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 completes Community Health Assessment

The first Community Health Assessment for Prairie Mountain Health has been completed. The 2015 Community Health Assessment (CHA) is part of a comprehensive information gathering process which collectively lists and compares health information on a regional, and in many cases, district by district basis. The extensive document provides information on the health status, health behaviours and health care use by people in Prairie Mountain Health region.

Prairie Mountain Health CEO Penny Gilson says the CHA, compiled every five years, is a very important component of the health region‟s overall planning process and quality improvement initiatives.

“We are very pleased that the culmination of two years of information gather-ing-from both a statistical and community and stakeholder input level- has, in effect, significantly contributed to our region‟s health story. This detailed document will assist our health planners in analyzing trends in the health and health care use in our communities and identifies the strengths, challenges and opportunities we have within Prairie Mountain Health,” Gilson stated.

Prairie Mountain Health will use the CHA to inform program and service planning and the Strategic Plan. The information will be reviewed and shared in a variety of ways with the region‟s stakeholders, health partners and provincial planners.

“I would especially like to acknowledge the staff that made up our CHA Working Group. They have worked tirelessly and efficiently to produce this document for our staff, communities and Manitoba Health, Healthy Living and Seniors. To the CHA Team, thank you for your dedication, commitment and perseverance in seeing this extensive undertaking come to a successful conclusion,” Gilson added.

The complete document, as well as an executive summary version, is available on the PMH website at www.prairiemountainhealth.ca . The May 2015 PMH newsletter “Thrive”, which is also available on the website, features some personal stories of clients who have accessed PMH services and how well their needs are being met.

Report to Communities

JUNE 2015

Inside this issue:

Rural Week for med. students 2

PMH Board highlights 3

Hospital Bed utilization 4-5

DASH Tent 2015 6

2

First-year medical students participate in ‘Rural Week’

Once again, first-year medical students enrolled in the University of Manitoba‟s (U of M) Faculty of Medicine were spread out across rural Manitoba during “Rural Week” (May 25-29th). Rural Week 2015, coordinated by Manitoba‟s Office of Rural and Northern Health (ORNH), the U of M, and rural regional health authorities, provided an excellent opportunity for medical students to gain first-hand experience of how a rural medical practice works. It also doubles by extolling the benefits of working and living in a rural area.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) was an active partner throughout the week, with 34 medical students assigned to 13 communities within the health region. Communities participating this year included Brandon, Dauphin, Glenboro, Grandview, Hamiota, Neepawa, Rivers, Russell, Souris, Ste. Rose, Swan River, Treherne and Virden.

PMH Director of Medical Services Administration, Michelle McKay, says the event is „win-win‟ all the way around.

“Students participate in a variety of rural physician practices, spend time in wards and units at rural health centres, and in most cases, walk with a „doc‟ to see how their day unfolds,” McKay said.

“We really appreciate the opportunity to highlight communities and medical facilities and sites with-in the health region in the hopes that some of these up and coming physicians will select to live and work in rural Manitoba.

Wayne Heide, Administrative Director of ORNH, says part of the organization‟s goal is to expose medical students to rural practice and rural life and show them the diversity that exists.

“Rural Manitoba offers tremendous opportunity for a rewarding career and a great lifestyle but it is only through direct experiences like Rural Week that students become aware of the possibilities. For urban origi-nating students this may be their first real experience with rural life. For those from rural areas it is a chance to reinforce the positive aspects of rural life and to connect them to medical professionals that have chosen to practice rurally,” Heide stated.

“There were lifestyle itineraries set up so the students take part in every-thing from fishing expeditions to recreational activities as well as learn about unique community festivals, events and claims to fame!”

McKay adds, “Prairie Mountain Health very much appreciates the efforts of all of the physician preceptors, health care professionals and community volunteers to ensure Rural Week continues to meet its goal and objectives.”

Rural Week first started in Manitoba in 2003 as an optional experience, although it was selected by 70 per cent of the Medicine class. In 2004, Rural Week was officially approved as a component of the Medical 1 curriculum and now the entire class spends one week within rural and northern Manitoba communities.

Swan River

Rivers

Swan River

Dauphin

Souris

“Students participate

in a variety of rural

physician practices,

spend time in wards

and units at rural

health centres, and in

most cases, walk with

a „doc‟ to see how

their day unfolds.”

-Michelle McKay

PMH Director of

Medical Services

Administration

3

Board Highlights

Tuition-free ACC program will train

25 new Aboriginal health care aides

Assiniboine Community College (ACC) has announced

a new program that will train 25 new Aboriginal

health care aides in Brandon, starting June 15,

2015.

The Aboriginal Comprehensive Health Care Aide

certificate is a 24-week (six-month) program for First

Nations and Métis people living in Brandon or other-

wise off-reserve.

Partially funded by the Congress of Aboriginal

Peoples, the program is offered completely tuition-

free. Application fees, student association fees, text-

books and uniforms are also covered by the fund-

ing. Students will have to only have to provide their

own footwear, ensure they are immunized, and pay

for their own travel to practicum placements.

