Presented in partnership with:

Medicine Wheel Teachings

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025
12:00 to 1:00 pm
Virtual TEAMS – meeting link

Register here and receive a certificate.

Presenter: Kunshie Annie Beaulieu

Annie Beaulieu is a Kunshie, which means grandmother in Dakota. She was born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba and resided in Dakota Tipi First Nation with her grandmother. At the age
of seven she was taken to Indian Residential School. In 1970, she married a man from Sandy Bay First Nation and moved to that area. Throughout her long career, Annie has worked in the
education, health care and child welfare systems. Annie has been a caring member of the community and over the years she has opened her home to foster children, offered support to many community members, and provided palliative care for her husband.

During this education session Annie will share a little of her life story through the lens of the medicine wheel which she describes as “a way of life; a teaching, a healing, a mirror, and a window.”

As part of this Lunch & Learn Louisa Beaulieu, Annie’s youngest daughter, will share an honour song.

This has been made possible through collaboration and financial support from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and Health Canada.

The Southern Health-Santé Sud French Language Services Unit, in partnership with Manitoba’s regional health authorities, have developed a New Active Offer Interactive Training Module. This new shorter module (10-15 min video) is available in both official languages and is accessible now through the LMS. (LMS|Courses / Registration | Provincial Programs | French Language Services | Active Offer in Healthcare)

This training is designed to equip health care professionals with an enhanced skill set and the knowledge needed to provide Active Offer of French language services in the sites and units where they work. All employees have a responsibility to know how to provide an Active Offer or to know the steps to follow if services are requested in French, regardless of where they work or what position they hold.

Active Offer training is mandatory every two years for all Southern Health-Santé Sud staff. New hires are required to complete the course as part of their onboarding and all existing employees must complete the new training module by April 30, 2025.

For more information on Active Offer practices, please contact the French Language Services Unit .

Thank you for your attention in completing the Active Offer training module promptly.

Submitted by: French Language Services Unit

L’unité de services en français – Southern Health-Santé Sud, en partenariat avec les offices régionaux de la santé du Manitoba, ont élaboré un nouveau module de formation interactive de l’offre active. Ce nouveau module plus court (10-15 minutes de vidéo) est disponible dans les deux langues officielles et est accessible dès maintenant via le LMS.
(LMS|Courses / Registration|Provincial Programs|French Language Services|Active Offer in Healthcare).

Cette formation vise à doter les professionnels de la santé d’un ensemble de compétences améliorées et des connaissances nécessaires pour promouvoir l’offre active de services en français dans les sites et les unités où ils travaillent. Tous les employés ont la responsabilité de savoir comment faire une offre active ou de connaître les étapes à suivre si des services sont demandés en français, quel que soit leur lieu de travail ou leur poste.

La formation sur l’offre active est obligatoire tous les deux ans pour tout le personnel de Southern Health-Santé Sud. Les nouveaux employés doivent suivre le cours dans le cadre de leur orientation régional et tous les employés doivent compléter ce nouveau module de formation d’ici le 30 avril 2025.

Pour plus d’informations sur l’offre active, veuillez contacter l’unité des services en français .

Merci de bien vouloir compléter le module de formation de l’offre active sans délai.

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Staff News submissions

Your feedback is important!

The Global Workforce Survey (GWS) is open to all staff and physicians in Southern Health-Santé Sud.

The results will be compared to the survey conducted in 2022 and will inform leadership on the action plan to address key issues.

Please take a few minutes to complete they survey if you have not already done so. Posters are available in staff areas and the survey can also be accessed by scanning to QR code on your mobile device. Our goal is to reach at least 50% of staff.

If you have any questions or concerns related to the survey, please speak with your manager or contact Cailin Gagnon.

Submitted by:  Cailin Gagnon, Quality & Accreditation Coordinator

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Submitted by:  Human Resources
For more info. contact:  [email protected]

Shaping the Role of a Physician Assistant in Rural Health Care – Physician Assistant Day with Heidi Wilson

Heidi Wilson ruled out veterinary school, athletic therapy, and eventually medical school on her journey toward becoming a physician assistant (PA) more than a decade ago.  

“I wanted to do more,” she explained when asked about her choice. “There’s so much you can do with this job. It’s an intense two years to become a PA but a huge advantage is having the ability to cover and apply for different specialties.”

Today, Wilson spends most mornings in the operating room at Portage District General Hospital where she works in both general surgery and ENT (ear, nose and throat) procedures.

