May 31 is World No Tobacco Day, a day set aside to remind the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what is being done to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations. See https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-no-tobacco-day
Did you know a Healthcare Provider from Prairie Mountain Health can help support your tobacco quit journey and provide redeemable funds toward Nicotine Replacement Therapy products? The Tobacco Quit Card and Counselling Program provides counselling sessions and redeemable Quit Cards in the amount of $300 for nicotine patches and aids to eligible patients across Prairie Mountain Health. Even if you are not eligible for the Quit Card, you can still receive individual counselling sessions.
What is offered in the Tobacco Quit Card and Counselling Program?
Counselling sessions with a health professional on how to stop tobacco use or vaping. 3 sessions are guaranteed (initial, 1 month & 6 months) and more can be provided if needed.
A Quit Card redeemable at any Manitoba pharmacy to help toward the cost nicotine replacement medication.
Who can participate?
Manitobans without insurance to cover nicotine replacement products (nicotine patches, gum and other aids) or who find it difficult to afford these medications.
Manitobans ready to quit or reduce smoking or vaping within 30 days.
Call 1-877-509-7852 to book you appointment today
Other tobacco cessation programs available to Prairie Mountain Health residents:
Quit Smoking with your Manitoba Pharmacist Program: Participating Manitoba pharmacies provide $100 and up to nine counselling sessions for Manitobans wanting to quit. Medications covered include nicotine patches, aids and oral medications. Ask your pharmacy if the program is available through them!
Commit to Quit Program (C2Q) is a five-session program offered live online to all Manitobans. This series is for anyone who would like to reduce or stop their tobacco or nicotine use. Learn about your triggers, setting realistic goals, how to start reducing, behavioural strategies that work and find out about quit medications. See wrha.mb.ca/groups or call 1-877-979-9355.
Packing It In is a one-class overview of the steps to quit smoking. It’s a helpful introduction if you are interested in the longer Commit to Quit Program. A recorded version is available at wrha.mb.ca/groups.
The Last Drag is a Winnipeg 2SLGBTQ+ Facebook peer support group to help you quit smoking.
Talk Tobacco is an Indigenous Quit Smoking and Vaping resource providing free, confidential help line and online support. Now also offering text support. Visit their Facebook page or call 1-833-998-TALK (8255).
Smokers’ Helpline is a free, confidential help line and online support. Now also offering text support to get you smoke-free for good. For more information visit their call 1-877-513-5333.
Nurse Practitioner (NP): some NPs in PMH can provide quit smoking counselling and NRT products (patches/gum). Contact your local clinic to see if this service is available in your area.
Minor injury and illness clinic planned for Brandon
Minor injury and illness clinic planned for Brandon
Brandon will be home to the first minor injury and illness clinic outside of Winnipeg. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Health, Seniors and Long Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara made the announcement at Brandon Regional Health Centre on March 27.
The Brandon clinic will be staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses who will provide primary health-care services and support for minor health-care concerns. Patients will be able to book same-day appointments and connect with health-care providers via virtual care. It will offer extended hours to fit families’ schedules, operating 12 hours a day, seven days a week. An interim location will open in Brandon this fall, while Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) identifies a permanent home.
“When your child needs stitches or you have the flu, a crowded ER should not be your only option,” said Kinew. “This delivers on our commitment to offer more primary care options in neighbourhoods across the province, starting with this project in Brandon. The clinic will offer timely and convenient care for families and seniors, while reducing pressure on Brandon’s ER. Longer hours mean more options for busy parents so you can spend less time in the waiting room and more time on what matters most.”
The Province estimates that the minor injury and illness clinic will see over 700 people every week once open. PMH CEO Brian Schoonbaert said collaborative efforts continue with health-care providers in an effort to staff the Clinic so it can open as soon as possible.
“Firstly, we will be using an inter-disciplinary team approach, where we are exploring all collaborative care models to support the required staffing complement. We continue discussions with our nurses so they can work to their full scope of practice and support the physicians and nurse practitioners in things like treatments and assessments. This will allow the primary care providers to see more clients.
