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| Physician Newsletter
Tackling health care together
As physician shortages continue to be a p rob lem, especially in rural Saskatchewan, health regions are continuously looking for ways to enhance their sustainability and continue providing quality care. One of the ways that many regions, including Heartland , are addressing the issue is by moving to the use of teams that are part of the primary health care model. Having physicians work together with allied health care providers alleviates workload, increases access, and results in better patient care. Moreover, the PHC approach offers a solution that can help to address the perennial shortage of physicians, especially in rural areas. General Practitioner Dr. JC Cooper , sees first-hand the benefits of working as part of a PHC team. Although he’s based in Beechy, Dr. Cooper spends two or three days a week traveling to see patients in two nearby clinics: one in Kyle; the other in Lucky Lake . Having a multi-disciplinary team in each centre reduces the burden of having to care for all his patients at once. “It’s impossible to cover such a big area by yourself. You wouldn’t be able to do it. On the days I’m not in the clinic, the others can do follow-up lab work and see patients for follow-up.” In Dr. Cooper’s mind, having other members of his team available to provide follow-up care and other procedures ensures that his patients are getting the care they need when they need it. “It gives them an opportunity to be seen on the same day. There’s somebody in the clinic everyday, so they don’t have to wait three days to see somebody.” Although Dr. Cooper recognizes that teams are not for everyone , he encourages doctors to learn more about teamwork. “It’s an option to consider , especially now with the difficulty recruiting physicians in some areas.” Dr. Cooper’s message is echoed by Ken Wersch, CEO for Heartland Health Region. Wersch believes that by working together, physicians and allied health professionals can build care teams that are a “Winning Combination” for the region’s citizens. “Let’s be open and talk about the questions you have - your concerns and your suggestions. Let’s see what we can work out together to provide quality care for the people of Heartland, who are also your patients,” Wersch concludes. Information: You are your patient’s best resource Providing information to and communicating with clients and patients are activities that are integral to the success of primary health care. As a physician, you are a trusted and respected resource to patients, one who can make a significant difference in the lives of your patients. Whether sharing information with other health care professionals; providing patients with the knowledge they need to take better control of their health; or directing them to available resources in Heartland, you play a key role in implementing the Primary Health Care framework. “The more help a patient can get in taking responsibility for his or her own health the better,” says Dr. Debora Bruwer, a family physician in Outlook. “And the more care there is available, the more they become aware of it and use it.” Physicians and other health care professionals in Heartland are seeing the first-hand benefits of involving patients and working in collaboration. A Heartland health care team participated in Wave 1 of the Health Quality Council Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Collaborative. The collaborative focused on individuals with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and access to clinic practice. The Heartland team showed impressive results in their participation, and can be proud of their results. Some of their outcomes constitute “Best Practices” in the province. For example, Heartland led the province in the following areas:
We were second in the province with:
Most people with diabetes and coronary artery disease are willing to maximize their self-management if they have the information they need. That information can go a long way in helping them live with their condition, and most individuals are willing to take more responsibility for their health if they are shown how. “They can never get enough information,” says Bev Kernohan, a Diabetes Nurse Educator who travels throughout the region. “The more information they have, the more benefits they are going to reap.” As a physician, you play an active role in helping all of your patients to become better informed about their personal health and wellness choices. For those with chronic conditions, there are a variety of specialized allied health professionals available (like the Diabetes Nurse Educator, Dietitian or Podiatrist). For everyone, there are provincial resources like HealthLine and the Smoker’s Helpline. “The doctor’s first duty would be to say, what is best for my patient?” says Bruwer. You can help Heartland continue to lead the province in managing these and other chronic conditions, by making use of these resources. Together, we can build a health care framework for the future. Primary Health Care is Heartland’s “Winning Combination. Increasing Access - The role doctors can play in providing better care As a family physician in Outlook, Dr. Debora Bruwer takes pride in the care she provides for patients, but she also takes comfort in knowing she’s not the only one her patients can turn to when they require additional medical help. For example, residents of Heartland can attend a wellness clinic to get their blood pressure checked; they can visit a diabetes nurse educator to keep their blood sugars monitored; and, they can pop by a local travel clinic for travel related advice and