Award recipients
Recipients of the 12th annual BC Health Care Awards were announced on June 25 at a gala luncheon in Vancouver. Twelve Gold Apple and six Award of Merit recipients were honoured.
Gold Apple
Award of Merit |
Health Care Hero |
Gold Apple Dianna Mah-Jones Award of Excellence in Person-Centred Care
1. The International Seating Symposium
Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, Provincial Health Services Authority
In 1982, a group of Vancouverites wanted to learn more about seating and mobility services for people who are unable to walk or move due to physical disabilities. One challenge was that experts in related fields often worked in isolation making it difficult to share ideas, build on success and create synergy.
The solution: bring all the experts together in one place. The BC Kinsmen Foundation provided the initial funding, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children stepped up to take the lead, and the fi rst International Seating Symposium was born. The symposium has created an international forum that fosters an exchange of ideas and a network of consumers, rehabilitation therapists, physicians, designers, and manufacturers of positioning and mobility equipment. Countless people have benefited from innovative products that have come from the symposium.
For inspiring improvements in rehabilitation equipment and technology that have improved mobility, comfort and quality of life for people with disabilities, the International Seating Symposium has been awarded the Dianna Mah-Jones Award of Excellence in Person-Centred Care.
Project Team: Maureen Story, Catherine Ellens, Roslyn Livingstone, Bob Stickney, Jennifer Law, Lynore McLean, Sherylin Gasior, Kathie Marina, Marnie Eastman, Janice Evans, Beth Ott, Kim Magnus, Veronica Atwill, Andy Brule, Pedro Peralta Elgueta, Pablo Quintero, Todd Romer, Daphne O’Young, Nicole Bruce, Sandy Lum, Aki Shigematsu
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Residential Care for Me: Megamorphosis
Seniors Care and Palliative Services, Providence Health Care
Providence Health Care has provided compassionate residential care for decades; however, homes that have evolved from a medical system have led to a focus on efficiency, rather than emotional connections and quality of life for residents. Recognizing this, leaders of Providence’s Residential Care Program decided to dig deep into the resident experience, and Residential Care for Me was born. Residential Care for Me uses human-centred design to truly understand the experience of those who live in, work in and visit residential care homes.
Building on lessons learned, the goal of Megamorphosis, the next phase of the project, is to change the culture from an institutional to a social model of care, and improve quality of life for residents by rapidly testing and implementing changes that focus on emotional connections, allow residents to direct each moment, and create the feeling of home.
For recognizing that people live and thrive and find happiness in homes, and not institutions, and striving to provide a more social and human model of residential care, Providence Health Care is awarded the Dianna Mah-Jones Award of Excellence in Person-Centred Care.
Project Team: Jo-Ann Tait, Robena Sirett, Sonia Hardern, Heather Mak, Linda MacNutt, Paul Whitehead, Residential Care for Me Navigation Group, Youville Residential Care Team, Brock Fahrni Residential Care Team
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Award of Merit Dianna Mah-Jones Award of Excellence in Person-Centred Care
Resources and Needs Review
Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, Island Health
Cumberland Community Dialysis Facility (CCDF) provides hemodialysis for chronic renal patients living in northern Vancouver Island and the Comox Valley area. Recognizing that socioeconomic factors and general lack of awareness resulted in underutilized financial benefi ts and resources for patients, CCDF launched a survey to identify patients who were not connected to resources they were eligible to receive. A standardized dialysis screening and eligibility process was also developed, along with a reference manual outlining identifi ed programs and available financial benefits.
Not only is the TRC ensuring effectiveness, it is also reducing the length of time it takes for a new clinically proven test to be available to BC patients. This is a significant improvement, which allows for a more responsive process in a constantly changing laboratory environment.
For improving access to resources for kidney care patients while addressing poverty in the Vancouver Island renal program, we present an Award of Merit to the Resources and Needs Review Project.
Project Team: Aimee Morry, Eileen Carolan with funding approved by Anna Hill, Director of Renal Services
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SNIFF: C. Difficile Canine Scent Detection Program
Vancouver Coastal Health
At Vancouver Coastal Health, an innovative and dedicated team of people and a growing roster of pups known as the C. Difficile Scent Detection Program is pioneering a cost-effective method to improve and enhance C. difficile surveillance and improve infection control and prevention practices.