“And, we are actively and aggressively recruiting physicians and continue to support our version of the “Grow your Own ‘Nurse Practitioner’ Program.”
Schoonbaert added, the Clinic will also be staffed with non-clinical support, which includes administrative, housekeeping, materials management and security services. He says PMH will continue working with health partners and stakeholders to attain the required space for the Clinic.
PMH recognizes National Volunteer Week | April 14-20, 2024
PMH recognizes National Volunteer Week | April 14-20, 2024
Written March 27, 2024
National Volunteer Week is celebrated this year from April 14-20, 2024. Volunteers undoubtedly make a difference in the health and well-being of the residents, patients, and clients that we serve within the Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) region. Over the last year, our healthcare volunteers have put in a collective total of over 37,000 hours!
“PMH sincerely values contributions made by our communities and stakeholders to our healthcare system,” says PMH Board of Directors Chair Lon Cullen. “Volunteers and volunteer organizations continue to play a significant role with our PMH team in supporting our Regional Vision of ‘Health and Wellness for All.’ We acknowledge and appreciate the heartfelt contributions that volunteers and volunteer organizations make directly or indirectly year-round!
The theme for National Volunteer Week 2024 is “Every Moment Matters.” It highlights the importance of every volunteer and each contribution they make at a time when we need support more than ever. Sharing time, skills, empathy, and creativity is vital to the inclusivity, strength, and well-being of our communities.
Volunteers support our personal care homes, hospitals, and community health programs across the region. Some examples include:
Volunteers serve every personal care home within PMH, providing our residents companionship, entertainment and assistance.
Dedicated volunteers who support the Palliative Care Program.
A dedicated group of Pet Therapy Dogs/handlers (PATDogs Team) who take time from their day to bring smiles to the patients and residents in hospitals and Personal Care Homes. The PATDogs program was implemented in 2022 and has grown from three Therapy dog teams to 24 teams.
Volunteers participate in local boards, foundations, auxiliary organizations, and other community meal and harm reduction programs.
Volunteers assist with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program.
These are just a few highlights of volunteer participation, dedication and commitment. It would be challenging to cover all the examples of how people selflessly give up their time.
“We very much appreciate our volunteers who dedicate their time, knowledge, compassion and heart to helping Prairie Mountain Health,” stated PMH CEO Brian Schoonbaert. “On behalf of our board, staff and physicians, we sincerely thank you for all you do from the bottom of our hearts. If you see a volunteer, thank them for making “Every Moment Matter.”
Katherine Dwight is a dedicated volunteer for Boissevain Evergreen Place.
Katherine enjoys helping others, visiting with residents and assisting with recreation programs.
“To bring smiles to the residents is the biggest award” says Katherine.
Thankyou Katherine for your dedication to the residents and the PCH!
Eleanor is a dedicated volunteer at Rideau Park, Fairview PCH, and Minnedosa Care Home.
Eleanor began volunteering to help fill her need to do something musically.
“I love seeing a smile or hearing someone singing along.” says Eleanor.
Eleanor also enjoys singing, dancing and knitting.
Jessica is a dedicated volunteer at Rideau Park PCH.
Jessica began volunteering because she enjoys working with older people and was looking for somewhere to do that.
“Interacting with the residents is definitely my favourite thing about volunteering” says Jessica.
Jessica also enjoys cooking and baking.
Thank you Jessica for your dedication to the Residents at Rideau Park.
Alexe & Darlynne are dedicated volunteers at Dinsdale PCH & Fairview Home.
Alexe sings, and Darlynne plays piano. Together they provide wonderful music programs!
“My favourite thing about volunteering is the music & the residents – most love music. My friendship with Darlynne (pianist)…we’ve become very close.” ~Alexe~
“My favourite thing about volunteering is seeing the pleasure of residents & doing something I love!” ~Darlynne~
Alexe enjoys spending time with family, church and hobbies.
Darlynne enjoys spending time with family, church & other committees, computer skills, singing & playing, helping people who need assistance.
Thank you for sharing your love of music with residents around PMH.
Larry is a dedicated volunteer at Fairview Home.
