KTHR Pulse - Kelsey Trail Health · fellowship surgical training) wrote in a letter of...

June 2016 Kelsey Trail Health Region

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Long Service .............................. 2

New Physician ........................... 3

Dr. Bala ...................................... 5

Clinic Tender Awarded ............. 6

Kelvington move ....................... 7

Physician Farewells………………..9

KTHR Pulse

The province recently launched the new SaskAlert mobile app and website

to connect residents across the province with the information they need

when an emergency strikes.

All residents are encouraged to download the SaskAlert app to receive real

-time information about emergencies as they unfold. Once the SaskAlert

app is installed, iPhone and android smartphone users will be alerted to

emergencies via a tone and notification on the home screen – even when

the app is closed. This way the app will put crucial emergency information

directly into residents’ hands.

Residents can opt to receive emergency alerts for the entire province, for a

particular community – including urban and rural municipalities and

First Nations – or for multiple communities. They can also choose to

receive alerts for nearby areas when they are travelling in the province.

SaskAlert.ca is another tool where residents can access detailed

information on emergencies as they progress. SaskAlert.ca will house all

information on current emergencies, and is a vital resource for helping

residents protect themselves.

SaskAlert, the Government of Saskatchewan’s emergency public alerting

program, also informs residents through any media outlets licensed to

broadcast in Saskatchewan. (continued on page 11)

NEW PUBLIC EMERGENCY ALERTING APP

KTHR RECOGNIZES LONG SERVICE

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Kelsey Trail Health Region hosted the 13th annual Long Service

Recognition & Appreciation event at the Tisdale RECplex on Thursday,

April 28th. This annual event provides an opportunity to recognize and

thank physicians, senior leaders, managers, staff and retirees for their

dedicated service to the organization and the residents of KTHR.

The lone recipient of a 45 year service recognition award was Ruth

Keeping of Nipawin. Ruth received a Diploma of Nursing from the

Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Arts and Science in 1969. After

marrying local farmer Tom Keeping, the couple moved to the Garrick

area. Her first nursing job was in Flin Flon where her husband went for

winter employment. Ruth was hired at the Nipawin Hospital in May of

1970. She has worked in all areas of rural acute care nursing with many

years of obstetrical, pediatric and emergency room experience. In

addition, she has worked in outposts and small hospitals in northern

Saskatchewan and BC. Ruth is a knowledgeable and energetic nurse who

is kind and friendly. She is very flexible and accommodating and never

shies away from a challenge or adventure. Ruth has served on nursing

committees and acted as a preceptor for nursing students and nurses in

the re-entry program over the years. She retired from full time nursing

in 2008 but continues to work on a casual basis. Ruth has two sons and

is an active grandmother of three grandchildren. She enjoys family,

travel and making friends wherever she goes. Ruth is warm and kind

hearted never missing an opportunity to help a friend or community

member in need.

“In your jobs, you are in contact with people at many different moments

throughout their lifetime. You share their joy in the birth of a newborn,

provide services to children as they grow, advise and support parents

through their journey, help navigate the elements associated with aging

and, finally offer comfort and support at end of life. Throughout all of

these moments, your work has left an impression on the people whose

lives you have come into contact with,” stated KTHR CEO Shane

Merriman.

“The work you do is not easy. It is demanding, challenging, and can be

emotionally exhausting but it also comes with great reward. And the

rewards of your job are often shared by the colleagues who stand beside

you as well as those that are plugging away in the background.

Collectively, in this room tonight we are honouring 3,930 years of

service,” he continued. “The loyalty and reliability and passion and

dedication that sits before me in this room tonight is Kelsey Trail’s most

prized possession. Thank you for bringing that to the patients, clients

and residents we serve every day.”