C. difficile is the most frequent cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals and long-term care homes. It’s a difficult-to-treat infection that can severely compromise a patient’s health and recovery, and it can lead to serious bowel disease, sepsis and even death. C. difficile spores are resistant to routine cleaning agents, and can live undetected on surfaces for many months. However, the hidden dangers can be detected by the super sensitive canine nose, which can recognize C. difficile with a sensitivity of 100 per cent. Surfaces can then be disinfected, dramatically reducing the rate of transmission by healthcare workers, patients and hospital visitors.
For pioneering an innovative approach to C. difficile detection and infection control that has the potential for widespread impact, Vancouver Coastal Health’s C. Difficile Scent Detection Program has been awarded the Gold Apple for Top Innovation.
Project Team:Dr. Elizabeth Bryce, Dr. Diane Roscoe, Allison Muniak, Teresa Zurberg (Angus), Jaime Kinna (Dodger), Sarah Rothwell, Komathi Ayakar, Markus Zurberg, VGH Environmental Services, VCH Infection Control Practitioners
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Symphony QuickCall
Workforce Management Solutions provides systems support and timekeeping services for Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). Symphony QuickCall, an automated shift calling feature was integrated into the core function of scheduling, and is now used by one-third of all PHSA employees.
Using QuickCall, automated and interactive communications through voice, text and email are distributed to large groups of employees in short periods of time. During catastrophic emergencies like the BC wildfires, Symphony QuickCall efficiently notified paramedics about immediate need for urgent assistance.
For leveraging technology, improving day-to-day operations of clinical units and providing a fl exible solution and immediate connectivity for its frontline employees, we present an Award of Merit to PHSA.
Project Team: Nurinder Singh, Thomas Chan, Linda Lupini, Donna Wilson, Farhana Solanki, Anders Westby, Rakesh Moddi, Bill Rana, Karim Virani, Fay Sheldon, Sunny Masud
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Fall-unteers: A Volunteer-Based Falls Prevention Strategy in Residential Care
Holy Family Hospital Residential Care, Providence Health CareAccidental falls are the most common cause of injury for older adults. With a goal of reducing falls, clinical staff and volunteer coordinators at Holy Family Hospital worked together to create Fall-unteers, a prevention strategy focused on reducing falls in residential care by recruiting and training young volunteers.
Knowing that the best intervention for dementia patients is increased supervision, and drawing from the literature, the program expands the boundaries of the traditional team to include volunteers in the important work of engaging residents and preventing falls.
For overcoming limitations in staffing resources, improving the safety of residents, and working with youth in the community to develop our future leaders of seniors’ care, we present an Award of Merit to Providence Health Care’s Holy Family Hospital.
Project Team: Nadra Ali, Carrie-Ann Longstaffe, Rae Johnson, Sandy Wong, Jasmine Narayan, Fall-unteers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gold Apple Workplace Health Innovation
VGH Emergency Department Healthy Workplace Initiative
Vancouver Coastal Health
Vancouver General Hospital’s (VGH) emergency department is one of the largest and busiest in the province. As you’d expect in a busy ER, the environment can be stressful, and staff face more than their fair share of difficult situations and incidents, including aggressive or violent patients.
Two years ago, staff reported that they didn’t have anyone to talk to about difficult incidents and they didn’t feel comfortable raising concerns. Some staff reported feeling unsafe at work and morale suffered as a result. VGH recognized something had to be done for the safety and well-being of both staff and patients, and a multi-disciplinary team was formed with the goal of working together to improve workplace health and safety.
The initiative has yielded positive results in all areas of health and safety, leading to an improved working climate where staff report feeling engaged and better able to provide the type of quality care that emergency patients deserve.
For tacking a diffi cult challenge head-on, and engaging all stakeholders in developing solutions, we award the Gold Apple in Workplace Health Innovation to Vancouver General Hospital’s Healthy Workplace Initiative.