Larry began volunteering when he saw a need for volunteers & his life changed, freeing up some time to give back to society.
“My favourite thing about volunteering is the joy & appreciation I receive from clients & staff. I always leave happier than when I arrived.”
Larry also enjoys volunteering his time with other organizations, fixing broken electrical & mechanical devices, and grandparenting.
Thank you Larry for sharing your time with Fairview Residents.
Dwayne & Anne are dedicated volunteers in Prairie Mountain Health.
Anne started volunteering when her mom was a resident at Fairview.
“My favourite thing about volunteering is working & talking with residents.”
Dwayne volunteers as a musician at Fairview, Rideau Park, & Dinsdale PCH
“My favourite thing about volunteering is playing music for the residents.”
Anne & Dwayne also enjoy curling, dancing, walking, travelling, and floor shuffling.
Thank you Dwayne & Anne for sharing your time with residents around PMH.
Melina is a dedicated volunteer at Fairview Home.
Melina began volunteering because she wanted to make a positive impact in her community. Volunteering offers opportunities to contribute her skills to meaningful places and connect with others.
“I love playing piano for the people and it’s nice knowing that some of them recognize me whenever I go now. It warms my heart every time I see them enjoy the music and the fact that my music can make them happy for that hour.”
Thank you Melina for sharing your love of music with the Residents of Fairview.
Carolyn is a dedicated volunteer at Dinsdale PCH.
Carolyn began volunteering when her mom was a resident at Dinsdale.
“My favourite thing about volunteering is socializing with the residents.”
Carolyn also enjoys jigsaw puzzles, cards and reading.
High Country Band has been sharing their love of music and friendship to residents for multiple years.
They perform monthly in the Personal Care homes in Sandy Lake, Erickson, Minnedosa and Neepawa.
Lorna McMillan is a dedicated volunteer at Delwynda Court in Deloraine with the recreation programs.
Thank you Lorna, for sharing your time with our residents.
Jan Russell is a dedicated volunteer at Rivers PCH.
Jan is a faithful recreation volunteer at Rivers PCH and loves her time volunteering and we love having her assistance and friendship!
Pictured left to right is one of our residents Louise, enjoying a game of crib with Jan.
Lenora Fassett is a dedicated volunteer at Rivers PCH.
Lenora is a faithful recreation volunteer at Rivers PCH and loves her time volunteering and we love having her assistance and friendship!
Pictured left to right is one of our residents Louise, enjoying her time with Lenora.
Across Canada, National Volunteer Week (April 14-20, 2024) celebrates the individual and collective actions that volunteers participate in to create strong, interconnected and engaged communities. The Palliative Care Volunteer Service would like to acknowledge and applaud the contributions of over 225 palliative care volunteers in many communities across Prairie Mountain Health.
The Palliative Care Volunteer Service is comprised of a network of 20 community service groups who are dedicated to the improvement of palliative care in their local community. Palliative care volunteers come alongside, and complement, the existing professional services available in the home, hospital and personal care home setting. Dedicated and trained volunteers offer an additional layer of support, letting clients and families know that their local community cares. In these moments, and the relationships between them, volunteers find greater purpose, a sense of belonging and hold a common thread of hope. “We understand and share the hope that at some time, or in some way, we will all face the end of life; and when that time comes we will have the love and support of our family and the greater community” (Holly, volunteer).
The theme of volunteer week 2024 is “Every Moment Matters”. For individuals and families facing end of life, every moment is profound and valuable. Palliative care volunteers share their time, skills, empathy and creativity to shine a light in these important moments. Volunteers can be called upon to offer client companionship, caregiver respite, practical resources, end of life vigil sitting and bereavement follow-up. Volunteers also engage in activities that promote palliative care awareness, such as fundraisers, advocacy events, death cafes and community grief workshops. In the moments that matter the most, volunteers are available to hold space for clients and families, with a kind smile, a listening ear, words of encouragement and a caring embrace.
