Executive Director s Board Report Sept 2013

Transcription

1 Executive Director s Board Report Sept 2013 Acupuncture Services Acupuncture services restarted at the beginning of May as our staff acupuncturists received their licensure from The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncturists of Ontario. Special thanks to Viet Ha and Jimmy Kuang who have worked extra days to provide this much needed service to our clients. We are back to providing our previous hours of service. PHC Staff Retreat The Primary Health Care Team held a Staff Retreat on May 16. The morning topic at the Retreat revolved around planning for the transition to the new Rosemount satellite. Initial plans to transfer the Red Team, Dr. Kay Lee, Dr. Sarah Rice, Chelsea Cameron, NP, and Registered Nurses Anne Viljoen and Mindy Nelson were well received. Planning continues as the Red Team meets monthly to discuss issues that must be addressed prior to the opening of Rosemount. Staff had an opportunity to offer their suggestions, all of which will provide valuable information for planning appropriate services in the Hintonburg area. The afternoon session at the retreat was devoted to examining current work processes and how we might change to improve efficiency and increase client access in light of the impact using NOD for documentation has had on our productivity. All staff were well engaged and presented creative and realistic ways we can change processes and adapt roles by expanding scopes of practice in order to increase client access to Primary Health Care. A number of changes have already been implemented in PHC and we are currently working with Mental Health and Addictions Staff regarding how they can best support the providers. Thanks to Anne Christie-Teeter and her counselling team for their willingness to work as one. Expansion of RN Scope of Practice Mindy Nelson RN, one of our clinical nurses attended intensive week long training, Primary Care Nurse Institute, organized by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO). The institute provided the nurses with skills and knowledge to facilitate the expansion of their scope of practice. Mindy will be presenting about her experience at the Institute to the Nursing Team this month with a follow up presentation to the entire PHC team in October that will include recommendations for concrete ways RNs at SWCHC can increase access to care by taking on new roles in the clinic. Subsequent to that training RNAO put out a call for fellowship applications to assist nurses to expand their scope. Mindy, with the support of her team has applied and if successful this fellowship will allow Mindy to apprentice with health care providers to learn new skills. It is an exciting time for nursing staff at SWCHC. Falls Prevention Exercise Programming In July 2013 we participated in the submission of 2 HSIPs to the LHIN. The first involved funding for Falls prevention exercise programs aimed at seniors. Champlain CHCs were encouraged by LHIN representatives to submit a joint application which was successful. Approximately $185,000 will be used by CHCs to offer evidence based falls prevention programming across Champlain. Implementation is currently underway with Pinecrest Queensway playing a lead role.

2 Physiotherapy in Primary Care The second HSIP submitted in July was in response to funding made available to the LHIN s by the MOHLTC for Program Based Physiotherapy in Primary Health Care. Once again the area CHC s came together with the help of a consultant to quickly respond. There is much uncertainty about how much funding might actually be available to the Champlain LHIN as only $2 million dollars for this was made available province-wide. The HSIP presented three different scenarios with a minimum amount of $325,000 requested. SWCHC is the lead CHC on this proposal and at this time there has been no word on the outcome of our submission. Research Project This fall we will be hosting participation in a research project entitled: Effect of medical insurance on the quality of prenatal care among newly arrived women to Canada. Dr. Magdalena Pietrzynska will work under the guidance of Dr. Laura Muldoon to compare the care of insured prenatal clients to those who are uninsured or under insured. The study will aid in the identification of women at high risk for prenatal care in the Ottawa region and aid in targeting a specific group at risk. It will also highlight the importance of medical insurance in the wake of recent refugee healthcare cuts. Pharmaceutical Funding for Lung Health Program Our lung health program received an infusion of funds in the amount of $12,000 from pharmaceutical companies Astra Zeneca and Takeda. This funding will allow our lung health staff (Registered Respiratory Therapists/Certified Respiratory Educators) to provide individual client education, assisting them to better self manage their conditions, at respirologists offices in Ottawa. This activity will help us to build alliances with leading clinicians and assist our staff in their efforts to build a community of practice around Lung Health in the region. Expansion of COPD Lung Health Program An HSIP has also been submitted to the LHIN requesting ongoing funding to expand our current Lung Health Program to CHCs outside of Ottawa. Our successful COPD program operated last year in Cornwall at Seaway Valley CHC (SVCHC), with the use of pharmaceutical company funding but this ran out in July After an unsuccessful bid to the LHIN to provide funding to year s end, interim funding was secured by SVCHC, to continue this much needed program to year s end. We were encouraged by a LHIN contact to submit an HSIP for ongoing funding to start Our proposal is to expand SWCHC s current lung health program, currently operating across the Ottawa CHCs and Wabano, to include Seaway Valley CHC and North Lanark CHC. Coordination and funding would be centralized and these additional sites will benefit from the support and proven positive outcomes of our program coordinated by Laurie Taylor, RRT. Pharmacist in PHC Pilot This month, with the generous support of Tony Boghossian from Bell Pharmacy, the PHC Team will begin a 7 month pilot that will incorporate a pharmacist into the PHC Team. The pharmacist, Kassem Osman, will work with a small group of providers in the provision of client care one day per week. Planning and required training starts September 16 and a full evaluation and report will be completed at the end of the pilot. The benefits of having a pharmacist on the team are innumerable and something we have wanted for a very long time.

