dans les délais! dans meilleurs La version française suivra What’s inside: If we train them, they will stay: Medical Residency •Message from the 2 board chair Program to reinforce physician recruitment to region ecruiting and retaining partnerships with Selkirk Medical make a residency program happen, Skinner. “The promise is that it will •Efforts to boost physicians in Interlake- Associates, the University of Manitoba Dr. Alexander said it was community be a regional program because we primary care Eastern RHA has been a and the Manitoba HealthCare partnership that was pivotal in finding need to recruit physicians everywhere, 3 providers paying off longstanding challenge Providers Network and an outpouring support. The real momentum began not just Selkirk. Having a stable Rover the past decade. Although there of community support, the region will about a year ago, when Interlake- teaching unit creates a steady stream has been a surge of new physicians host its first two medical residents in Eastern RHA struck a task force with of potential physician recruits for the •What is primary recruited to communities over the July 2019 in Selkirk. 17 community leaders, physicians longer term.” past three years, community leaders, health care? The dream to have a medical and senior IERHA leadership. local physicians and Interlake-Eastern 4 residency program began with Dr. Benefits for physicians and RHA have realized there is a lot more “We reached out to communities in Alexander’s initiative. He was driven medical residents that can be done to bring new doctors the region to share the to set the program in motion based Having a medical residency •Indigenous Health to the region who want to stay, live importance of having on his love of teaching medical program not only has Program and work here. training available 5 students in his own clinic and his own benefits for our region’s for medical The original communities but for Ron Van Denakker, CEO for Interlake- experience as a medical resident. practitioners in dream to have a • Innovative pilot Eastern RHA, says that the vision for physicians and medical “Because Interlake-Eastern was rural parts of medical residency project for people attracting physicians to and retaining graduates as well. the only regional health authority the province program began Interlake-Eastern’s 6 living with COPD them in communities over the long and they have nearly four years ago without a residency program, when family medicine term includes training them on home I was going through medical school I stepped up to practitioners have long ground in our communities. through the initiative • Interlake-Eastern could not complete my training here ensure we’re of Selkirk physician offered opportunities Health Foundation “The vision we’ve been working in Selkirk,” said Dr. Alexander “Even able to provide Dr. Ian Alexander to both medical celebrates first towards over the last four years for though I knew that I wanted to work a robust learning residents and students 7 year the RHA and for our communities here when I finished, I had to go experience for on short rotations of four requires us to expand on what we’re elsewhere to find that training. I was trainees,” said Dr. to five weeks and the benefits doing to recruit physicians. We have very lucky to get excellent training in Alexander. “We are definitely go both ways. According been doing many things, including Dauphin – but it just wasn’t home.” certain that our graduates will to Dr. Alexander, working with •Service Directory hiring some excellent internationally continue the trend seen in other rural learners—whether students or more Alexander said that although his 8 trained physicians,” said Van training sites where locally trained highly trained residents—keeps our original drive to create a residency Denakker. “But in the longer term, physicians join their community of region’s physicians on their toes. program was based on personal the best way to continue to address practice and become an important experience, he also understood “I’ve always enjoyed teaching and physician shortages is to take a multi- piece of the health-care system in the Interlake-Eastern there were strategic advantages being involved with medical education. pronged approach which includes, for region.” for physicians and for communities Learners make me a better doctor,” Board of Directors example, providing opportunities to said Dr. Alexander. “They push me. All Interlake-Eastern RHA board members throughout the region. Pinawa mayor Blair Skinner, who train and educate Manitoba medical dedicate their time and energy to helping participated in the community They ask me questions. You need to be graduates through work experiences “There was a piece of me that on the ball. You don’t fall into the trap make our health-care services accountable, task force, said Interlake-Eastern in rural communities across the wanted to offer this option for our of doing the same thing over and over sustainable and responsive to local needs communities