Executive Director Report to Members

AGM
The Division Annual General Meeting took place virtually on September 16 and was well attended by members. Thanks for all of those who came out to celebrate the progress the Division has been experiencing in the past year. We are able, at that meeting to ratify the acclamation of Drs Mark Morris and Ian Warbrick for two-year positions on the Board.

Dr Kevin Letcher stepped down as Treasurer this month. We would like to acknowledge his dedication helping the Division be a success.

If you wish a hard copy of our 2019 Annual Report, or the audited financial statements please do not hesitate to contact me.

The Division has Moved!
This summer the Town of Qualicum Beach offered Division the old Life Labs space on Primrose Street for a new office. Thanks go out to Sharon Todd for overseeing the renovations of the new space. The move went smoothly, and we now have a bright new office. Stop by and say hello when you have a chance.

Future Proposals

Maternity proposal

• Tina Biello will take the lead on this proposal and has started the outreach component for this opportunity. The proposal is due at the end September and we hope will assist vulnerable maternity patient in and around the Port Alberni area.

PMH funding through Innovation fund

• A three-pronged application to continuing work in the PMH project was accepted in August. This will allow the Division to continue to support the Palliative Care and MOA network meetings that are adding so much value to our members. As well, there is an opportunity to develop virtual team-based care processes that will slot nicely into the Primary Care Network work. If you have any question about these projects do not hesitate to contact me.

Expression of Interest - Port Alberni

• An EOI writing group was established and has completed an expression of interest for building a Service Plan for a Primary Care Network in the Port Alberni area. Thanks go out to the EOI writing group, three from Oceanside and two from Port Alberni.  The EOI will be submitted to the Ministry of Health after ratification at the CSC table in October.

Primary Care Network

• By now members have seen the announcement of the new Nurse Practitioner-led Patient Medical Home in Qualicum Beach. This is the first big step in delivering the Primary Care Network project in Oceanside. Significant work over a three-year period has led to this big step and the Board and staff are proud of the progress we have made. The details of that project are outlined in Shonda Holt’s report in this newsletter.

It has been an unusually busy summer and the fall/winter promises to be busier even still. If you have any questions or comments about the Division or this report, do not hesitate to contact me at 250-703-6159 or eclark@divisionsbc.ca.

Evelyn Clark
Executive Director

Programs Update

Locum Opportunities in the Comox Valley

Clinics in the Comox Valley are looking for short and medium-length locum coverage starting Oct through to Spring 2021. For more information contact the Division Recruitment Coordinator (ljennings@divisionsbc.ca) or review the list on the Division website (https://divisionsbc.ca/comox-valley/live-work-play/physician-postings/locums).

In addition to locum opportunities, there is an opportunity to join a congenial group of physicians providing inpatient care for unattached patients at Comox Valley Hospital under the local Doctor of the Day Program. Services are delivered as part of the provincial Unassigned Inpatient Program and supported by the Comox Valley Division of Family Practice. Comox Valley Hospital was opened in October 2017 and has 153 beds. Remuneration: Combination of stipends, incentives, and fee for service payments | Shifts: Various shifts available starting at 3 days | Qualifications: Eligible for Licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. For more information, contact the Division Recruitment Coordinator ljennings@divisionsbc.ca.

PMH, Shared Care, Maternity Care Update

Palliative Care Network:
The September 1 meeting included a Presentation on ‘My Virtual Visit’ and an overview of the referral process for Palliative Care. If anyone wants more information, please contact Tina Biello. Dr. Hunter will be presenting in November regarding referrals via Pathways. Once a date is chosen, we will send out invites.

Nurse in Practice:
Murray Coughtrey has been working with Dr. Biglow, Dr.El Karsh and Dr. Bailey in this role and is available to any other clinics who might be interested in this model. If anyone would like further information, please get in touch with Tina Biello, Project Manager.

Maternity Care:
Application for funding via GPSC has gone in for a Maternity network in Port Alberni. This work will be ongoing and involve GPs, Specialists and community stakeholders.

Shared Care:
Work with 2 psychiatrists, Dr. Saffy and Dr. Calhoun, will begin this fall. There will be 2 engagements to let members know how they can access this great opportunity to work directly with these specialists. Dates are October 28 and November 25.

PCN Update

The PCN Steering Committee and the Divisions staff continue the work of operationalizing the PCN Service Plan and are excited to share this month’s updates.

