Explore Past News
August 2018 – Use Your Emergency Department Wisely Campaign Launches
A campaign encouraging patients to call their family doctor first when they need non-emergency medical attention has launched in Boundary communities. Residents and visitors to the Boundary area will see posters springing up on community bulletin boards, Interior Health health sites, medical clinics, and pharmacies that ask: “Need Help in Boundary Today?”. Read More
December 2017 – Telehealth Saves Time, Money and Winter Driving Stress
Seeing your doctor through video conferencing can be the best option for many people. The Telehealth project, spearheaded by BC’s Shared Care Initiative, the Kootenay Boundary Division of Family Practice and Interior Health has implemented telehealth for a growing list of medical services, currently including: maternity care, urology, internal medicine, general surgery, anesthesiology, and pediatrics. Read More
November 2017 – Grand Forks/West Boundary - Transforming Health Care in the Boundary
When the sliding door of Walter Gambles’ van slammed closed and left a toonie-sized gash in his arm, the 82 year-old resident of Christina Lake figured he was destined for a trip to the emergency department in Grand Forks.
On a whim, Gambles decided he’d check in at the Christina Lake Medical Clinic where he met with new primary care nurse Svetlana Dalla Lana. Read More
October 2017 – Rural Pre-Med Scholarship Awarded
A dozen Selkirk College students focused on the future of health care in rural British Columbia have received financial support from the medical community they hope to join one day. Read the Article
JUNE 2017 – Step Into the Light Walk Raises Awareness and Support for New Parents
When the new baby arrives in a family, most people assume it is a time of love and celebration. What many new moms don’t expect is that they might struggle to adjust or that she may feel isolation, exhaustion, or even a lack of love for her child.Check out the article
Kootenay Boundary Doctors On Poverty Frontline
NOVEMBER 2016 – Dr. Lee MacKay interviewed regarding the social determinants of health.
"There is one glaring symptom that can lead to chronic health problems, and sometimes the medical community can overlook the signs.Some refer to it as low socioeconomic status, often measured as a combination of education, income and occupation.But in layman’s terms, it’s poverty."
Click here to view the article
ICU-ED Videoconferencing will help save lives
OCTOBER 2016 – New Telehealth Connections Will Help Save Lives
You can’t physically move an entire regional intensive care unit (ICU), but telehealth technology helps you come close. “It’s statistically proven, not to mention common sense, that the sooner we can get treatment to these patients, the better they do,” said Dr. Scot Mountain, an intensivist at KBRH. Download the press release
Trail Times Article : Team Set To Tackle Diabetes
MAR 2016 – Expanded Team Tackles Diabetes in Trail
“It is difficult for family physicians to manage some of the diabetics in their population because of the complexities of their care,” he said. “Having a team dedicated to diabetes - a diabetologist, dietitian and diabetes nurse - who have a lot more time to invest than a family physician has in their office, is really valuable not only for that patient but in terms of reducing the burden on the acute care sector.” Read More...
Canada Wide First: MBSR Required for KB Residents
DEC 2015 – Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Provides Innovative Ways to Improve Health Care for Practitioners and Patients.
For what is likely the first time in Canada, doctors enrolled in the inaugural year of the Kootenay Boundary Rural Residency Family Medicine Program have a new tool as a required part of their training: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
Child and Youth Mental Health Facebook Page Launch
SEPT 2015 – Facebook site aims to help families dealing with child and youth mental health challenges.
The start of the school year always marks a spike in the number of enquiries to Child and Youth Mental Health agencies across Kootenay Boundary. With 1 in 5 children and youth affected by mental health challenges, it's a problem that is more widespread than many people realize. Download the press release
KB Division Presents at Health Co-Op AGM
JUNE 2015 – Doctors recruiting doctors ... among other things
The KB Division of Family Practice is presenting at the Community First Health Cooperative's annual general meeting. They will present some of the work the group is doing including helping seniors reduce the need for and quantity of medications they take, working with mental health patients and recruiting doctors to our region.
Chronic Pain Tool Launch
JUNE 2015 – KB Doctors invite public input on Chronic Pain Tool.
The Kootenay Boundary Division of Family Practice announced today the launch of a new tool to support people dealing with chronic pain. According to Canada-wide statistics, more then 1 in 5 KB residents suffer from the disease.
Events tour KB promoting mental wellness
APRIL 2015 –"Kindness Creates Wellness" events tour Kootenay Boundary promoting mental health wellness
A new initiative to connect parents, youth, teachers and doctors is making its' way across Kootenay Boundary. It is a series of events that bring together people in communities to focus on increasing mental health literacy... Download the press release
Collaborating to improve KB Health Care
MARCH 2015 – Working together to improve health care for KB residents
Family Doctors, Specialists and Interior Health are working together to improve health care for residents thanks to the Collaborative Services and Shared Care Initiatives. Over 20 projects are currently being driven by the groups, affecting a broad range of issues that impact the health of KB residents.
Tele-maternity pilot success in the Kootenay Boundary
JANUARY 2015 – Moms go virtual for healthy babies
For the first time in B.C., expectant mothers can participate in virtual visits with their maternity care provider directly from their local family doctor’s office, thanks to new tele-maternity (video conferencing) technology. Read more
KB Searchlight Launches
OCTOBER 2014 – New website helps navigate the child and youth mental health care landscape in Kootenay Boundary
The new KB Searchlight website for the Kootenay Boundary (KB) region is the first local web resource to link all child and youth mental health care services in one place.
UBC Rural Family Residence Program Launches
SEPTEMBER 2014 – UBC faculty of medicine launches Rural Family Residency Program for Kootenay Boundary Region
The University of British Columbia announced today that the Kootenay Boundary region will be the site of the next Faculty of Medicine’s distributed medical education Rural Family Medicine Residency Program in British Columbia. Download the press release
Poverty Intervention Tool Launches
MAY 2014 – Doctors launch new tool that will help them support patients with socio-economic challenges impacting their health.
Entitled the Poverty Intervention Tool, the document explores the profound impact that social determinants, like not being able to meet monthly expenses, have on patient health. Download and use the tool