Employee Summary

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The practice of patients relying solely on their family physician to meet their every health care need is starting to change. More health systems are recognizing a very important pillar of primary health care (PHC) – the team approach. With the team approach, health care professionals from various disciplines work together to improve the continuity of care, reduce duplication of services and ensure patients have access to appropriate health professionals when they need them.

The Hudson Bay team is a good example. Its team has been in existence for the last six-and-a-half years and is made up of several health care professionals: from physicians and nurse practitioners to mental health and addictions specialists.

Besides providing better care to patients, the team approach can offer health care professionals tremendous benefit. Rita Schultz knows the benefits of working within a team first hand. She is the community wellness coordinator, as well as the primary health care facilitator in Hudson Bay . She says the key behind a successful team is drawing upon what each person has to offer. “The more you can play on people’s strengths, the easier things are and the better the team is going to be.”

Besides redistributing workloads, it provides opportunities to talk and learn, share expertise and work to achieve a common goal. “Working within the team gives you a lot of recognition in terms of what you really do by all other professionals and makes you feel more part of the whole delivery of care process,” says Linda Barlow, director of primary health care in the Kelsey Trail Health Region.

With the Hudson Bay team in mind, the Heartland Health Region continues moving towards the team approach. Over the next few months and years, our goal is to build upon and increase the number of primary health care teams already in place within the region. You can become a champion of the primary health care concept by learning more about PHC and how it might enhance health and wellness in your community. For more information on PHC, call 306. 882.4111.

Teaming up to address patient needs

They may be separated by 30 kilometers of Saskatchewan highway, but Sadie Gross and Cathy Ringrose couldn’t be more together when it comes to helping patients. Both are Registered Nurses (Nurse Practitioners) in the Heartland Health Region and members of a team that takes care of chronic care patients. “It’s very important to have a team approach. I think it’s very good for the patient,” says Sadie Gross, Registered Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) in Lucky Lake . “They get better overall care when they can see and hear from all different levels of care how to manage their condition.”

The team that Gross and Ringrose are part of also includes two physicians, a diabetic nurse educator, a home care nurse, and a lab technician. Although they are spread throughout a handful of communities, the members work together by email, phone or in person to ensure that patient needs are addressed.

While teams provide more tailored care for the patient and have the potential to reduce wait lists, they also make things easier for health care providers like you. Because the workload can be spread out among various professions, more time can be spent helping patients. “You get to see the person and their whole picture, not just their disease,” says Cathy Ringrose Registered Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) from Beechy. For Gross, being part of a team also allows her to grow professionally. “You learn from others what other options are out there and what’s available. Every health care provider has the knowledge to teach what they do.”

Many health regions at embracing the benefits of a team approach, especially given current staff shortages. As Heartland celebrates the successes of its current teams, and looks to build more in the future, we encourage you to find out more about teamwork. See if you can figure out ways to incorporate some of its processes into your everyday practice.
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Information: all employees can play a role

The next time a Heartland resident dials a toll-free advice line, goes online or to a local library to seek information about their health, they will be taking part in a very important aspect of primary health care. The more that people know about their health and how to prevent or manage chronic conditions, the better off they will be.

Sadie Gross is a Registered Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) in Lucky Lake . She agrees that patients need to become educated on their own health. Gross is part of a chronic disease management team in her community. She says it can be a huge benefit having patients understand their health and what their condition means. “It’s part of the self-management issue. People have a responsibility to take care of their health and I think we have to get past the dependant stage and get to the independent stage where people are taking care of themselves.”

As a Heartland employee, you, too, have a role to play in helping people access the resources they need. For example, could you give your neighbour the HealthLine number? Do you know about any local support groups for particular issues or conditions? “It’s just a matter of sharing information -- letting people know it’s out there and this is where you need to get it,” says Gross. It’s a simple effort, but one that Heartland believes can make a significant difference in the lives of patients and staff living and working in our communities. Primary Health Care is Heartland Health Region’s Winning Combination!
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Keeping patients ‘in the know’

The more that patients know about their health, the better they will feel. That’s Bev Kernohan’s philosophy when it comes to looking after her patients. As a diabetes nurse educator, it is her job to help diabetics learn about their disease and take the necessary steps to manage it properly. “They can never get enough information. Information within the chronic disease of diabetes is changing all the time so the people who really want to self-manage need to keep themselves current in new things.”