“This is an incredible prospect if you‟re looking for a

career in health care,” said Karen Hargreaves,

Dean of Health and Human Services at ACC.

“There is an abundance of jobs in this field.”

The Comprehensive Health Care Aide program is

perfect for caring, compassionate people who are

respectful to those of all ages and cultures.

Graduates are well-prepared for a rewarding career,

in which they can make a lasting difference in the

lives of others. Typically, graduates find jobs in

hospitals, care facilities, mental health facilities and

community settings, including home care.

Graduates are also eligible to receive a block credit

transfer of 15 academic credits to ACC‟s Practical

Nursing Program.

“Health care aides are an essential part of our

health care system, and we employ many CHCA

grads from ACC,” said Larissa Kominko, Recruitment

Supervisor at Prairie Mountain Health.

“There is a huge demand for people who want to

make a positive difference for people in need.”

Although the upcoming June session is full, more

information about the program can be obtained by

contacting Tanya Sumner at 204.725.8700,

extension 6881, or email sumner@assiniboine.net.

Doctors Manitoba holds AGM

Doctors Manitoba held

its Annual General

Meeting in Winnipeg

May 8th. One of the

prestigious awards

presented during the

evening was for

“Physician of the

Year”.

At top, Dr.Robert

Kippen presents

Dr. Johan du Plooy of

Brandon‟s Western

Manitoba Cancer

Centre, with the 2015

honour.

The evening also saw

the inaugural address

of newly-elected

president Dr. David

Cram. Dr. Cram, has

worked as a rural family

physician in Souris

since 1986. He takes over

from Dr. Robert Kippen.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) has received specialized funding from the Manitoba Patient Access Network to build a project framework related to Patient and Family Engagement. (Patient is intended to include all clients, residents and patients of PMH.)

The one-year term position will assist the region in conducting a best-practice analysis, and build the tools and resources necessary to successfully engage patients in various aspects of PMH activities (including direct care, operational activities, and strategic planning).

Patient and family engagement is a partnership among patients, family members and health-care provid-ers. This team provides knowledge, insight and view-points for:

Individual care

The design, implementation and evaluation of

programs and policies.

Engagement includes the values and needs of patients, health-care providers and the community.

4

Enhancing the delivery of care: Hospital bed utilization

ospital beds can be a scarce resource. When it comes to availability of

beds, we often hear that hospitals are “bursting at the seams” and there

are times when Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is no exception to this

reality.

Regardless of how you enter the health care system, through the emergency

department or for scheduled surgery, a bed to meet your care needs may be

required. No matter when or where patients are admitted – PMH wants to make

sure that they will receive quality, safe care in the right place, at the right time,

and by the right provider. There are times when some acute care facilities

reach bed capacity, causing backlogs and affecting other areas of the health

system. This can mean acutely ill patients cannot be admitted or surgeries that

have been scheduled for months in advance may have to be postponed because there is not an inpatient bed available.

To ensure that beds are available in the right place for those who require them PMH has developed a policy to assist in

managing the appropriate use of hospital beds. When beds in a hospital are nearing capacity, the health care team will

review all current inpatients to determine if there are alternative locations/ options for care. The goal is to have the pa-

tients cared for as close to where they live as possible, but the priority will be safe, quality care in the beds that are avail-

able.

“We understand the inconvenience patients and their families may feel as a result of a

transfer out of their community – however, it is important to realize that there are

acutely ill patients needing these beds,” says Penny Gilson, Chief Executive Officer of

Prairie Mountain Health region. “We need to be able to ensure that cancer patients

can get their surgeries; that cardiac patients can be admitted; and that trauma victims

have access to a level of care needed for their recovery.”

BRHC: LARGEST REFERRAL CENTRE OF PMH

The Brandon Regional Health Centre (BRHC) is the largest referral centre for high

care needs in PMH. BRHC provides speciality services to the region and in order to

maintain that level of service beds need to be available. The “bed” is not simply a

place for the patient to sleep. Other factors must be considered. Patients with specific

needs have to be placed in areas designed to care for those needs, meaning special

equipment and specialized staff. Brian Schoonbaert is the Chief Operating Officer of

the BRHC. He says the public needs to understand this will not happen all the time

only when it is absolutely necessary. “Sometimes acute care beds are occupied by

patients waiting to be placed in a personal care home or by patients who are “stable”

and do not require the specialized or more intensive care offered by the larger health

care sites. If beds are needed in these specialized centers, there are other places

within the region where other patients can get excellent quality, safe care.”

Schoonbaert says BRHC has faced a shortage of beds for some time, and it continues

to be a problem for a number of reasons. Canada‟s aging population means people are living longer and often their long

term care becomes more complex. The PMH region has a growing population. As well, the addition of the Western

Manitoba Cancer Centre in Brandon means that some of these patients may need beds during treatment.

