e-link - Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region

March 14, 2013
“The SHEA event is held every
year, and highlights and
celebrates innovation and
excellence in the provision
of frontline health and social
care across Saskatchewan.”
• Celebrate Nutrition
Month
• March is Pharmacy
Awareness Month
Three RQHR staff members win
SHEAs
On March 9,
the annual
Saskatchewan
Healthcare
Excellence Awards
(SHEA) event
was held. The
event highlights
and celebrates
innovation and
excellence in
the provision of
frontline health
and social care
SHEA award winner Dawn McNeil, executive director of Homecare
and Palliative Care is pictured with her team.
across Saskatchewan by recognizing the devotion, professionalism
and humanity of individuals and teams who are passionate about
providing the best possible healthcare experience to our local
communities, and then improving upon it.
Dawn McNeil, Cornelia Manea and Dr. Mohamed Moolla were
among those recognized at the Conexus Arts Centre event for
showing exceptional commitment to their work and a passionate
dedication to the citizens of the province.
Dr. Omar Sultan was the Emcee for the evening and provided the
audience with many laughs by incorporating humour into the
evening. Founding and presenting sponsor Dr. Roberta McKay
handed out the awards at this year’s event.
Dawn McNeil, executive director of Homecare and Palliative Care
took home the award for Health of the Population.
“The most satisfying thing for me is the wonderful individuals I get
to work with, the teams, the energy that people have in trying to
make a difference for the clients that we serve,” explained McNeil.
Story continued on next page

Cornelia Manea from the housekeeping department at the Regina General Hospital (center),
won the award in category of Providers. She is pictured with her SICU team.
She went on to add that “In
partnership with Eagle Moon
Health Office, the opportunities
to do things differently for First
Nations and Métis people has
been tremendous, and I really
hope that we are starting to make
a difference for our Aboriginal
population.”
Cornelia Manea, housekeeper
at the Regina General Hospital,
won an award in the category of
Providers.
“I was surprised when I learned
that I was nominated for the
award. I didn’t think I was going
to win,” said Manea at the event.
“My SCIU team nominated me,
and they are amazing. We are
like a family over there and it’s
awesome. My favourite thing
about working in the Regina
Qu’Appelle Health Region
(RQHR) is the teamwork; caring
about the patients together.”
Dr. Mohamed Moolla, family
physician at the Golden Mile
Medical Clinic, won the award
for the Health of the Individual
category. He has worked hard
to consistently provide quality
care to his patients. His relaxed
demeanor, along with his
friendly but professional nature
encourages his patients to
discuss their health needs in a
unique way, which gives them
comfort and trust in him as a
physician.
Keith Dewar, CEO of RQHR was
in attendance at the event.
“I’m very proud to be a part
of an organization where so
many great people work.
The recognition they receive
at these events, is a clear
demonstration of the dedication
and commitment they have
in whatever they do for the
organization,” said Dewar.
All proceeds from the SHEA go
to support the programs and
services of AIDS Programs
South Saskatchewan (APSS).
Through their programs and
services, APSS helps those at risk
make healthy choices and reduce
the harm associated with HIV.
To all RQHR staff/
employees and
physicians:
The Regina Qu’Appelle
Health Region (RQHR) is
committed to providing
Sooner, Safer, Smarter
surgical care. One of our
key goals is “By March 2014,
patients will be offered a
surgery date within three
months of identified need.”
In October 2012, we invited
you to complete a survey
sharing your thoughts about
the RQHR Surgical Initiative,
and how best we could
update and engage you in
this important priority work.
Since that time, a great deal
of information has been
shared about the processes
we are implementing and
the progress we are making
towards achieving this
challenging goal.
We need your help to
continue implementing
this plan in our Region,
and we want to share
more information about
the plan with you. Please
help us understand your
communication needs by
sharing your thoughts
through this short survey
before March 15, available at:
https://www.surveymonkey.
com/s/GTWTNVJ
Please be assured that your
answers will be kept strictly
confidential.
Results from the survey will
be shared in an upcoming
edition of e-link and on the
RQHR Intranet.
March 14, 2013 - page 2