Project Team: Parm Hari, Michelle de Moor, Barbara Casson, Lori Korchinski, Dr. Chad Kim Sing, Dr. Heather Lindsay, Susan Harrison Salt, Lori Quinn, Lara Gurney, Scott Maher, Alexia Simeoni, Sarah Turner, David Pledger, Cathy Bennett, Jill Phillips, Stacy Sprague, Simone Riml, Melanie Johannson, Esther Eidse, Chris Fornelli, Gail Allison, Kelly Frankson, Tracy Norman, Lori Benning, Jaime Gallaher
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Award of Merit Workplace Health Innovation
Reducing Workplace Injuries through Leading Practices
Menno Place
With over 700 residents on an 11- acre campus, Menno Place offers a full range of housing and long-term care options from independent living to complex care. The Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees have collaborated with leadership teams including the Transfer/Lift Peer Support team to refine best practices and recommendations that encourage safety and focus on the reduction of workplace injuries. Along with peer support, violence prevention training, safety orientation, team huddles, and conducting events like their Safety Expo, Menno Place has reduced workplace injury claims costs by 65 per cent.
For taking leadership in best practices and reviewing policy, safe work procedures and health and wellness initiatives, we present an Award of Merit to Menno Place.
Project Team: Gord Sale, Laura Fast, Jeanette Lee
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gold Apple Collaborative Solutions
Improving Indigenous Cancer Journeys: A Road Map
BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, BC Cancer (Provincial Health Services Authority), First Nations Health Authority, Métis Nation BC
First Nations people in British Columbia are more at risk for some of the most commonly diagnosed cancers. They are also less likely to survive a cancer diagnosis than non-First Nations people. Recognizing this, BC Cancer, First Nations Health Authority, Métis Nation BC, and the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres set out to develop a truly collaborative strategy that would improve Indigenous cancer outcomes by addressing all steps of the cancer journey, from prevention and treatment, through to survivorship and end-of-life care.
This approach is unique in the province, and the country, with Indigenous communities leading changes in cancer care in keeping with First Nations and Métis priorities.
The end goal of the strategy is cancer services that align with Indigenous priorities resulting in fewer new cases of cancer through healthy living, earlier detection through culturally safe cancer screening programs, culturally safe cancer care and support for Indigenous people, families and communities throughout the entire journey; support for the end-of-life journeys, perspectives and wishes of Indigenous peoples; and that Indigenous cancer journeys are well documented and understood.
For working to establish best practices to provide high-quality, culturally safe cancer care for Indigenous peoples of British Columbia, the Gold Apple Award for Collaborative Solutions has been awarded to the Indigenous Cancer Strategy.
Project Team: BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, BC Cancer (PHSA), First Nations Health Authority, Métis Nation British Columbia
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Award of Merit Collaborative Solutions
1. Regional Strategy for Reducing Ambulance Turnaround Times Hospital Emergency Departments
BC Emergency Health Services, Provincial Health Services Authority, Fraser Health
Fraser Health serves the largest population in the province, making efficient use of time and resources critical. Working with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), a standardized system was created for emergency department staff and ambulance paramedics to work more collaboratively and apply improvements in managing patient offloading and triage to waiting room turnover.
By building collaborative exit strategies, ambulance turnaround times were reduced by more than 50 per cent, and BCEHS became the first ambulance service in Canada to achieve an average 30 minute turnaround at hospitals.
For developing frontline leadership, enhancing the patient care experience and increasing capacity to provide quicker access to emergency services, we present an Award of Merit to BC Emergency Health Services and Fraser Health.
Project Team: Wendy Machana, Sheila Finamore
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Award of Merit Collaborative Solutions
2. Vancouver Shared Care Team
Doctors of BC, Providence Health Care, Vancouver Coastal Health
Focus groups with specialists, family physicians and patients identified capacity limitations and gaps in service delivery for patients. This prompted Providence Health Care to lead several initiatives supporting collaborative communication between family physicians and specialists. Areas of work included: timely access to specialty care, streamlining the referral process for patients; and streamlining the admission to and discharge from hospital.
One result was RACETM, a telephone line where primary care providers can access urgent specialist advice within two hours avoiding unnecessary ED visits and waiting for face to face consults. Another initiative was eCASE, a non-urgent email advice service. Both of these services improve patient access, increase primary care capacity, and avoid costs for patients and the system. Features like consolidated patient referral forms and electronic notification helped streamline hospital admissions and discharge processes.