have understood for region.” own graduates, local Manitobans, years that a medical residency again.” across the Interlake-Eastern region. to train in the area. This wasn’t This vision, partnered with the program was one of the best ways to Among the University of Manitoba’s just because I think we offer a great dedicated efforts of Dr. Ian Alexander ensure the region could be recruiting pre-requisites for establishing a experience to students but also Margaret Mills, Chair (Pinawa) of Selkirk Medical Associates, has instead of losing physicians. regional residency program was the it helps with retaining locally Oral Johnston, Vice Chair (Black River) recently paved the way for the Although the program will inclusion of opportunities for students trained graduates,” said Dr. Steve Day, Treasurer (Beausejour) recent announcement that Selkirk be hosted in Selkirk, he said to learn from many different care Alexander. “We’ve seen return Ruth Ann Furgala, Secretary (Riverton) Medical Associates will be launching communities across the region providers in different care settings. rates of as much as 70 to a medical residency program in stand to benefit. Once they begin training in July 2019, Laurie Andrews (East St. Paul) 80 per cent in other regions. Selkirk. The program will train new our first regional medical residents Judith Cameron (Gimli) We know that they are more “Part of the reason that other medical graduates in communities will have many opportunities to work Judy Dunn (Dugald) likely to stay in a community municipalities got involved across the RHA for their two years of was because there’s an in clinic settings in communities Brian Magnusson (Winnipeg Beach) when there’s that sense of residency. This news has been a long understanding that across the region and on rotations in attachment between David Oakley (Teulon) time coming for the many community, the residents the Selkirk Regional Health Centre. the care provider Charlene Rocke (Winnipeg) physician and provincial stakeholders would get the They will also work in a wide variety of communities and facilities and with Amanda Stevenson (Lundar) that have been working to make a and community.” chance to work care providers from many disciplines Glen West (Selkirk) regional residency program a reality for blocks For profiles of our directors, visit www.ierha.ca and Community of time in including dietitians, chronic disease for the last four years. nurses, mental health practitioners, click on “About Us” and “Board of Directors Support medical Building the dream Pivotal to facilities palliative care providers and other throughout areas that complement family Interlake-Eastern RHA has been the Success the Interlake- medicine. only regional health authority without Even with his Eastern TO COMMENT ON A STORY OR SUBMIT A a medical residency program which The program will also include an STORY IDEA, EMAIL [email protected], CALL commitment to region and emphasis on understanding the trains new graduates. Thanks to gain some US TOLL-FREE AT 1-855-347-8500 OR health-care needs of Indigenous knowledge and populations in the region and the WRITE IERHA AT 233A MAIN STREET, experience in SELKIRK, MB R1A 1S1. Dr. Ian Alexander, of Selkirk Medical Associates, family physician working in rural Continued on page 2... lead in establishing the region’s medical residency program. communities,” said Interlake-Eastern RHA Strategic Priorities (2016-2021) - To ensure the utmost transparency in operations, Interlake-Eastern Continued from page 1 RHA’s board of directors has reviewed and revised its regional strategic priorities to ensure they align with provincial priorities as health- social factors that can impact a care transformation evolves. The board regularly evaluates the RHA’s activities through executive team reports. person’s health. Students will work in Message some of the smaller communities in Provincial Goal IERHA Strategic Direction IERHA Strategic Focus the region and provide care in remote CAPACITY BUILDING BUILDING TODAY FOR TOMORROW - FISCAL settings where distance and access from the • Achieve strategic priorities through a sustained planning and alignment We are committed to making the most of our human and finan- SUSTAINABILITY to specialty care is more limited. This process that advances role clarity, collaborative and innovative work cial resources to ensure that we are in the best position possible PLAN will expose medical residents to some Board practices, risk management, and effective use of resources. to serve our communities today and into the future. All decisions of the specific challenges of providing • Apply innovative human resource policies and practices to help recruit and are based on evidence, ethics and efficiency. health care at sites with more limited retain department staff. These policies and practices will focus on support- resources. Chair ing staff development, work-life balance and opportunities for advancement appreciate the opportunity to that are consistent and fair across the department.