Central Peace Community Health Council
7pm, September 21, 2010
MD 133 Office, Spirit River

Present:
Judy Brown     Sandy Isaac        Barb Buck    
Elaine Garrow    Helen Konashuk    Evelyn Bzowy    James Thopmas 
Guests: Gary Roessler, Tom Pura and Barb Campbell with Men at Risk
Andy Stewart Stars GM and Bryce Daly Emergency Services North               
       
Call to Order: 7:07 pm by Evelyn Bzowy (vice-chair)
Motion to Approve the Agenda:
Add Patient and Family Advisory Focus Group
Moved by Elaine Garrow   Approved
Motion to Accept the Minutes of the Last Meeting: Moved by Barb Buck Approved
Introductions and welcome

Old Business:
1. STARS:  Andy Stewart discussed the Chart of Call, a decision making tool for dispatch and doctors involved in the transport decision and the pros and cons of  landing at the hospital presented.
Missions to Central Peace Health Complex 2007-6, 2008-6, 2009-8 and 2010 – 5 missions to date. 
A comparison was made between different methods of transport.
Chart of Call: If ALS ground ambulance in SR – time to bedside 2 minutes, packaging
30 minutes, Time to QEII ER 51 minutes for a total of 83 minutes.
If ALS ground ambulance in GP – time to bedside 48 minutes, packaging 30 minutes, time to QEII ER 51 minutes for a total of 129 minutes.
If STARS lands at  SR airport – time to bedside 35 minutes, packaging 30 minutes, time to QEII ER 29 minutes for a total of 94 minutes.
If STARS lands at  SR hospital – time to bedside 33 minutes, packaging 30 minutes, time to QEII ER 23 minutes for a total of 86 minutes.
If fixed wing responds from GP – time to bedside 44 minutes, packaging 30 minutes, time to QEII ER 40 minutes for a total of 114 minutes.
If fixed wing responds from Peace River – time to bedside 48 minutes, packaging 30 minutes, time to QEII ER 29 minutes for a total of 118 minutes.

Why land at the hospital? Landing the helicopter at the hospital rather than the airport makes a difference of 8 minutes.  However transfers at the health complex reduce stress on critical patients and reduce demand on AHS EMS resources.  It can speed the transfer process because of delivery of specialty teams, delivery of blood, blood products, specialty medication and specialty equipment.  There is one less open air transfer for the patient. 

Challenges with landing at the Health Complex:
STARS lands for “life saving only” at the hospital.  The referral emergency physician makes that decision.  All decisions are reviewed and poor decisions are fed back to the referral emergency physician who is debriefed if the situation is not deemed serious enough to have warranted the landing. 
The fire department, RCMP or EMS must set out the lights and secure the area before the helicopter lands.  Ten minutes notice is required.  If this can’t be done STARS lands at the airport.  At a scene call, the fire department or police will already be there so it is not a problem. 
STARS will also fly a doctor to an emergency for example to deliver a baby. 
They are doing a lot of ALS back-up service.  ALS as we had with GPrems – probably the best situation. 
Emergency Services:

Work is being done to improve interfacility and EMS linkage.  SR used to have Acute Level Service Ambulance Service until three years ago.  There was a paramedic.  Now we have Basic Level Service.  It was questioned whether there is a job posting for a paramedic for SR and it was confirmed that there is none

2. Clinic Land Acquisition: Transport Canada did assess the site 2007 – a certified helipad would need to be built up to be used for regular transport with safe approach and departure paths.   Two options for heliports were shown – Option A SW corner of campus - $196,000 and Option B near gazebo $ 222,250. Considering that there have been less than ten landings per year over the last four years this is a large investment.  STARS can still land at the Complex for life saving purposes.  Landing at the airport is only 8 minutes difference.

3. Zone 2 HAC report Judy, Evelyn:  At the last HAC2 meeting we had a presentation by Brenda Regler regarding Primary Care Networks.  The council decided upon the name Peace Health and Wellness Advisory Council for the HAC2 region.  Our annual workplan meeting was scheduled. 