During National Volunteer Week 2024, we come together to recognize and celebrate the importance of each and every volunteer in our program. Volunteering matters and by sharing these moments we co-create the neighborhoods, culture and society we want to live in, and die, in. Thank you to the following community service groups:
Birtle Palliative Care Committee
Boissevain Palliative Care Committee
Carberry Palliative Care Committee
Dauphin Palliative Care Committee
Deloraine Palliative Care Committee
Erickson and District Palliative Care Committee
Glenboro Palliative Care Committee
Hamiota Palliative Care Committee
Killarney Palliative Care Committee
Melita Palliative Care Committee
Minnedosa Palliative Care Committee
Neepawa and District Palliative Care Committee
Reston Palliative Care Committee
Riverdale Palliative Care Committee
Rossburn Palliative Care Committee
Russell Palliative Care Committee
Shoal Lake Palliative Care Committee
Souris Palliative Care Committee
Virden and District Palliative Care Committee
Westman Hospice (Brandon)
If you would like to learn more about the Palliative Care Volunteer Service please visit our website or contact Palliative Care Volunteer and Bereavement Coordinator, Carla Mitchell, 204-578-2310. All volunteers are registered with Prairie Mountain Health and receive training to prepare for the volunteer role.
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) continues to move forward on several major construction and renovation projects in partnership with Manitoba Health and Shared Health. The following is a brief update as of March 21, 2024.
Visuals are renderings only and not intended to reflect how the final project will actually appear.
Brandon Regional Health Centre (BRHC)
Construction to expand and renovate clinical spaces within the BRHC campus continues, with work on the new Critical Care bed tower addition. Once completed the entire project will feature:
a new 16-bed Intensive Care Unit – main level.
approximately 30 additional medical beds on – the 2nd floor.
3rd floor – mechanical space.
4th floor – shell space for future expansions.
The anticipated completion for the Critical Care bed tower project is late 2025.
Western Manitoba Cancer Care Centre (WMCC)
Work continues on the expanded and renovated WMCC, which will serve as a regional cancer hub, providing enhanced cancer services for patients across western Manitoba. The project includes:
7,000-sq.-ft. expansion and renovation of existing space, including additional exam rooms and treatment spaces.
space for a ‘Centre of Hope’ for counselling and recovery patients to have additional support and resources.
second medical linear accelerator, used for delivering external beam radiation treatments to patients with cancer.
The anticipated project completion is mid-summer of 2024.
Neepawa Health Centre
The new hospital is being built east of Neepawa on the north side of the Yellowhead highway near the Lions Campground.
It will be over four times the size of the existing hospital, and will better serve patients from this broader western Manitoba geographic area. Features of the new health centre will include:
60 acute care inpatient beds, up from 35 at the current Neepawa site.
an expanded emergency department designed to best practice standards that include treatment and assessment rooms, trauma rooms and an ambulance bay.
adding a hemodialysis suite with nine dialysis stations.
enhanced space for a number of other programs, such as surgery, diagnostics, and palliative care, as well as outpatient services like chemotherapy (6 treatment stations).
The anticipated project completion is early 2026.
Dauphin Regional Health Centre
Renovations to the Dauphin Regional Health Centre (DRHC) continue. A new Chemotherapy Unit, which relocated the existing unit on the hospital’s third floor to the main floor, opened in early January.
Work continues to bring a new Endoscopy suite into operation. The new suite on the hospital’s main floor will relocate all endoscopy procedures out of the existing operating room. This will further free up operating space, and increase surgical capacity at DRHC. PMH is working toward having the new suite operational within the next few months.
A second phase of the renovation project is now well underway. This includes:
adding nine additional inpatient beds (seven on Medicine Unit, two on Surgery).
renovating vacated space (former cancer care unit on third floor) into a new physiotherapy area and some administrative offices.
renovating a conference room and adding additional storage space.
Phase 2 completion (hospital in-patient renovations) is anticipated by the fall of 2024, therefore increasing hospital capacity.
Killarney, Virden and Souris Health Centres
Three additional Emergency Department (ED) renovations in Virden, Killarney and Souris are now complete. This involved:
dedicated space for registration and triage for those attending the ED. This provides greater privacy but also better sight lines for staff to view patients and the waiting area.
refreshed treatment spaces (e.g.: new paint, flooring, etc.).
improved wayfinding for those arriving at the Emergency Department and for those coming to visit inpatients.
