Report to Communities

1

Board of Directors

Chair– Marg MacDonald

(Brandon)

Vice-Chair– Harry Showdra

(Swan River)

Sharon Basaraba

(Gilbert Plains)

Rita Blaikie

(Brandon)

Dean Dietrich

(Neepawa)

Barry French

(Stockton)

Terry Johnson

(Virden)

Gwynn Ketel

(Pine River)

Alison McNeill-Hordern

(Brandon)

Jonathan Murray

(Brandon)

Catheryn Pedersen

(Holland)

Perry Roque

(Brandon)

Wanda Sandy

(Canupawakpa)

Donald Storjord

(Swan River)

PMH enhances Aboriginal health strategies

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) continues to work with stakeholders, health partners and organizational leaders to improve overall Aboriginal health along with developing a skilled and diverse workforce to assist with that goal.

The Regional Aboriginal Health program, coordinated by Bonnie McKay—

based out of the Minnedosa Health Centre—continues towards improving health services delivery for First Nation, Metis and Inuit residents.

Recently, the program expanded to add a First Nations and Metis Health Liaison for the northern part of the PMH region. Duane Ironstand, of Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation, commenced his position in May 2015. He is based out of the Dauphin Community Health Services Building and will promote the sharing of resources, partnership development, navigation and advocacy, as well as support patient, family and community engagement.

PMH also wishes to acknowledge support from select health partners in piloting an Aboriginal Human Resources Office in Russell. PMH received funding contributions from the Manitoba Metis Federation and Manitoba‟s Office of the Rural and Northern Health (ORNH) and rental space from the Regional Employment Resource Centre. This allowed for the establish-ment of an Aboriginal Human Resources (HR) Office in Russell, located at the IGA Mall, and the hiring of a .5 position for a one-year term. Aboriginal HR will build and expand relations with organizations in Russell and area to provide opportunities for employment, education, social and cultural services for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal inquiries.

-continued on Page 5

Report to Communities

JULY 2015

Inside this issue:

Physician Assistant update 2

PMH Board highlights 3

New X-ray requirements 4

Room for Renewal goal reached 5

Health partners raise funds 6

2

Speak to a Registered Nurse 24-hours a day/ 7-days a week

1-888-315-9257

PMH welcomes Physician Assistant to Melita/Deloraine

This spring, a new type of health care provider started working at the Melita and Deloraine Medical Clinics. Jacob John, a Physician Assistant, began working under Dr. Doug Beauchamp at the Melita Medical Clinic and Dr. Nolan Brackenreed at the Deloraine Medical Clinic. Physician Assistants (PA) are a newer type of health care provider in Manitoba. They can be described as a „physician extender‟ working with some independence, under the supervision of the physician supervisor.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is excited to have the opportunity for Jacob John to work in the communities of Melita and Deloraine. Physician Assistants are not new to Prairie Mountain Health; there are several working in Brandon and Dauphin in the areas of surgery and nephrology.

However, this is the first opportunity in the southern part of the PMH region, excluding Brandon, to have a Physician Assistant working in primary care.

“Having a Physician Assistant working in primary care is a newer model that addresses a current need in two communities that are currently experiencing shortages of physicians,” states Michelle McKay, Director Medical Services Administration for PMH.

Jacob moved to Melita, after working in a specialty area in Winnipeg, to practice in a primary care setting. Melita and Deloraine are different than where he was born and raised, a tiny island in the Persian Gulf called Bahrain. Jacob appreciates the quiet and peaceful rural communities, stating „the people are so welcoming and friendly.‟

Before completing his Masters in Medical Science and certification as a Physician Assistant in Chicago, Jacob practiced as a physician in primary care in India. He then moved to the United States where he worked for several years as a Patient Care Coordinator, while raising two boys with his wife. When he immigrated to Canada, he welcomed the opportunities available to practice in Manitoba and finds it a privilege to be accepted as Physician Assistant in Melita and Deloraine.

The role of a Physician Assistant began in the military in the Canadian Forces and the United States in the 1960‟s. Over the years, the number of Physician Assistants has grown in Canada, mostly in Manitoba and Ontario. Physician Assistants are considered medical generalists and are required to complete a two-year Master‟s program and national exam.

Jacob‟s role will focus on primary care in Melita and Deloraine, and will assist in providing service to the personal care home and lodge in Deloraine.

With Jacob John starting, it brings the total number of Physician Assistants currently working within Prairie Mountain Health region to five.

“Having a Physician

Assistant working in

primary care is a newer

model that addresses a

current need in two

communities that are

currently experiencing

shortages of physicians.”

-Michelle McKay

PMH Director of Medical

Services Administration

Prairie Mountain Health is excited to have the opportunity for Jacob

John to work in the communities of Melita and Deloraine.

3

Board Highlights

Learn more about how Manitoba’s Office of Rural and Northern Health can connect you to health care education and employment opportunities in rural Manitoba.

Red River College nursing program update

As the latest graduates of Red River College‟s Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) to (BN) Bachelor of Nursing Program prepare to complete their two-year course in Neepawa, the schedule around the next rural sites to offer the program is starting to take shape.

