A publication for Staff and Physicians of IH

Snapshots of our staff in action and trending health-care videos.

Story behind faces on new smoke-free signs.

A message from Dr. Halpenny, IH CEO.

Resident physician wins hearts of Ulkatcho people.

Improving patients’ journey through the health-care system.

Shining a spotlight on the communities where we live, work, and play.

Meet Barb, a stroke survivor who can’t speak but says so much.

Conversations about patient and family centred care at IH forum.

Preparing for the 2015 Employee Engagement Survey, Oct. 2015.

Read about the work of Dr. Rob Coetzee. Story p. 16.

The @InteriorHealth magazine is a monthly publication created by the Communications Department of Interior Health. Past issues of @InteriorHealth can be found on our website under About Us/Media Centre/Publications & Newsletters. If you have story ideas for future issues, please e-mail: IHAcommunications@interiorhealth.ca Deadline for submissions to the June 2015 @InteriorHealth magazine is May 15. Editors: Amanda Fisher, Breanna Pickett Designers: Breanna Pickett, Kara Visinski, Tracy Watson IH Communications Contributors: Lesley Coates, Susan Duncan, Patrick Gall, Karl Hardt, Megan Kavanagh, Breanna Pickett, Erin Toews, Tracy Watson

Every person matters

At Interior Health, we want to set

new standards of excellence in the delivery of health services in B.C. and

to also promote healthy lifestyles and provide needed health services in a

timely, caring, and efficient manner.

To achieve this, we are guided by the

following strategic goals:

Goal 1

Goal 2

Goal 3

Goal 4

The articles featured in the @IH newsletter are great examples of how

we’re achieving our goals …

and realizing our vision and mission.

CEO Dr. Robert Halpenny speaking at our first Patient & Family Centred Care Forum on April 14 (read more on p. 8).

I n this month’s message, I would like

to share an update on two topics I referenced early in the New Year

– the ministry’s Health System Strategy and our organization-wide initiative

mapping process. Both of these have been front and centre for our senior executive

and leadership teams across Interior Health over the last several months. Many

discussions and activities related to these

topics are underway, with a goal of focusing our energies and addressing capacity issues.

This important work is also evidence that every person matters – that we are listening

and taking action to better support our staff, managers, and physicians.

My January CEO message included a link

to the Ministry of Health’s Setting Priorities for the B.C. Health System document, also known as the Health System Strategy. It

presents the strategic and operational priorities for the delivery of health services

across the province with a vision to achieve a sustainable system. The three key areas

of focus for the strategy are: patient -centred care; performance management

and continuous improvement; and priority

populations and sustainability of service delivery.

Arising from the Health System Strategy

are a set of policy papers – Primary Care, Surgical Services, Rural Health Services,

Health Human Resources – currently posted on the ministry website and supported

by enabling policy papers including Health

Human Resources and IMIT. In these policy papers, the ministry has introduced

a number of initiatives and has asked for feedback from key stakeholders across

the system (e.g., health authorities, Doctors of BC, colleges and universities, unions,

etc.) to ensure that the initiatives are feasible and will make a difference.

In IH, our Health System Planning group has connected with various teams,

departments, and networks to gather input and ensure our unique voice is heard.

This information has been summarized and will be reviewed by our Senior Executive

Team in early May. Following that, I will

present an overview of these findings to my CEO counterparts and ministry

representatives at our May 2015

Leadership Council meeting.

The ministry will then look for consensus

across key partner and stakeholder groups to determine a final set of specific actions,

so that we can all move forward collaboratively to work through the details

of implementation. For Interior Health, this information will guide our own priority

setting and strategic planning, along with

the results of our initiative mapping work.

And that brings me to the second area of focus in my message this month – the work

we are doing to identify and prioritize initiatives in each VP portfolio, and to

ensure organizational capacity is focused on the work that best enables us to achieve

our goals and objectives. This process will

also help us reduce the number of initiatives so that we can address the immediate

challenge of “too many priorities.”

