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Physician Newsletter - Oct 3, 2024

 Required Organizational Practices (ROP) Auditing Expectations 

As part of our participation in Accreditation, a number of Required Organizational Practices (ROPs) require an evaluation method. This is a reminder that standardized audit tools are in place and are also a part of complying with the aligned NS Health policy.

Please ensure these audits are being completed as they relate to your area. Teams should be using the results to celebrate successes and work on areas where improvement is needed.

  • Tools: The ROP audit tool list is always found on the Accreditation intranet site in the ‘Highlighted Information’ section. For quick access today click here.
  • Reports: All associated ROP reports are posted to Tableau. Once signed in, search by ROP title for aligned reports. 

As Accreditation Canada adjusts language around evaluation requirements, our ROP evaluation approaches may also see future changes. For now, it is status quo, and audits must be completed.

We thank you as always for demonstrating your commitment to enhancing quality and patient safety.

Visit the Nova Scotia Health Accreditation Site

Update to Primary Care Provider and Specialist Cardiac Diagnostic Requisitions in Central Zone

~ Shared on behalf of the Central Zone Cardiology Department 

Updated Primary Care Provider and Specialist Cardiac Diagnostic Requisitions are now available in Central Zone, excluding the IWK. Three new requisitions are in circulation and can be found on the Nova Scotia Health Intranet:

We kindly ask that the appropriate updated requisitions be put into use immediately and all previous versions be discarded.

Inquiries and feedback may be directed to Tara Roberts, Health Services Manager Heart Health Diagnostics and Investigations - TaraN.Roberts@nshealth.ca.

We appreciate your understanding and support with this change. 

Nova Scotia Health - 9th Annual General Meeting & Annual Report 

We are happy to share Nova Scotia Health’s 9th Annual Report with you. It was launched today as part of our 9th Annual General Meeting.

Watch: Nova Scotia Health Administrator Janet Davidson's welcome address – Nova Scotia Health 9th Annual General Meeting

Watch: Nova Scotia Health – 9th Annual General Meeting

We’re also pleased to announce that after community consultation, the long-term care community Haliburton Place has been renamed Mayflower Meadows. Thank you to everyone who participated.

Together, we have spent the last year innovating, collaborating, and removing obstacles to foster impactful, measurable improvements in healthcare in our province.

ACCESS TO SURGERY

This year we took an important and overdue step to modernize how patients are referred for surgery, MRIs and ultrasounds. With the launch of eReferrals, Nova Scotia Health created a secure, electronic referral tracking system that helps match patients with the best care option for their needs and preferences – all the while keepings patients and referring providers informed each step of the way. More than 13,000 surgical eReferrals and 8,300 Imaging eReferrals were processed this year.

We also continue to make steady progress in increasing the number of surgeries performed each year, with more than 2,100 additional surgeries completed this year compared to last. While we celebrate these achievements, our teams continue the work to ensure patients get the care they need, sooner.

ACCESS TO CARE

This year, in partnership with the Government of Nova Scotia we launched the YourHealthNS app, an easy to navigate resource for what can be a tricky to navigate system. YourHealthNS connects Nova Scotians to the care services they need when they need them. By putting all the tools a patient needs for health information, appointment bookings, and health records in this innovative health app, those in need of healthcare services have the convenience of a one-stop-shop for healthcare information and resources at their fingertips, 24/7.

One year into its launch, there have been over 400,000 downloads.

Through Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinics, Pharmacy Walk-in Clinics Plus, Mobile Primary Care Clinics, and Urgent Treatment Centres – in combination with VirtualCareNS and Primary Care Clinics, more than 840,000 care appointments were added to the system this past year – that’s an additional 70,000 appointments each month.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATON

An important caveat to reimaging our healthcare system, is creating new spaces that foster collaborative practices and attract and keep talent. This year, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s healthcare redevelopment project continued full steam ahead with construction of projects underway in Sydney at Cape Breton Regional Hospital, on the Northside and in New Waterford.

In addition, the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre opened in November and has already seen 50,000 patient visits, abbreviating the previously necessary commute to downtown Halifax. Finally, we broke ground for much needed expansion of the QEII Halifax Infirmary.

In addition, through an innovative partnership with Shannex, we announced the construction of the first transitional care centre in Nova Scotia. By partnering with Shannex, not only will the project be finished sooner, but it will also include the addition of 110 new patient beds. Through the transitional care centre, we are creating a better environment for seniors and other individuals to receive the right level of care they need – outside of an acute care setting – and improving patient flow from emergency departments to admission.