Change Management Lead
We are happy to share that Gavin Arthur has accepted the Change Management Lead position and started September 14th.  His portfolio will include activities such as:

• Transitioning to team-based models of care within family physician (GP) practices, and nurse practitioner (NP) practices
• Integration of allied health providers and nursing professionals as approved within the service plan
• Patient, community partner, and Indigenous Health organization engagement
• Evaluation

Gavin has lived on Vancouver Island for 10 years since moving from Vancouver. He has worked previously in the areas of research funding and management, clinical product management, and most recently, he spent 8 years in the health charity sector leading national program design and implementation. This work focused on supporting Canadians impacted by heart disease and stroke through patient engagement, system change, self-management and recovery programs. He brings a diverse and practical knowledge of managing change in complex projects in collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
On a personal level, Gavin is passionate about growing and enjoying local food on the Island. His spare time is spent raising his young family, developing a small blueberry farm, and exploring the many great trails on the Island on bike or on foot.  

Priority Response Team
The Priority Response Team that consists of two RNs and two OTs started the end of August. Although some of the Team is still in orientation, you now have the option to access their services. Please click here for more information on the Team and the current copy of the form that is required to access this service.

FAQ - Transforming Primary Care in Oceanside

We are excited to share that the Flowerstone Family Health Clinic is opening October 1, 2020, in Qualicum Beach as part of the Oceanside Primary Care Network.
Please click here for answers to some commonly asked questions.

Please email the PCN Manager Shonda Holt at sholt@divisionsbc.ca if you have any further questions.

Message to divisions on flu immunization

Sent on behalf of Dr Anthon Meyer, Doctors of BC Co-chair of GPSC.

With influenza season around the corner, many divisions and physicians are considering how they will approach flu vaccinations this year. A wave of COVID-19 and flu in the fall would be a double burden on seniors and other high-risk groups.  With COVID-19 still circulating in the province, we anticipate that the need and demand for flu vaccinations will be high. At the same time, precautions around space, patient flow, physical distancing, and infection control measures required to keep clinical offices safe require different approaches and planning than has been needed in the past.  Undoubtedly, many of you will have questions about the status of planning.

At the local level, it is important that health authorities, divisions and other partners work in alignment with public health teams to ensure that together we are able to meet the needs of communities.  Regional health authorities and divisions are encouraged to develop plans together. If you have not heard from your health authority yet, please reach out and begin this dialogue.

Meanwhile, Doctors of BC, GPSC and Ministry of Health staff are in discussions about the provincial approach, and we will keep you updated on progress.

Physicians will be playing a critical role in helping to keep patients, their families and communities safe from influenza. GPSC is here to ensure that you are supported and engaged appropriately in conversations, partnerships and planning taking place to address this issue. If you have questions, please connect with your Engagement Partner or e-mail  gpsc@doctorsofbc.ca

Indigenous Cultural Safety training - bursary available

The Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC) is providing one-time funding through RCCbc’s REAP program  to facilitate Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) training for rural BC physicians.  $500 bursaries are being made available to specialists and GPs for this training.

To find out more information and to apply for the ICS training bursary please click here or use the following link:  https://rccbc.ca/practitioner-support/rural-physicians/jsc-programs/indigenous-cultural-competency-training-program/

If you have any questions, please contact:
Antoinette Picone |RCME Liaison
Rural Continuing Medical Education Community Program, Vancouver Island
Island Health | Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc)
Cell: 236.638.1124 |email: antoinette.picone@viha.ca

Dr. P. Juralowicz

Geriatric Psychiatrist, Dr. Juralowicz has submitted his resignation from his Geriatric Psychiatry position at Oceanside Health.

Click here for the letter he would like distributed about his practice as he no longer accepting referrals. Please note that the GSS clinicians are still accepting referrals (same process through Central Intake) and will continue to do so. We are actively trying to recruit in to this position.

BCCFP - Assistance in promoting family medicine conference

The BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) is excited to share the lineup for the 2020 Family Medicine Conference on October 9.  Browse the online conference brochure and REGISTER TODAY.

This year’s conference explores how we can work Together Towards a Better Future. Diverse plenary sessions and breakout sessions will support family physicians across the province in caring for the whole person — and caring for themselves. You will have the option to tailor your experience to your interests, from climate change, to maternity care, to grief management and more.