The first phase, from late January to early March, involved identifying all current and

planned portfolio initiatives up to March 31, 2016. The second phase, just completed at

the end of April, required the VP leadership

teams to apply consistent criteria, prioritize their initiatives accordingly, and make

recommendations for rescheduling or eliminating. Using the results of this work,

our senior executive is now reviewing the recommendations as a group and discussing

linkages across portfolios to ensure alignment and agreement. Final decisions

will be made and shared in the coming

weeks.

The progress that has been made with this work in the last few months is terrific. For

the first time, we have a comprehensive list of organizational initiatives that is already

providing us a better understanding of the amount of change we experience in our

system, a better understanding of how

change comes into our organization, and data that supports improved conversations

and decision-making when aligning our priorities with our organizational capacity.

I will continue to share updates on the

Health System Strategy and our own

planning work in IH, as well as the initiative mapping decisions, as we know more – stay

tuned!

I f you want to talk patient experiences, Leya Stringer can tell you a few stories.

She will share her complicated health history when asked, but mostly Leya directs her energy toward providing

the patient voice in a constructive way to help improve the journey for others.

This 34-year-old Kelowna resident joined Patient Voices Network three years ago.

“It was a really good opportunity for me to become an advocate for patients, but it was also a chance for me to learn

about the processes that are in place in the system. And I was fascinated with the idea of working collaboratively with health-care providers,” Leya recalls.

In March, she was able to work hand-in-hand with a large group of health professionals on a five-day project at

Kelowna General Hospital.

Lean Promotion Office Consultant Renee Caillier welcomed Leya on the team participating in a Rapid Process

Improvement Workshop (RPIW) looking at the discharge process at KGH. Her name was provided by PVN Engagement Liaison Carol Stathers, who shares the liaison work for the Interior Health region with Jacquelyn Foidart.

Carol and Jacquelyn follow a process which includes interview/orientation and ongoing support to ensure that patient volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and abilities for successful engagement. When they are asked to

find a patient for a project, they review their list and find the right person for the opportunity.

“We work back and forth to determine what they are looking for, taking into account the aim of the project and the level

of the engagement required, so the patient knows what

commitment is needed going in,” Carol explains.

Leya had previously participated in teleconferences, webinars, and meetings, but this was the first comprehensive session.

“It was phenomenal. We actually went to the floors in the hospital and spoke to patients as part of the study. It was

just really cool that it was so involved and active. The five days of collaborating and brainstorming and ideas resulted

in this fantastic working model.”

She also was impressed with the level of respect her input

got from the other team members.

“It was motivating to be in a room full of such knowledgeable people who were willing to listen to what I had to say and

were so welcoming.”

Leya is excited to hear back when the 30-60-90-day followup

is completed. She will be told where the Kelowna team is at

A patient story

Leya Stringer is a member of Patient Voices Network.

with the testing of the recommendations that came

out of the RPIW.

“We had some great ideas.”

As the facilitator, Renee says it is “absolutely valuable” to

have a patient voice involved in the process.

“We actually had staff members in tears because they were so appreciative of getting that first-hand feedback

from a patient.”

Leya admits that many things went wrong for her when

she was a patient in the system, but many other things saved her life, which is another reason she joined Patient

Voices Network.

“The RNs and LPNs on the floor have amazing

spirit and tenacity to help their patients get better. They kept my spirit and hopes up and,

without that, I don’t know if I would have had the drive to keep myself going.”

She encourages other people to enrol as a

patient partner with the network and experience

the satisfaction she gets now by helping to improve the system.

Leya, fifth person from the left, stands with health-care professionals from Interior Health who welcomed her input as a patient partner in their Rapid Process Improvement Workshop.

z

T he voices of patients and front-line staff

highlighted the first Patient & Family Centred Care Forum to take place in Interior Health.

The day-long event was held in Kelowna on April 14

and involved 48 IH employees and 23 patient partners.

Karla Warkotsch, Interior Health representative to the

Ministry of Health Patients as Partners, says the forum was the start of conversations about building a framework for

patient and family centred care within the health authority.

Community Integrated Health Services, Acute, and

Residential Care representatives provided an overview on how their portfolios currently involve patients and

families with employees in their daily work.

“We wanted to give everyone an understanding of what

is currently happening in IH in this area,” Karla explains.

