News
Solutions put forward for South Okanagan doctor drain
A shortage of doctors continues to be of high concern in the South Okanagan.
Read the Penticton Western News article here.
The South Okanagan is home to a new family medicine residency training site.
UBC and the province of B.C. have launched a new family medicine training site in the South Okanagan, marking the first time doctors in UBC’s Family Practice Residency Program can complete their entire residency in the region.
Read the Castanet article here.
4 Medical Graduates Arrive in South Okanagan
The UBC Family Practice Residency program in the South Okanagan-Similkameen got underway in early July with the arrival of the first four medical graduates.
Read the Penticton Herald news article.
Divisions of Family Practice: Grassroots health care change in your community
Family doctors across BC are working with community and health-care partners--including health authorities--to enhance local patient care, achieve common health-care goals, and improve professional satisfaction for doctors. This work is being done by community-based groups of family doctors called divisions of family practice.
Letter to the Editor: Changes are good for BC seniors
Penticton Western News: The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists welcomes the B.C. government’s decision to update and amend the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. The move will have a substantially positive impact on the health and independence of B.C. residents living with assisted care.
Penticton Herald: A new doctor with an international background is now on duty in Princeton. Dr. Mahrous Mousa arrived in February in the community, which has struggled in recent years to hang on to its medical professionals. He’ll be practising at the Princeton General Hospital and Cascade Medical Centre.
Seniors forum exposes many serious concerns with residential care programs
Osoyoos Times: If the crowd that gathered in the Penticton Museum and Archives auditorium last Thursday is any indication, British Columbia is struggling to give its seniors the medical support they need.
MLAs stop in Penticton to hear senior concerns
Penticton Western News: Penticton seniors had the opportunity last week to air their concerns about the issues facing them with a trio of NDP MLA‘s who were in town to gather information.
Penticton family shares tough journey with disorder
Penticton Western News: At 15 years old Rylee McKinlay was a star-athlete and A-student who slowly started to fade away. McKinlay, who was living in Kimberley at the time and now is studying Human Kinetics at Okanagan College, said it started with restricting food and increasing her exercise. Slowly the weight began to fall off her five-foot-10 athletic frame. Now her family is coming forward with their story in a series of informational videos to help others and health providers across the province improve eating disorder awareness and outcomes.
2015 year of change for Interior Health's new CEO
Kelowna Daily Courier: As I mark my first anniversary as board chairman of Interior Health, I’m looking back on the highlights and challenges of 2015. From wildfires that blazed through much of our region, to major investments in surgical care, and a change in leadership within our organization, it has been quite a year.
New Interior Health CEO praises South Okanagan-Similkameen health care
InfoTel News: Provincial capital funding for health has been outstanding in the past decade, according to the new Chief Executive Officer of Interior Health. Chris Mazurkewich and other Interior Health officials met with members of the press this week to discuss local health issues as he toured the South Okanagan-Similkameen.
Castanet: Patients and doctors shared stories of the work being done at a new mental health outreach centre, Friday in Penticton. Dr. Kyle Stevens spoke to a crowd and explained that people with mental health issues and/or substance use issues often find it very difficult to receive the care they require in a traditional family practice setting.
Martin Street Outreach centre officially opens doors
InfoTel News: The Martin Street Outreach Centre has officially opened its doors. The primary and community based care centre has been operating at 437 Martin Street since May, but had its officially opening today, Oct. 23. The Outreach Centre is already serving 350 clients, according to Penticton physician Dr. Kyle Stevens, who has played a major role in the centre’s operation since its inception. He hopes to eventually expand the client base to 1,000.
Shared Care Initiative Doubles Access to Specialists in Rural BC
Benzinga/Marketwire: Patients in Princeton and the surrounding area are benefiting from a new partnership that increases access to specialty care for rural patients. A Shared Care Project team including family physicians, specialists, Interior Health staff, and others, have been working together to expand specialty outreach clinics in the small town of Princeton. For Princeton patients, accessing specialist care has required at least three hours of travel through mountainous terrain to Penticton and other larger centres. As a result of the project, access to specialists has almost doubled over a one-year period and now spans 11 specialty areas.
Youth bring mental health issues to big screen
Penticton Western News: Local youth have come together to increase awareness around mental health issues, and it’s coming to a theatre near you. Created in collaboration with the group YES (Youth Engagement Strategy), the 30-second film created and conceived by local youth, features young Pentictonites holding up cardboard signs with mental health issues that have affected them, encouraging those suffering to speak out and share their struggle.