The new spaces have been well-received by staff and those who have presented to the Emergency Departments.
Russell Health Centre (Cancer Care unit building expansion)
Construction on the addition to the Russell Health Centre for an expanded cancer care unit is entering the final stages. Once complete, the project will add another 3,300 sq.-ft. to the health centre’s existing CancerCare Manitoba chemotherapy treatment space. This is roughly four times the size of the current space and will include:
replacement of the existing nursing station and medication storage area;
creation of a dedicated patient washroom, nourishment area, and a small waiting area;
improved patient privacy.
The local Expanding Community Cancer Care Committee (ECCC) raised $1.8 million of the $2.5 million required in order for the capital construction project to proceed. The Province contributed $700,000 for the remaining capital costs.
The anticipated completion is sometime in the spring of 2024.
Swan River CT scan project
Renovations to the hospital space that will hold the new CT Scanner within the Swan Valley Health Centre in Swan River are nearing completion. Mechanical and electrical work will continue through March.
The CT scanner unit will be installed through April and May. After installation, inspections, staffing and support will be implemented with a goal of operationalizing the equipment in the summer.
Pictured L-R: Linda Wakefield – Legion Poppy Fund Committee, Vicki Ketch – Manager – Health Services LTC, Sharon Robinson – Administrative Assistant
Rideau PCH Receives Donation
“We eat first with our eyes”
The Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 003 – Poppy Fund of Brandon MB generously donated $2,843.42 to the Rideau Park PCH. The funds will be used to redesign the decor of one of our dining rooms so that every meal is eaten in a room that provides a comforting and appealing environment. The current dining room was built with function in mind will benefit from decorative updates.
The dining room is a place of engagement and connection. It is more than just a room, it’s a place where everyone comes together for the opportunity to engage in comradeship/fellowship.
This project will be promoted to improve resident satisfaction with their meal experience. Ultimately, this is not so much about the decor but is about respect, dignity and honoring the residents.
The funding was approved first by the Legion Brandon branch, then Legion Provincial Command, and finally Dominion Command. Funding for a dining room has never before been approved. Rideau Park is very proud to have been awarded the Poppy Fund Donation for this project!
Thank you for approving this project and the donation to make it successful.
The Ladies Auxiliary in Neepawa was happy to donate 5 lock boxes for medications to the Home Care department. The Ladies Auxiliary is proud to support the needs of the Health Care facilities in Neepawa.
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) has warmly welcomed additional Filipino health-care workers recruited as part of Manitoba’s Philippines Recruitment Initiative. Since the first regional arrivals in November 2023, it marks a total of 14 internationally educated health care professionals that have been recruited to PMH as of early March 2024.
Neepawa recently said hello to two new recruits, both working at Country Meadows Personal Care Home (PCH). Meliza Diapano, a certified health care aide, arrived in Manitoba with her family in January 2024. Jennifer Diangco, who is an internationally educated nurse, arrived in late February.
In Hartney, health care aide Danil Hebrio began work at Hartney PCH and the Russell Personal Care Home welcomed health care aide Eugene Reyes. Both started in January.
Dauphin Personal Care Home has two new health care aides, Andrea Almodal and Jamaica Alabot. Andrea and her family arrived in Manitoba in late January, and Jamaica arrived in Dauphin in mid-February. In Swan River, Hazel Mae Pesigan arrived in mid-March and will be working at Swan Valley PCH as internationally-educated nurse.
Brandon welcomed Betty Jean Malagum in late February. She is a health care aide working at Fairview Home.
“We’re very pleased to welcome these new recruits to Canada, Manitoba and our health care region!” stated Brian Schoonbaert, CEO of Prairie Mountain Health. “We will continue to work with our dedicated staff and communities to ensure their transition, mentorship and orientation goes as smoothly as possible”.
Overall, there have been recruits to Brandon, Dauphin, Hartney, Minnedosa, Neepawa, Swan River, Virden and Russell. PMH continues to work with provincial partners on the initiative to recruit to more regional communities during April and May.