“We had excellent representation from all areas and the hope is people will talk about what they learned when

they go back to their worksites.”

In the afternoon, three patients, Dustine Tucker, Jo Anne

Clark, and Leya Stringer, spoke about their experiences with the system. Dustine’s focus was residential care,

Jo Anne’s was an experience with mental health services, and Leya talked about her acute care journey.

“All three patients are now involved with Patient Voices Network in supporting changes within the system.”

The full group also engaged in a discussion about what

patient and family centred care means to them, which

Karla described as a particularly exciting part of the day.

“We were able to key in on the voice of the people present and hear what everyone had to say across IH about this

important growth area in the health-care system.”

The day began with opening remarks from IH CEO and President Dr. Robert Halpenny and Vice President of Medicine

and Quality Dr. Jeremy Etherington, which Karla said emphasized the importance IH places on this enhancement of the patient voice within our system.

The group will reconvene in September to continue the discussion on developing a strategic direction for patient and

family centred care in IH.

Karla Warkotsch, Interior Health representative to the Ministry of Health Patients as Partners, gave a presentation on patient involvement during the first IH forum on patient and family centred care in April. Above, she is presenting to last year's provincial forum.

Speech-Language Pathology team members Elizabeth Ekins, Samantha Garrett-Petts, and Dani Malcolm say stroke survivor Barb Steffens, middle, is an inspiration.

A stroke robbed Barb Steffens of her speech, but it

didn’t have a chance against her tenacity of spirit. Her joie de vivre vibrates a room and while she

may not speak more than one or two words at a time, she has found a way to communicate that is almost

better than the spoken word.

“Almost” is important because Barb freely admits she

still has frustration and anger over the loss of her speech, which happened so quickly one morning in 2001 when

she was just 58 years old.

Barb explains how she was sitting having coffee with

her husband, Larry, when she suddenly lapsed into unconsciousness. She tells this story through animated

gestures that show the coffee cup dropping and her eyes closing.

With the help of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), Barb has developed a style of communication through

one-word answers, animated facial expressions, and short notes on paper.

“She doesn’t talk a lot, but she says so much,” says

Speech-Language Pathologist Samantha Garrett-

Petts, adding that Barb is an amazing role model for other stroke survivors who also suffer from aphasia

(speech and language impairment).

“We love having her in our conversation group because

she is like the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Samantha, Elizabeth Ekins, SLP Professional Practice Leader, and Dani Malcolm, Rehabilitation Assistant at

Royal Inland Hospital, have all provided support to Barb

over the years as she continues to add to her communication toolkit.

Samantha, Elizabeth, and Natalie Ramsay at RIH are

among the 47 speech-language pathologists across Interior Health celebrating Speech and Hearing Month in

May.

The dedicated clinicians are intent on finding the right

therapy for each individual patient so every challenge becomes something manageable in a life that so suddenly

went in a different direction.

The conversation group Barb attends focuses on social

communication in which Dani introduces fun activities to the seven or so people who attend each week.

“Go Fish,” says Barb, laughing as she thinks about the

members “fishing” for the right words.

But stroke patients are among many groups of people

who find themselves under the care of the highly trained SLPs. The clinicians treat patients who have suffered a

traumatic brain injury, head or neck cancers, Parkinson’s

disease, ALS, swallowing difficulties, or spinal cord injuries, to name a few.

Some therapies help maintain adequate speaking volumes,

breath support, and pacing; others work on word finding, organization and public speaking; and some patients, like

Barb, need support techniques to communicate, such as gestures and writing.

“Everyone has different issues,” says Samantha. “Our clients have to learn an entirely new way of reading,

speaking, and comprehension and that is very difficult.”

Barb has had many years of therapy and now requires minimal help from health professionals. But the work they

did together in the past means that today she lives

independently and gets great pleasure out of life.

She gardens, she walks long distances, she travels, and she laughs – a lot. She is also indebted to her TOPS weight loss

club who – and she hugs herself to demonstrate – encircle

her with kindness.

Samantha says Barb’s independence is important for other

stroke survivors to see. She goes wherever she wants, which can be scary, but she is also prepared if

communication issues arise.

