Horizon Health Network Board Corporate Summary April

1. Horizon’s volunteer services enhance patient care
Volunteers are an important and vital component of Horizon. On a daily basis, over 3500 volunteers and members of Auxiliaries and Alumnae enhance the care and service provided to the clients of Horizon. They also provide an opportunity for citizens of each community to be involved in their healthcare facility. The Volunteer Services Department is responsible to recruit, select and train appropriate, skilled volunteers for requesting departments and provide the most satisfying experience for the volunteer. They also support the activities of Auxiliaries and Alumnae within Horizon. This is accomplished through clear guidelines and processes.

2. Public Health launches three campaigns for 2011
Public Health services throughout the province recently launched three information awareness campaigns. The first two address the recent increase in the sexually transmitted diseases of chlamydia and syphilis with New Brunswick youth and young adults. The campaigns offer information to generate awareness of the infections, symptoms, preventative measures and treatment options available to infected individuals. The third campaign targets parents of newborns to prevent the spread of pertussis or whooping cough. Since the beginning of 2011, some provinces across Canada have experienced an outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough). New Brunswick is not among those provinces but as a preventative measure has launched this campaign to increase awareness of the respiratory illness. They encourage parents of newborns to receive the immunization to combat the cyclical nature of the illness which can occur every four years.

3. Video conferencing technology offers greater access to clinical pastoral education programs
The Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital was recently granted program approval from the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care to conduct joint clinical pastoral education programs in hospitals throughout Horizon through the use of video conference technology. Clinical Pastoral Education provides the opportunity for theological students, ordained clergy, members of religious orders and other spiritual care providers to enhance their skills for spiritual caregiving in parish and institutional settings. Prior to the approval for the new program, clinical pastoral education was limited in New Brunswick to the teaching centre at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital. With video conference capabilities, students at other sites can now offer spiritual care support to patients, families and staff in their own communities during the course of the program.

4. The Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital undergoes an electrical system upgrade
The Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital successfully completed the final phase of upgrades to its electrical power system. Two necessary planned power system upgrades were carried out in March to complete the project. The planned power upgrades were scheduled during times when patient activity was at its lowest and with minimal risk to patients. During the time of the upgrades the hospital operated on emergency power supplied by three generators.

5. Employee recognized
Lynn Foss, radiological technologist and an instructor at the Saint John School of Radiological Technology, part of Horizon, has recently been asked to participate on the Advisory Board for Merrill’s Atlas of Radiographic Positioning and Procedures textbooks. This publication is a major international reference source in the field of diagnostic imaging. Lynn is only the second Canadian to be afforded this opportunity and distinction. Congratulations are extended to Lynn for embracing Horizon’s vision of leading for a healthy tomorrow.

6. The Sussex Health Centre Foundation completes mammography campaign
The Sussex Health Centre Foundation recently completed their mammography campaign thanks to generous contributions from community partners and donors. The Foundation’s campaign raised $650,000 to purchase a new digital mammography unit for the health centre. The new unit will improve access to mammography screening for women in Sussex and surrounding communities. A recent $200,000 donation from Postash Corporation of Saskatchewan topped off the $650,000 campaign.

7. Annual Interprofessional Health Research day held at the Saint John Regional Hospital
The third annual Interprofessional Health Research (IHR) day was held at the Saint John Regional Hospital on March 25. Keynote speaker, Kenneth Rockwood, MD, a Professor of Geriatric Medicine at Dalhousie University and Chief Scientific Officer of Dementia Guide Inc., delivered the third annual Paul Handa Research Lecture, entitled Making care better: Research opportunities in everyday clinical practice with older adults. The event, which was held in partnership with University of New Brunswick – Saint John campus, New Brunswick Community College, and Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, proudly supported health professionals, academics and postgraduate students in presenting their health and medical research findings from 14 disciplines during oral and poster presentations.

8. Horizon Health Network privacy policies approved
In September 2010, the Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act was proclaimed. In collaboration with partners from Vitalité Health Network, FacilicorpNB and AmbulanceNB, consistent provincial privacy policies were developed to ensure compliance with this legislation. The various policies, approved at Horizon’s Board meeting, provide the structure and processes related to the protection and privacy of personal health information as well as confidential information. These policies apply to all Horizon Board members, physicians, employees, contracted services and volunteers including spiritual and religious care services.

9. Port Elgin and Region Health Centre Community Advisory Committee thanks donors
The Port Elgin and Region Health Centre’s Community Advisory Committee recently held a luncheon at the Port Elgin Regional School to thank donors who had contributed funding and equipment to the health centre. Certificates of appreciation were presented to Phyllis Tower, who was recognized for her donation of a BpTRU blood pressure monitor, valued at $800; the Sackville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, which purchased a portable automated external defibrillator (AED), valued at $2,000; and Advance Savings Credit Union, which has continued to support to the health centre’s fundraising efforts through activities such as book sales and ticket draws.

10. Hospitalist Program implemented at the Oromocto Public Hospital
The Oromocto Public Hospital recently implemented a new Hospitalist Program designed to provide better access to patient care, increased efficiencies and work flow, and reduced length of stay for patients. Hospitalists are family physicians who care for hospitalized patients who do not have a family physician or hospitalized patients with a family physician without admitting privileges at the hospital. The Hospitalist Program allows a physician to work on a daily rotation at the hospital.

11. Ronald McDonald Family Room under construction at The Moncton Hospital
Construction of New Brunswick’s first Ronald McDonald Family Room is underway at The Moncton Hospital, and is scheduled to open this spring. The project is a partnership between Ronald McDonald House, Atlantic Canada and Horizon. The room will offer families of neonatal and pediatric patients the comfort of home without leaving the hospital. It will be located steps away from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Unit.

12. Integrated operating rooms up and running at The Moncton Hospital
Two new integrated operating rooms (IORs) recently opened at The Moncton Hospital, bringing revolutionary new technology that will help advance the minimally invasive surgery program at the hospital. Minimally invasive surgery is less traumatic than conventional open surgery, as the patient only requires small incisions and there is little trauma to muscle and other tissues during the operation. It allows for quicker recoveries, shorter hospital stays, and shortened therapy time for various surgical procedures. After minimally invasive surgery, a patient can usually go home the same or next day after surgery. Funding for the IORs came from the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation’s Small Bandaid Campaign, which raised $700,000.

13. Patients waiting for an alternate setting of care update
The number of patients waiting for an alternate setting of care, such as a nursing home, decreased by three per cent in the last month within hospitals across Horizon. As of March 23, 26 per cent of acute care beds located in regional hospitals were occupied by patients waiting for an alternate setting of care. These patients no longer require acute care services of a hospital but are unable to return home due to their health-care requirements. This represents an average of 310 patients in regional hospitals and an average
of 40 patients in community hospitals. Horizon is continuing to work collaboratively with the Department of Health, the Department of Social Development and Vitalité Health Network to develop solutions to this issue.

14. Physician recruitment update
During the month of February, Horizon welcomed an orthopedic surgeon to the Fredericton medical team. Horizon continues to actively recruit for positions in the areas of family medicine and medical specialties.

Horizon Health Network is the largest health-care organization in Atlantic Canada, operating 12 hospitals and more than 100 medical facilities, clinics and offices providing medical services ranging from acute care to community based health services to New Brunswick, northern Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. With 1000 physicians, an annual budget exceeding $1 billion and 14,000 employees, Horizon Health Network’s strategic vision focuses on research, innovation and education.