KTHR employees receiving recognition for completing 10 years of

service included: Donna Bay, Norma Pedersen, Peter Froese, Lionel

Sturby, Patricia Miazga, Donna Sauter, Brigitte Stewart, Lee Ann Fan-

non, Tina Moorman, Michelle St Denis, Jennifer Hue, Leanne Shoe-

maker, Melissa Haas, Wendy Fortin, David Little, Kimberly Huls,

Christina Riemer, Carmen Derenowski, Leslie Williams, Laureen Pratt,

Rochelle Bradshaw, Rae Lynn Teale, Yong Toy, Monique Christianson,

Kyla Fountain, Rachelle Grona, Christine Nashacapporoper, Amanda

Strnad, Lorette Atkinson, Melanie Yaremy, Kristen Torrance, Angela

Andrus, Jessica Chorney, Charidy Torgerson, Heather Turcotte,

Elenore Prekaski, Alison Amundrud and Peggy Ratcliffe.

KTHR employees receiving recognition for completing 15 years of ser-

vice included: Audrey Flett, Julia Peters, Lyle Perkins, Carla Palaniuk,

Carrie Balaski, Emagine Gaudry, Janice Hall, Leanne Rogalski, Patty

Hennings, Sharon Ellis, Rosemary Laxdal, Ruby Mills, Terry

Thibodeau, Deena Sawatzky, Sheryn Peterson, Sherrie Glister, Chris-

tine Roenspies, Shilo Wilson, Stacey Meyers, Rhonda Rustad, Tracy

Hughes, Sandra Wittig, Kathryn Carswell, Michelle Sprackman, Sheryl

Shiplack, Sharon Eiteneier, Kathleen Allen, Violeta Camdzic, Leonila

Larson, Jane Quennelle, Deneen Stuefloten, Denise Thibault, Janet

Hunter, Cindy Trites, Karen Trites, Christine Trombley, Joann Ed-

wards, Lavinia Campbell, Kara Vaughan, Sherry Dahl, Mary Gessner,

Sandi Trombley, Oralee Adames, Janice Kroeker, Betty Rudachyk, Judy

MacDonald, Carmen Mackie and Diane Ralph.


vice included: Jodie Scutchings, Shelley Tait, Howard Earnshaw, Arlene

Chabot, Vicky O’Neil, Marlene Shirley, Sheila Lokken, Trina Gurbach,

Ruth Warkentin, Marybeth Wilkinson, Sandra Diamond, Candace Rog-

ers, Laurie Yelland, Kathleen Meyer, Tracy Farber, Nadine Mevel-

Degerness, Brenda Leek, Debbie Virog, Charmaine Hanson, Bonnie

Henderson, Margaret Nontell, Carrie Bischoff, Florence Lalonde, Carol

Forget and Shane Merriman.


vice included: Jody Haller, Jeanette McKee, Debra Lacheur, Robin Sun-

delin, Roxane Bonsan, Donna Hainstock, Charmaine Brown, Sharyl

Adlem, Betty Quintaine, Louise Nalepa, Glenda McDougall, Margaret

Bradley, Denise Runn, Sandra Hayes, Roxanne Daoust, Cathy Vhal,

Joanne Victor, Constance Baraniski, Beverly Collins, Margaret Froese,

Linda McDermott, Cindy Parker, Deborah Runn, Sandra Smallboy,

Deborah Atkings, Christine Dierker, Debora Hemsley, Ann Marie Ruth-

erford, Kathy Oar, Charlaine Prince, Colette Nicholson, Shelly Parcho-

ma and Judi Vanmeter.

(continued on page 10)

NEW PHYSICIAN

IN HUDSON BAY

Dr. Saheed Adekunle

Gbamgbola began providing

physician services from the

Hudson Bay Primary Health

Care Clinic on June 13, 2016.

Dr. Saheed comes to Hudson

Bay from Ibadan, Nigeria. He

received his Family Medicine

training at the University of

Ibadan, College of Medicine and

did his post graduate

(internship) training at the

University College Hospital

(UCH), Ibadan. He has also

obtained his Advanced Cardiac

Life Support and Basic Life

Support training with the Heart

and Stroke Foundation.

Kelsey Trail Health Region

would like to encourage the

community of Hudson Bay to

extend a warm welcome to Dr.

Saheed, his wife Asanat

Gbamgbola, his son Hannan

and his daughter Azeemah

Gbamgbola.

