Noted Milestones in Northern Part of PMH Region

Looking back 20 years ago around this time, staff and the public at several facilities in the northern part of what is now Prairie Mountain Health region were just getting used to their new sites.

In September 2005, the new Swan Valley Health Centre opened in Swan River. The old Swan River Valley Hospital experienced mold contamination  and was demolished. Many in the area will remember how residents had to deal with services scattered around Swan River in temporary locations while the new facility was being built.

Staff from Manitoba Health, the Parkland Regional Health Authority and Swan Valley Health Facilities worked together at the time to complete a comprehensive plan for the new hospital. Extensive community consultations were held to review program and service details of the new facility.

When it opened, the new health centre feature a brand new Emergency Department. Diagnostic services, such as laboratory testing, ultrasound and diagnostic imaging were included.

And importantly, the new facility would house home-care, mental-health, public-health and services including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech language pathology, all under one roof.

In the planning, space was set aside to ensure dialysis services needs would eventually be available in the Swan Valley region, which occurred when the program started in November 2006.

Since opening, a cataract surgery program began in 2012 and most recently, diagnostic services were enhanced when a CT Scanner was added to the hospital in mid-2024.

Swan Valley Primary Care Centre

In keeping with the anniversary theme, the Swan Valley Primary Care Centre, which opened in the summer of 2015, recently noted 10 years of serving patients, clients and residents of the Swan River area. The Primary Care Centre is conveniently located across the street from the Swan Valley Health Centre, which greatly assists the advanced access model with an added focus on collaborative care.

The primary care clinic is where you receive the majority of your health care needs and helps support continuous and coordinated care throughout a patient’s life.

The primary care staff at the SVPCC are part of the Swan River My Health Team.  My Health Teams are multidisciplinary teams of professions (from various jurisdictions) who work together to improve access to health care services. Each My Health Team (MyHT) is uniquely developed to meet the needs of the community they serve.

When first established, the SVPCC initially offered primary care appointments and primary care outreach services. 

Now, thanks to active recruitment and retention efforts and ongoing planning, an enhanced health care complement is providing greater access to services, which is helping divert pressures from the hospital’s emergency room. Recruitment over the years has included adding family doctors, nurse practitioners, a physician assistant and a My Health Team. The My Health Team is comprised of both Licensed Practical and Registered Nurses, a Service Navigator and Community Health Facilitator that provide focused care to vulnerable client populations.

Photo Credit Swan Valley Star and Times

Photo Credit Swan Valley Star and Times

Primary Health Care Centres in northern part of PMH celebrate milestones

This past September marked the 20-year anniversary of two Primary Health Care Centres in the northern part of PMH region, which opened in 2005. When opened, the two new PHC centres offered space for community health programs and services including expansion of the regional diabetes program, an improved mental health strategies and further development of chronic disease prevention initiatives. Community councils, the Department of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, and Manitoba Health all worked collaboratively to bring the primary health care centres to fruition. The federal Primary Health Care Transition Fund provided financial support as part of 17 provincial projects that were announced two years earlier in 2003.

The Ethelbert Primary Health Care Centre was the first to open in the former Parkland Health region. It was a Community Health Resource Centre pilot project in 2000 and official grand opening ceremonies for the ongoing site were held in May 2001. Next year, the Ethelbert PHC will reach its 25 year milestone.

Today, staff at these centres are able to offer a wide-range of services closer to home including, but not limited to, treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, collection of blood and other lab samples; dressing changes, chronic disease self-management education and monitoring, health promotion programming, harm reduction support, pregnancy testing, cervical screening, education for expecting and new mothers as well as parenting support, and immunizations. Physicians, NPs, Allied Health Professionals provide additional itinerant services at the Primary Health Care Centers regularly.

Your Fall Shield | Boost your defenses – Flu & COVID vaccines

We are heading into Respiratory virus season.  Respiratory viruses are common and tend to spread more easily during cooler weather when Manitobans spend more time indoors with others. Influenza (Flu) and Covid viruses are contagious and can cause infections of the nose, throat, airways and lungs.

The BEST ways to reduce your risk and potential complications:

• Get vaccinated, stay home when sick, wash your hands frequently, cover your cough/sneeze, and wear a mask in high-risk situations.

This respiratory virus season all Manitobans age 6 months and older are recommended to receive their flu and covid shots.  Manitobans 65 years of age and older are eligible for one of two enhanced influenza vaccines.

Enhanced flu vaccines produce a stronger immune response by adding an adjuvant (an ingredient that boosts immunity) or increasing the amount of flu antigens (proteins that trigger immunity).

All individuals 65 years and older are eligible for one dose of Pneumococcal vaccine if they have not received it since turning 65.

