BRHC Auxiliary exceeds $6 million milestone, commits to half million in 2023
Maternity Ward staff by a maternity birthing bed funded by the BRHC Auxiliary
The Brandon Regional Health Care (BRHC) Auxiliary continues its generous and giving ways by reaching and exceeding the $6-million milestone in contributions.
The Auxiliary contributed to the purchases of several pieces of hospital equipment totaling nearly $284,000 for BRHC in 2022, which include:
Colonoscopes and Gastroscopes (totaling $160,000).
Warming units for surgical suites (totaling $43,500) – used to warm up fluids and blankets.
Holter monitors (totaling $19, 200) – a small wearable device that records the heart’s rhythm. It is used to detect or determine the risk of irregular heartbeats.
The Auxiliary is committing to purchase an additional $528,000 for BRHC in the coming year, including funding for three bariatric beds (wider beds for comfort) at the cost of $98,000 and a vein finder (used to help identify veins in patients where they are difficult to visualize/find) totaling just over $27,000. BRHC Auxiliary raises funds from sales at the BRHC Gift Shop and Nearly New Shop located at 601 9th Street in Brandon. The group has been very fortunate to also receive a few generous estate funds within the last few years.
Marlene Brichon and Linda Noto – Auxiliary Members standing by a recently purchased bariatric bed
In 2017, the BRHC Auxiliary celebrated 125 years of dedication and commitment to health care in the Westman area. In 2016, the organization noted the milestone of $ 4 million in equipment purchases (since 1980).
Linda Noto Auxiliary member with a staff person from the Cardiology Department and the Holter Monitors
Brandon Satellite Residency Campus reaches 10-year milestone in 2023
Brandon Satellite Residency Campus reaches 10-year milestone in 2023
Dr. Joanne Maier, Associate Dean of UM Max Rady College of Medicine’s Brandon Satellite Campus
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) continues its strong partnerships with two University of Manitoba residency programs located within the health region. The Brandon Satellite Campus, along with the Parkland Family Medicine Residency Unit, based in Dauphin, has provided exceptional opportunities for physicians to train in rural settings and has further increased the number of physicians who continue to practice in rural and more remote communities.
In 2013, the University of Manitoba (UM) established the Brandon Satellite Campus, designed to expand the postgraduate training of physicians to recruit more doctors to rural Manitoba. Two years later, with mounting success, UM expanded the initiative with enhanced programs for emergency medicine, psychiatry and an anesthesia program. In 2017, another expansion allowed students to take their third year of medical school in Brandon.
Dr. Joanne Maier is the Associate Dean of the UM Max Rady College of Medicine’s Brandon Satellite Campus. Dr. Maier succeeded Dr. Charles Penner, who moved on to other opportunities last July. Dr. Maier says the residency program continues to play a prominent role in the region and province and has enjoyed tremendous support.
“It is great to see most of the physicians involved in precepting and teaching and the programs increasing,” Maier said. “Also, it’s wonderful to see so many graduates working in Brandon and rural Manitoba! It really has made a difference for recruitment and retention.”
Dr. Maier says several exciting programs have developed over time that the Brandon Satellite Campus is pleased to highlight.
Drs. Alise Gaiser-Edwards and Laurel Stevenson
“Three programs— two postgraduate and one undergraduate— have been developed that are based almost entirely in Brandon. This includes a two-year family medicine residency, a five-year psychiatry residency and a one-year longitudinal clerkship (third year of medical school with clinical rotations). There is a hybrid program (postgraduate) for a five-year anesthesia residency, which includes a portion of the training in Brandon. And, we have many visiting medical students, residents and physician assistant trainees doing a variety of rotations here throughout the year.”
Across the province and country, recruitment and retention of health-care providers remain top of mind, including the ongoing challenge of finding more doctors for rural areas. Looking back on Brandon Satellite Campus over the past 10 years, the tongue-in-cheek reference of ‘grow your own’ has taken on even greater significance.
