Welcome to the February 2023 edition of the PCN Newsletter. Read on to learn about an exciting new resource for our KB PCN, an update on PCN Dietitian Referrals, a new format for Cultural Safety Talking Circles and more!

New! PCN Dashboard - Easy access to information & resources about our PCN

We’re excited to share a new resource with you: the PCN Dashboard is an interactive website featuring key information and resources about the KB PCN. 

Features include:

• The latest data on our PCN as well as a list of upcoming PCN Learning Lab events, including Cultural Safety Talking Circles, on the homepage
• A comprehensive list of our PCN partners
• A collection of materials to support the delivery of primary care in KB, from a guide on how to use the Health Connect Registry (HCR) to resources on cultivating culturally safe care in your clinic

The Dashboard was designed as an internal resource. It is only accessible via a direct link and is not publicly available or visible in search engines.  Add the Dashboard to your bookmarks (or make it your homepage) and visit it often for the latest information and up-to-date resources about our PCN.

Please take a few minutes to review this new and evolving resource and provide any feedback or suggestions, including any errors and omissions, here.

Update on PCN Dietitian Referrals 

In January, PCN regional Registered Dietician (RD) Harley Doerr departed the PCN for another opportunity. As a result, both PCN RD roles are currently vacant, and all RD referrals are on hold until one or both positions are filled. We hope to have both positions filled in the next 1-2 months. 

Have Your Say: Laboratory Clinician Survey

Calling all FPs and NPs using IH labs. The Laboratory Quality Department is conducting a survey of its external partners and is looking for feedback. Click here to complete the Laboratory Clinician Survey. The deadline for responses is March 27, 2023.

Introducing the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Manager

Welcome to Tim Grouette, who joined the COINS team in February as Aboriginal Health and Wellness Manager, a new position created to support the PCN’s Aboriginal Health Team and other COINS health and wellness programs. Here’s a little more about Tim in his own words:

“I was born and raised just south of Winnipeg Manitoba. I’m of Red River Métis heritage. Part of my journey is rediscovering my family’s Métis roots and reconciling the lost heritage in the work I do. My professional experience has been in working with Indigenous community, facilitating operational and strategic planning and building community relations with Not-for-Profit, Government and Corporate organizations. I am excited to be part of the COINS team helping support the Health Programs and look forward to our journey together.”

Cultural Safety Talking Circles: What’s new in 2023

The PCN Cultural Safety Talking Circles have been running since January 2021 as a place for PCN Clinic Staff to find support on their learning journey towards providing culturally safe care.

New for 2023: Talking Circles will have a theme (not a presentation) as a starting point for sharing and discussion. 

Upcoming Sessions

• March 14: Indian Hospitals In BC  - The NOT too distant past
• April 11: Exploring Common Misconceptions -  Status cards, taxes…
• May 9: Indigenous Brilliance - Indigenous culture as a protective factor 
• June 13: Two Eyed Seeing - Bridging Indigenous & Western ways of knowing

Sessions run on the 2nd Tuesday each month from 12:00 - 1:00 pm. 

Come every month or drop in when you can. Register for upcoming sessions via Zoom. You will receive a confirmation with a calendar placeholder following your registration.

PCN RN honoured with Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC Award

Congratulations to PCN RN Kaylin Nicolson who received an excellence in nursing award from the Association of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC (NNPBC). Kaylin is the primary care RN at Waneta Primary Care Clinic in Trail and was nominated by colleagues, who said:

“(Kaylin) is ‘the glue that brings the clinic together.’ On a day-to-day basis she uses her knowledge, creativity, compassion, and professionalism to provide the clinic’s patients with the best, most comprehensive, person-focused primary care. Liaising within the diverse, interdisciplinary team Kaylin advocates for individuals and families and to promote efficient health care access. She takes every opportunity as a ‘teachable moment’ for patients and strives to empower them with health care knowledge, and truly understands the goal of preventive medicine and the value of upstream actions on a person’s whole health." 

KB Health Online: Open Access Trial for Improving Lag Time for Appointments

On February 1, KB Health Online Clinic launched an improved access initiative to address patient feedback that timely access was an issue. Based on recent research on advanced access options, KB Health now releases additional appointments daily. This gives patients the option to book routine visits up to one month in advance, improved access visits one week in advance, and same-day appointments for urgent issues. The initiative included a communication campaign to patients and an overhaul of the booking system, including EMR automation and standardized appointment types for the whole PCN team. The aim is to keep patients out of the Emergency Room unnecessarily by seeing them for their needs faster.

PCN 2.0 Update: Optimization 

We are on a journey to optimize our work in the KB PCN. The PCN optimization process began last fall with a series of in depth conversations with each of our PCN disciplines – to date we have met with PCN Registered Nurses, Social Workers, Physiotherapists, and Occupational Therapist, as well as our PCN regional staff including our Clinical Pharmacist, Respiratory Therapist, and Dietitian. 

Our final discipline specific meeting will take place with our Aboriginal Health team this week. Following that, we will bring a summary of our initial findings – including core messages and proposed actions – to additional optimization engagements with primary care providers, other members of PCN clinic teams, and other PCN partners. 

For more information about the PCN optimization process, please contact Nikko Snyder, PCN Co-lead, at nsnyder@kbdivision.ca.  

Update on PCN Governance Refresh Changes

In January, we sent out an email regarding proposed changes to the governance of Primary Care Networks in BC. In early February, we sent out the first issue of our PCN Governance Refresh Bulletin.  As more information becomes available and changes to the current PCN model are considered, we are committed to keeping you updated via regular updates through the PCN Governance Refresh Bulletin.