“I was the first PA in Southern Health. None of the physicians here had ever worked with PAs. We all had to learn together,” she said, explaining that her afternoons vary depending on her case assignments, which come from the site’s general and ENT surgeons.  

“I love surgery and doing procedures, that’s my forte. I could do that all day long,” she said. “I truly love being able to help people – there’s nothing better.”

As a rural PA, Wilson has had the opportunity to expand her role across the two specialties, (ENT and general surgery), giving her more variety in her skills and her average day.

PAs are able to learn on the job, Wilson explained, selecting and applying to a specialty that interests them. They then hone their skills in the clinical environment, under the guidance of a supervising physician.

“You are kind of like a ‘permanent resident’,” she added. “As a graduate, you have a baseline of skills but as soon as you go into a specialty – the work is hands on, alongside a physician and the rest of the team. There is a lot of learning on the job.” The training received by PAs through the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree offered through the University of Manitoba, that offers graduates stability, flexibility and endless opportunities grow their career.

See Shared Health Site for complete story

Mots cachés | Word Search

Trouvez les mots français ci-dessous dans la grille. | Find the French words listed below in the grid.

“Le bonheur c’est comme du sucre à la crème, quand on en veut… on s’en fait.”

“Happiness is like sucre à la crème, when you want it… you make some.”

See recipe here

Submitted by: FLS Unit

For more info:

The Southern Health-Santé Sud 12th Annual Public Meeting was held on November 6, 2024 via Microsoft Teams where participants from over 105 online connections received highlights from the past year.

Chairperson Adam Monteith opened the meeting with a heartfelt message to staff. “As a board, we sincerely acknowledge the critical role each of you play and the impact you have on people each day. You are the heart of health care and we hope this meeting will help encourage you even in a small way to see how your efforts at work leave an impression that matters. Heath care is a part of a much bigger story. The experience of the past few years has underscored the importance of having shared purpose, of leveraging our collective resources and aligning our efforts to overcome the challenges.”

The agenda included an update on achievements highlighted in the 2023-2024 Annual Report themed Thriving Together. CEO Jane Curtis and Board Chair Adam Monteith shared updates on capital building projects in the region, results from the Accreditation survey among other important accomplishments from the past year. A financial report was presented by Regional Lead – Corporate Services & Chief Financial Officer, Ainsley Wiebe. Quality Service Awards were also presented to multiple individuals and groups that were nominated by their peers.

The meeting concluded with a Question & Answer period and words of appreciation to the community, volunteers, staff and physicians.

A recording of the meeting and copy of the Annual Report can be found on our website.

Submitted by: Quality, Planning & Performance
For more info. contact: Trish Braun

Quality Service Awards recognize extraordinary achievements and contributions of employees that extend their efforts beyond day-to-day performance duties by sharing gifts of compassion, patience, kindness and professionalism with clients and colleagues. Employees are nominated for their outstanding service by their peers.

Congratulations to this year’s five award recipients (left to right):

• Alyssa Friesen – Clinical Resource Nurse – Medical Unit at Boundary Trails Health Centre
• Carolyn Friesen – Manager – Boundary Trails Health Centre
• Katryna Roos – Public Health-Healthy Living – Altona
• Leah Vaags – Crisis Stabilization Unit/Crisis Response – Steinbach
• Michelle Davis – Labour Relations Practitioner

CEO Career Achievement Award honours a Southern Health-Santé Sud employee or service provider with 25 years or more of continuous service, whose passion for their work, sustained positive attitude and high personal ethic has earned them the greatest respect of their peers. The employee or service provider will have made significant contributions to Southern Health-Santé Sud within the scope of their position and fostered wellness in the workplace.

This year, the CEO Career Achievement Award is presented to Marcie Dupasquier, Manager – Foyer Notre Dame. With over 33 years working at the Foyer Notre Dame, colleagues have many things to share about her contributions.

• Marcie’s passion for her work shines through in all her endeavors and her positive, calm, stable and personable attitude is evident regardless of the situation.
• Her high standards set a benchmark for quality care and are complimented by a strong leadership presence, as she consistently practices what she preaches.
• Her passion is people. It is a gift to find someone who is genuine, who exudes confidence and takes time to listen and make you feel heard – this is Marcie.
• A colleague stated that she believes one of the main reasons that Foyer Notre Dame has a reputation of being a good place, where people feel welcomed, safe and cared for is because of Marcie’s high standards.
• It was stated the biggest reason Marcie deserves this recognition is because many colleagues agree that they have become better caregivers because of her. Every choice that Marcie makes is for the benefit of the building and the people inside of it.