Along with having her notebook and pen always at the

ready, she also has a wallet card that reads: “As a result of a stroke, I have aphasia. This means I have no speech.

However, my intelligence is intact.”

Samantha points to the card as an example of why

awareness of May as Speech and Hearing Month is important for SLPs. They know so well the huge barriers

their clients have to overcome that they want the public to help reduce other obstacles through awareness.

“Our clients have been mistaken as being mentally

impaired or drunk or people think they have to shout to be

understood. Or if they look and sound perfectly well after a traumatic brain injury, colleagues sometimes question why

they aren’t back at work. People don’t realize how much more can be going on because of the injury.”

Awareness eases the path of people who are already dealing with a whole new normal.

T his spring, new signs will arrive at our sites to remind patients, visitors, and staff that Interior Health buildings and grounds are completely smoke free.

Some of the new signs feature images of actual Interior Health patients, Ian Scoular and Sandra Philibert, who volunteered to participate because clean air is essential to their health and their recovery. Their powerful stories demonstrate why providing a smoke-free environment is an important part of health care. Ian’s story: Ian lives with emphysema and Hepatitis C,

yet he still goes out of his way to help other people. That’s one reason why you will spot his face on the smoke-free signs around Interior Health facilities. “It’s good to put myself out there so people can see who they need to protect,” he explains. Ian knows firsthand the problems cigarette smoke causes for people with compromised lungs. He was diagnosed with emphysema in 2006 after suffering with pneumonia for six months. “It was horrible and I didn’t know what was going on.” He could no longer work at his maintenance job in a diesel repair shop because of the fumes and his inability to succeed in any stamina-related situation. That bad luck meant he found himself in his late 50s surviving on a disability pension. “It’s hard when you are disabled and nobody understands. You end up just at a level where you are trying to sustain your life and you know you are never going to get better. It can get you down. “People also don’t realize how things like second-hand smoke will bother your condition. We already struggle with pollution and car exhaust every day.” Despite his debilitating illness, Ian tries to keep up his activity level. He bowls once a week with friends he met through Interior Health’s Breathe On program and he attends two churches, both of which have helped him find peace. “I leave all my troubles to Him,” he grins. He also

enjoys the twice weekly social networking that occurs through Breathe On. “The social interaction with people who face the same challenges helps us keep the depression away.” He says now that he has navigated his way through the financial issues of disability pensions and tax forms, he tries to mentor other people. “It’s difficult for sick people to figure out what they need to do to support themselves. Stress of any kind takes the energy right out of you. So I do what I can to help them out.” Sitting in the small mobile home unit where he lives, he points to a dragon tattoo on his arm, noting it as the cause of his other health battle. Twenty-five years ago, he got the tattoo from a man who ran his business out of a home. Around the same time Ian was diagnosed with emphysema, he learned he also had Hep C, likely caused by unsterile tattoo equipment. He’s optimistic he will be eligible for new treatment to beat the deadly liver disease. It’s the same optimism you see on Ian’s face on the smoke-free signs, as he asks anyone who might light up a cigarette or cigar on IH grounds to think again and help him breathe clean air.

“People who need protection from second-hand smoke to stay well or to get better come through our doors every day. They could be surgery and cancer patients, sick children, people with asthma, pregnant women and many others. Every one of us can play an important role in making our sites smoke free and protecting

the health of our patients as well as our staff and physicians.” ~ IH CEO, Dr. Robert Halpenny

Sandra’s story: Five years ago, Sandra led an active,

energetic life. She worked full time, she went roller blading, she walked, and she was an involved grandma to a little girl. Then Sandra was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease. Today, her face is on Interior Health’s smoke-free sign appealing for people to help her breathe by keeping her air clean. The illness has dramatically changed her life. She can no longer work, she lives on a small disability pension in a one-room apartment, and her only form of social interaction is with other participants in Interior Health’s Breathe On program, a pulmonary rehabilitation program run by IH respiratory therapists in partnership with the City of Kamloops. Her health condition has so keenly brought home to her the need to keep the air – particularly around health facilities – smoke free that, despite severe anxiety, she volunteered to be the face of patients who rely on the goodwill of others to breathe more easily.