“We know there are factors associated with the increased probability of physicians choosing to practice in rural and remote communities, some of which include rural upbringing, positive undergraduate rural exposure, postgraduate exposure outside of urban areas and stated intent/preference for general or family practice primary care,” Maier stated.
Candace Kwiatkowski, Dr Scott Blyth (preceptor) and Dr. Carmel Razzaghi
“The main purpose of developing a satellite campus here was to improve recruitment and retention by training rurally, which has been effective. Many of the graduates from Brandon family medicine and Brandon family medicine/emergency medicine enhanced skills training have remained in Brandon or rural Manitoba. Many of the graduated physicians working here are from Brandon or the area. And, the other programs based here are now starting to have residents that are graduating.”
Maier says physician preceptors and PMH continue to be very supportive of the medical residents, medical students and UM Brandon Satellite Campus. PMH CEO Brian Schoonbaert says the health region has a lot to offer and regularly touches base with residents within the residency programs.
“We always say, come and enjoy, or continue to enjoy, our ‘good nature’! For health-care professionals, this applies to living and working in rural Manitoba. We really don’t have to sell the benefits of living in our region if residents are from rural areas; they already know how special it is. But we do have to continue to promote the diverse practice opportunities that exist region-wide, from family practice to specialized positions. We remain committed to continuing that,”
Maier says the campus initiative continues to evolve, and there is an opportunity to develop more rural training positions in family medicine, enhanced skills in emergency medicine/family medicine, psychiatry and anesthesia in a sustainable way.
“Other generalist specialty rural training is needed and being explored. These will all require the appropriate funding from government, support from the respective University of Manitoba departments, support from PMH, training, retention and recruitment of preceptors here and adequate infrastructure.”
Maier says UM is developing new and strengthening current partnerships between other Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ colleges (dentistry, rehabilitation sciences, pharmacy and nursing) and the respective Brandon departments, moves she adds, can only benefit the city and region.
“There’s a need to increase physician resources for rural PMH communities, including First Nations communities in the area and training family medicine residents in these communities may improve this.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Maier says partnerships have been and will continue to be, critical to developing programs at the Brandon Satellite Campus.
“There are many stakeholders involved in the success of this distributed campus, including UM, PMH, Brandon Regional Health Centre, the many departments and physicians in Brandon and the health region, all of the interprofessional team members, our administrative team, Sioux Valley High School and the provincial government.”
Photo credits: Sandy Black, for UM Brandon Satellite Campus.
Do you try and set goals and can’t seem to follow through with them? Is your list of things you should be doing just getting longer? Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think about the changes we want to make or the activities we want to accomplish. The list seems too big to work on all at once, making it difficult to start.
Setting yourself goals or learning how to create action plans that will help you achieve those goals is an important part of life. Making action plans allows us to break down our activities into smaller, more doable steps.
When deciding on an Action Plan, there are a few key things you need to consider for it to succeed:
First and foremost, the action you are planning needs to be something YOU want to do or have decided to do. Not something someone else thinks you should do.
Second, make sure that the action you have chosen is ACHIEVABLE. If you are new to action planning, it’s a good idea to start with something that can be achieved within the next week.
Third, make sure the action you have decided on is ACTION-SPECIFIC. For example, losing weight is not action-specific; it’s a result of an action. Reducing the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages from 6 to 3 in a week is action specific.
Next, you need to answer the following questions:
What? What are you going to do (specific action)
How much? This is measuring the time, distance or amount
When? Which day of the week or time of the day works best to complete the action
How often? This is the number of times you will carry out the activity in a week. When thinking about this one, try to avoid saying every day. Things come up, and plans change. It is better to underestimate and feel like you’ve succeeded if you do more than planned than to feel like you’ve failed if you don’t reach your lofty goals.
