PCN Dashboard Updates

Check out our refreshed PCN Dashboard to stay up to date with all things KB PCN, including a new resource on nursing roles in the PCN and an up to date member list > bit.ly/kbpcn-dashboard

New Group Education for Diabetes and Advance Care Planning

We are pleased to announce two new group education programs that are now available to patients in the KB PCN. These sessions will be offered throughout the year, both virtually for people across the region, and in person in Trail, Nelson, Castlegar, Kaslo, and Grand Forks. 

Diabetes Basics (Led by the PCN regional RN and Dietitian)

• The session is intended for individuals who have recently had pre diabetic A1C and / or FBG flagged by their health care professional OR have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
• This session is intended for stable clients who are able to initiate diet and exercise changes to help manage their diabetes.
• This is not for individual diabetes management. The facilitators do not manage client’s medication or insulin.

The Diabetes Education Centre (DEC) will continue to provide education and support for those who require education beyond the Diabetes Basics program. Referrals sent to the DEC that can be supported by the Diabetes Basics program will be redirected to the Primary Care regional team.

Advance Care Planning (Led by the PCN regional RN)

• When you write down your wishes and instructions for future health care, you are making an Advance Care Plan. This session is intended for individuals and family members who would benefit from and are interested in developing an Advance Care Plan. The session will cover:  

  • The process, benefits, and limitations of Advance Care Planning
  • The importance of discussing Advance Care Plans with family, loved ones, and the primary care provider
  • Information on documents and resources to support Advance Care Planning
  • 1:1 follow up support available from PCN RN or SW to help further navigate the process if required

Referrals to both these group programs can be made by using the PCN regional referral form: Pathways - KB PCN Regional Referral Form (please note the program name on the form).

For best results, please ensure that you have explained the program and the reason for your referral, and that the patient has demonstrated interest and a willingness to participate. 

Once a referral is received, clients will be contacted by the PCN MOA regarding availability of sessions in their area. Virtual sessions will be made available to those who cannot attend in person.

Please direct questions about these programs to Cori Fyffe at corrine.fyffe@interiorhealth.ca.

Supporting Aboriginal Patients During Appointments 

As Aboriginal Health Coordinators (AHC’s), Sage Laboucan and Josie Moro support Aboriginal peoples across the region in navigating the healthcare system and accessing cultural wellness resources.

One way they provide support is by attending appointments with patients until they feel confident to go alone. This type of support is beneficial for patients who may hesitate to engage with the healthcare system due to discomfort, memory impairment, brain injury, or feeling rushed or unheard during appointments.

If you have a patient who you think could benefit from this kind of support, you can refer to them using the PCN Referral Form. Sage supports patients in the West Kootenay region and Josie supports patients in the Grand Forks/Boundary regions. Both work in collaboration with the Aboriginal Patient Navigator, who provides support to Aboriginal patients who are in hospital. Learn more about the services offered by Sage and Josie on the PCN Regional Hub page.

Update on Changes to Patient Attachment System & Health Connect Registry

On April 9th, the Ministry of Health announced upcoming changes to the Provincial Attachment System (PAS) and the Health Connect Registry (HCR). These changes will help to improve the attachment process through a new “End to End” attachment coordination approach launching this month. The Ministry has indicated that more information about changes to the system will be made available over the coming month including notifications in PAS, newsletters, webinars and/or demos and a guide. 

Our Kootenay Boundary Attachment Coordinator, Alison Graeme, has been actively engaged throughout this process and enhancements to the system. Alison is available to support your clinic when you are ready to transition to this new process  of attaching patients. In the meantime, Alison will continue to support you in attaching patients in whatever way works best for your clinic.

This improved HCR registration process will collect more patient data to help streamline attachment prioritization, which includes patient complexity. During this time of transition, we will continue to use the Priority Referral Form to refer unattached high priority patients in need of attachment.

If your clinic currently has capacity, there are a number of high-priority patents on the HCR in need of urgent attachment in the following areas:

• Castlegar 25
• Nelson 45
• Trail 2
• Boundary 5

Please contact Alison (mailto:agraeme@kbdivision.ca) if you have capacity to accept these priority patients into your practice.

PCN All Member Learning Lab

*New* - Nursing Roles in the PCN Cheat Sheet

Check out this handy resource to learn how diverse clinic teams are integrating nurses into KB practices.

May 2 All Member Learning Lab -  PCN Regional Resources: Your team is greater than you think

Join us for the next PCN All Member Learning Lab on May 2 on integrating regional PCN team members into clinic teams and workflows. All PCN members are strongly encouraged to attend and PCN clinic leads and clinic managers should prioritize attending. This session is open to all members of the PCN. Register here.

Cultural Safety 

Cultural Safety Talking Circles: 2024 Dates

Cultural Safety Talking Circles are a safe space that supports the development of Aboriginal specific best practices as they relate to our Aboriginal population. Hosted by the COINS Aboriginal Wellness Team and Elder, sessions run on the 2nd Tuesday each month from 12:00 - 1:00 pm. 

Upcoming sessions:

• May 14: MMIWG and 2SLGBTQIIA+ in Canada with guest presenter Elder Sandy Laframboise 
• June 11: Announcing - Aboriginal Summer Book Club with Elder Deb Bird

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.

Primary Care4All Game Night & Dinner for Doctors and Nurse Practitioners

Doctors and Nurse Practitioners are invited to join us for the Primary Care4All game night & dinner, an exciting event designed to stimulate innovative solutions to primary care challenges in Kootenay Boundary. Enjoy a night of delicious food, stimulating conversations, and exploration of the future of primary care with your colleagues. 

We will be hosting game nights in the following communities: 

• CASTLEGAR:  Wed May 15 | 6:30-8:30pm | *new venue* Bistro at the Doukhobor Discovery Centre | RSVP by May 1
• TRAIL: Tues May 21 | 6:30-8:30pm | Josie Hotel (Rossland) | RSVP by May 7
• NELSON:  Thurs May 23 | 6:30-8:30pm | Adventure Hotel | RSVP by May 9

We are starting to host game nights in these communities, with plans to host further games nights in our remaining KB communities, in the near future.

A delicious dinner and 2 hour sessional will be provided.  Please RSVP here to confirm your attendance. 

Patient Experience Survey Success and Clinic Contest Winners! 

The 2023/24 Patient Experience survey has officially closed and we are excited to share that we surpassed our target of 1,000 responses. Thank you to all of our clinics for helping to spread the word to your patients.

Congratulations to the winners of our clinic contest with the highest patient participation: Kootenay Micro Practice, Grand Forks Medical Clinic and East Shore Community Health Centre. These clinics will receive gift certificates to a restaurant or café/bakery of their choice.

Keep an eye out for the survey results which will be available during the summer.

Featured Resource: Healthy Huddles

Check out this resource developed by the Center for Excellence in Primary Care to learn how huddles can streamline communication, enhance team support, and improve office efficiency. Explore tools and resources to implement huddles in your practice and read about successful experiences in primary care.