In early 2014, Sandra spent five weeks in Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver fighting for her life after she went into respiratory failure. “When I emerged from hospital, it felt like I started

a different life. I was always so healthy. I was involved in the Parents Advisory Committees at my kids’ schools for 22 years. I was always out and about. “Now my lungs are very, very sensitive. I don’t like to be out of my house. I feel secure here. Even odours like perfume or deodorant can put me in bed for two days. “I don’t know my body now. I have no energy. It’s like feeling water pour off. You just feel it (energy) drain from you.” To get the most out of her diminished lung capacity, Sandra does whatever she can to help herself and others with serious health conditions. As well as walking on her own, she was referred by her family physician to Breathe On. Twice a week, she takes part in the exercise program, which includes monitoring her oxygen levels and blood pressure, and the constant reminder of proper “pursed-lip” breathing. “It has been like night and day since I started this program. I breathe so much better.” As a bonus, she has also made friends with other people in the program. They are all so supportive, she says. She is especially grateful to her poster partner, Ian Scoular, who helped her apply for government tax credits, as well as offered moral support in times of great stress. “The other participants don’t have the same lung condition that I have, but they still understand what I am feeling. Other people just see that I look healthy, but they don’t know what I feel like on the inside.” Mentally, it’s difficult to adjust to chronic poor health and then the depression kicks in, she adds. It’s easier to cope when you are not struggling to breathe. “That’s why I wanted to be on the poster. Second-hand smoke is so tough for any of us to handle.”

L ast month in @IH, we introduced you to Hospital

to Home committees and the important role they are playing at some of IH’s hospitals. What you

may not know is this is just one example of good work happening across IH to improve access and flow.

IH’s Senior Executive Team has identified improving access and flow as a priority for Interior Health. And the provincial

government has identified it as a priority for B.C. In early 2014, the Ministry of Health mandated that each B.C.

health authority develop an access and flow strategic plan.

To fulfil this mandate, IH formed the Access and Care

Transitions Steering Committee (ACTSC), a group of cross-portfolio senior leaders, to provide oversight and

direction for this important work.

The Committee’s first order of business was to create

a document that would lay out a strategy for how to go about improving access and flow IH-wide – the 2014-2017 Interior Health ACT Strategy.

The ACT Steering Committee is also responsible for setting

IH-wide priority initiatives that address specific objectives contained within the strategy.

On April 13, ACT Steering Committee members and

key leaders from Acute, Community, Planning, and Allied

Health participated in a Value Stream Mapping exercise led by the Lean Promotion Office. This is a process in

which participants create a visual representation, or map, of all the steps required to deliver a product or service

to a customer. In this case, the group looked at a patient’s journey through the health-care system and obstacles they

may encounter along the way.

It helps to see the whole picture to identify what’s working,

where there are opportunities for improvement, and where we all fit in this important journey.

To learn more about access and flow work, go to the InsideNet > Projects and Initiatives > ACT Strategy.

Brainstorming during the Value Stream Mapping exercise.

Dr. Rob Coetzee has enjoyed fly fishing his whole life and the spectacular scenery around Middle Lake in the West Chilcotin is just a bonus.

W hen Dr. Rob Coetzee sets out for work,

his daily commute could be as long as seven hours, with four hours over isolated bumpy dirt

roads.

It all depends on which community of people he is heading to see in the beautiful but rugged West Chilcotin.

The shortest drive is 20 minutes to Interior Health’s Tatla

clinic twice a week from his home in Tatlayoko. The rest of the week, he’s on the road for three hours to and from

Anahim Lake and two hours round trip to Redstone.

He wouldn’t have it any other way. The alternative – traffic,

sidewalks, and pavement – doesn’t appeal to this family physician who has spent his career in challenging regions of

the world, the last of which was Antarctica.

“I’m not really interested in city life. Even Williams Lake is a bit too busy for me. Once you get used to no traffic, it’s

pretty hard to go back to the rat race,” he says.

The three First Nations communities

who call him doctor can only celebrate Dr. Coetzee’s desire for the unusual.

Ulkatcho First Nation Health Director

Betty Cahoose says the physician, who

arrived in 2014, has a gift for providing exactly the respectful care Aboriginal

people thrive under.

