PCN 2.0 Expansion

On May 12, the KB PCN submitted a request for additional funding from the Ministry of Health. If approved, this funding will go towards expanding PCN resources to approximately 31,000 patients attached to the 13 clinics not yet participating in the PCN. 

On June 22 we received confirmation that one portion of our funding request has received early approval: 0.75 FTE new Nurse Practitioner resources will enable us to move forward quickly with the recruitment of a NP/FP couple that is planning a relocation to the region. 

This development has given us renewed confidence that our funding request is being seriously considered, and we hope to receive more information from the Ministry soon.  In the meantime, the PCN 2.0 Advisory Committee and PCN Steering Committee are working to develop plans for three identified scenarios: 1) our full funding request is approved; 2) a portion of our funding request is approved; and 3) no additional funding is approved. 

In each of these scenarios we are exploring opportunities to make the PCN available to all KB clinics while focusing on optimizing current PCN resources and minimizing disruption to our existing PCN teams. Our hope is to be able to implement PCN expansion in some form starting October 1, 2022. 

Questions about the PCN 2.0 process can be directed to Nikko Snyder, Interim PCN Lead, KB Division, or Erin Fazzino, PCN Manager, IH.

Health Connect Registry

The Health Connect Registry (HCR) team is here to support you and the patients your clinic serves. Here are a few ways that the HCR can help:

Unattached Patients Calling? Let us manage your clinic’s patient waitlists. You can refer unattached patients calling your clinic to the HCR where they can self-register online at www.kbhcr.ca or by calling 8-1-1.

Ready to attach a patient or more? When your clinic has capacity to attach new patients, reach out to Alison at kbhcr@kbdivision.ca to discuss a process that works for your clinic!

KB Health Online Update

After many months of preparation, the KB Health Online Clinic opened its virtual doors in January 2022!  This regional virtual clinic provides culturally safe, patient-centred, team-based care for patients across Kootenay Boundary that are not currently attached to a primary care provider. 

The KB Health Online team, comprised of 1.2 FTE NPs,  1.5 FTE RNs, a SW, and a Virtual Care Coordinator, provides approximately 70% of care virtually, with the remaining care offered at sites in Trail, Rock Creek, and Nelson. Since opening, the clinic has had 579 encounters, including  294 phone encounters,  197 video encounters, and 88 in-person encounters.  

The patient population ranges from young healthy moms needing follow up to medical complex frail, with a high number of patients having unmanaged mental health disorders. So far, there have been 317 encounters with patients with some form of complexity/vulnerability. Patients come primarily from Trail (60%), Nelson (23%), Castlegar (8%) and the Boundary (2%). 

Cultivating Culturally Safe Care Resources

*New Toolkit*
New, locally-developed practitioner tools & resources are available to support and enhance our practice of Indigenous cultural safety and humility in KB. Visit kbculturalsafety.org to explore the 'Cultivating Culturally Safe Care in Your Clinic' Toolkit, an inventory of Aboriginal patient resources, and more. 

Cultural Safety Talking Circles
2nd Tuesday of each month 12:00-1:00 pm (next date July 12). 

Small group sessions allow a safe space to discuss experiences related to Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility. All members of PCN clinic teams are encouraged to attend, even if you’ve attended in the past.  Encourage a colleague to join you.  Register here.

Connect with the Aboriginal Health Coordinators for questions or support: 
Maurice (Maurice.coinations@gmail.com) and Ashley (Ashley.coinations@gmail.com)

Aboriginal Patient Navigator:
Katie Rumbolt is available to support Aboriginal patients in the acute care settings. You can reach her at Katie.coinations@gmail.com or by phone 250-551-4395.

Learning Lab

Within the monthly PCN Staff Learning Lab,  we covered the following topics over the past few months: MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying), Indigenous Cultural Safety, Gender Affirming Care, Planetary Climate Health, with updates and ongoing consultations regarding PCN 2.0.

Each of these sessions were delivered by an interdisciplinary group to their peers within the lab. Each session also featured an NP, GP, Elder or invited expert speaker to highlight their perspective and experience related to the topic at hand.  

Reminder: There will be no Learning Lab in July and we will have an in person Learning Lab August 4th. Regular Learning Labs will resume as of  September 8th.

Quality Improvement

Quarterly Report for Q3

The quarterly report on PCN implementation and successes for the period of October 1 to December 31, 2022 (Q3 2021/22)  is available online here. The Q3 report highlights strong overall performance with good governance and support structures in place, slow but steady growth in patient attachment, increases in the panel size of most PCN primary care providers, and positive scores for all PCN clinics on the PCN team assessment. It also spotlights important success stories in the care provided by PCN staff in the patient outcomes section which provides more details on how patient lives are being improved through their access to PCN.

The quarterly report for Quarter 4 will be available in the next three weeks. 

Patient Experience Survey 

Over 1,000 patients in Kootenay Boundary responded to the patient experience survey and analysis of the results is currently underway. Once the analysis is complete, participating clinics will be notified of their results and the regional results will be made available to both PCN and non-PCN clinics. A public version of the results will also be made available later this year. 

Opportunity - Quality Team Coaching for Rural BC

Is your team passionate about making a change together and needing support to make it truly happen? Is your team expanding across disciplines and wanting to optimize its integration and effectiveness? Is your team ready and wanting to move from burnout and disengagement into connection, clarity, and collective action?

 If this sounds like your team, consider applying to participate in the Quality Team Coaching for Rural BC (QTC4RBC) program in 2022. 

 Through a workshop, team coaching sessions and leadership coaching, QTC4RBC is designed to empower rural health care teams with tools, supports, and time to regroup and reconnect with their purpose, while taking action to build the team culture they want to have and advancing towards the goals they wish to achieve. When health care teams are able to rekindle joy and meaning in their work, they are more able to create a positive work environment, optimize their team’s performance, and increase the quality and safety of care for patients.

 For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit the QTC4RBC webpage. The deadline to submit an expression of interest for this program is August 12, 2022.  If your clinic would like support with completing the EOI, please reach out to Amy Allcock, PCN Communications Coordinator.

Welcoming New Staff

Welcome to our new PCN team members who have joined since our last newsletter!

Angela Cox, RN, KB Health Online (regional)
Laura de Laforest, SW, Columbia Primary Care Clinic/Riverside Family Medicine (Trail)
Harley Doerr, RD (regional)
Tara Emery, SW, KB Health Online (regional)
Kerry Marshall-Milne, interim PT, Nelson Medical Associates (Nelson)
Laura Martens, PT, Kaslo Primary Health (Kaslo) and Saddle Mountain Clinic (Nakusp)
Aimee Palin, RN, Columbia Primary Care Clinic (Trail)
Tanya Peever, NP, KB Health Online (regional)
Maurice Trudel, Aboriginal Health Coordinator (West Kootenay region)
Chelsea Van Vliet, NP Riverside (Trail)
Hans Viejou, RN, KB Health Online (supporting Rock Creek clients)