In addition to her regular duties as a diabetic nurse educator, Kernohan also keeps information current for patients by helping to organize an annual Diabetes in Focus Education Day. It’s held in a different community throughout the Heartland Health Region every year, with the goal of giving patients an opportunity to learn more about their disease. Attendees not only hear from a handful of guest speakers, they also have access to interactive and informative booths on various topics - from diet and exercise to foot care and blood sugar levels. “It’s 100 per cent important. These people are self-managing. Nobody can be with them 24/7,” says Kernohan

Having informed patients starts with being an informed health care provider. Constantly obtaining more information not only ensures you have the most up-to-date knowledge to treat patients, it also allows you to share that information with them. Although the world of diabetes is complex and ever-changing, Kernohan says it doesn’t have to be difficult to expand your knowledge and keep current. “Telehealth has lots of diabetes information. Pick up some reading to go over. Whatever it takes. If you are more informed you will feel confident in dealing with people with diabetes.”
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Increasing access: Your role in guiding residents to appropriate care

When people go to a wellness clinic to get their blood pressure checked, visit a travel clinic to get an immunization or see a diabetic nurse educator for a blood sugar test, they are participating in an important aspect of primary health care. They are accessing the right service, at the right time in the right place, and ultimately, getting the health and wellness care they require. “Going to the clinics that provide specialized care gives the patient direct access to the most up-to-date and best practices available. That’s the particular health care professional’s business,” says Faye Hofer, director of Primary Health Care for the Heartland Health Region.

While patients play an important role in accessing the many different health and wellness services available in Heartland, you, too, can help. Your friends and neighbours see you, a worker in the health care system, as a trustworthy source of information. regardless of your position or the community you live in.

This is why we’re inviting all health care employees to inform themselves about the local initiatives that provide patients with access to better care. “There’s a real opportunity for us, as health care workers, to be champions for primary health care. Being champions for primary health care means knowing where access points are, and letting people in our community know where they can find the health and wellness help they need,” says Carolyn Glessing, vice-president of Community Services.

Doing so not only ensures continuity of care, it spreads the workload among health care professionals and ensures patients are repeatedly getting consistent information from more than one health care professional. With your help, Heartland will strengthen primary health care in the region – a winning combination for residents of your community.
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Home Care increases access to quality care

As the Director of Home Care for the Heartland Health Region, Adele Ritchie knows first hand what it’s like to provide patients with the right service at the right time in the right place. Whether residents need with their medication, rehabilitation exercises, cleaning, or meal preparation, Ritchie and her staff work tirelessly to provide home care clients with the specialized care they need. “There’s a lot of self-satisfaction in being able to provide services and keeping people at home. Clients appreciate the services we provide,” she said.

One client who appreciates the services provided by home care is Holly Darmokid. Her mother received home care services for ten years before her death. Darmokid says she was reassured to know that her mother was in good hands in the comfort of her own home. “It was only through the home care program she was able to stay in her own home until almost the end, and that gives me good satisfaction,” she says.

Providing home care is one of the ways that Heartland increases access to health and wellness care. People seek and receive specialized care from the most appropriate professional. Home care also provides clients with consistent and seamless care, helps them take ownership of their health, and ultimately eases some of the pressures on the health care system.

You, as health care employees, can help your friends, family and neighbours by being aware of the many services available. “Education is key. If you’re not aware and do not know a lot about what’s out there, just ask. We’re available,” says Ritchie. By learning about services available in the region, you can go a long way to providing primary health care in Heartland – a winning combination for everyone!
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When one of your neighbours, family members or friends takes a walk, prepares a healthy meal, takes a blood sugar reading or has a blood pressure check, he or she is actively participating in healthy living, a key pillar of the primary health care framework. Healthy living is about keeping us well, rather than just treating us when we’ve become sick. It includes taking preventative measures and managing chronic disease, and encourages us to practice self-care.