medications. Dr. Bruwer sees these services as a benefit to her patients. “The more help a patient can get in taking responsibility for his or her own health and the more care there is available, the more aware they become of it and the more they use it,” says Dr. Bruwer. The variety of services available to residents is part of Heartland’s commitment to primary health care and to ensuring people in our communities have the right service at the right time in the right place. Not only does providing a variety of resources help the patient’s health, it can also be a great benefit to physicians. “Having someone available who focuses on management of diabetes or gout or weight loss to do some counseling with a patient certainly saves my time. I don’t have to spend as much time explaining and I don’t have to see the patient quite as often,” says Dr. Bruwer. While having additional resources may mean fewer visits to the doctor for some, it may mean more for others if, for example, a p rob lem is identified through one of the alternative resources. Either way, physicians should know they will continue to play an important role in providing care and that their patients are being well looked after. As Heartland continues to provide more of these services and embrace the concept of primary health care, you, the physician are encouraged to become aware of what’s available so you can educate your patients. It may take a little time and effort, but it’s something Dr. Bruwer says has the potential to be a winning combination not only for herself, but for other physicians throughout the region. “As doctors, our first duty is to say ‘what is best for my patient? If it’s better for the patient to have support outside of the clinic, then that’s the way to go.” Prescribing Prevention: Your role in ‘Healthy Living’ choices critical! A new practice is emerging among physicians across the U.S. and here in Canada . No longer are doctors using their prescription pads solely for recommending medication. Some are now starting to prescribe their patients things like exercise to encourage them to take part in healthy living, a very important pillar in the primary health care framework. As you know, healthy living focuses on preventative measures, encouraging ownership of health, rather than having people rely on the health system only when they’re sick. Many doctors have found that they send a more powerful message to their patients by writing exercise prescriptions than by simply discussing it. Pulling out your prescription pad is one example of how you can help patients make healthier choices. There are other things you can encourage residents of Heartland to do. For example, you can refer them to one of the local Wellness Clinics the region provides through Home Care. It’s a great way to ensure residents get maintenance care such as blood sugar or blood pressure monitoring. The clinics also provide current information about li festyle issues like sun safety, prevention of dehydration, and proper nutrition. “It’s preventative and helps people maintain their health status and independence. It enables [people] to take responsibility and improves their lifestyle and quality of life,” says Ann-Marie Dies, Home Care Manager (West) for the Heartland Health Region. By encouraging residents of Heartland to take the initiative with their own health and look after themselves, you are helping to improve their outcomes. You will also be helping alleviate some of the pressures on the health system, as well as free up time for you to see new patients and to spend more time with those who need your expertise. Together - you, your patients and the region’s Wellness Clinics - we can make primary health care Heartland’s ’Winning Combination!’ Moving forward together with Primary Health Care Over the past 10 weeks, the region has shared information with Heartland residents and care providers about PHC, and the initiatives underway in the region. Our goals have been to encourage individuals to become active players on their own PHC teams, and to take greater responsibility for their own health and wellness. We have looked at a number of teams throughout Heartland, and talked to some Heartland physicians about the positive impact that PHC has had on practices in various locations throughout the region. We also asked you to think about how elements of the PHC framework might be implemented to work for you and your practice. “Let’s be open and talk about questions, concerns and suggestions physicians may have,” said Ken Wersch, CEO for Heartland Health Region. “Let’s see what we can work out together for the better of the people of Heartland, who are also our patients.” Though this newsletter marks the end of our PHC information campaign, we see it as simply the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership. From today forward, we encourage you to partner with each other and with to build creative, effective and efficient primary health care services in Heartland. How can we work together to build a PHC system that supports your role as a physician more effectively. How can the PHC approach provide benefits, not only in your professional life, but in your personal life - especially if you are the sole practitioner in your community. We have a number of resources available to help think through any number of creative, innovate ‘Made-in-Heartland’ solutions to our needs and questions. We encourage you to contact Ken Wersch, President and CEO or Faye Hofer, director primary health care in the Region to find out more. By working together, we can embody the Primary Health Care Framework - Heartland’s “Winning Combination”. |
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