provides as an employer. Cathy Hanson is a pharmacy technician at Kelowna General Hospital and wholeheartedly agrees.
“I have worked for Interior Health for 22 years.
IH is innovative and progressive – for me, that has
meant having the opportunity to continually learn new
things and move into different roles within my profession. It feels good to know that my role contributes to good patient care.”
And that’s what it really comes down to, isn’t it? Providing the best quality care for patients, clients, and residents. Simply put, a top employer + top employees = quality care. Together, let’s stick another feather in our cap because IH’s designation as a top employer is largely because of the contributions we all make every day, no matter our role. Cathy Hanson, Pharmacist at Kelowna General Hospital.
passion
A for rural care
C
“
anada just scored with three-and-a-half minutes left to make it 2-1.”
You can’t begrudge Board Director Glenn Sutherland for being slightly distracted as the Canadian women played for Olympic hockey gold on Feb. 20. He has a passion for hockey at all levels and this is a big game. A passion for health care is what led Glenn to accept a position on the IH Board in March 2005. At the time, Glenn was past president of the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce and the long-time resident of the West Kootenay community felt he had something to bring to the health-care conversation.
Board Director Glenn Sutherland holds the shovel at the Kootenay Lake Hospital Redevelopment Project groundbreaking in December 2009.
“Our local hospital in Nelson required significant renovations and I had a real interest in health care, especially rural health care. It was just a really interesting, complex piece of work,” says Glenn. Currently the longest standing director on the Board, Glenn is stepping aside on March 31. He feels he made an important contribution over the years, both as a director and, at various points, chairing the Board’s Audit and Finance, Human Resources, and Governance committees. “I think we did a great job on the People Plan, on the Quality agenda, and on the community investments made throughout Interior Health.” His role with the Board also gave him the opportunity to serve as Vice-Chair of the Health Employers Association of BC, and serve as a Trustee on Healthcare Benefit Trust. “It has been a whole myriad of great experiences,” Glenn says. When it comes down to the one thing that meant the most to him as a Board director, Glenn doesn’t hesitate to point to the people.
“From the executive team to the front lines, everyone is really focused on doing the best thing for everyone at Interior Health. Seeing people at all levels supporting patients, and each other, is touching and it really made the whole experience incredibly rewarding.” Outside health care, Glenn is the President and Owner of Sutherland & Associates Financial Services Ltd. in Nelson. He has been in the financial services business for more than 28 years. Never one to restrict himself to one area of interest, Glenn is also involved as a Director with the BC Automobile Association, Canadian Automobile Association, and is National Chair of an affiliated business called “Club Auto.” All that, balanced with spending time with his wife and two teenage kids in the hills and on the waterways of the Kootenays, makes for a hectic pace, but one Sutherland revels in. “Canada just tied it 2-2 with less than a minute to play.” While Canadian gold may never have been in doubt, Glenn’s busy path ahead remains wide open.
Patient STORY ‘She gave me back my life’
M
ost days, Cindy Cook walks about 8,000 steps. Not a big deal? It’s a huge deal for Cindy who, only last fall, couldn’t walk at all without excruciating pain from leg wounds that wouldn’t heal.
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That pain was part of her life on and off for nine years – until she met Svea Menard, Interior Health Enterostomal Therapist in Kootenay Boundary.
Yet, she couldn’t even walk without her legs rubbing together, resulting in friction that left her with weeping, burning sores. “My legs were so big and so heavy I could no longer even go get groceries without needing a buggy to lean on,” Cindy says.
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In October, Cindy was at her very lowest point. She was in ICU for an unrelated matter, her legs were terribly swollen from her existing condition of lymphedema, and the accepted opinion was that her only hope for relief was weight loss.
My legs were so big and so heavy I could no longer even go get groceries without needing a buggy to lean on.
Svea recalls the despair in Cindy’s voice when she first met her. “She told me: ‘There is nothing you can do. Everyone has tried something.’ ” The young nurse was quick to respond: “I’ve seen worse. We can get this under control.”