One of the Heartland initiatives that provides our communities with the tools we need to take better care of ourselves is the Wellness Clinics held regularly throughout the region. Attending these sessions helps residents manage their medications, and monitor their blood pressure and blood sugar levels. They also have access to counseling on various lifestyle issues like sun safety, proper nutrition and exercise. “It’s preventative and helps them maintain their health status and independence. It enables [people] to take responsibility and improve their lifestyle and quality of life,” says Ann-Marie Dies, Home Care Manager (West) for the Heartland Health Region.

While initiatives like the wellness clinics provide a lot of benefit to residents, as a health care worker, you can also gain by encouraging friends and family to take a preventative approach. The more that each of us does on our own, with the help of staff at the Wellness Clinics, the less time we may spend in doctor’s offices or in need of acute care.

Heartland is working hard to promote the concept of healthy living among its residents to improve well-being throughout the region. You can do your part by taking a proactive approach to your own health and encouraging others to do the same. Together, we can make primary health care Heartland’s ’Winning Combination!
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New efforts to end drug abuse in our communities - What you can do to help

Crystal Storey has had a busy few months. As Heartland’s new Population Health Promotion coordinator, part of Storey’s job has been to develop programs that help youth make positive lifestyle choices and say no to drugs. “By having these programs, youth are going to have the tools and assets within themselves so they won’t break or bend under peer pressure.”

Storey is not alone. She is among a handful of employees within Heartland tackling substance use as part of Project Hope, a provincial initiative aimed at helping teens make positive, drug-free choices. In addition to the preventative programs Storey and others are providing, Heartland is also working to help those already struggling with addictions to go through detoxification and receive the follow-up care they need. “This is for the health of the whole community,” says Marlene Weston, director for Intersectoral Care and Counseling Services with the Heartland Health Region. “Youth are a very important part of the community and we need to make sure that our youth grow up happy and healthy.”

You can play a positive role in promoting healthy living choices among local youth by lending your expertise where possible. This might mean volunteering for a community committee that is tackling the drug abuse problem. For others, it could be as simple as sharing an idea or concept that is working in your particular community with friends in a neighbouring community. “People are more than welcome to contact me and we can talk about it. Phone me up and say this is my idea,” says Storey.

By doing the simple things that each of us do and by encouraging others to do the same, we will go a long way to promoting healthy, drug-free communities. Together we can make Primary Health Care Heartland’s “Winning Combination”!
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Moving forward with a framework for action
As we move into the future, primary health care (PHC) is one of the driving forces in how we will continue to deliver health and wellness care in Heartland. As a key player on the frontline, we’re counting on your support to move Heartland’s primary health care framework into action

Over the past 10 weeks, we’ve all learned more about what PHC is, and about some of the initiatives underway in the region. We’ve focused on some of your peers as examples of providers working in primary health care teams to help Heartland residents to take greater responsibility for their health and wellness.

While this article marks the end of the formal PHC information campaign, we encourage you instead, to view it as merely the first step toward incorporating you as a fully-fledged member of the health and wellness care team. As the region continues to embrace the PHC framework, we will see an even greater focus on PHC’s four pillars: teams, information, access and healthy living.

In short, PHC is about more teams, teamwork and teams within teams according to Lefa Sproxton, acting CEO of Heartland Health Region. She says “Working collaboratively helps to enrich your own skill base and the services you provide. We’ll also be looking to make sure that you and other Heartland residents have the information we all need to make good decisions about health and wellness care.”

The region will be looking for ways to provide the appropriate information and care at the right time in the right place. Services like Healthline and Healthline Online to make sure that Heartland residents have access to health care advice and information around the clock. As well, we’ll be focusing on prevention and keeping well, rather than just treating clients when they are sick.

As a worker in the health care system, you are our “Best Ambassadors” for primary health care. Take a proactive approach to your own health and wellness, and encouraged family, friends and neighbours to do the same. “We want to invite people to participate,” says Sproxton. “Whether that means approaching their caregiver, chatting with a manager about ‘what this is all about’ or just talking about PHC and sharing ideas and thoughts about how things might be. These are the steps we are hoping to take next.”

Heartland has resources available to provide you with more information on PHC. A team development coordinator will work with health care professionals and communities to help set up more highly integrated teams. Working together we are Heartland’s “Winning Combination”.
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