3 Nightingale on Demand Update Nightingale on Demand, the electronic medical record and scheduling software that was implemented in January 2013, continues to impact staff productivity and thereby affect client access. Though the platform is much more stable now, there continues to be fixes required and requested to facilitate safe care to which the company is slow to respond. Nightingale executives heard from providers and management at the AOHC meeting held in Toronto this past June. The PHC team and especially the providers who use this software extensively continue to work many unpaid overtime hours to complete their documentation. They are to be commended for their dedication. NESI Peer Program We are continuing our planned expansion of the peer program with the introduction of 3 new formalized peer roles. During the summer we posted, interviewed, and engaged 11 new peers who have started working as: 1. NESI room greeters 2. Foot outreach peer workers 3. Speakers/Workshop Co- Facilitators Peer workers in these positions will receive on the job training and regular supervision from NESI staff. International Drug Users Memorial Day was held on July 19, NESI staff and peers participated in the Ottawa event which acknowledges those who have died as a direct or indirect result of drug use. Staff and peers also manned a booth at the annual National Hepatitis Day in July. Chronic Disease Risk Assessment Project SWCHC is a partner with Centretown and South East Ottawa CHCs in this LHIN funded project. The purpose of this project is to build a model to support sustainable and integrated chronic disease services for high risk and immigrant populations, including risk assessment and connections to existing community-based services. The first year of this project will be focused on diabetes, including an Annual Diabetes Risk Assessment session which will include screening, diabetes education and health promotion. Centretown has hired 3 community health workers, two of whom are housed at SWCHC in the Health Promotion/Community Programs and Mental Health and Addictions departments. They both started this month: one will be working within the Chinese community, while the other will be working with the Franco-African community. This project is currently funded until March, Anonymous HIV Testing Outreach Program We have been invited by the AIDS Bureau to participate in a new provincial pilot to offer HIV testing and counseling to couples, the majority of whom are expected to be gay. This is in response to the continuing rise in new HIV infections among gay men and other men who have sex with men. Our Anonymous HIV Testing Outreach Worker and the Manager, Mental Health and Addictions, will be among those trained by researchers from Emory University in New York.

4 We would plan to pilot couple counseling in the outreach testing program we offer at Gay Zone at Centretown CHC. Rochester Heights Community House The summer was very exciting for residents of Rochester Heights. Prior to leaving on maternity leave, Josmi Bansal coordinated a field trip to Mont. Cascade Water Park on July 13, This field trip was also supported by the Rochester Heights Tenants Association. Seventy residents attended and a great time was had by all. Along with this field trip, the community house provided six weeks of day camp programming for 6-12 year olds, a three week leadership camp for youth years old, a fantastic summer BBQ and outdoor movie event and a Basketball Tournament. Yet Keen Seniors Program This summer, Yet Keen members participated in a number of outdoor events and trips including the Rib Festival, the Supreme Court, the Central Library s Chinese Painting Exhibition, an annual BBQ at the Britannia Park and the Play street organized by Dalhousie Streets Coalition. We have received donations of $1,000 from the Ottawa Chinese Community Heritage Fund and $378.7 from the Chinatown Dragon boat Show Boat Team. Some partnership possibilities have also been developed with the Canadian Chinese Cultural Centre, The Gracious Light and other groups. Children and Youth Program The Ottawa Carleton District School Board has committed $20,000 for the 2013/14 school year, to support the School Liaison work at the family shelters, Carling and Forward sites. With the leadership of the United Way we are hopeful other school boards will partner with SWCHC and PQCHC in the delivery of this essential service. Community Development A basketball tournament was held on August 23, 2013 on the newly paved (within the last year) Basketball Court in the Ottawa Community Housing neighborhood of Rochester Heights. The event was planned by youth from the Rochester Heights Youth Leadership Camp and supported by the Community Development Framework at SWCHC. The event was wellattended by Rochester Heights residents, including children, adults and seniors. Representatives from Ottawa Community Housing Security attended the tournament and played on a team as well, helping to build bridges between residents and service providers. Further plans are being made to work with youth to beautify the basketball court with a mural or pavement games. Making Votes Count SWCHC is participating in a Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres (CHRCs) Election Civic Engagement Project called Making Votes Count. The goal of the project is to build the capacity of CHRCs to work with community partners, residents, and women leaders to effectively engage low-income, multi-cultural neighbourhoods in the electoral process. We will be recruiting five area women who will receive training to engage local residents in the election

5 process in order to increase voter participation and voter turnout. The Making Votes Count project received three year funding from the Trillium Foundation and the Catherine Donnelly Foundation. HIV Prevention and HIV Health Initiative: African Caribbean and Black Community (ACB) As a result of recent outreach and partnership activities, we have received new opportunities to increase testing venues available to clients. A church has offered to make their location a testing site. They will communicate the information to the congregants and hopefully encourage them to get tested. The project will start in the fall of As well, we are working with the University of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health to promote testing through the A/C-Track study funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). We have also formed a new partnership with the Centertown Community Health Centre to do diabetes screening among the French speaking African population. This initiative will greatly enhance our ability to do HIV Prevention outreach within the French speaking ACB Community. We plan to deliver joint workshops to create opportunities to talk about HIV and possibly encourage Point of Care Testing (Anonymous HIV Testing) within French Speaking African population. Physical Activity Health Promotion On June 30, 2013, our Health Promoter and a program volunteer attended the Community Cup event organized by the Catholic Immigration Centre. The goal of the Community Cup is to connect and integrate newcomers to the community through sport and volunteerism. At the event, we set up an information tent and gave out SWCHC promotional material. We also spoke to several people about volunteering at SW. Overall, this was a great opportunity to network as well as promote SWCHC services. Multicultural Health Brokers Project (MHB) SWCHC has been funded by the LHIN ($242,000) to hire 4 part time MHBs to assist members of four ethno-cultural communities access and navigate the health system. These staff will be located primarily at the Newcomer Clinic at 219 Argyle. This proposal was generated by the Health and Wellbeing Sector Table of the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP) which is chaired by the Executive Director of SWCHC. Submitted by: Jack McCarthy September 18, 2013