Cindy admits she didn’t believe Svea at first. “But she asked me to trust her and said by working together we would be able to make this better.” The first priority was intensive treatment including wrapping Cindy’s legs several times a week to reduce the fluid so she could walk. Only then would she be able to focus on losing weight. Cindy is married, has two children, and has a job she loves as an administrative assistant in Trail. She was willing to do whatever she needed to do. Her husband was also eager to help Enterostomal Therapist, Svea Menard, checks Cindy Cook’s legs to make sure the treatment plan continues on its successful path.
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For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel I will be around to see my grandchildren grow.
after watching his wife suffer for so many years. “My husband was very impressed with Svea’s explanations and her clear vision of the treatment. She answered every question he had. She is so professional and supportive.” They set a goal to reduce the size of her legs from 75 centimetres in circumference to 55 centimetres. Today, her legs are at 49 centimetres and continuing to shrink. Cindy is also actively exercising and losing weight. She credits the complete turnaround in her lifestyle to Svea’s dedication.
Four months ago, Cindy Cook could barely take two steps without assistance. Now, she and her husband go on brisk walks regularly, thanks to outstanding wound care from RN Svea Menard.
“Svea gave me hope and a reason to believe I could have my life back and I can honestly say my life has changed so much. Just walking along the river wall watching the ducks is an activity I was sure I would never enjoy again, and, for the first time in what seems like forever, I feel I will be around to see my grandchildren grow.” Both women also credit Dr. Katherine Forman, who was familiar with lymphedema, for recognizing that an enterostomal therapist could make the difference for Cindy and insisting she see Svea. Svea arrived in the Kootenays from Kelowna a year ago when an enterostomal therapist asked her to consider the region, which had been without a permanent wound care specialist for two years. The beautiful area turned out to be a great fit for she and her husband, who are both outdoor enthusiasts. Svea is passionate about her work and thrilled to have been able to help Cindy recover. She says what she loves about wound care is looking at the root cause and finding the solution by considering the whole person and getting them care early. She appreciates working as a team where everyone has a role to play to keep people well at home. “It’s just so important to prevent those hospital stays,” she says. “We can do that through using evidenced-based wound care and supporting the team approach.”
B
ob was a well-known face in the emergency department of Penticton Regional Hospital.
The aging resident would arrive once, twice, sometimes even more – that same day – complaining of headaches. Bob (not his real name) had several community health workers providing support at home, but they had no way of knowing that when they weren’t there, he was taking
a taxi or even an ambulance to the hospital. His home looked clean and tidy, and he appeared to be relatively healthy. It wasn’t until his whole care team, including social work, mental health, home health, emergency department staff, and his doctor, came together to discuss what was happening and develop a care plan that Bob’s regular visits to emergency finally stopped. “When patients are presenting to an emergency department more than 20 times, we need an interprofessional team to look at the reasons behind those visits and develop a plan,” says Anne Morgenstern, Manager of the PRH Emergency Department. “Care planning shines a light on these patients and reveals what is really happening with them so we can ensure they are receiving the care they need.” This Penticton patient, and others like him, are benefitting from complex care planning in emergency departments across Interior Health. The care plan process includes implementing an indicator in Meditech – a flag that signals to hospital staff the patient has a complex care plan, a printable version of which is contained in the patient’s electronic health record. Care planning for frequent visitors to our emergency departments is one of eight areas of focus for Interior Health’s benchmarking initiative. Launched in spring 2011, benchmarking is a way for us to understand how we’re providing care at our largest hospitals and why there are variations in practice. Social Worker Sonora Venables (R) and PRH Emergency Manager Anne Morgenstern.
Part of the RIH ICU team behind the successful implementation of the ABCDE initiative – with their "patient" at the centre of it all.
