CHANGES IN LTCI FUNDING

Since 2015, the Vic-SI LTCI has partnered with physicians and care homes to implement improvement projects that have targeted the LTCI’s five best practice expectations and three system-level outcomes.

As of April 1, 2022, there will be changes in the level of financial, administrative, and organizational support that can be offered by the LTCI due to shifts in funding. While the full impact of the change is still being evaluated, we anticipate that there will be a reduction in LTCI coordinator time and quality improvement support activities. To offset this, we are working diligently to ensure our website at https://vicsi-ltci.ca has the latest templates, tools and clinical guidelines to help support physicians to meet the best practice expectations.  LTCI regular operations e.g. learning series events, after-hours call groups, and physician quarterly payments, will remain unaffected.

LTCI funding will still be available for physician attendance at interdisciplinary (e.g. CORE, TORCH) quality meetings, however there will be a limit of two meetings per home per fiscal year. As a care home, if you were planning a CORE, TORCH, or quality meeting soon we encourage you to do so before March 31^st. Reach out to the team if you would like some help in scheduling.

As a physician, we encourage you to take advantage of one of the events or continuing education opportunities listed here.

As always, thank you for your dedication to long-term care. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

NOTIFICATION OF DEATH FORM

The LTCI in collaboration with the South Island Long-term Care (LTC) Medical Advisory Committee and the Island Health Long-term Care Quality Council have developed the Pronouncement of Death in LTC Recommendations & MRP Notification of Death Form. This form was developed to streamline care home communication with MRPs. Nursing staff should complete the MRP Notification of Death form and fax to the MRP as soon as reasonably possible following a death. This will allow the MRP to complete the Medical Certificate of Death within the required 48-hour timeframe.

LTC PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT

The LTCI has been working with physicians and long-term care homes to find replacements for physicians retiring or reducing panel sizes. Are you a physician interested in expanding your long-term care practice? Do you know a physician who would like to learn more about long-term care and the LTCI? Visit our website for information on how to get started or contact us at victoriasouthisland.LTCI@victoriadivision.ca.

The Victoria Division of Family Practice is now advertising for multiple opportunities in long-term care homes. For more information on these permanent positions, please click here.

Medical students in their second year of LTC experience at the Kiwanis Pavilion, photo by Shannon Johnson

FEEL GOOD STORY

Lois celebrated her 100th birthday at The Heights at Mt. View Care Home and was surprised with this covid friendly display constructed outside her window!

Happy birthday Lois!

Lois posing in front of her birthday display, photo cred Jill Keeble at the Heights at Mt. View 

MAINTAINING SUTURE KITS

When LTC homes have laceration repair supplies readily available, physicians can provide in-home suturing, and acute care transfers can be avoided.

Here are some tips on maintaining your care home’s suture kit:

1. Set up a durable box specifically for suture kit supplies. Here is an example.
2. Label the drawers so all items in the kit can be easily found.
3. Determine a central location where the kit will be kept, and label it clearly.
4. Inform nursing staff about the availability of the kits, emphasizing the importance of returning the kits to the home location and letting leaders know what supplies were used and need restocking.
5. Create a suture kit inventory list and designate a leader to monitor and reorder supplies following use. 
6. Some supplies will need to be obtained from pharmacy and may need to be refrigerated.

Laceration kits are available via the following steps as listed on our website here. You can also find a suggested supply list if you'd like to make your own kit.

FAREWELL TO MEGAN

This month we are saying goodbye to our valued program coordinator, Megan Schulz. Megan has been a valuable asset to the team since joining in 2019. Her work focused on supporting the after-hours call groups and being a dedicated care home support. Megan has been a shining light of compassion and kindness on the team, and she will be greatly missed!

Join us in wishing her all the best in all her future endeavors! 

REMINDER: AFTER-HOURS CALL 

The Victoria and Saanich Peninsula After-Hours Call Groups have now been operational for over three years! Please find some friendly reminders below:

• The After-Hours Call Groups are for urgent concerns, evenings, weekends, and statutory holidays
• An MRP should not be contacted for any urgent after-hours concerns (unless they have arranged for this to occur due to extenuating circumstances e.g. active palliation, complex family issues, etc.)

Consistent use ensures the longevity and efficient functioning of the group. If you are an MRP and receive an urgent fax or call after-hours, please refer the caller back to the After-Hours Call Group in their region.

Find the link for each region’s After-Hours Call Group poster and the most recent after-hours SBAR on our website here

Read the recent reminder memo from the LTCI co-chairs here

MISSED IT?

Did you miss our LTCI learning series event, ‘Dementia Behaviour Complications in Long-Term Care’ with Dr. Jane Saunders? You can find the video, slides, and session handouts on our resources page.

INTERDISCIPLINARY TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

The Palliative Care ECHO Program and the CAPACITI program are collaborating to offer a learning opportunity designed to promote the early integration of the palliative care approach in interdisciplinary primary care teams across Canada. The course is targeted towards team members in all aspects of primary care, including health care professionals who work in primary care as well as associated administrative team members. Participation is free. Find more information, as well as links to register for the course or the informational session here

BURN OUT STUDY

Do you want to participate in a burnout study being conducted by UVic and the Island Medical Program that focuses on doctors and nurses? The study will include a four-week course with one 2.5-hour session/week. Read more

REMINDER- VICTORIA DIVISION EMAIL CHANGE

Our email domain has recently changed! Please take note of our new email address and add it to your contacts victoriasouthisland.LTCI@victoriadivision.ca

RESOURCES

The *NEW*LTCI Billing Guide is available on our website here

There’s a new SBAR! Please download and distribute this updated version, available here.

Choosing Wisely in Long-term Care Toolkit available here.

BC Patient Safety & Quality Council Long-term Care Resources available here

Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Using the Age Friendly 4Ms to Better Advocate for Older Adults” available here

Find the newly approved COVID-19 therapeutics on the BC CDC Covid treatment page

EVENTS

March 10-13, 2022: PALTC22- The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Annual Conference (AMDA). This conference is being hosted in-person for the first time since 2019 in Baltimore this year, or digitally as a COVID-friendly alternative. Registration is open now.

March 14, 2022: Patient Safety Executive Development Program. This virtual program aims to provide clarity and direction to health care organizations on the key strategic, clinical and operational components involved in achieving safe and reliable operational excellence. More information here

March 17, 2022: From 5-6:30pm LTCI Learning Series – Wounds with Shelly Barnes and Erin Ballard. This presentation will build on the content from last year’s event discussing wounds in long-term care. Please register here

March 24, 2022 or March 30, 2022: Advocacy for Change: Systems Transformation The Advocacy for Change course is a three-hour live, virtual, facilitated learning session that introduces physicians to effective advocacy. Find the full course description here

April 1, 2022 and April 1, 2022: West Coast Conference on Aging: Voices for Action: Rebuilding Trust in Elder Care. For more information, please click here

May 31, 2022: The Joint Collaborative Committees (JCC) will present their annual JCC Pre-Forum titled “Regroup, Reflect, and Evolve: Strengthening Our Community of Caring,” as part of the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council’s Quality Forum. Click here to read more about the JCC Pre-Forum