In 2024/25, approximately 24% of the population received flu vaccines and 16% received COVID-19 vaccines. A significantly higher rate was seen in the 65+ age group (50% for COVID-19 and 59% for flu).  This year, our goal is to reduce severe outcomes from influenza, COVID-19 and pneumococcal infections by immunizing individuals at risk for severe illness. 

You can get your Flu, Covid and Pneumococcal vaccines at a local community clinic, pharmacy, or your Primary Care Provider. All vaccines can be given safely at the same visit.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) Respiratory Virus Vaccine Clinics will start October 27th.  Starting October 1st visit our website for a full list of community clinics and locations throughout the region, or follow us on our Social Media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). 

Once again, this year, you can book your vaccine appointment online or call toll-free at 1-844-626-8222.

Brandon Minor Injury and Illness Clinic celebrates milestone

Prairie Mountain Health is highlighting the one-year milestone of the opening of Brandon’s Minor Injury and Illness Clinic (MIIC). The Brandon MIIC was essentially the first of its kind outside Winnipeg and officially opened on September 27, 2024. It is located on the main level of 144 6^th Street, which was formerly occupied by Western Medical Clinic.

The Clinic was established to expand primary care, offering timely appointments for families and seniors with less urgent care needs. Appointments can be booked online, by phone, or by walk-in. A referral process was developed specifically for patients redirected from Brandon Regional Health Centre ED to help reduce wait times, improve flow, and provide quicker access to care. Urgent appointment slots are held for this purpose and are in addition to appointments that can be booked by the general public.

Since opening, the clinic has already helped over 8,600 patients in Brandon and area.

“Our goal remains to provide timely, accessible care and to support the overall function of the health system in Brandon and area”, says Glenda Short, PMH Vice-President of Community and Continuing Care. “We look forward to continuing to provide high-quality care and expanding access to primary care services.”

The Brandon MIIC is staffed by a physician and/or nurse practitioner, nurse, social worker, clerk, and other health-care professionals who provide support for minor or primary health concerns, including minor injuries.

For an overview of clinic services, appointment, hours of operation, and walk-in information, visit the Brandon Minor Injury and Illness Clinic web page. Hours of operation for the Clinic are subject to change.

Canada Post Service Disruption

Following news that the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has issued a national strike effective immediately, Manitoba’s health system stands prepared for this service disruption.

As a result of the strike, all staff and clinics have ceased use of Canada Post until further notice. This includes the distribution of patient supplies, notably for clients in the Manitoba Ostomy and Manitoba Home Nutrition Program, patient appointment letters and pre-appointment information.

Patients with upcoming appointments will instead be contacted by phone and / or email and provided with information in advance of their appointments.

Patients with upcoming clinic appointments at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg may receive their appointment confirmation by text message. The text messages, which will originate from a Manitoba 431 phone number, will not include patient information and will only identify the facility, date and time of the scheduled appointment. Messages will include the clinic phone number in the event patients wish to confirm their appointment by phone.

Patients will never be asked to disclose financial information over the phone or via email. Do not engage with anyone who says they require financial information before a health appointment. If patients have questions about the legitimacy of a call, they are encouraged to contact their clinic or care provider directly.

Information packages, facility maps and other important information that is generally sent by mail to patients and clients will be located on regional and / or facility websites for easy patient access.

If you experience a change in condition, need to change or cancel your appointment, or have questions about an upcoming visit, please contact your clinic or primary care provider.

We anticipate clinics will be experiencing a higher-than-normal volume of calls and appreciate your patience during this time.

For more information about health system operations during a Canada Post labour disruption, please visit: Canada Post Service Disruption Information – Shared Health. We also encourage the public to follow Shared Health’s social media channels for program-specific updates and information.

PMH receives first accreditation report under new provincial survey model

New model aligns all RHAs to be surveyed annually over four-year cycle

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) has received its latest accreditation report under Accreditation Canada’s new sequential model, which now sees programs and services evaluated over a four-year period as opposed to a one-time assessment every four years. Built on a solid foundation of past excellent performance, the annual survey is just one part of PMH’s ongoing dedication towards continuous quality improvement and patient safety. During the recent survey period from May 25 to May 31, the first sequence assessed five core quality standards which included:

• Governance.
• Emergency and Disaster Management.
• Leadership.
• Infection Prevention and Control; and
• Medication Management.

PMH met 98.9% of the criteria evaluated and successfully fulfilled all required organizational practices across the five standards surveyed. PMH CEO Treena Slate says these results provide confidence that the health region is on the right path in its continuous quality improvement journey.

“This achievement is a testament to the hard work, expertise and dedication of all our staff  and teams who remain committed, every day, to maintaining high standards of care and safety,” Slate stated. “The organization will continue building on this solid foundation to ensure safe, excellent care for every patient and client that we serve.”

PMH’s last accreditation award was in May 2024. The regional accreditation team is already working towards the next sequence which will be evaluated in 2026.