“He makes an extra effort with his

patients and that means a lot to the Ulkatcho community. When my mother

was admitted to palliative care in Cariboo Memorial Hospital, he made

the trip to see our mom and family.”

Dr. Coetzee doesn’t view his approach

as different from his colleagues who he says also understand that a little bit

of compassion and obvious caring go a long way.

“I like to book 30-minute appointments because it gives me

more time to get to the root of a problem. If you already

know someone, you may not need 30 minutes.”

IH Cariboo-Chilcotin Manager Catherine Whitman says the region has been blessed with the supportive physicians who

have provided outreach medical care into the Chilcotin from

Williams Lake.

“Dr. Doug Neufeld made the four-hour round trip to Redstone for 22 years to serve the remote Aboriginal

community. Dr. Stefan de Swardt has travelled into the Chilcotin for five years. The service of these dedicated

physicians has just been remarkable.”

As a resident of the Chilcotin, Dr. Coetzee has been

able to take over many of the patients formerly seen

as outreach. With a caseload of about 1,500 patients, it’s

fortunate he considers meeting new people an adventure. Each time he is in Ulkatcho, part of the Dakelh Nation

located on the western edge of the Chilcotin, four or five additional new patients arrive for appointments, often

undertaking an arduous journey to access medical care.

“I think it’s important that once they have seen the doctor

that they walk out and feel listened to,” says Dr. Coetzee.

This is the first time a physician based in the IH region has seen patients in Ulkatcho, which was previously covered by

physicians from Bella Coola. The incredibly friendly First

Nations people have made him feel welcome.

“It’s easy to strike up a conversation,” he says. “They might tell me about their gold mining expedition or their hunting

trip last week or what the fishing is like. If you have time to do that, it creates a sense of trust.”

Those conversations also help him with a favourite past time – fly fishing. “I’ve been

fly fishing all my life and I do admit that the fishing potential was definitely one of the

reasons I decided to come to B.C.”

Ulkatcho itself means “big bounteous place,”

a region known for its bountiful fish, game, and others resources.

It’s a different life and climate for the man

who was raised in South Africa where even

the winters bring daily temperatures of 12 to16 degrees. Both areas, though, boast

bright blue skies.

But he never intended to have a life lounging by pools and working on his tan,

although he loves the outdoors.

”I always knew I would be travelling the

world so studying to become a doctor was another way to accomplish this goal while

at the same time being able to make a measurable difference in people’s lives on a regular basis.”

For the past 20 years, he has been overseas, working on four continents and living on or visiting all seven. “I’ve been

exposed to multi ethnicities and communities and maybe that provides a little bit of a different perspective.”

It’s a perspective that Betty says works well with Aboriginal populations who have not always had a trusting relationship

with the health-care system. She is happy to be working with the physician to provide the best medical care possible

in areas where resource barriers exist.

“To see a respiralogist in Vancouver or a specialist in

Kamloops is very difficult for people who live so remotely,” says Dr. Coetzee. “But we are working on these things, to

find ways to be more healthy.”

Dr. Rob Coetzee is the physician for three First Nations communities and two IH sites in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.

@IH: Tell us about your role within Interior Health.

Why is it important?

I am a Human Resources Service Partner in IH West. I provide support to two Human Resources Business Partners and the Lead of HR Operations – IH West. I support the areas of Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Salmon Arm, and Revelstoke. My role is important because I am often the first point of contact for managers and employees, providing advice and guidance on Collective Agreement and policy issues and directing them to the appropriate department within our organization who can assist them with their needs.

@IH: What is fun or exciting about what you do? The most exciting and rewarding thing about what I do is having the opportunity to connect with my amazing HR team, managers, and employees. I really enjoy supporting everyone and building lasting relationships. @IH: What makes for a great day for you at work? A really great day at work for me is when I know I have made someone’s day. Being available to listen to them, to laugh with them, and to help resolve any problems they may have makes me feel great. @IH: What do you enjoy about where you work? I have been working here since 1986. I’ve seen a lot of change, but I still feel very privileged to work at a smaller site. It allows me to work on a more intimate basis with everyone. Of course, I cannot say enough about the community, the wonderful people who live here and the vast amount of summer and winter recreational opportunities available, from camping, fishing, hiking, cross-country, and downhill skiing to snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Just a short distance away from 100 Mile District General Hospital is our beautiful Centennial Park. The park’s waterfalls are breathtaking. This area truly has something for everyone to enjoy.