The final step to creating a successful action plan
Rate your confidence level on a scale of 0-10. 0 being not at all confident I can achieve this, and 10 being totally sure and confident the plan will be fully completed. It is recommended that if your confidence level is below 7, you should have a look at what barriers are preventing you from feeling more confident and consider reworking the action plan. Setting realistic and achievable action plans is key to becoming a better self-manager. It’s important that you succeed!
Action planning is one of the many skills discussed and practiced in the Get Better Together program and is seen as the most important self-management tool. If you are living with a chronic health condition and want to learn more about becoming a better self-manager, consider signing up for this program. Participants will work to build the confidence needed to better manage their health through group support and discussion of topics such as healthy eating, physical activity, communication and pain management. This program is offered both in-person and virtual across PMH.
For more information, please contact Roslyn Cullen at [email protected] or call our Health Promotion toll-fee line at 1-877-509-7852.
(Information for this article was taken from The Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop developed by The Self-Management Resource Center – Stanford University.)
BRHC Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Temporary Relocation Due to Construction
Brandon Regional Health Centre (BRHC) expansion project continues with the foundation work of the new building located on the north side of BRHC.
Pile driving of posts into the ground close to the Brandon Regional Health Centre’s existing wall will start to take place. This will require temporary changes inside the hospital where the NICU and Maternity Ward are located.
Effective February 1, the NICU will be moved to 200 Surgery (2nd floor). Depending on the location of piling driving, some maternity patients may also be transferred to 200 surgery after they deliver. Patients moved may have to share a room with other moms.
Visitation in the NICU may be limited to one person per baby due to space.
When visiting, we also ask you to check at the front information desk before going to the Maternity Unit to ensure your family member has not been moved to 200 Surgery.
These moves are necessary due to the noise and vibration levels of the pile driving. This work is expected to be completed in mid-March.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during the construction phase.
Once again, the holiday season is upon us. It’s a time for reflection, celebration, fellowship, worship and song.
Visiting with family and friends, either in-person or virtually in today’s day and age keeps us connected to the people we love and care about the most!
It’s a time to enjoy a festive meal, open cards and gifts and participate in holiday traditions. We all have our traditions, memories, moments of reflection and our spirit of giving. Putting up decorations, marvelling at the twinkling lights, reminiscing during the holiday meal, joyously singing along to hymns and festive songs…it’s such a special time of year!
Despite the challenges we have all endured with the worldwide COVID pandemic, along with the emerging increase in respiratory virus season, now, more than ever, is a time for understanding, caring, and optimism.
Within our facilities, if an ‘in-person’ visit isn’t possible, you can let patients and Personal Care Home residents know you are thinking of them by going to the PMH website and filling out the ‘well wishes’ information. By making this well wishes request, it will be delivered directly to the person on your behalf.
We take this moment to especially recognize our staff who have continued giving of themselves over the past year. They continue doing what they do best — providing quality care to the people we serve. We can’t say thank you enough! We know residents within our health region are extremely grateful for the dedication, commitment and compassion you bring to work with you every day!
On behalf of the Prairie Mountain Health Board, Management and Staff, we sincerely wish every one of you a safe, healthy and happy holiday! May your season be filled with love, happiness and cherished memories! And all the best in 2023!
Two new Physician Assistants recruited to Swan River
Physician Assistants (PAs) are healthcare professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. They complement existing services and aid in improving patient access. Recently, National Physician Assistant (PA) day was recognized. Prairie Mountain Health also acknowledges and says “thank you” to its Physician Assistants who work in our region and are based in Brandon, Dauphin and Swan River. PMH continues recruiting for these professionals with the recent addition of two new Physician Assistants in Swan River. Even more exciting is that one of the new PAs, Charnae Betcher, a Swan River resident, is returning to her home community to work.
Charnae Betcher Physician Assistant
Betcher graduated with a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) from the University of Manitoba (UM) in October. Based out of the department of family medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, the UM MPAS program has recently started its 15th year. Of the three PA programs in Canada, UM is the only one to offer the program at a master’s level. MPAS is a highly competitive program, with over 150 applicants vying for just 15 spots. Beginning in early December, Charnae will be located at the Swan Valley Primary Care Centre (SVPCC )as part of the My Health Team initiative.
