The Sunrise Health Region Board met for its regular monthly meeting, which was held in Yorkton, last Wednesday.
Suann Laurent, President and Chief Executive Officer of SHR circulated a report to the Board. Among the items, which covered a three-month period since the Board does not meet in July and August, were;
• The Week of Oct. 1, was declared Seniors Week in Saskatchewan by Minister Duncam. The week closes with Canada’s National Senior’s Day on October 1 – Health Promotion planning to have the following promotional material ready for next month: CTV and ROCK radio interviews re: Age Friendly; Development of Active Aging Promotional Video; Seniors Day Intergenerational Cook-Off with Yorkton Family Resource Centre; Communications will also tweet and post information on Facebook re: Seniors Week and Age Friendly.
• Regional Influenza Campaign Collaborative -- Influenza campaign meeting. Influenza immunization slotted to start Oct. 31, 2016. Sunrise clinics are being booked with information given to communication team.
• Patient Safety Week is October 24 – 28, 2016. Meeting held with Communications team to strategize on how to plan for this week. Determined that they will use the “Speak-Up” slogan as our theme for the week. Continuous Improvement & Patient Safety will be focusing on the following for Patient Safety Week:
• Volunteer Resources staff is working with Joanne Bodnar to develop volunteer surveyors who will conduct Acute Care Patient Surveys by telephone. Volunteer recruitment and training will commence in early October. Volunteer Resources staff is working with Bev Pacey to develop volunteer surveyors who will conduct resident surveys in long-term care facilities throughout the health region. Training material has been obtained from Saskatoon Health Region and Sunrise Health Region Communications Dept. has adapted the PowerPoint presentation to meet Sunrise Health Region needs. Director, Volunteer Resources will finalize the training presentation and make it available at sites throughout the health region. Recruitment and training begin in early October. Volunteers will also be responsible for data entry of survey results. Volunteer Resources staff will support Public Health Nurses at Immunization Clinics throughout the region. Volunteer Resources staff have recruited and scheduled volunteers for the Friday Movie Night Program for the residents at Yorkton & District Nursing Home. This new program has allowed volunteers who could not normally get involved during regular daytime hours to participate – including students, families and couples. Recruitment for Sign Language, Cantonese and Mandarin Volunteer Translators continues. Volunteer Resources has been working with Primary Health to find a sign translator for clients requiring service. To date, 3000 emails/newsletters with an advertisement have been circulated and there has been no success.
• Long term care managers are working on the reduction of restraints. Joanne Bodnar and the North Health Services Managers went to Wynyard to review their Falls Prevention Program; Wynyard had significant dollars given to them by the Ministry to purchase low beds and hip protectors. A plan is developing to order low beds when we need to order, suggest to families to purchase hip protectors, order some fall mats and fill out the requisitions for OT to assess clients for slipping so SHR can get some four- point seat belts. To date, some facilities have been able to reduce the number of restraints. Foam Lake Jubilee Home is meeting least restraint provincial target for three quarters in a row.
• Saulteaux Pelly Initiative – Those involved met Sept. 19, which also was the grand opening of the treatment centre. Administration had been trying to schedule a pre-meeting with little success in aligning schedules. They may try a pre-scheduled monthly conference call. They have been able to secure furniture and equipment for the new Cote drop-in centre.
• Sunrise Health Region has recently been engaged with the Saulteaux Pelly Agency Health Alliance (Saulteaux Pelly) whereby discussions on areas of common and mutual interest are regularly discussed. The health of our First Nation/Aboriginal population is of concern. Employment is a definite health determinant and this is also an area whereby Saulteaux Pelly has expressed an interest. To this end, SHR has agreed to work collaboratively on a project with the goal of increasing the number of First Nation/Aboriginal staff in the Sunrise Health Region to 8.9 per cent of self-declared First Nation/Aboriginal employees. A one-page update was created to highlight the health region’s partnerships with First Nation communities. The information was requested for use in a First Nations newsletter.
• SHR has agreed to utilize a process that will examine our recruitment and retention operations to address challenges related to employment in the Sunrise Health Region. It will identify and review critical issues that affect recruitment and retention in the Region, and examine these issues from differing perspectives of appropriate internal and external persons and organizations, so the recommendations that meet the expectations of the various communities can be generated and implemented.
• Kamsack Hospital found needles at the front entrance. A Needle Disposal Unit has been installed outside the Kamsack Hospital. Illegal drug use and trafficking in Kamsack Hospital is a concern. One criminal charge made under the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act. RCMP are being called as required.
* July regional hand hygiene compliance rate was 77 per cent. Managers of their designate conducted the monthly audits in May, June and July. In the moment coaching is occurring. Continue to highlight with staff the need to perform hand hygiene prior to donning gloves/taking gloves off. Discussions with physicians/staff regarding wearing of ring(s) as well staff being aware that they need to be able to remove a plain wedding band, when worn, to perform proper hand hygiene and then clean it prior to putting it back on. August regional compliance rate was 69 per cent. The Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Team auditors performed the audits. The installation of additional hand rub stations has improved results in Day Surgery, Recovery Room and Endoscopy at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre. Yorkton Regional Health Centre Laboratory and Imaging now is performing hand hygiene monthly self-audits.