Dr. Saheed is accepting new

patients.

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4


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Kelsey Trail Health Region lost a long serving family physician and surgeon with the p a s s i n g o f D r . K a n a p a t h i p p i l l a i Balakrishnan of Nipawin on Monday, April 18th in Saskatoon. He was 68 years old.

Dr. Bala would have celebrated his 28th year of providing family

medicine/surgical services in Nipawin this summer. Earlier this year, he had decided to start slowing down in his career and gave up his surgical privileges.

Bala was born and raised in Puloly, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He earned his medical degree at Peradeniya University in Kandy, Sri Lanka and pursued further training in Urology in the United Kingdom, obtaining his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) London.

Bala’s career took him from Sri Lanka to Saudi Arabia, where he was appointed Urologist and Head of the Department of Urology at King Faisal Hospital. From there, he headed to Saskatchewan to pursue his medical career., stopping briefing in Watrous before settling in Nipawin. He was the last of the old guard among the physicians in Nipawin.

A highly competent, capable and experienced medical practitioner, Bala was highly respected by the Kelsey Trail Regional Health Authority board and administration, his physician colleagues in Nipawin and throughout the region, the Nipawin staff and the community at large. He was very popular and had a very good relationship with nursing and other staff. “He is a charming chap with the highest professional standards and is utterly reliable and trustworthy,” Dr. Ian Hunter-Craig, New East Surrey Hospital (where Bala pursued his post fellowship surgical training) wrote in a letter of recommendation.

Dr. Bala was a mainstay among the Nipawin physicians that visited Cumberland House, providing healthcare services to that community for many years. He has also been the long-time host of Bala’s Best Ball, an annual golf tournament for all staff held in Nipawin every summer that he started in the late 90s. Following the devastating tsunami that devastated the east coast of his home country in December 2004, Bala and his wife, in partnership with the Venice House in Nipawin, hosted a fundraising pizza buffet with all proceeds going to the tsunami victims in his home country.

Dr. Bala was a talented, caring surgeon and physician, and a supportive and reliable colleague who has left a lasting impression and a permanent legacy on the community of Nipawin and beyond. He was also a devoted and loving husband and father whose presence will be greatly missed by his family—his wife Mathi, and daughters, Lakshmi (Kyler) and Divya. A memorial for Dr. Bala was held on Saturday, April 23rd at the Nipawin Evergreen Centre.

KTHR LOSES LONG-TIME PHYSICIAN

NIPAWIN CLINIC TENDER AWARDED

Kelsey Trail Health Region is pleased to announce the project tender for the construction of the new Nipawin medical clinic has been awarded. Dunmac General Contractors Ltd. of Saskatoon has been awarded the project tender. RBM Architecture/P3Architecture of Saskatoon is the project architect. Br ian H arasy mu k, KTHR Director Support Services will be the project manager. Last year, the Ministry of Health provided Kelsey Trail Health Region with official approval to proceed with planning for the construction of a new region-owned clinic in Nipawin. In early August, physicians from Twin Lakes merged their services with the Nipawin Medical Group, relocating to the Nipawin Medical Group offices. The two physician groups officially amalgamated in January under the name of the Nipawin Medi-Clinic. The Town of Nipawin took over the administration of the Twin Lakes Wellness Centre following the retirement of previous clinic owner Dr. Patricia Chernesky last

year and helped maintain health care services in that location until those physicians joined the Nipawin Medical Group in August. The NRHF is providing financial support to the new clinic through the purchase of necessary equipment and furnishings. The physicians have set the stage for improved patient care co-locating all of their services and will also assume responsibility for day-to-day operation of the new clinic once it opens. Construction began Monday, May 9th and is expected to be completed by February 2017. “During the construction period, there will be some disruptions to parking for Nipawin Hospital physicians and staff,” stated KTHR CEO Shane Merriman. “We are pleased to be able to continue accommodating patient, client and visitor parking in the existing parking lot in front of Nipawin Hospital. We are asking for everyone’s ongoing patience and understanding as the project p r o g r e s s e s t h r o u g h t o completion.”

