October Sunrise Health Region roundup

At the October 26, 2016 meeting of the Sunrise Regional Health Authority, chairperson Don Rae reported that Greg Ottenbreit, minister of rural and remote health, made time on October 21 for an informal discussion with the board. The Health Foundation Gala was held October 22 and community donations continue to be received to support the purchase of new monitoring equipment in the Intensive Care Unit of the Yorkton Regional Health Centre. A meeting of the Board’s Safety and Quality Committee was held October 24.

CEO Report

President and CEO, Suann Laurent, was advised the board hand hygiene audit results from September showed an 85 per cent compliance rate with many individual facilities and program areas having achieved 100 per cent compliance. The following highlights of regional activities were reported at the meeting:

Public influenza immunization clinics began on October 31 and continue throughout December. Members of the public are being advised to be immunized as early as possible. Complete listings of clinic dates and locations are being distributed to all mailboxes in the region.

The 2016-2017 Fall/Winter menu for long term care was adjusted according to feedback received from the residents during the 2015-16 long-term care tours and resident surveys. A survey of long term care resident and family experience will soon occur as part of a provincial initiative. Training was provided to volunteers who will meet with each resident to complete the survey.

Ituna Pioneer Health Care Centre is the sixteenth site to receive telehealth (video conferencing) equipment in Sunrise Health Region. The Ituna telehealth site became fully operational on September 27, 2016.

In September, Theodore Health Centre and Kamsack Nursing Home implemented the Purposeful Interaction program. Purposeful Interaction is the practice of anticipating the needs of long-term care residents within a prescribed amount of time and improving resident safety and satisfaction while ensuring better clinical outcomes.

Several new activities have brightened the lives of residents at Yorkton & District Nursing Home. Friday movie nights were started for residents and in the first few weeks the average attendance has been 12-16 residents. Beginning October 14, 2016, a grade 1 classroom from Yorkdale Central School holds their classes at the Yorkton & District Nursing Home every Friday afternoon with residents partnering with the children for assignments such as reading or artwork. Twelve residents have signed up to participate. In a separate initiative, grade 5 students, also from Yorkdale Central School, will be coming to the nursing home for monthly visits with residents of Melody Manor and Skinner Place. A special event with an “Alice in Wonderland” theme was held in September which included 11 residents from Saltcoats Lakeside Manor Care Home traveling to join residents at Yorkton & District Nursing Home for an afternoon of fun at the “Mad Hatter’s Tea”.

Patient Safety Week was recognized October 24 to 28, 2016. The health region’s “Speak Up!” campaign was incorporated into the messaging for the week to encourage everyone to speak up to report things they may see, hear, taste, feel or know that could prevent an injury or death.

Dr. Catharina Meyer was appointed to the Associate Medical Staff in the Department of Family Medicine at Preeceville and District Health Centre effective October 3, 2016 and Dr. Shamsher Singh was appointed effective October 11, 2016.

Dr.’s Obiora and Jafarian from Canora now attend to medical appointments every second Wednesday at the Norquay Primary Health Clinic. The service began in September and is in addition to the regular schedule of appointments available weekdays in Norquay with Nurse Practitioner, Donna Abrahamson.

LiveWell with Chronic Conditions sessions are being held in Yorkton in October and Melville in November.

President and CEO, Suann Laurent, was nominated and appointed by the provincial Council of CEO’s as a member of the Saskatchewan Association for Safe Workplaces in Health. Decisions

At the October meeting, the Board approved the purchase of capital equipment and projects totalling $44,888. The Financial Condition Report, up to and including August 31, 2016, shows the Sunrise Health Region in a surplus position with operating revenues exceeding the operating expenditures by $778,904 or 0.8% of budget.

The final item of the meeting was a presentation by Vice President of Integrated Health Services, Roberta Wiwcharuk. The presentation outlined the highlights and successes experienced within her portfolio over the past year. The integrated health services portfolio includes responsibility for the following services; acute care, long term care, diagnostic services, emergency medical services, emergency preparedness, inter-professional practice and medical services and infection prevention and control.

A joint meeting of the Board and Community Health Advisory Committee will be held on November 28, 2016. The next regular meeting of the Board is November 30, 2016.