Dr. Mamta Gautam is the keynote speaker; she is a psychiatrist, executive coach, author, consultant and speaker who specializes in keeping well professionals well. She has created and conducted over 1,000 innovative seminars and is the recipient of numerous awards for her pioneering work in physician health and physician leadership development. Dr. Gautam will present on Maintaining Wellness in Times of Change.

The BCCFP Annual General Meeting will take place as part of the event.

The conference is a full-day virtual event. This one-credit-per-hour Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the BC Chapter for up to 5.25 Mainpro+® credits.

BC ECHO for Chronic Pain

Virtual chronic pain education for health care providers 
You are invited to join the BC ECHO for Chronic Pain, a free virtual learning community comprised of specialists and community health care providers that aims to improve care for complex pain cases. Offered by Pain BC with funding from SharedCare, the BC ECHO for Chronic Pain provides free, sustained mentorship and education in best-practice pain care to health care providers across BC.
ECHO sessions are presented by videoconference and consist of an instructive presentation followed by case presentations from session participants. This Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the British Columbia Chapter for up to 2 Mainpro+ credits.
Upcoming dates and topics:

• October 20, 2020 (6:00-8:00PM): Creating a comprehensive pain plan
• November 17, 2020 (6:00-8:00PM): Patient motivation and goal setting
• December 8, 2020 (6:00-8:00PM) Neuropathic pain: Assessment and management
• January 19, 2021 (6:00-8:00PM): Central sensitization syndromes

Registration and more information at www.painbc.ca/ECHO

Join us for our UBC CPD accredited, interactive webinar

Health Data Coalition

Interactive Webinar: The use of data to assist in proactive care of populations at risk
Date; Sept 22nd 12:00 - 1:00 pm or Sept 23rd 8:00 - 9:00 am
This is the first in a series of interactive accredited webinars being offered by the HDC. These programs are designed to help increase understanding of the practical clinical use of the HDC Discover application. Each of these webinars will focus on a different disease area or clinical problem, and can also serve as a ‘primer’ for participation in PSP practice improvement activities. The first will focus on diabetes.

SPEAKERS: Dr. Bruce Hobson & Dr. Bill Clifford
LOCATION: Virtual meeting - link to be sent
CREDIT: 1 MAINPRO+ Group Learning Credit

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• To understand how to utilize HDC Discover in a clinical case-based quality improvement project within your practice.
• Be able to interpret your own practice patterns, for instance in diabetes, and relate to your peers and provincial trends.
• Be able to undertake QI projects either with PSP (supported by a PSP coach or peer mentor), or independently using a tool such as HDC Discover.

Please RSVP to info@hdcbc.ca. We hope to see you there!

BC Virtual Care Study Results

Virtual care study results can be found here.
A one page pdf of the executive summary can be found here. 

At the moment we’re asking that these results stay internal to your Division. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your patience with this report, and for participating in the study! I hope you find it useful.

Samuel Kirk
samuelkirk@alumni.ubc.ca
514-604-5475

Climate Emergency: Diagnosis and Management Conference

The Climate Emergency: Diagnosis and Management

This new virtual CPD opportunity focusing on climate emergency is hosted by The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). This full-day event will feature speakers with expertise in both climate change and health. There will be smaller simultaneous workshops to enable participants to delve into areas of special interest and actively participate in discussions. The conference will showcase specific green projects undertaken by participants as well as feature green advertisers.

Date: Oct 30 (Fri) | 0800–1700 PDT 
Target audience: physicians and all health care professionals, researchers, students & residents.
Overview: Help fight climate change within your professional healthcare role. This full-day virtual event will feature speakers with expertise in both climate change and health.
Up to 8.0 Mainpro+/MOC Section 1 credits
Course Webpage  |  Agenda  |  Registration Form

Oceanside Hospice Society

The Oceanside Hospice Society serves individuals and families experiencing end-of-life, care-giving and bereavement in the area stretching from Deep Bay to Nanoose, and west to Errington and Whiskey Creek

We strive to provide links in the continuum of care by supporting care giving at home, in hospital or the palliative care unit at Trillium and at community care facilities.

Please contact us at 250.752.6227 or visit www.oceansidehospice.com for further information.

Divisions in the News

See what is going on in other divisions around BC:
https://www.divisionsbc.ca/provincial/news-and-events/in-the-news