IMPROVING HEALTH, TOGETHER

Nova Scotia Health is a community of over 40,000 individuals, encompassing employees, doctors, volunteers, researchers, and learners, all united in their dedication to meeting the healthcare needs, and improving care and overall health of Nova Scotians. Each day, the Nova Scotia Health team goes above and beyond to ensure patients receive the care they deserve, and we are incredibly grateful for your unparalleled dedication and hard work.

We also would like to express our gratitude to our many partners; the Department of Health and Wellness, IWK Health, Emergency Health Services (EHS), healthcare foundations, auxiliaries, community health boards, patient and family advisors, universities, and colleges. Your invaluable contributions, collaborative spirit, innovative approaches, and dedication to healthy communities have played a vital role in enhancing care across our province. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Janet Davidson, Administrator, Nova Scotia Health

Karen Oldfield, President, and CEO (interim), Nova Scotia Health

Congratulations to the 2024 NSCFP Award Recipients!

Four doctors in the province are receiving Nova Scotia College of Family Physicians awards.

Two of the recipients are in Halifax:

  • Dr. Ajantha Jayabarathan is Family Physician of the Year. Known as Dr. AJ, she’s made significant contributions in medicine, health broadcasting, E-health, and medical education.
  • Dr. Leah Jones wins the Award of Excellence for her exceptional work improving equity, access, and inclusivity of medicine for Black Nova Scotians.

Two of the recipients are in Antigonish:

  • Dr. Mary Gorman wins the Dr. Charles & Mrs. Jean Gass Lifetime Achievement Award for dedicating her career to providing exceptional healthcare in the community.
  • Dr. Jane Anne Howard is receiving an Award of Excellence for being the true embodiment of a rural family physician.

The 2024 annual awards banquet will take place in Halifax on October 18th. Congratulation to all!

 OPOR Design Process Feature: Ambulatory Build

The One Person One Record Clinical Information System (OPOR-CIS) design process has involved various workstreams to ensure specific specialty and care areas were thoroughly consulted and evaluated when making design decisions. Our most recent OPOR Monthly Update includes a focus on the OPOR Ambulatory Team.

OPOR has nearly completed data collection and design of the CIS for ambulatory clinics and provincial programs. This is a very exciting milestone and represents over 150 hours of engagement and collaboration with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from around the province.

The team identified four high-level clinic workflow types and assigned clinics to the most appropriate workflow: Single/Multi-Discipline/Community Outreach, Day Treatment, Specialty Diagnostic, and Primary Health Care.

The organizing of the clinics allowed the standardization of multiple components of the CIS design, including registration, scheduling, and referral management.

The build standardized 950 ambulatory procedures, leveraging over 22,000 appointment types. Work continues to validate workflows, bringing us another step closer to having the OPOR-CIS become a reality!

Learn more about the OPOR Program and the OPOR-CIS at opor.nshealth.ca

DNS Pathways Wellness Resources

Doctors Nova Scotia (DNS) Pathways has a range of valuable programs designed to support physicians throughout their personal and professional journeys. You’ll find everything you need in one place: DNSpathways.com.

Whether it's improving mental health, coping with substance use disorders, enhancing relationships at work or home, developing leadership skills, building connections as an international medical graduate (IMG), or addressing other challenges, DNS Pathways is the ideal starting point. If you have any questions, please reach out to Katelyn Junus, Wellness Advisor at DNS, at katelyn.junus@doctorsns.com.

Mental Health and Addictions Program September Newsletter

The September edition of the Mental Health and Addictions Program Newsletter is now available here! This issue includes:

  • New Day Hospital opens in Kentville
  • IWK receives monumental $25 million donation for intensive MHA services
  • Aberdeen Hospital’s Recovery Support Centre team races for local charities at dragon boat festival
  • Special retirement from Mental Health and Addictions program
  • International Overdose Awareness Day

If you would like to receive the newsletter directly to your inbox, please e-mail Janelle.aucoin@nshealth.ca

Frailty-Attuned Care Across the Healthcare Spectrum Webinar Recording

Thank you to those that joined Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, senior medical director of Nova Scotia Health's Frailty and Elder Care Network, October 2 to explore how frailty-safe care across healthcare setting can lead to earlier care intervention and treatment to achieve the best patient outcomes.

If you missed this learning opportunity, the recording is now available.

For more information about Frailty visit:

Think Frailty - LibGuides at Nova Scotia Health

https://www.nshealth.ca/frailty

The full newsletter is here

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