“I am grateful to return to Swan River and serve the community where I grew up,” Betcher said.
“ I hope to contribute to enhancing local health care as a PA by working collaboratively to improve access to healthcare services, patient outcomes and quality of life.”
Fellow recruit James Awuah will be based at the Swan Valley Health Centre. Awuah, who started in mid-November, comes to the Region from South Dakota, USA. He currently lives in Regina, SK., with his family. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2018. He had been practicing emergency medicine and family medicine at critical access hospitals in North Dakota and South Dakota until he joined SVHC.
James Awuah Physician Assistant
“I am very excited to be part of a team that continues to make a positive impact in the lives of community members,” Awuah stated.
“I am thrilled to continue to promote life and good health to the people I come across daily as a Physician Assistant. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Swan Valley Primary Care Centre physician Dr. Leah Koetting says health care is a team effort and Physician Assistants have a vital role.
“By working alongside physicians in hospital rounds, the clinic, and the emergency department, they ensure more patients are seen and treated in a timely manner.”
According to the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants, the introduction of PAs into the country began within the Canadian Armed Forces in the 1950s. Manitoba was the first province to introduce PAs into the healthcare system in 1999, and today, approximately 800 certified PAs are practicing in Canada—with over 500 in Ontario. As of December 2022, there will be 10 PAs practicing within PMH in Brandon, Dauphin and Swan River.
A Physician Assistant has the skills and experience to deal with medical emergencies, specialty practice environments, and everyday healthcare needs. The PA is a physician extender and not an independent practitioner; they work under the direction of supervising physicians within the client/patient-centered care team. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs can:
conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests.
counsel on preventive health care.
assist in surgery, and write prescriptions.
Participate in education, research and provide some administrative services.
In Brandon, some PAs assist in general and specialist surgery along with areas like kidney disease and the renal unit. In Dauphin, the two PAs undertake different responsibilities —one works within the surgery program and the other within primary care.
Prairie Mountain Health CEO Brian Schoonbaert says the region continues to look at ways to increase the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals.
“PMH has hired more Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Assistants to expand primary care availability. We continue to meet with our stakeholders and partners to review challenges and discuss potential solutions to health human resource shortages that the rest of the province and country face now.”
Schoonbaert sincerely thanks all PMH staff for their continued efforts to provide patient care during this challenging period in the healthcare system. He adds the region remains committed to exhausting all available options to address these challenges.
As respiratory viruses, including RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), COVID-19 and influenza are on the rise across the province, a telephone townhall for parents and caregivers was held November 22nd. The town hall, featuring Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin and Dr. Elisabete Doyle, head of Pediatric Medicine at Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg, fielded questions about respiratory viruses and offered advice for kids care (prevention, managing symptoms at home, and when/where to seek care).
The medical experts provided other key messages including avoiding unneccesary trips to the hospital — except for emergency situations, what constitutes going to Emergency Departments if experiencing respiratory virus symptoms and options regarding medication —especially children’s medication given a shortage across the province and country during the last few weeks.
Other important messages referenced included people remaining at home when sick, staying up to date with vaccinations and wearing masks in public spaces.
Listen to the November 22 Telephone Townhall for parents and caregivers.
Advice during supply shortages of child medicine products.
KidCare – Where do I go with a sick or injured child? Discover helpful information provided by Shared Health about caring for sick or injured kids.
Shannon Nickle, Neepawa Health Centre and Andy Ilagan, Theresa’s husband
Elite Intellicare Staffing
Neepawa Health Centre and Prairie Mountain Health are grateful for the generous donation of $10,000 from Elite Intellicare Staffing. The donation was given in memory of Theresa Ilagan who founded the company. She was a dedicated nurse and through her work she enjoyed coming to the Neepawa Health Centre and other health care facilities throughout Prairie Mountain Health. Theresa’s husband Andy said his wife was a woman of physical and inner beauty, with a heart filled with love and kindness for others. A woman who took great delight in helping people.