For expanding collaboration between primary and specialty care, we present an Award of Merit to the Shared Care Team.
Project Team: Margot Wilson, Wendy Hansson, Dr. Robert Levy, Dr. Jiwei Li, Margot Wilson, Delia Cooper, Kent Loftsgard, Nico Miraftab, Luc Holland, Jillian Kratzer, Dr. Goldis Mitra, Ray Grewel
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Health Care Hero Gold Apple
Dr. David Agulnik
Emergency Physician, St. Paul’s Hospital
Dr. David Agulnik is an emergency physician at St. Paul’s Hospital – Vancouver’s only inner city hospital and one of the busiest emergency departments in the province. That’s his “9 to 5” job, providing care for a wide range of patients, including some of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations. For most people, that would be enough, but for Dr. Agulnik, his role as an emergency physician is just the start.
Dr. Agulnik also provides Physician Online Support and Medical Consultation for paramedics in the field by providing phone support with triage decisions, transportation logistics and advice on complex care decisions for critically ill or injured patients. In addition to his day job as emergency physician and support roles with Emergency Health Services, Dr. Agulnik also serves as Information Technology Coordinator for St. Paul’s emergency physicians, where he is the go-between for clinical managers and IT personal for the purpose of leveraging technology to improve physician workflow and patient care in the ER.
For his willingness to wear many hats, all of them in support of better patient care, Dr. Agulnik has been named this year’s Affiliate employer Health Care Hero.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mits Miyata
Pharmacy Manager, Lower Mainland Pharmacy Services
Mits Miyata has spent the past 35 years first as a frontline pharmacist, and more recently as a program manager, supervisor and director. But no matter what his title, he’s always been a leader.
Mits started his career as a pharmacist at St. Paul’s Hospital, where he worked for 19 years. Since joining Fraser Health in 2001, he has worked in various leadership roles and has been an effective advocate for expanding the role of clinical pharmacists to include more direct involvement in patient care as part of multidisciplinary teams.
Even while working in management roles, Mits never lost sight of the fact that improved patient care should always be the overarching goal. In 2004, working with the regional director, Mits implemented the Medication Management Program, a pioneering community health initiative that assisted at-risk seniors to successfully transition to the home setting. As Lower Mainland Pharmacy Services manager, he played a key role in establishing innovative pharmacy services. In the new Surrey Memorial Hospital Critical Care Tower, Mits helped establish dedicated pharmacy services for neonatal and pediatric patients to improve infant medication safety.
For being a trusted and supportive colleague, respected and admired manager and mentor, and a strong advocate for pharmacy practice over his 35-year career, Mits Miyata has been named this year’s Health Care Hero for Fraser Health.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lynda Martyn
Registered Speech-Language Pathologist, Coordinator, Kelowna Cleft Lip/Palate Clinic
The ability to communicate effectively with others is the very foundation of a child’s social, emotional and educational development. As an early childhood Speech-Language Pathologist, Lynda Martyn provides assessment and clinical interventions for newborn to school-aged children who have communication disorders of all types. The work is challenging and rewarding, and as one of only three Interior Health Speech-Language Pathologists providing services for young children in Kelowna, it should come as no surprise that Lynda maintains a full caseload. This in itself would make Lynda a worthy nominee for a Health Care Hero Award, but it’s not why she was nominated.
In addition to her full caseload of clients, Lynda organizes the Kelowna Cleft Palate Clinic. The clinic is held four times per year with Lynda arranging for a Plastic Surgeon, ENT, Audiologist, Dental Hygienist, Pediatric Dentist, Orthodontist and Pediatrician to gather in one location to see families with children who have cleft lip and/or a cleft palate. Lynda herself provides services as the Speech-Language Pathologist. It is the only such clinic in BC outside of the Vancouver and Victoria areas and provides an especially valuable service to families from the Boundary and East Kootenay Regions who live far from the Coast.
For ensuring that children across the BC Interior have the opportunity to benefit from the best possible care for cleft lip and cleft palate, Lynda Martyn has been named this year’s Health Care Hero for Interior Health.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Island Health & Provincial Health Care Hero
Dr. Ramm Hering
Physician Lead, Primary Care Substance Use
When someone is new to an organization, they often take time to settle in and learn the ropes before challenging the status quo and working to make improvements. Not so for Dr. Ramm Hering. In 2015, Dr. Hering completed a Clinical Fellowship in Addiction Medicine and shortly thereafter took on his current role as Physician Lead, Primary Care Substance Use with Island Health.