National Immunization Awareness Week | April 22-30, 2024
National Immunization Awareness Week | April 22-30, 2024
When Immunize Canada launched National Immunization Awareness Week in the 1990s, it echoed a very successful program that Canada saw in the 1930s. Back then, vaccines were new, and the diseases they prevent were far too common.
Details can be found in back issues of the Canadian Journal of Public Health, the long-running journal of the Canadian Public Health Association.
One of the earliest campaigns, launched in 1931, was Toronto’s Toxoid Week, which focused on diphtheria. Toxoid Week became a stronger initiative after the establishment of the Health League of Canada in 1935. Largely spearheaded by the now-defunct League, the campaign involved schools, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, service clubs, and physicians to get the message out.
In 1942, it was decided that more diseases needed to be included, and the first National Immunization Week was born: a “coast-to-coast program of education directed towards the prevention of smallpox and whooping cough as well as diphtheria”
Much has changed in Canada since the 1930s. In the mid-1970s, the Health League closed its doors. By then, immunization was common, and several important diseases were fading from memory. In the meantime, new vaccines were developed and are widely used. Smallpox – once a health threat worldwide – was eradicated. Canada was certified polio-free in 1994. Many lives have been saved by immunization, and countless illnesses and long-term health problems avoided. Vaccines truly are one of the great public health achievements of the twentieth century – and onward into the twenty-first.
But some things don’t change. Vaccine-preventable diseases are still very much with us. We need to continue to educate Canadians about immunization and promote awareness of its benefits to health with up-to-date information. We need to involve traditional media, health care providers, and social media. And we need to keep vaccinating! Recent outbreaks of mumps and measles remind us that, if immunization rates drop, diseases will reappear. Immunization rates must remain high in order for individuals and communities to stay protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.
National Immunization Awareness Week is a great time to learn more. Visit immunize.ca for reliable information on immunization for all generations.
How to get a copy of your immunization record
You can get your immunization record by submitting a request via the Immunization Update Request Form and it will be mailed to you.
Check if your local medical clinic or physician’s office can provide them to you
Asking at a local nursing station or health centre
The Manitoba Immunization registry was started in 1988. Immunizations provided prior to 1988 are unlikely to be included in Manitoba Health’s official registry. Please check for paper records at home or with your local health care provider. Manitoba Health sends out a copy of your immunization record when you turn 7 and 18 years old.
References National Immunization Week: November 14 – 21. Can Public Health J 1943:34(10):477. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41978506 (Accessed April 13, 2017). Bates G. Diphtheria-Toxoid Week in Toronto. Can Public Health J 1938;29(12):578-82. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41977695 (Accessed March 14, 2017)
PMH wants to take additional steps to encourage community members to protect their kidneys. March is kidney awareness month, and PMH encourages everyone to learn more about protecting their ‘beans.’ The PMH Population Health and Wellness Committee has been developing a public awareness campaign to inform PMH residents about the importance of early detection and screening. You may have noticed posters around your community encouraging everyone to self-screen for kidney disease.
Here are a few facts to share:
The province of Manitoba has the highest incidence and prevalence of kidney failure in Canada
As many as 1 in 10 adults in Manitoba are living with kidney disease, and most don’t even know it
Kidneys can lose 80% of their function before any symptoms are felt
What is kidney disease, and why is early testing so important? Chronic kidney disease means your kidneys are damaged and lose their ability to keep you healthy by filtering your blood. People living with kidney disease progressively lose kidney function, often not knowing they have the disease until advancing to the later stages. As kidney disease worsens, wastes can build up in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop other problems like high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutritional health, or nerve damage.
Kidney disease is classified into five stages; stage 1 indicates normal kidney function up to stage 5, which is kidney failure. Because symptoms don’t always show in the early stages, identifying and managing patients with early kidney disease may slow or prevent the progression to end-stage kidney disease. Often, noninvasive treatments, such as drug therapy and lifestyle changes, may be all that’s needed if caught early.