Seven students in Neepawa completed their classroom sessions in May and are now on practicum placement until August 2015. They will have their „pinning ceremony‟ in September and formal graduation ceremonies in January 2016.

For 2015–2017, Red River College (RRC)—Nursing

Department—is hosting the rural nursing program in Dauphin and at their Winkler campus. Rural LPNs will have the opportunity to acquire their BN education and RN designation.

The program was originally initiated at the request of the Manitoba government and the province‟s rural regional health authorities. It has operated in Dauphin and Winkler twice over the past years.

Dauphin has seven students scheduled to start the program at the end of August 2015. They will receive their classroom academic instruction via streaming video with students in the lecture theatre in Winnipeg.

In order to operate a successful rural program, RRC appreciates rural access to facilities. In the past, both Dauphin Regional Health Centre and the Boundary Trails Health Centre in Winkler have served as the base for clinical practice.

RRC clinical nursing instructors accompany the students during the clinical experiences. Students come to

Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre—Children's—for paediatric experience in Feb-Mar 2017 during the 3rd year. There is an intention for Dauphin participants to practice some of their program at the St. Paul‟s Personal Care Home and Lorray Manor in Dauphin.

Red River College appreciates the collaboration with Prairie Mountain Health in ensuring the program is once again successful in coming weeks and months.

PMH continues active recruitment efforts

The interview process, references, and now the awarding process has been completed for the Nursing Grads that expressed interest in employment with Prairie Mountain Health.

A total of 33 Bachelor of Nursing positions were awarded within Prairie Mountain Health. Of the 33, 16 were for Brandon sites, nine (9) were awarded in rural sites and some of the remaining were still being worked out as to position and site details.

There were 15 positions awarded (some casual) within the Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing designation and in terms of Licensed Practical Nursing positions, practicums were completed in mid-May and 38 interviews were conducted. LPN positions are still in various stages of being awarded.

Nurse Practitioners

PMH continues to address some Nurse Practitioner (NP) vacancies at 7

th Street Health Access Centre and Rideau

Park in Brandon as well as Rossburn. The vacancies are a result of three NPs who have moved out of the region.

In terms of recruitment, a new NP has started in the Birtle area. PMH has had recent discussions with Manitoba Health regarding additional NP positions needed in the region to support communities such as Melita, Winnipegosis, Minnedosa, and Brandon. Sioux Valley has also asked that the region consider primary care service for their community and PCH clients, having recently lost the physician who was providing their service.

Therapies recruitment

Over the last year, the region has been successful in some of our difficult to recruit to positions across PMH. While there are still ongoing vacancies, the region has been successful in recruiting a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and Audiologist to the north communities in the region as well as filling some of our Physiotherapy needs across the region.

PMH thanks therapists who have been providing coverage, working additional time and in additional communities to continue to provide as much as service as possible.

www.ornh.mb.ca

4

Pre-med students in region

Parkland Family Medicine Residency Unit played host to three pre-med students from the University of Manitoba for a week‟s introduction to the clinical and non-clinical aspect of the health-care system in rural Manitoba.

These students with the Office of Rural and Northern Health‟s Rural Manitoba Health Mentorship Program (RMHMP) had this opportunity from May 4th through 8th.

Students were introduced to rural medicine and the Parkland Family Medicine Residency Unit based in Dauphin where they were placed with a variety of family medicine preceptors.

These placements showcased the variety within rural medicine in areas including Emergency Room, Operating Room – including Physician Assistant‟s role, Maternity, Hemodialysis, Chemotherapy, Family Medicine clinics and visiting a First Nation reserve.

Students were treated to time with current family medicine residents to ask questions and get to know rural family medicine as an opportunity for a future career.

Inter-professional faculty spoke of their involvement in training and students were interested to know that all areas of medicine were taught within the curriculum.

Thanks to residents, faculty and staff of the Parkland Family Medicine Residency Unit for their involvement in the success of this week!

The Manitoba government is introducing new legislation that would update requirements for the use of X-ray equipment. "We want to ensure equipment is being operated to the highest standards to best protect Manitoba health care workers and patients," said Health Minister Sharon Blady. The radiation protection act would update the require-ments for the installation and operation of X-ray equipment to better protect patients and health-care providers. The proposed legislation would include:

Updating requirements for registration and sites

for use of X-ray equipment, CT scanners, PET scanners and other similar equipment;

Updating radiation dose limits for workers and the public;

Adding specific requirements for the use and maintenance of equipment as well as quality assurance programs;

Updating requirements for protective equipment; and

Modernizing inspection authority for radiation safety inspectors.

"As the provincial agency tasked with radiation protection responsibilities, we welcome the updated legislation," said Dr. Sri Navaratnam, President and Chief Executive Officer of CancerCare Manitoba. "We are Manitoba's experts on maintaining provincial standards of radiation safety across the province, through our Radiation Protection Program." The Minister noted the province consulted represent-atives of Diagnostic Services Manitoba, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the Manitoba Quality Assurance Program, CancerCare Manitoba, the Manitoba Dental Association and the Manitoba Chiropractors Association in developing the proposed legislation.