6

(L-R) Lewis Robin, Executive

Director of the Nipawin Region

Health Foundation; Dr. Olukayode

Olutunfese; Dave Trann, Mayor of

Nipawin; Shane Merriman, KTHR

CEO; Dr. Bronwyn Carroll; Rennie

Harper, KTRHA Chairperson; Dr.

Melissa Fillis; Dr. Onose Lawani;

and Dr Neville Van der Merwe are

pictured in front of the

construction site for the new

medical clinic being built in

Nipawin

It was all hands on deck May 30th and 31st as the Kelvington Hospital

acute and emergency care, lab and diagnostic imaging, primary health

care clinic, home care, therapies and public health made the move to the

new Kelvington & Area Hospital. Everyone from frontline staff to

managers, directors and VP’s came together to complete the move over

two days and the building was up, functioning and open to the public by

Wednesday, June 1st.

Earlier in the month, long term care residents from the east wing of

Kelvindell Lodge also completed a move, relocating to the newly

renovated south wing to allow renovations to begin in the east wing.

Kelvindell Lodge staff relied on the help of staff, family and friends to

complete the move by noon on Thursday, May 26th.

On Friday, June 17th, newly elected Kelvington-Wadena MLA and

former MLA June Draude joined Facility Administrator Karri Franklin,

Nurse Manager Tanya Neiszner, members of the KTHR Executive Team,

Regional Health Authority and Kelvington Steering Committee for a

tour of the new facility and renovated south wing of Kelvindell Lodge.

STAFF,PATIENTS MOVE INTO NEW

KELVINGTON & AREA HOSPITAL

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(Top, Middle) Karri Franklin, Kelvington & Area

Hospital and Kelvindell Lodge Facility Administra-

tor, and Nurse Manager Tanya Neiszner (bottom,

middle) led a tour of the new Kelvington & Area

Hospital and the renovated south wing of the

Kelvindell Lodge for newly elected Kelvington-

Wadena MLA Hugh Nerlien and former MLA June

Draude on June 17th.

KTHR SAYING GOODBYE TO PHYSICIANS

9

KTHR is saying goodbye to several

physicians this summer.

Dr. Pieter Maree retired from the

Hudson Bay Primary Health Care

Clinic on June 3rd after almost 13

years of practicing medicine. Dr.

Maree joined the medical staff at

Hudson Bay in September 2003.

He is originally from Pretoria,

South Africa and completed his

medical degree at the University of

Pretoria in 1999. Dr. Maree

completed a post-graduate

internship at Livingstone Hospital

in 2000 and served as Resident

Medical Officer at various private

hospitals in the UK between

January 2002 and January 2003.

Prior to his arrival in Hudson Bay,

he was employed as the Senior

House Officer in the Critical Care

Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital

in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, UK. His

retirement plans include spending

more time with his wife and

tending to his sheep & bee farm

full-time however, he will be

maintaining his license and work

as a locum on occasion.

Dr. Richard Van der Ross of the

Family Physicians Group will be

leaving Melfort in July after 12

years of providing family physician

services in that community and the

James Smith First Nation. Dr. Van

der Ross arrived in Melfort in

October 2004. Originally from

Cape Town, South Africa, he

received his Family Medicine

training at the Stellenbosch

University in Stellenbosch, South

Africa and completed his

internship training at Windhoek,

Namibia. He completed his GP

Anesthesia training in 2012 at the

University of Saskatchewan in

Saskatoon. He is also the founder

and a director of the Melfort Multi-

K.. Dr. Van der Ross and his

family will be relocating to

Kelowna, B.C.

Dr. Julianna van Jaarsveld of

Tisdale will also be leaving in July.

Dr. van Jaarsveld has provided

family physician services in Tisdale

since May of 2010. Originally from

Nelspruit in South Africa, she

received her Family Medicine

training at the University of the

Free State in Bloemfontein and did

her internship training in the

Bloemfontein Hospital Complex.

Dr. van Jaarsveld and her family

will be returning to South Africa.