Anyone can get kidney disease, but some people have a higher probability because they have one or more risk factors. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common reasons for kidney disease among adults. Other risk factors include obesity, smoking, having heart disease, frequent use of kidney-damaging drugs, or a family history of kidney disease. Having a risk factor does not mean you will get kidney disease, but it increases your chance and makes early screening more important. A simple blood or urine test is all that is needed to learn if your kidneys are healthy.
Talk to your healthcare provider about kidney disease. To learn more about kidney disease and to take a self-screen test to see if you are at risk, visit www.kidney.ca. Don’t underestimate the importance of early testing for kidney disease. Ask yourself, have you ‘bean’ checked?
Prairie Mountain Health’s (PMH) Mobile Clinic has passed a very notable milestone; February 2024 marked ten years since the primary care bus first hit the road! The Mobile Clinic was the first of its kind in the Province, and although some of the faces and places have changed over the years, there’s one constant: providing access to services where some barriers remain.
On average, the PMH Mobile Clinic (primary care bus) travels 44,000 kilometres annually. This is roughly equivalent to touring across Canada (east to west) nearly seven times annually. Over the past decade, approximately 440,000 total kilometres have been travelled by the Mobile Clinic. That’s certainly a lot of distance covered and patients seen since its implementation.
The Mobile Clinic is staffed by a Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, and Driver who provides administrative support. This team works closely with the staff at the health centres in each community to ensure that individuals’ needs are met.
Currently, the Indigenous communities of Birdtail Sioux First Nation, Ebb and Flow First Nation, O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation and Keeseekoowenin First Nation receive regular visits. The communities of Canupawakpa Dakota First Nation, Skownan First Nation, and Waterhen also receive regular Nurse Practitioner services from Mobile Clinic providers.
“A Nurse Practitioner can do some of the same things as a family doctor. They can do physical exams, diagnose and treat diseases and other health conditions, and prescribe medication,” says Glenda Short, PMH Regional Lead of Community and Continuing Care. “This allows the Mobile Clinic to provide many services, including regular sexually transmitted blood-borne infection testing, which offers clients a private and confidential environment for testing and treatment.”
Client, community and staff feedback have shaped changes over the past decade. The Mobile Clinic saw greater success by visiting the same communities consistently rather than more communities on a less frequent basis. Therefore, visits currently occur to the same four communities on a consistent schedule.
“Accessing primary health care services close to home is important for all Manitobans,” saidManitoba Health, Seniors and Healthy Living Minister Uzoma Asagwara. “I would like to thank the staff who operate the Mobile Clinic for the great work that they do and their dedication to providing quality and timely health care for residents of Prairie Mountain Health Region.”
Appointment at the Mobile Bus in Birdtail Sioux
Operating a fully functioning primary care clinic on wheels is challenging.
“Adverse weather conditions, staffing shortages, and internet disruptions are a few that can play a role in the clinic’s day-to-day functions,” stated Ashley Vandepoele, PMH Health Services Manager whose team oversees the initiative.
During the heightened stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems had to adapt rapidly, and the Mobile Clinic was no exception.
“The Mobile Clinic shifted to involve providing vaccines, doing testing, redeploying staff, as well as physically attending pop-up vaccine locations in campsites and mall parking lots for visibility,” Short said.
Added Vandepeole: “The pandemic also provided space for innovation. One learning was that virtual care could be utilized to meet client needs. This has altered and shaped how the Mobile Clinic functions on days when cancellations are inevitable due to adverse weather and road conditions. Rather than not providing service at all due to the Clinic’s inability to get to the community, we now offer services by telephone on many of those days.”
The Mobile Clinic strives to be an inclusive, safe environment for all to access. PMH regularly welcomes nursing students and physician assistants to participate in their learning journey.
A recent grant approval through Health Care Excellence Canada’s Strengthening Primary Care in Northern Rural and Remote Communities will pave the way for an innovation on the Mobile Clinic. Point-of-care testing equipment is being purchased to support diabetes and renal screening in a number of the communities that the Mobile Clinic serves.
PMH remains proud of the continued success of the Clinic and, with its health partners and stakeholders, collectively strives to enhance services within the large geographic region continually.