Province updating X-ray standards

Rivers Rehab addition- Construction is now underway on the 1500 square foot addition to the Rivers Health Centre. The expansion will mean more room for the dining room and activities area.

The estimated $600-thousand project is being partially funded by the Riverdale Health Services District Foundation, which is contributing $300-thousand towards the construction. It’s anticipated the project will be completed by the end of September 2015.

5

Brandon “Room for Renewal” Campaign hits fundraising goal

PMH‟s Aboriginal HR initiative, led by coordinator Shawn Charlebois from Swan River, strives to increase the number people who self-identify as Aboriginal within the Health Region‟s workforce and provide improved service to Aboriginal peoples through cultural awareness and responsiveness.

According to the PMH 2015 Community Health Assessment, the health region has an Aboriginal population of nearly 16 per cent, which is slightly below the Manitoba average of 16.7 per cent.

With the opening of the Russell site, it brings the number of Aboriginal HR offices the Region now has to four. The others include Brandon, Dauphin and Swan River. The new aboriginal advisor for the Russell office is Marcel Pelletier (at right).

PMH Aboriginal HR Offices

-Brandon (204) 578-4762 -Dauphin (204) 638-5707

-Swan River (204) 734-6642 -Russell (306) 620-8336

PMH enhances Aboriginal Health strategies

….continued from Page 1

Marcel Pelletier

The Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation Board of Directors has announced that the “Room for Renewal” campaign has hit its fundraising goal of $600,000 and has officially come to an end.

The “Room for Renewal” campaign launched on September 27, 2014 with a goal to raise $600,000 in support of the upcoming renovation of patient wards at the Brandon Regional Health Centre. The funds raised by the Foundation represent half of the required 10% community contribution for the planned $12-million dollar redevelopment.

“Once again I am astounded by the generosity of the people of Brandon and Western Manitoba” says BRHC Foundation board chair Derrick Stewart.

“We have been able to bring this campaign to a successful conclusion faster than I could ever have hoped. Thank you to the BRHC Foundation staff and a special thanks to our Director of Development, Karen Chrest, without whom we would not have had the success we had. Thank you to all who support us in our efforts to meet the health care needs of the regional community and those individuals and organizations who supported this campaign.”

Brian Schoonbaert, COO for the Brandon Regional Health Centre and VP of Finance, Capital and Support Services for Prairie Mountain Health, expressed his appreciation for the support of the BRHC Foundation and its donors.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the BRHC Foundation for all their efforts on this campaign, and of course to all the donors who have so graciously supported the campaign”, Schoonbaert said. “The generosity from the community enables us to provide a much needed upgrade to many of our patient rooms.”

Built in 1961, the patient wards of the Brandon Regional Health Centre (formerly known as the Brandon General Hospital) have essentially remained unchanged and are outdated and inefficient. Updating is required to assist with bed management, improved patient care and comfort and in response to increased demand for inpatient stays.

From left, Cindy Buizer, BRHC

Foundation Executive Director;

Karen Chrest, Director of Develop-

ment & Campaign Coordinator;

Derrick Stewart, Chair, BRHC

Foundation Board of Directors.

6

Keeping communities, partners and stakeholders informed

Contact Information

Mailing address Phone: (204) 483-5000

192-1st Avenue West Toll-Free: 1-888-682-2253

Box 579 Souris, MB. R0K 2C0 Fax: (204) 483-5005

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.prairiemountainhealth.ca

Health and Wellness for All

Follow us on Twitter!!

@PrairieMtHealth

Cancer Caring- Dauphin Ladies Auxiliary

members gather with staff at the cancer

care unit/program at Dauphin Regional

Health Centre (DRHC).

The Ladies Auxiliary donated over $9,500

towards the unit during the last two

years, and the funds went towards the

purchase of treatment chairs, cabinets

and nurse treatment chairs.

The contributions by Auxiliary members

were acknowledged at a recognition

event at the DRHC on June 10, 2015.

Scrapbookers Donate Work of Heart to Brandon Regional Health Centre

The Brandon Regional Health Centre

(BRHC) Foundation gratefully announces

the receipt of a donation of $6,500 from

the organizers of the 10th Annual Brandon

Scrapbook Charity Convention held at the

Keystone Centre on April 24 –26th,

2015. The donation is in support of the

BRHC Foundation’s “Room for Renewal”

campaign that is presently raising funds for

the upcoming renovation and rejuvenation

of patient wards at the Brandon Regional

Health Centre.

The Brandon Scrapbook Charity

Convention is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run

event bringing crafters together to share their passion for scrapbooking while

supporting charity projects in the Westman community. The convention has raised

$95,000 for local charities since its inception.

From left Chris Isleifson and Rose Hercun,

Convention Organizers and Karen Chrest,

BRHC Foundation.

Compliments/Concerns

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-Do you have a concern?

Start by talking to your health care provider.

If your issue is not addressed, contact the

Patient Relations Representative:

PH: 1-800-735-6596

Fax: (204) 759-3127

Email: [email protected]