Celebrate Nutrition Month
March is Nutrition Month.
Nutrition Month promotes the
importance of eating healthily,
and demonstrates the positive
impact nutrition has on our
health and well-being. The theme
of Nutrition Month 2013 is Best
Food Forward: Plan, Shop, Cook,
Enjoy!
The Regina Qu’Appelle Health
Region Health Promotion
Department is taking a focus on
involving children in planning,
shopping and cooking. There
are many benefits. Cooking
with your children encourages
them to try foods they might
not normally be interested in
otherwise. Children also feel a
sense of accomplishment, feel
good contributing to the family,
and are more likely to sit down
at a family meal. Some studies
have also shown that kids who
learn to eat well may be more
likely to eat healthy as adults.
When you begin planning,
shopping, and cooking with
children, start with small tasks
like finding a food at the grocery
store from your list or tossing
a salad. Something simple and
relatively quick provides an
immediate result, which
encourages the child’s
interest.
“When planning the
week’s meals, have each
child choose a meal for
the week. If the choice
is not the healthiest, you
can add a vegetable,
whole grain or low fat
milk product to make it
healthier,” says Helen
Flengeris, public health
nutritionist.
Visit the Dietitians of Canada
website at www.dietitians.ca for
recipes and practical nutritional
information.
Preparing foods is education for kids and encourages
healthy eating.
We want to share how Regina kids help their
families Plan, Shop, Cook and Enjoy!
We are asking kids to use pictures or words to show how you
help at home to plan, shop and cook healthy foods.
Each entry will be shown on the Regina Qu’Appelle Health
Region (RQHR) Facebook page and be entered to win prizes!
Deadline to enter: March 30, 2013
You can also visit http://
www.rqhealth.ca/programs/
comm_hlth_services/pubhealth/
pdf_files/menu_planning.pdf for
a menu planning guide.
Find out more information at http://www.rqhealth.ca/programs/
comm_hlth_services/pubhealth/pubhealth_nutrition.shtml
Check out the RQHR Facebook page (www.facebook.com/
ReginaQuAppelleHealthRegion) for updates and to learn how
Regina kids are helping their families.
Read e-link at
home! Every issue
is available at
www.rqhealth.ca
Presenter: SHR Renal Rounds
Dr. Moser
Friday, March 15
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Meeting Rooms 7&8, RGH
Pre-registration required for all sessions.
To register, call 306-766-3400 or
email telehealth@rqhealth.ca.
Forward all other inquiries to the
Telehealth co-ordinators at
306-766-3376 or 306-766-3377.
March 14, 2013 - page 3

March is Pharmacy Awareness Month
March is Pharmacy Awareness
Month and the theme is
“Providing more health care than
you know: Ask a pharmacist.”
The Regina Qu'Appelle Health
Region (RQHR) employs a team
of hospital pharmacists who
provide medication expertise
in acute care settings, working
on inter-disciplinary teams in
areas including critical care,
cardiology, hemodialysis,
internal medicine and longterm
care. In addition to this,
out-patient services are also
provided by the pharmacists
at the Anti-coagulation
Management, Heart Failure,
Chronic Renal Insufficiency, HIV
and Infectious Diseases, Anemia
Management, Transplant Clinics
and Chemotherapy Outreach
Program.
Pharmacists are advocates
of patient safety, continually
screening medication orders
for drug-drug interactions,
disease-drug interactions, allergy
assessment, and adjustment
of doses for renal and hepatic
impairment. By making these
assessments and following up
with specific recommendations,
the goal is to prevent side effects,
adverse events and complications
from medication therapy, thus
improving the health of patients
and decreasing costs to the
system. They are also highly
trained in effective medication
use and strive to optimize
medication utilization through
involvement in antimicrobial
stewardship, anti-coagulation,
and anemia management in
patients presenting with renal
insufficiency, to name a few.
Pharmacy technicians are
vital in optimizing safe and
effective drug preparation
and distribution. They
are responsible for aseptic
preparation of IV medications
and total parenteral nutrition,
inventory management, and
drug distribution.
The pharmacy team employed
by RQHR brings a wide range
and wealth of expertise and
enthusiasm not only for patient
care, but also by taking an active
role in training pharmacist
interns and residents,
training pharmacy technician
students, providing physician,
nursing and other health care
professionals with educational
in-services and participating
in various research projects.
In addition, pharmacists work
Zack Dumont
is a clinical
information
pharmacist
with the
region.
Photo Credit:
Medical Media
Services
with other professionals on interdisciplinary
RQHR committees
(eg: Pharmacy and Therapeutics,
Nursing-Pharmacy), provincial
and national pharmacy
organizations such as the
Canadian Society of Hospital
Pharmacists, Saskatchewan
College of Pharmacists, and
Pharmacy Examining Board of
Canada, international medical
missions, and local educational
initiatives.
The Department continues to
strive to meet the increasing
demand for pharmacy services
throughout the region.
12TH ANNUAL
SASKATCHEWAN
NEPHROLOGY DAYS
2013
KEEPING THE
FOCUS BUT MOVING
FORWARD
May 29 & 30
Hotel Saskatchewan
Radisson Plaza
2125 Victoria Avenue
For more information
contact: Pauline Kullman
306-766-6464
March 14, 2013 - page 4