Dr. Dale Peffer will be leaving the

Nipawin Medi-Clinic in July and

relocating to Saskatoon to join his

family. Dr. Peffer began

providing family medicine services

out of the Nipawin Health Centre

in April of 2012. Dr. Peffer came

to Nipawin from Uitenhage in

South Africa. He received his

Family Medicine training at the

University of Cape Town and did

his internship training in the

Livingstone Hospital in Port

Elizabeth.

Kelsey Trail Health Region would

like to wish all four physicians best

wishes in their future endeavours.

Thank you for your dedicated

service to the residents of Kelsey

Trail!

Dr. Pieter Maree

Dr. Richard Van der Ross

Dr. Julianna van Jaarsveld

Dr. Dale Peffer

10


(continued from page 3)

One week after receiving her 25 year service award, Jody Haller of

Tisdale was killed in a tragic accident on the family farm. Kelsey Trail

Health Region board members, physicians, administration and staff

would like to extend sincere sympathy to the Haller family on their loss.

Jody worked at Tisdale Hospital and she will be missed by many.


service included: Charleen Kolodinsky, Sandra Siddons, Kathleen

Perron, Donna Bishko, Veronica Shoemaker, Ella Nelson, Melanie

Fidyk, Jean Senecal, Elaine Halvorsen, Andrea Staples, Carol Cooper,

Teresa Sauer, Jacquelin Mackintosh, Bonnie Hampton, Shirley Zeller,

Tammy Aasen, Brenda Hauck, Judy Patenaude, Kathy Ross, Joann

Nontell, Jeanine Hall, Collette Hrenkiw, Agi Magis, Edith Nagy, Peggy

Becker and Colleen Naber.


service included: Donna Mochoruk, Debora Ernst, Connie Kelsey,

Andrea Davis, Linda Brothwell, Judy Barker, Shirley Drebit, Lorna

Townsend, Marlene Wilson, Lana McFarlane, Marilyn Petterson,

Darlene Fredin, Etta Taylor, Dolores Gooliaff and Valerie Warriner.


service included: Louise Verklan, Dale Patterson, Lynda Braaten and

Glenna Wark.

Retired KTHR employees that were recognized for their service to the

organization included: Lorraine Althouse, Charlott Bagnall, Wendy

Banadyga, Dorothy Bergren, Charmaine Brown, Lindsey Bruce, Keith

Butler, Marilyn Carleton, Marie Conkie, Margaret Cunningham, Isabelle

Curry, Leslee Dahl, Allan Dahl, Sandra Delwisch, Gail Denys, Darlene

Edstrom, Cheryl Ens, Norma Flodell, Carmel Fountain, Geraldine

Fountain, Judy Francoeur, Miriam Gabrysh, Elizabeth Gray, Lorne

Hanson, Joan Hermus, Darlene Hudak, Shirley Hunt, Hazel Kinaschuk,

Debra Lacheur, Florence Lalonde, Diana Lanning, Jean Larrivee, Shelly

Le Franc, Patricia Leray, Irene Lowe, Josephine McHenry, Allison

Miller, Jim Morrison, Penny Murray, Edith Nagy, Margaret Nontell,

Kathleen Perron, Diane Porter, Janet Quaroni, Betty Quintaine, Ron

Remus, Shelley Rutherford, Celia Schreiner, Emily Seck, Zana Skinner,

Gilbert Spanier, Patricia Streeton, Cynthia Strukoff, Sharon Syrenne,

Etta Taylor, Valerie Therres, Joanne Thorson, Judy Toth, Lila Vedress,

Lousie Verklan, Ruth Von Bieker, Glenna Wark, Judy Wells, Marybeth

Wilkinson, Bernadine Wilkinson, Wendy Yelland, Shirley Zeller and

Marlene Zolkavich.

11

SaskAlert App launched

(continued from page 1)

Emergency alerts may be issued for emergencies such as train derail-

ments, tornadoes, plow winds, blizzards, wildfires, hazardous material

spills, boil water advisories, road closures, evacuations or local emer-

gency declarations. Alerts are only issued for emergencies that could

harm people or damage property.