“The benchmarking process brings teams together from across different sites in similar streams to better understand the care and processes we have today, and make recommendations for standardization and improved quality for the future,” explains Project Manager Jim Nykyforuk. “It’s about taking a closer look at those efficient and effective ‘best practices’ that can then be implemented across all sites in our region. This will ultimately result in providing more consistent care and service to our patients.” Another example of our benchmarking work that has been successful in engaging staff while also getting traction for standardization is the implementation of the ABCDE Bundle in critical care. Teams in ICUs are introducing a set or “bundle” of standardized, evidence-based care practices around Awakening and Breathing Coordination, Delirium monitoring and management, and Early mobility. The teams are working together to develop the necessary order sets and guidelines to support practice changes. “Representatives from each unit participated in the selection of the ABCDE Bundle as a Benchmarking initiative. This early participation has resulted in an engaged team approach from the beginning, which is resulting in supported practice change at the frontline,” says Crystal White, Interim Critical Care Network Director. For more information, contact Jim Nykyforuk. To learn more about the other Benchmarking areas of focus for 2013/14, read the Spring 2013 Benchmarking Update on the InsideNet.
Cake Again?
A
By Cathy Richards
t a recent work celebration, I faced a conundrum. I’m on doctor’s orders to avoid caffeine and sugar, but the only food choices at the celebration were coffee, cake, and gluten-free brownies.
I mingled and chatted, but repeatedly had to turn down enthusiastic persuasions to have some cake. “Come on, it’s a special occasion.” “A little won’t hurt.” “Just scrape off the icing!” Ironically, I am a registered dietitian, community nutritionist, and I’ve been promoting healthier food environments for over 15 years. I didn’t want to turn the celebration into a workplace debate about making the healthy choice the easy choice, nor did I want to get into a discussion about my medical reasons for avoiding caffeine and sugar. I looked around the room and wondered how many other staff might have appreciated a choice of a decaf beverage or a healthier treat? Since diabetes and being overweight are now so common, and everyone at the celebration worked in public health, I suspected a good majority of them would have. When even health professionals aren’t serving healthy choices, we shouldn’t be surprised that people struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I think we are all responsible to “walk our talk” at work by making sure healthy choices are available whether it’s a catered event, a potluck celebration, or just a kind gesture of bringing goodies to work for co-workers to enjoy. To me, it’s the same as having a smoke-free environment.
Cathy Richards, Community Nutritionist, and Cheryl Sidenberg, Tobacco Reduction Coordinator, put the finishing touches on a piece of watermelon cake.
Healthy options don’t have to be complicated. Veggie and fruit trays are popular choices, and a small bowl of nuts or plate of cheese slices provide much needed protein (protein helps our brains stay alert at work). For beverages, offer decaf coffee, hot water and tea bags, and a jug of iced water alongside the regular coffee. Providing healthy options doesn’t mean sweet treats are not allowed. When bringing baking from home, we can make smaller portions and choose healthier recipes. Bake Better Bites is a good place to start.
The Ministry of Health has been promoting healthy workplaces, schools, and public places since 2004 and there are lots of great resources out there. Check out Eat Smart Meet Smart for tips on providing healthy food and beverage choices at work, without having to eliminate treats. For more information about healthy workplaces, visit Healthy Families BC and Healthy Living in your Community.
If you’d like to offer up a creative and healthy alternative to cake at your next celebration – why not try making a watermelon cake decorated with whipping cream? I recently found an idea online that uses fresh fruit as a topping! It’s a little messy, but it’s a great tasting and healthier alternative to sugar-loaded cake. Nutrition die-hards could serve the whipped cream on the side. And don’t forget the fifth food group – most registered dietitians will tell you that tiny chocolates are a particularly great choice for mental health!
Sparwood
Healthy Community
The District of Sparwood has a partnership agreement with Interior Health to work collaboratively on creating supportive environments for health and addressing chronic disease risk factors. Currently, the District of Sparwood is updating its Official Community Plan, and with the assistance of the IH Healthy Built Environment team, is looking at ways to address active transportation and make it easier to get around by foot or bicycle. Sparwood provides excellent access to natural, outdoor beauty for all kinds of active pursuits since it is situated right in the Rocky Mountains. World-class downhill skiing, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting are all close by.
At a glance Population: Approx. 3,600
Health Services: Sparwood Health Care Centre, as well as community and residential programs and services. Economy: Coal mining and tourism.
In our own words...