• Working with the U of S to have 4th year nursing students embedded in Public Health. It would be an excellent opportunity to have the help, youth and enthusiasm. This has been approved and a contract is being developed.
* Yorkton & District Nursing Home – In May, nine resident rooms were painted and touch-ups in Country Meadow dining room where bulletin boards were moved. Yorkton & District Nursing Home’s south patio exterior and lattice were painted. In June, thirteen resident rooms, three washrooms and shelving in the housekeeping room in E Wing were painted. In July, ten resident rooms and some painting was done in Melody Manor rotunda. All wooden patio furniture at Melody Manor was stained. In August, three resident rooms were painted, six tub rooms painted and corner guard’s installed and touch-up painting completed in Cornerstone.
• Yorkton Regional Health Centre – Housekeeping rooms have been painted. Operating Room nurses lounge and change rooms were painted. Electricians have installed water-proof plugs for the Food and Nutrition tray line to ensure safe use of tray line after an electrical short issue occurred. New sewer line was installed under the Operating Room Recovery. University of Saskatchewan Nursing Lab project is substantially complete for Phase I. Phase II to begin early in November.
• Centennial Special Care Home (Esterhazy) – Hallways have been painted.
• Canora Gateway Lodge – Room 28 was painted. Hallways were painted as per Sunrise Health Region Paint Plan.
• Canora Hospital – Emergency entrance was painted. Medical Clinic parking lot completed.
• Kamsack Nursing Home – Rooms 15, 48, 27, and 103 were painted. Hallway ceilings were patched and primed.
• Preeceville & District Health Centre – Two rooms were painted.
• Kamsack Regional Office – Workplace incident rooms were received from staff concerned with the odour and condition of windows. Bersch & Associates performed independent air quality testing and results were within acceptable ranges. Capital funding was reallocated for replacement windows. Minor capital was accessed for an external sump pump and dehumidifier. Exterior sump is installed by contractor and submersible pump and drain lines were installed by Maintenance. Air vent was cut into the crawl space.
• Kamsack Stepping Stone Wellness Clinic project is complete except for fan installation for Holistic Healing Room.
• Sunrise is now able to offer Echocardiography services at YRHC on adult patients (16 years or older) and arrangements have been made for Cardiologists from RQHR to read these studies. The Echocardiography office is located in the Stroke Prevention at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre. Scans are available Monday to Friday from 0800 – 1630. Bedside scans can be performed on YRHC in-patients who are unable to transfer or requite constant monitoring.
-- FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) drop off box was installed in admitting at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, on the volunteer desk beside the holter monitor drop off box. This will reduce walking for clients returning these tests.
-- SHR continue to experience critical staffing shortages throughout the Region (Kamsack Lab, St. Anthony’s Nursing, Yorkton Regional Health Centre - -Intensive Care Unit). Mitigation of ongoing recruitment activities continue including the continued utilization of a nursing recruitment firm and contract nursing.
-- SHR will be hosting two family physicians who will be doing their SIPPA (Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment) – Clinical Field Assessment in our Health Region. Dr. Chander Sharma will arrive in Yorkton and be assessed by Dr. Roodt at the Sunrise Health and Wellness Centre and Dr. Akram Abbas Abdulkareem will arrive in Melville and be assessed by Dr. Van Zyl at the Melville Medical Clinic, both commencing June 20, 2016 for six weeks. Privileges are approved on an interim basis. They will then trade places on July 20, 2016 and Dr. Akram Abbas Abdulkareem will arrive and be assessed by Dr. Roodt and Dr. Chander Sharma will arrive in Melville and be assessed by Dr. Van Zyl, both commencing August 1, to September 9, 2016 and returning to the Saskatoon Health Region once their assessments are complete.
-- Theodore Health Centre is fundraising for a new Handibus.
-- Yorkton – Appointment of Dr. Elizabeth Machnee to Medical Staff Associate, Department of Family Medicine at the Sunrise Health and Wellness Centre in Yorkton. Dr. Machnee has been with Sunrise Health Region as a Resident previously and has joined the medical staff effective July 4, 2016. Dr. Olivia Reis, Family Medicine Resident – Rural Family Rotation, is in Yorkton July 11 – September 4, 206 with Dr. Gooijer. Yorkton City Medical selected two candidates for September 2016 SIPPA. Dr. Oloko, Internal Medicine, returned June 11, 2016. Dr. Boroto, Radiologist, will be leaving on October 1, 2016. Dr. Paul Russell started July 26, 2016 and will work intermittently until Dr. Boroto leaves. Also Sunrise is seeking a locum for Dr. Hahn’s annual five month leave.