Dr. Hering immediately went to work advocating for substance use and addiction services for the most marginalized and vulnerable populations, and used his innate ability to secure buy-in among colleagues and administrative leaders to establish new addiction services where none previously existed, or were very limited. In the length of time it would take many professionals to get settled in, Dr. Hering has passionately and effectively advocated for improved addictions services, and inspired colleagues and physicians that previously did not provide addictions treatment to begin providing this level of care.
For inspiring his colleagues to work together to develop new programs and services and create an efficient, client-centred system of addiction services, Dr. Hering has been named this year’s Health Care Hero for Island Health.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Debbie Strang
Health Services Administrator, Quesnel
They say if you want something done, you should ask a busy person to do it. In Northern Health, Debbie Strang is that person, and she gets things done!
Debbie has worked in a wide variety of roles during her 25-year career at Northern Health, including medical-surgical units, extended care, mental health, and administration. She is a qualified nurse preceptor, and a certified suicide prevention trainer. In her current role as Health Services Administrator for Quesnel, she leads approximately 450 staff members and has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at delivering better health care to communities in BC’s Central Interior.
In 2014, Debbie was asked to take on the dual role of health services administrator for Robson Valley and Quesnel. Debbie stepped up to the challenge of providing leadership for a large geographical area, building relationships with communities, staff and physicians and ensuring that quality health care services were provided in both communities. Debbie’s leadership was instrumental in the emergency response to the 2017 wildfire season.
For always rising to the occasion and doing whatever is needed to support her community’s health care needs, Debbie Strang is this year`s Health Care Hero for Northern Health.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Provincial Health Services & Provincial Health Care Hero
Glenn Jay Braithwaite
District Supervisor, Emergency Coordinator, BC Emergency Health Services
Glenn Jay Braithwaite is a paramedic. That’s his vocation. He’s also a District Supervisor at BC Ambulance Service. That’s his official job title. But it’s no exaggeration to say that a more fitting title would be hero. How else would you describe someone who routinely goes above and beyond to save lives and has received so many professional accolades that it would be difficult to list them all?
In 2016, Glenn spearheaded the emergency response for a girl who, as the result of an ATV accident had become impaled on a tree. It was a difficult search and rescue requiring an air lift and complicated extraction to keep the girl alive. If it had not been for Glenn’s leadership and strong clinical understanding of the patient’s needs, she would not have survived.
On another occasion, Glenn was working an extra shift as a Duty Supervisor in Vancouver when a cluster of 911 calls were received. Glenn quickly realized that the calls were in response to overdoses related to one cocaine purchase. Eleven lives were saved that day thanks, in part, to Glenn’s clinical and leadership abilities.
For his outstanding commitment to patients, colleagues and the broader community, and truly heroic actions, Glenn Braithwaite is this year’s Health Care Hero for Provincial Health Services Authority.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Faisal Khosa
Associate Professor, Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital
Dr. Faisal Khosa is an award-winning radiologist, scholar and philosopher, but it is his work as a mentor and educator that has created a lasting legacy, not only for his own profession, but also for the larger health care and academic community.
Dr. Khosa is a mentor and pioneer in the fields of academic medicine, medical education and research. His reputation and accomplishments as an advocate for reducing disparity, increasing diversity and inclusion make him a health care hero.
Dr. Khosa’s research focus is the study of disparity and inequality, examining the reasons for the discrepancy between the achievements and academic status of men and women in academia. Going one step further, his research not only aims to unmask the causes of disparity in academic institutions, but also endeavours to identify strategies to mitigate these disparities. The combined results of his research and mentoring of students of diverse backgrounds has the potential to provoke important discussion and drive real change towards equality in academia, health care, and society at large.
For his work as a tireless advocate for equality in health care, any beyond, positioning British Columbia and Canada as a leader in this area, Dr. Faisal Khosa has been named this year’s Health Care Hero for Vancouver Coastal Health.