“Sparwood boasts great hiking, fishing, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities such as camping – there is actually a campsite located right inside the town. The town has an amazing Recreation Complex that houses a family pool, ice arena, curling facilities, climbing wall, wally ball courts, squash courts, two weight rooms, and two cafeterias. It also offers yoga, cooking classes, spin classes, children’s dance and gymnastics and, because of its kitchen facilities, community events such as weddings are held there. “The town leadership is forward thinking and has involved citizens in planning Sparwood’s future. Imagine 2035, a town planning process that envisions a Sparwood of the future, will soon be released to the public following large amounts of community engagement. Sparwood is home to hard-working families and, because of the many amenities, it is a great place to live and raise children.” – Jo-Ann Decker, RN, Sparwood Primary Care Clinic
Kelowna Submitted by: Benjamin Rhebergen Nicola Valley Submitted by: Patricia Zumino
Nakusp Submitted by: Darlene Adair
Princeton Submitted by: Amanda Hope
Where We Live & Work ... A Spotlight on Our Communities Our employees regularly share photos of the spectacular scenery that surrounds them wherever they are in the IH region. Majestic mountain ranges, pristine pine-fringed lakes, blossom-filled orchards, abundant vineyards, and thick forests alive with wildlife are just some of the beautiful things that make up these places we call home. Covering over 215,000 square kilometres, Interior Health is diverse in nature and composed of vibrant urban centres and unique rural communities. This @IH feature shines a spotlight on many of these places ‌ and perhaps will entice you to add them to your travel wish list. This month we feature photos near Kelowna, Nakusp, Nicola Valley, and Princeton.
Submit your photos of the beautiful places that make up IH: InsideNetWebmaster@interiorhealth.ca
snapshots from the region ... Margaret Dawson (R), Past President of the BC Association of Healthcare Auxiliaries, gives thanks to Donna Lommer, IH VP of Residential Services and Chief Financial Officer. Interior Health is one of several financial supporters of the BCAHA – a society comprised of volunteers raising money to purchase needed medical equipment and services throughout B.C. Total funds donated in 2012: over $8.1 million. Learn more at www.bchealthcareaux.org.
Kelowna General Hospital is making improvements to the way stroke patients receive care following a 12-month provincial Stroke Unit Collaborative. Care providers from across B.C., including KGH, came together during the collaborative to learn from each other and from patients. Pictured here, manager Danielle Cameron stands among the rehabilitation equipment in the gym area of 6 West at KGH. A new eight-bed stroke unit opened on 6 West in February.
Last month, students from UBC’s Faculty of Medicine and the Okanagan School of Nursing joined IH staff to collaborate for clinical training at the Pritchard Simulation Centre at Kelowna General Hospital. High-tech patient simulators at the Centre are used to enhance skill development, improve team dynamics, and sustain clinical skills for health-care providers.
Interior Health staff in Vernon put on their heavy jackets and hit the streets for the Coldest Night of the Year Walk on Feb. 22. The Interior Health Polar Bears team, including (L-R): Lifeline Program Manager David Kelcey; Team Lead Virginia Montgomery; Integrated Care Co-ordinator Teena Robinson (with her husband Shane and son Merrick); and VJH’s Maternal/Child Manager Yolanda Short raised more than $1,000 toward the goal to buy a new heating system for the Upper Room Mission, which provides food for the homeless and hurting in the community.
Galadriel Jolly, Lisa Jensen, Ryann Larson, and Amanda Ellison of the RIH Human Resources Team were ready, willing, and able to support the Pink Shirt Day cause, which marked national anti-bullying day on Feb. 26. Check out more Pink Shirt Day photos from around IH on our Facebook page.
Central Okanagan public health nurses were honoured with Olympic-style gold medals at a team meeting in February celebrating the “amazing job” they did in response to the significant increase in flu vaccine demand by the public in January. Team Leader Karen Stoopnikoff said staff organized flu clinics and provided 903 influenza immunizations. The numbers do not represent all the additional influenza vaccinations they provided in other clinic settings, she noted. A collage of photos demonstrates the gold medal ceremony.