RIVERS REHABILITATION CENTRE

The practice of moving patients to another facility to improve patient flow and provide the best possible care is not new

to the region. Several years ago BRHC faced a shortage of beds for rehabilitation for orthopedic patients getting proce-

dures such as hip and knee replacements. A pilot project was implemented in Rivers where the health centre became a

rehabilitation centre for these types of surgeries. Without this additional rehabilitation capacity, Brandon would not have

‘We understand the

inconvenience patients and their

families may feel as a result of

a transfer out of their

community-however, it’s

important to realize that there

are acutely ill patients needing

these beds.”

Penny Gilson, PMH CEO

….continued on Page 5

5

been able to do more surgeries to address wait times. The Rivers

Health Centre has staff who specialize in care for (orthopedic)

rehabilitation patients e.g. physiotherapist, occupational therapist,

rehab aides, nurses. This program has been evaluated as being very

successful. The patients are very satisfied with their care. One patient

provided the following feedback, “There are simply not words strong

enough or unique enough to describe how impressed and thankful I

am for this unit and this staff. Thank you seems so inadequate.”

TRANSITIONAL CARE SITES

Another way PMH addresses bed use is by designating some facilities

as transitional care sites. Transitional care sites came about as a result of some rural hospitals not having the necessary

resources to sustain the facility operating as an acute care centre with emergency services. It was determined that these

facilities could still serve a valuable purpose by operating as a transitional care site. Transitional care is the care of a

patient who does not require 24/7 medical supervision by a physician but still requires some 24/7 nursing care. There

are a variety of different circumstances where this type of care is appropriate:

Patients who are waiting to be placed in a personal care home, when a bed is not yet available for them at the

facility of their choice. These patients are no longer able to manage at home, even with home care supports, so

require admission to a health care facility for nursing support (or 24/7 nursing care) but do not require the 24/7

medical care;

Patients who need to be admitted to provide their caregiver a break (respite care);

Patients who are recovering—who have been acutely ill and hospitalized at an acute care centre but no longer

require the 24/7 medical care only available at acute care sites.

Pat Cockburn is the Senior Advisor Acute Care & Nursing for PMH. “For example someone comes into the Brandon

emergency department and they have pneumonia and they need a bed because they are frail and elderly. They could

be admitted to Souris or Minnedosa or another PMH facility where their needs can still be met in a safe environment.

We need to try and admit people to the appropriate place and ensure the beds in Brandon are available for those who

need that level of care.” Cockburn sited an example when the Swan Valley Health Centre had no acute beds open

going into a weekend. An assessment was done on some inpatients resulting in transfers to Grandview and Gilbert

Plains so that there were acute care beds available in Swan River.

It is now policy that anytime someone is admitted to a PMH facility a staff member will go over an interim placement

transfer notification letter. It‟s to make sure that the patient and their family if possible, are aware of the possibility that a

transfer may occur. Before any transfer takes place many factors will be looked at; how medically stable a patient is;

can the receiving facility manage that patient‟s care needs; what available location would result in the least amount of

inconvenience for family/social supports; are there other options for care – can family take the patient home; would

additional home care supports, if available, facilitate discharge home; etc. If a transfer needs to happen, every effort will

be made to try and move to a location as close as possible to the patient‟s community of residence.

PMH recognizes that admission to hospital is often a stressful time for not only the patient but their family. It would

never be anyone‟s intent to make this time more stressful, but it is important to note that there are not always the exact

right resources in the exact right location to meet all demands. PMH hopes that people will understand that no one ever

knows if they might need lifesaving surgery or intensive care but if one day they do having a bed available at the right

time could make all the difference.

Prairie Mountain Health asks for people‟s cooperation and understanding that if one day that someone is you or your

family member, then a bed with the right care will be available at the time you need it. Thank you for your anticipated

patience as we try to ensure all Prairie Mountain Health residents get the care they need.

Enhancing the delivery of care

….Continued from page 4

Rivers Health Centre

6

DASH Tent 2015: Volunteers/sponsors lead the way

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: pmh@pmh-mb.ca

Website: www.prairiemountainhealth.ca

Health and Wellness for All

Follow us on Twitter!!

@PrairieMtHealth

Photos courtesy: Dolores Caldwell– Reston Recorder

1, 050 is how many children came through the DASH

TENT in 2015 PLUS their parents and grandparents! Children

of all ages brought their favourite stuffed animal to this hospi-

tal-like setting for treatment and care by Prairie Mountain

Health staff. It is a great way to educate families about our

services, procedures/equipment and promotes healthy living

in a friendly and fun way.

Big THANK YOU to all our volunteers, sponsors and our tent

area leaders who give of their time every year to make this event

such a huge success!

-Admitting – Pam Edwards and Karen Kotak

-Diagnostic Imaging – Monique Clarke

-Lab – Dana Funnell

-Operating Room – Ruby Nishimura

-Respiratory – Susan Dobson

-Public Health – Becky Ericson

-Fracture clinic – Cynthia Brown

-Long Term Care – Dana Ganter

-CATC - Denise Cox

-Therapy Services – Karen Gillespie

-Nutrition (Healthy Eating) –

Natasha Webber and Arlene Wolfe.