A GP For Me Updates
VIU Celebrates Opening of New Student Health Clinic on Campus
September 2015
NANAIMO, BC: Vancouver Island University (VIU) students will have access to a medical health clinic on the Nanaimo campus as they begin their fall semester.
Developed in partnership with Island Health and with support from the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, the new VIU Health and Wellness Centre offers a wide range of medical services to registered students in its mid-campus location in the Student Services Building (Building 200), as well as access to counselling, advising, disability services and financial aid.
“We do all we can to support students in their learning, and the clinic is one way we are able to support their health care needs while they are pursuing their studies,” said Dr. Ralph Nilson, President and Vice-Chancellor. “VIU’s new student health clinic is the result of several years of hard work by VIU community members on our Healthy U committee, and through a great partnership with Island Health.”
Many students who study at VIU, particularly those who come from outside the city to attend University or who are among the University’s 1,600 international students, do not have a family physician.
Since opening in late May, more than 135 students have used the clinic’s services. In exit surveys completed by 55 students, 46 per cent said they might have delayed seeking medical attention or seriously compromised their health if they did not have access to the on-campus clinic.
The clinic is staffed by Nurse Practitioner Diane Middagh and Medical Office Assistant Heather Carr, who together offer clinic services Mondays through Fridays to students who drop in or make appointments.
In British Columbia a Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a Registered Nurse with a master’s degree and advanced knowledge and skills who provides high quality health care. NPs are able to diagnose, consult, order and interpret tests, prescribe, and treat health conditions. The Health and Wellness Centre aims to provide health care, education and preventive medicine, and involve students in responsible health and wellness.
Island Health is pleased to be partnering with Vancouver Island University to make health care more accessible for students, said Don Hubbard, Chair of the Island Health Board of Directors.
“We know that a large number of VIU students use the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital emergency department regularly,” Hubbard said. “Many of these visits occur because students are not connected to other health and wellness services in the community. Now that an Island Health nurse practitioner is in place at VIU, we can reduce those emergency visits and support students with consistent access to health care.”
As a partner in developing the clinic, the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice has funded a General Practitioner to support the clinic’s integration into Nanaimo’s existing primary care community. This was made possible through the ‘A GP for Me’ initiative, funded through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Doctors of BC.
The development of the student health clinic was also made possible through the support of donors. Nanaimo residents Sidney and Gladys Sharman, both now deceased, the Windsor Plywood Foundation, and the Harewood Community Centre Cooperative have made contributions in support of VIU health facilities.
A celebration to officially open the clinic with VIU Healthy U committee members, Island Health representatives, students, clinic staff and VIU faculty and staff was held today.
Celebrating the grand opening of the VIU Health and Wellness Centre Sept. 4 are: Heather Carr, Medical Office Assistant; Dr. Melissa Oberholster, Physician Lead, A GP for Me, Nanaimo Division of Family Practice; Dr. Carrie Chassels, Executive Director, Student Affairs; Diane Middagh, Nurse Practitioner; Don Hubbard, Chair, Island Health Board of Directors; and Dr. Ralph Nilson, President and Vice-Chancellor.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Shari Bishop Bowes, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University
P: 250.740.6443 C: 250.618.1535 E:
Kellie Hudson, Media Relations Manager, Island Health
P: 250.370.8908 E:
A GP for Me: Nanaimo video
August 2015
A GP for Me Updates
April 2015
Team Enhanced Access to Mental Health Services (TEAM)
Located in the Caledonia Clinic, the TEAM consists of a psychiatric nurse, clinical counsellor, and an MHSU rehabilitation worker working in conjunction with consulting psychiatrist, Dr. Joris Wiggers. Since opening in March, the TEAM has received 20+ referrals from various clinics throughout Nanaimo. Please continue to refer your adult patients experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges.
Dr. Melissa Oberholster is the Physician Lead of the TEAM project
Vancouver Island University Health & Wellness Centre
VIU’s Health & Wellness Centre opened for student service on April 27th. The Centre is Nurse Practitioner led, with some physician support provided through A GP for Me funding. Dr. Dagny Vaney continues to act at as the consulting physician, working in conjunction with VIU leadership and health centre staff to design services and support integration. Plans for provision of service beyond students is set to coincide with the building of the new Health Sciences building in 2019. The Centre aims to decrease Emergency Department use as well as attach students to primary care services.
John Barsby Wellness Centre
Set to open in September, the John Barsby Wellness Centre is an initiative of 19 different partner organizations aimed at providing holistic health and wellness services to students in Nanaimo’s most vulnerable high school setting. Partners include specialists, public health, MCFD, the First Nations Health Authority, School District 68, Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre and the CHYMHSU Collaborative, along with many others. If you are a physician and are interested in working at the Centre, please contact Erin Hemmens.