New Business:
1.    Men at Risk Program:  Our guest speaker was Barb Campbell who started her presentation by pointing out that suicide kills more people than motor vehicle collisions.  Alberta has a rate higher than the national average with a ratio of males to females of 4:1.  Males employed in the trades, industry and agriculture are at the highest risk.  Workplace stress is the most common form of stress and 1 in two adults feels overwhelmed by their jobs.  Farming is especially stressful because home is also the work environment, there is pressure to keep the family farm going, pressure to keep up with technology, uncontrollable factors such as weather.  Men may experience depression differently from women – greater irritability, lack of attention, more likely to try to distract themselves from their feeling by working harder or other means of avoidance.  Men are also less likely to seek help.  Links to resources for help and training available at www.sp.rc.ca and we list them on our website too.

2.    Patient and Engagement Focus Group:  Sandy Isaac has been appointed to this committee.  It is a patient engagement group including 15 members with a mandate to work on staff and patient support.  A current topic is consistent services from Home Care and Continuing Care.  Both of these are outside AHS.    Sandy is the only representative from the Central Peace area.

3.    Work plans to Pursue: Tabled

Discussion:
Motion to Adjourn: Moved by Elaine at 9:20
Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 10, 7pm Rycroft Village Office Annual General Meeting


Central Peace Community Health Council
July 20th, 2010 – Chepe Sepe Park Gazebo

Present: Theresa Sandul, Judy Brown, Matt Dika, Elaine Garrow, Matt Dika, Sandy Isaac, 
Evelyn Bzowy (Recording Secretary), Helen Popson


Call to Order – 7:15 pm by Chairperson Theresa Sandul at the Chepe Sepe Park Gazebo.
Approval of Agenda – With the following additions:

#5 – Primary Care Network
#6 – Sexsmith’s New Clinic
#7 – AB. Health & Wellness Financial Disbursements for AISH Recipients

Moved by Elaine Garrow to approve Agenda with above additions. Carried.

Approval of May 18/10 Minutes – Helen Popson asked to clarify these Minutes in “New Business #3 - Stars”
where either Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or the Volunteer Fire Department that can clear and secure the
area to land the Stars Ambulance and not the Hospital Staff. Doctor is to order the Stars ambulance & Hospital’s
only role is to call up Stars Dispatch after receiving the Doctor’s order. Up to EMS or Volunteer Fire Dept. & Stars
Dispatch to coordinate the landing. A Stars heli-pad would be the best solution for the local Hospital as the heli-
pad site would already be secured and fenced. Without a heli-pad, securing a site area and traffic control is the
problem/issue. She also conveyed that “packaging” of the patients from the ambulance/hospital gurneys to the Stars
gurney is not really a problem. CPCHC further discussed Stars should pick up patient at safest possible location.
It was noted that the MD#133 had offered to Stars their helicopter pad they have at the MD Office yard & with the
Town of SR Airport – that now makes 2 sites. A protocol and communication of the protocol is needed among all
involved. Theresa will further investigate the protocol for dispatching the Stars ambulance & bring it back to the
next CPCHC meeting.

Moved by Sandy Isaac to approve the May 18/10 Minutes. Carried.

Website Progress – Judy Brown reported our website is up & running. Our website address is:
centralpeacecommunityhealthcouncil.org. Judy has sent out letters to the 5 municipalities to let them
know we now have a website and if they would be interested in linking our website up with theirs as
well as asking them to link to ours. To date – MD#133 & Birch Hills County have responded and
will do the link. On our website resources – Judy has inputted a list of phone numbers the public can
contact. A big THANK YOU TO BOTH JUDY & HARVEY BROWN for donating your time to
put this project together for us!

Doctor Recruitment – Response to CPCHC’s Letter – Judy advised support letters have been received
from some municipalities to have the ad removed from AB.Health Services for a 4th doctor in Spirit
River.

Men at Risk Program – Postponed to September meeting.

Zone 2 Health Advisory Council Report – Theresa, Judy, Evelyn. HAC Zone 2 have just finished
facilitating public discussions on the proposed new AB.Health Act for AB.Health Services (Peace River
& GP). On-line survey respecting the new AB. Health Act is available. Will be developing a work plan
that we will be taking to AB. Health Services at our next meeting scheduled July 29th in McLennan. One

issue to address in our work plan - is the streamlining of information from the rural hospital sites to top
management happening & how is the flow working? Zone 2 HAC Board Members have been holding
our meetings in different geographical areas of our Zone (GP, Fairview, Manning to date) to encourage
local public participation and interest at our meetings. All Advisory Health Councils are in the process of
renaming themselves to be more identifiable to their Region.

