Northern Interior Rural Division has announced the first pilot project to be supported by their micro-credit fund: Advance Care Planning. The NIRD micro-project fund provides up to $10,000 to physicians who present a project that will benefit the community. The Vanderhoof Advance Care Planning project, presented at the NIRD AGM by Dr Nicole Ebert, aims to improve physician education by providing tools to initiate end-of-life conversations with patients, and to change the perspective on end-of-life planning discussions.
NIRD is also entering the second phase of trialing a secure texting system for physicians that will allow doctors to text patient information—including pictures, imaging results, and other documents—safely and securely. The system was created through a partnership with PG Division, Northern Partners in Care, Northern Health, University Hospital of Northern BC Physicians Improvement Committee, and the Prince George Medical Staff Association.
Read the fall 2016 issue of the NIRD division newsletter, Reflections, to learn more about these projects.