The Service Excellence Team Award recognizes a team of Southern Health-Santé Sud employees or service providers for their commitment to excellence and exceptional performance as well as demonstrated achievement in transforming the patient experience. The nomination can reflect the work of more than the past year. This year the Team award goes to following two teams:

The Boundary Trails Health Centre Obstetrical Team

• The obstetrical team at BTHC has been dealing with a very significant staffing vacancy rate for over a year. The vacancy rate has been as high as 60%. Despite this, they have continued to be able to provide high quality care to their patients. They have gone above and beyond to fill shifts and prevent closure of the ward. They have shown uncompromising integrity, ensuring that their patients are cared for at the highest standard. Staff have pushed themselves to help out often to the detriment of their own work/life balance.
• This team has had to be very innovative to be able to continue to provide care. The manager and CRN have worked at examining the reasons for staff departures and have put actions in place to help prevent further departures.
• This team is being proactive and working on a plan to move the obstetrical unit in reaction to anticipated construction noise that will be detrimental to newborns. This will be a significant change during a time where resilience is already being maxed out, making this change even more difficult. There is no doubt that this team will persist and be successful through this time.
• The team is dedicated to using best practice to ensure the best possible outcomes for both mother and child. Patients consistently praise their personalized care, highlighting the team’s ability to blend professionalism with genuine empathy.

Quick Care Clinic- Steinbach

• The Quick Care Clinic is an established same day clinic located in the Bethesda Primary Care Centre in Steinbach. The Team consists of PCNs, NPS, and Medical Receptionists/Admin. As one of few same day care clinics in southeast Manitoba, the team provides in-person holistic care with a Primary Care Nurse and Nurse Practitioner collaborative model of care. Since June 2022, closures of other local walk in clinics and family doctor shortages have placed substantial volume pressures on the clinic. This has led to increased public frustration when unable to access services.
• Despite these volume pressures, nursing and Admin staff have gone the extra mile to maintain a high-quality service. Although mandated as a same day, minor acute, episodic care clinic, the team has rallied together to provide the best possible primary care for clients living without a primary care provider, in innovative ways, through collaborative relationships with other services in the region and province.
• The team has expanded their hours of service and has made several improvements over the past year to better serve their residents and community. The team cares for 180 clients per week on average and work well above the scope of the original intended purpose of the clinic. Due to the ongoing crisis of shortage of primary care providers, the Quick Care Clinic has seen an influx of complex chronic conditions, mental health needs, and more acutely sick people. The team has risen to the challenge.
• The Quick Care Clinic team is a passionate group, always looking to enhance quality of care, provide safe care, and enhance scope of practice.

Physician Emeritus Award

The idea of the Physician Emeritus was first raised a few years ago with the idea of having an honorary designation conferred upon retirees or semi retirees to recognize their contributions and accomplishments over their professional careers as physicians or surgeons within Southern Health-Santé Sud. Upon recommendation or nomination of a colleague or committee within the region, the Regional Medical Advisory Council chooses a deserving recipient.

This year’s Physician Emeritus honoree is Dr. Denis Fortier.

• Fortier retired this past June as Southern Health-Santé Sud’s Chief Medical Officer. He is probably just as well known for being a retired rural family physician who practiced at the Centre de Santé Notre-Dame Health Centre located in Notre Dame de Lourdes, where he has lived and worked for over 36 years. Dr. Fortier’s medicine practice included primary, hospital, emergency, obstetrics & long-term care with some minor surgery and continues to be an ardent defender of rural health care.
• Fortier enjoys spending time with his wife, three beautiful daughters and is an extremely active and proud grandfather. As a family, they enjoy their cottage, boating, fishing, traveling, music, movies, and staying active. I know that Denis also enjoys history, genealogy, historical fiction, new technologies, writing, reading and occasionally plucking his bass guitar.
• The physician group that nominated Dr. Fortier for this award wrote this about him: “We may not all be leaders, or dreamers, or in Dr. Fortier’s case, both, but I think it is important that we recognize the positive and lasting effects that Dr. Fortier’s leadership and vision have had on our region. He has dedicated most of his life to the delivery, improvement and protection of health care services in the Southern Health Region.”

Submitted by: Quality, Planning & Performance
For more info. contact: Trish Braun