Central Peace Hospital Update – Helen was available to discuss any concerns the Council may have.
Discussed was the new 21 day menu and how that is being received with LTC & Hospital patients. One
benefit of the new menu is that there is more choice available to the patients as 2 different entrees is offered
but it has not been generally well received when compared to home cooked hospital meals.

Work Plan Items to Pursue: Mental Health Services/Volunteerism/Information on Medical
Professionsals & Services in Area – Postponed to September meeting.

Primary Care Networks (PCN’s) – All 3 local Doctors have agreed to supporting PCN’s and the
paperwork has been started. PCN’s ideal concept is patient care from birth to the grave. Their current
focus is on patients with chronic diseases. With a PCN each Doctor will have a Nurse & Specialists/
Support Staff that will come to the area. AB. Health Services will provide & pay for sending Specialists/
Support Staff to the area. Our local physicians are very excited about this concept. The primary contact is
still your local Doctor & you can go to your Doctor first & be sent on from there. An example would be if
you needed your blood pressure checked – you may be called and reminded to have this done & you would
book the Doctor’s nurse to do it. This then frees up the Doctor with the support services being given by
his Nurse to see more patients. Another example would be if you became diabetic – do not need to see the
Doctor and would see a Nurse trained in diabetic care. If you do not want to see the Nurse or other Support
Staff – you still have the option to see your Doctor.

Sexsmith’s New Clinic – It was a $2 million cost for the municipalities (Sexsmith & GP County) to build
it & Doctors pay monthly rent. Sexsmith currently have 2 doctors. Clinic has been well received by the
Doctors and the public. Possibly something to think about when having to replace our local Doctors clinic.

AB. Health Services Financial Disbursements for Long Term Care AISH Recipients – Respecting Long
Term Care Facility Monthly Rent Payments – It was reported that AISH patients who are living at the
QE II Hospital McKenzie Place LTC facility in GP monthly rents have not been paid to the LTC facility.
Monies have been withdrawn from their AISH trust bank accounts and submitted to AB.Health & Wellness
but that is where the trail ends. Sandy advised she is definitely aware of one case where it has not gone
to the MacKenzie Place facility since January, 2010. McKenzie Place, being a LTC facility, is under
the umbrella of AB. Health Services & cannot directly receive rent payments from the AISH individuals.
They receive these rent payments from AB. Health Services. Although the AISH patients are not at risk of
loosing accommodation – the situation is totally unacceptable and believed to be a very widespread issue
with AISH Patients and LTC Facilities. As well their AISH accounts are overdrawn for haircuts, laundry,
& other incidentals. For example: a haircut invoice has to be sent to Red Deer to get paid versus coming
out of their personal AISH trust account. This concern is going to be brought forward at the next HAC
Zone 2 meeting. Sandy was asked if she would follow this up in a letter to the CPCHC Board members
and her letter would be taken to the next HAC Zone 2 meeting.

Adjournment – Moved by Elaine to adjourn meeting. Time: 8:40 pm.

Next Meeting - Scheduled September 21st, 2010 at MD of Spirit River #133 Office at 7:00 pm.

Thank you to Evelyn Bzowy for taking the minutes.

Central Peace Community Health Council

March 24, 2010  7 pm,  Spirit River Town Office

Present:

Theresa Sandul Judy Brown Sandy Isaac Evelyn Bzowy

Elaine Garrow Pat Sydoruk

Call to Order: 7:05 by Theresa Sandul (Chair)

Motion to Approve the Agenda: Moved by Elaine Garrow Approved

Motion to Accept the Minutes of the Last Meeting: Moved by Evelyn Bzowy Approved

Old Business:

  1. Zone 2 Health Advisory Council Report

15 members have been appointed.

Discussions regarding 1)communication strategies – it is a large mostly rural area; 2) plan for meetings – one hour round table discussion, one hour guest speakers - one hour education is necessary as two thirds don’t have any experience with Health Care.

3) For the rural areas the one main issue is access.


  1. Central Peace Hospital Update: Helen was unable to attend the meeting.


Rural hospital update: a paramedic has been hired…?


  1. Website Progress: Moved by Pat Sydoruk that every year the board members will contribute to the website fee of $30/year. Approved

  2. Newspaper Article: The newspaper article written by Judy Brown about the Central Peace Community Health Council was read and modified and permission to list member names and e-mail addresses was requested. Those present agreed to have their names and addresses printed. Motion to approve: Sandy Isaac.