@IH: Do you have a highlight of your time with IH – something that stands out for you? Highlights for me were the opening of our residential care facilities, Mill Site Lodge and Fischer Place, and the community health centre, which encompasses Promotion & Prevention, Mental Health & Substance Use, Environmental Health, Home Health Services, Home Support, Speech & Language, Respiratory Therapist, Hospice & Palliative Care, Dietitian and Diabetes Educator. Also, the expansion of our Admitting, Laboratory, and Emergency departments. A personal highlight for me was when my son Cole drew a happy face on my white board and said that I should have other people who come to see me leave a smile too. Now I need a bigger white board, because my “smile board” is filled up. As they leave my office everyone comments that the drawings on the board brighten their day, and I enjoy making them smile.

Sherri Thompson, HR Service Partner for IH West, and her Leave Me a Smile white board.

Sherri Thompson, HR Service Partner

100 Mile District General Hospital

Gathered from 2014-2015 data

106,609 Meals to patients

9,533 Unscheduled emergency

department visits

49 Years old

7,488 Litres of apple juice

purchased

16 Acute care beds 29

Babies born

2 million Kilowatts of electricity —

enough energy to power

191 homes for a year

Peachland Submitted by: Joanne Edwards-Miller

Submit your photos of the beautiful places that make up IH: InsideNetWebmaster@interiorhealth.ca

Covering over 215,000 square kilometres, Interior Health is diverse in nature and composed of vibrant urban centres

and unique rural communities. Photos are submitted by employees and posted to the InsideNet. Select photos are featured in @IH.

Where We Live & Work ... A Spotlight on Our Communities

Clearwater – Helmcken Falls Submitted by: Marilyn Illner

Cranbrook Submitted by: Sandra Bergman

Merritt – Bluey Lake Submitted by: Patricia Zumino

Chase Submitted by: Tarryl Hartling

Health Minister Terry Lake, along with British Columbia Nurses Union (BCNU) president Gayle Duteil and IH CEO Dr. Robert Halpenny, discussed safety as the top priority with local media at Hillside Psychiatric Centre on April 17. Hillside was one of four facilities across B.C. selected for further discussion at the BCNU and Ministry of Health’s recent Summit on Violence in the Workplace.

A key handover ceremony that saw Plenary Health deliver a giant key to Erwin Malzer, IH Board Chair, was held April 24. The event marks the successful completion of the construction of floors one through three of the new Interior Heart & Surgical Centre (IHSC) in Kelowna, which will open to patients on Sept. 28 Plenary Health was selected by Interior Health in 2012 to design, build, finance and maintain the new facility located on the KGH campus. More photos from the event are posted on our Facebook page.

Kids and nurses got together in a Castlegar playground to spread the word about the importance of vaccines during National Immunization Awareness Week, April 25-May 2. In the photo are, top, (L-R) Jake Barbour, Jacob Jones, Public Health Nurse Sarah Jones, Jayda Jones, and Hannah Barbour. Middle is Brady Quiding, and bottom (L-R) are Public Health Nurse Natasha Quiding, Nikole and Mercy Opiyo, Jade and Hunter Hoglund, and Public Health Nurse Denise Talarico.

One in five youth in our country live with a mental health issue. May 7 marks National Child & Youth Mental Health Day, which seeks to create public awareness and acknowledgement of the thousands of children, youth, and families needing mental health support and care across Canada. Learn more at www.familysmart.ca.

Interior Health provides respite care for anyone who is a primary caregiver needing an extra hand or a break.

Learn more at www.interiorhealth.ca.

What's the best way to celebrate Earth Day? Commit to getting healthier and happier by joining the 30x30 Nature Challenge. During the month of May, we challenge you to spend at least 30 minutes outside each day for 30 days. Learn more at 30x30 Nature Challenge, 30x30.davidsuzuki.org.