Close to one-third of communities in the province have already signed

up to use SaskAlert to issue emergency alerts on behalf of their resi-

dents. The Government of Saskatchewan invites all communities to

participate in this free and vital service. Provincial ministries, Crowns

and Agencies as well as Environment Canada may also issue emergen-

cy alerts. SaskAlert is Saskatchewan’s contribution to a national emer-

gency public alerting system.

KTHR AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS

The Kelsey Trail Regional Health Authority is pleased to announce the

names of the recipients of the 2015 Kelsey Trail Health Region Scholarship

program.

Janet Schmitt of Carrot River and Brenda Belliveau of Nipawin were

each awarded a $1000 scholarship through the Kelsey Trail Health Region

Aboriginal Scholarship program. Schmitt is enrolled in the two year

Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program at Dumont Technical Institute

in Saskatoon. She hopes to obtain employment with KTHR upon successful

completion of her post-secondary education. Belliveau is in the Medical

Device Reprocessing Technician (MDRT) program through the

Saskatchewan Polytechnic Regina Campus. She is currently employed in

the Central Sterilization Department (CSD) in Nipawin and Melfort.

Amber Tyacke of Melfort and Rachelle Chubak of Star City were each

awarded a $1000 through the Kelsey Trail Health Region General

Scholarship program. Tyacke is a first year student in the Continuing Care

Assistant (CCA) program at Cumberland College in Melfort. She currently

works as a CCA and in Recreation at Chateau Providence at St. Brieux.

Chubak is enrolled in her fourth year of the Saskatchewan Collaborative

Bachelor of Science Nursing program through the University of Regina/

Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Saskatoon. She works casually as a CCA at

Newmarket Place in Tisdale.

The purpose of the annual scholarship program offered by KTHR is to

encourage individuals to enter into educational programs which will help

them gain health care employment opportunities. On behalf of KTHR, CEO

Shane Merriman extended sincere congratulations to all four deserving

scholarship recipients.

Kelsey Trail Health Region

901—108th Avenue

Box 1780

Tisdale, SK

S0E 1T0

Phone: 306-873-6600

Fax: 306-873-2372

www.kelseytrailhealth.ca

Saskatchewan residents are advised to take steps to lower their chance of

contracting West Nile virus infection this summer. Typically, the Culex

tarsalis mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are active from mid-July to

the end of August. The level of risk depends largely on the weather.

Most people who get infected with West Nile virus will experience no

symptoms, or only mild ones like fever, headaches and body aches.

However, there is a small chance of developing a more serious illness, West

Nile virus neuroinvasive disease. This can lead to inflammation of the brain

and even death.

“If you’re bitten by a mosquito with West Nile virus, you’ll likely experience

no symptoms or mild illness that resolves on its own,” Saskatchewan’s

Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Denise Werker said. “However,

there is still a small risk of serious neurological illness. That’s why you

should seek medical help immediately if you develop serious symptoms like

a persistent fever, confusion, neck stiffness, or an unusually severe

headache.”

Since 2003, there have been 157 severe neurological cases and 17 deaths in

Saskatchewan.

Minimize your exposure to mosquito bites:

•Use appropriate insect repellent when outdoors;

•Cover up. Wear light coloured, loose fitting, long-sleeved tops and

long pants when outdoors; and

•Reduce the amount of time spent outdoors between dusk and

dawn. The peak mosquito hours are around dusk and dawn, but

Culex mosquitoes will also bite during the night.

Reduce mosquito habitats:

•Culex mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Even small

amounts of water, allowed to stand for a week or more, may

produce adult mosquitoes;

•Regularly clean and empty containers that can collect water such

as bird baths and eavestroughs;

•Clear yards of old tires and other items that can collect water;

•Ensure rain barrels are covered with mosquito screening or are

tightly sealed around the downspout; and

•Maintain door and window screens so they fit tightly and are free

of holes.

More information about West Nile Virus, including surveillance reports

updated weekly, can be found at www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/health/

diseases-and-conditions/west-nile-virus.

TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST

WEST NILE VIRUS THIS SUMMER

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