New Business:

  1. Work Plan:

Doctor recruitment, volunteerism, information on medical professionals and services in area, appropriate staffing levels (Paramedics for ALS Service), mental health services.


Doctor recruitment - Judy presented information that RPAP had a posting for one doctor for Spirit River. She had talked to Kelly Lyons about doctor recruitment for information about recruiting committees. While approaching the parties who would be involved in recruiting, it was found that no one knew who had listed the posting for sure and that there really is not enough business for a fourth doctor in Spirit River. This Council therefore will send a letter to the five municipal councils requesting agreement to remove the posting. A letter of acknowledgement will be requested.

Our Council will therefore focus on retention and training.

Volunteerism: Dr. DeVilliers is a source for information.

Appropriate staffing levels: Concerns about paramedics, ALS vs BLS. We need ALS.

Paramedics need adequate pay as an incentive to keep them on the road and not in emergency at hospitals. Elaine will look into the differences between RN, LPN and EMR pay.

Mental Health – Theresa will invite Hywel Williams for an in-service for our next meeting. He is the director for Canadian Mental Health.

Discussion:

Problems in Spirit River regarding mental health patients:

No secure holding area

No male orderlies

Must be sedated and intubated to fly

RCMP won’t transport between hospitals


What does the hospital staff do with these patients?


Acute care mental health issues:

10 beds closed- being reassessed

Senior mental health patients are being sent back to local lodges. 5 South can only keep them overnight.

There is no Safe Housing in northern Alberta for the mentally ill.

Suggestions:

1) Approach the solicitor general regarding using the Youth Detention Center in GP for a mental health safe house.

2) Write letters to lobby for mental health care needs

3) Practicum for social workers on how to safely deal with mental health patients.



Motion to Adjourn: Moved by Evelyn Bzowy at 9 pm

Next Meeting: May 18. 2010 @ Town of Spirit River Office 7pm





Central Peace Community Health Council

January 19, 2010, 7 pm    MD #133 Office

Present:

Theresa Sandul, Judy Brown, Evelyn Bzowy, Barb Buck, Elaine Garrow, Tom Matus, Carol Charest

Call to Order: 7:10 by Theresa Sandul (Chair)

Motion to Approve the Agenda: Moved by Elaine Garrow Approved

Motion to Accept the Minutes of the Last Meeting: Amended to read:

Secretary:Judy Brown nominated by Evelyn Bzowy, seconded by Elaine Garrow Approved

Moved by Evelyn Bzowy Approved

Old Business:

1. Lobby Letters re: Alberta Hospital and Acute Care Bed Closures

The letters were sent to the municipal councils and presented.


New Business:

  1. Zone 2 Health Advisory Council Appointments

Theresa Sandul, Evelyn Bzowy and Judy Brown have all been appointed to the HAC2.

  1. Central Peace Hospital Update: Helen was unable to attend the meeting.

Discussion:

Recruitment, retention and future health care workers:

Doctor recruitment – no one reported having heard anything.

Alberta needs to work on promoting GPs.

The knowledge that there is community support for rural doctors needs to be spread.

Perspective doctors need to know that there are $8 million going into recruitment and retention as well as helping our own young people get into the medical profession.

Scholarships and bursaries are available. Students need to know about them and how to access them.

Publicity:

Promote our Community Health Council as a source of information.

Information, Promotion and Facilitation.

We need to make people aware of different sources of information for example the GPREM website re: recruitment of paramedics, Fairview College LPN program, government grants etc.

We need to keep track of medical services who, when, where and what and get make it easily available to the public.

One way to get the information out would be to have our own website – link to other councils, sources of scholarships etc. Judy will speak to Harvey about it for the next meeting.

Newspaper articles: discuss pros and cons of current health care issues with a factual perspective without bias.


The issue of paramedics working in the QEII emergency leading to nurse lay-offs was bought up.

We must lobby for our remote services.


Discussion regarding volunteerism, mental health practitioners.

For next meeting we will be prepared to discuss what issues we wish to work on, basically a Plan of Service to be presented to the Municipal Councils.


Motion to Adjourn: Moved by Evelyn at 8:40

Next Meeting: March 24, Rycroft Village Office