Dr. Sheila Findlay is the Physician Lead of the John Barsby Wellness Centre
Please feel free to connect with our A GP for Me team if you have any questions or comments:
Erin Hemmens
Project Manager, A GP for Me
ehemmens@divisionsbc.ca
250.327.8803
Katherine Henley
Project Assistant, A GP for Me
khenley@divisionsbc.ca
250.591.1200
TEAM Now Open
April 2015
As part of our A GP for Me work, the Nanaimo Division is proud to announce the opening of a new adult mental health service. Team Enhanced Access to Mental Health Services (TEAM) is a year-long demonstration project that provides allied mental health services to patients experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges in a primary care setting. Housed in the Caledonian Clinic, the TEAM consists of a psychiatric nurse, clinical counsellor, and an MHSU rehabilitation worker working in conjunction with consulting Psychiatrist, Dr. Joris Wiggers. Referrals to the TEAM can be made by any Nanaimo-based family physicians (walk-in referrals welcome). The TEAM will support clients for approximately 6-8 sessions based on client needs and will connect with the GP during service only if needed and then upon completion of service.
For more information or to request referral forms (including criteria), please contact
Erin Hemmens, Project Manager – A GP for Me:
E: ehemmens@divisionsbc.ca
T: 250.591.1200
Spotlight: A GP for Me Proposal Approved
November 2014
Dr. Melissa Oberholster wowed the FPSC yesterday with her presentation of our A GP For Me proposal. Below are some of the committee’s comments following the presentation:
“It’s a love fest here. They just voted a unanimous yes!”
“Please let Melissa know that she hit it out of the park!”
“She told a story. It was so human. I wish we had taped it.”
The Division will receive funding to support the following five strategies:
1. Allied mental health team situated directly in the Caledonian Clinic, receiving referrals from ALL community physicians and offering increased support to patients.
2. Multidisciplinary school-based health centre at John Barsby secondary for vulnerable children and their families.
3. Multidisciplinary, campus-based health team at Vancouver Island University
4. Full-time Physician Recruitment and Retention Coordinator to implement a practice coverage program for family physicians.
5. A mechanism to track progress in ‘matching’ patients with interested physicians.
We’d like to extend our thanks to the A GP For Me Advisory Group and the GP community. Your participation in the assessment and planning phase of this initiative has been integral to our success. Erin Hemmens, Project Manager, A GP for Me, will be in touch soon to provide you with further details. Feel free to contact Erin at ehemmens@divisionsbc.ca
As for Melissa, we’re still looking for the ball she hit out of the park!
A GP for Me - Updates...
April 2014
On behalf of the A GP for Me Advisory, I wish to extend a huge thank you to all physicians, clinic managers and MOAs who participated in the A GP for Me Surveys. The data set we have collected is robust, representative, and will undoubtedly impact diverse streams of work for years to come.
I also wish to thank the physicians who participated in the recent engagement event. The evening provided us with an opportunity to report our findings, celebrate our successes, and collectively envision the opportunities that this initiative offers our community.
A final engagement event with broad representation from physicians, Island Health, community agencies, key stakeholders, and service providers is set to take place on June 25th from 1800-2030 hours at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. Once again, your participation is requested as we work with our partners to outline the project(s) which will define the next two years of this initiative.
As always, please feel free to contact me directly with questions or comments.
Kindest Regards,
Erin Hemmens
Project Manager, A GP for Me
ehemmens@divisionsbc.ca
250 327-8803
NEWS RELEASE
December 2, 2013
Family doctors launch community-wide survey to identify improvements in primary health care
Nanaimo, BC – Nanaimo family doctors are inviting local residents to have their say in a survey that will help shape the future of health care in their community.
The survey is part of A GP for Me, a multi-year project that the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice has recently embarked on to improve patient care and increase provider satisfaction. The Division is funded by a joint committee of the BC Medical Association and the Ministry of Health.
The survey, launching today, asks residents of Nanaimo and Gabriola to share their experiences and needs of primary care in their community. The project team want to hear from all residents, even if they already have a family doctor.
The survey can be completed online at www.divisionsbc.ca/nanaimo/AGPforMe or by contacting the Division office for a paper copy at 250-591-1200. The project team will also be going out in the community in the coming weeks, promoting the survey and listening to residents.
The Nanaimo Division is thrilled to be collaborating on such an important initiative with Vancouver Island University, the Strong Start Centres through School District 68, the Vancouver Island Public Library and various other community stakeholders. “We see this as a tremendous opportunity to affect positive, lasting change, driven by the voices of patients and providers in our community” says Division Executive Coordinator, Leslie Keenan.
A GP for Me recognizes the importance of a continuous doctor-patient relationship for improving the health outcomes of patients. Up to 28 per cent of all residents in Nanaimo and Gabriola do not have strong ties to a family doctor.
“Our current system, marked by a high number of residents who cannot find a GP and a community of physicians who are already working over capacity, is unsustainable” says Dr. Melissa Oberholster, a local family doctor and Board member of the Nanaimo Division. The results from this survey will help explain why, and how that can be remedied.
Along with A GP for Me, the Nanaimo Division is also working on several other projects aimed at supporting the patient-provider relationship.
For more information:
Erin Hemmens
Project Manager, A GP for Me
ehemmens@divisionsbc.ca
www.divisionsbc.ca/nanaimo
250.591.1200
Download the press release as a PDF