PMH along with the Neepawa Health Centre would once again like to thank Elite for the generous donation in her memory.
Lisa Derkach, Russell Cancer Care Unit Nurse accepts donation from local resident Greg Setter
Russell Cancer Care Unit Donation
Fundraising efforts continue for the Cancer Care Unit expansion at Russell Health Centre. Local resident Greg Setter was a successful applicant for a community grant, totaling $2,500 through a program sponsored by Bayer Crop Science Canada.
The Canada’s Farmers Grows Communities program, in association with Manitoba Agriculture in the Classroom, realizes the value of growing local communities. Accepting the cheque for the Expanding Community Cancer Program is Lisa Derkach, Russell Cancer Care Unit Nurse. Fundraising is continuing to pay for Unit furnishings and a new parking lot for the Centre. PMH sincerely thanks Mr. Setter and all who have contributed to the expansion project.
Killarney Drums Alive: A Healthy Together Now Feature
Killarney recreation department got creative with Healthy Together Now (HTN) funds this past year to start Drums Alive programs in Killarney. It had been identified that the older adult population was not using the Shamrock Centre in Killarney’s programs as often as other groups. Therefore, using a collaborative community approach, recreation director April Archambault connected with the local Services for Seniors’ program to explore opportunities and barriers for participation. Drums Alive was identified as a great fit as there is already a certified instructor in the area and something the older adults were excited to try. Working together to support the needs of the senior population, they realized that transportation may be an issue for some older adults. Therefore, Services for Seniors offered transportation through the Handivan to the Drums Alive classes. Although this service didn’t end up being used, it was a great partnership to reduce transportation barriers for older adults wanting to participate in the Drums Alive program. A large and diverse group attended the Drums Alive sessions with lots of enthusiasm! In addition, the equipment was used with youth at summer daycamp programs through a partnership with Killarney Turtle Mountain Arts Council. Drums Alive connects music, fitness, mental and cognitive health and having this opportunity in the community adds to the health and vibrancy of the community. This is a great Healthy Together Now project showcasing community groups working together to offer accessible programming for all ability levels.
Healthy Together Now (HTN) is a government supported program coordinated by the health promotion team in PMH. Community Healthy Together Now (HTN) funding is available 4 times per year in PMH. Community groups or organizations can apply for funding for projects that support community-led health promotion activities that focus on one or more of healthy eating, increasing physical activity, supporting mental well-being or tobacco/vaping reduction. The next grant intake deadline is February 1, 2023. Please visit our website for more information.
Support the BRH Centre Foundation This Holiday Season
Support the Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation This Holiday Season
It is a busy time of year for the Brandon Regional Health Centre (BRHC) Foundation. Their 29th Annual “Tree of Lights” fundraiser will run through December and is a wonderful and heartfelt way to remember and memorialize a loved one or to honour someone special.
With your donation, a personalized tree tag will be hung on the “Tribute Trees” in the BRHC’s atrium. Your tribute gift will also help light up the evergreens in the traffic loop at BRHC. This year there are two gift options under the tree that you can choose from to put your donation towards:
Gift #1 – Family room furniture for the Maternity Unit ($10,000)
Gift #2 – Blood pressure machines for 400 Medicine X3 ($16,800)
With a minimum donation of $15, you will receive a tax receipt.
In addition to the Tree of Lights, the “Holiday Around the World” WestJet raffle also takes place in December! Win a trip for 2 people to any scheduled WestJet destination. The draw takes place on Friday, December 16, at 2 pm. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go to BRHC’s Pediatric/Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Tickets are 3/$20 or 1/$10 and are still available!
For more information or to donate or purchase a ticket, please visit the BRHC Foundation website, call 204-578-4227, email: [email protected] or visit the BRHC Foundation office on the main floor of the Brandon Regional Health Centre at 150 McTavish Ave E.
