In this issue:

Public Service Announcements and News Releases

• St. Paul's Hospital front entrance expansion ready to welcome patients

Staff Information

• Four communities among first to roll out Virtual Access to Addiction Medicine program
• SharePoint modernization update
• Patient Safety Talk - reporting patient safety incidents

Notice Board

• Stewardship and Clinical Appropriateness - 5 Minute Update
• Webinar: Quality Improvement Power Hour - Unlocking Research Potential with Saskatchewan Healthcare Data

 Public Service Annoucements and News Releases

St. Paul's Hospital front entrance expansion ready to welcome patients

The Government of Saskatchewan, in partnership with St. Paul’s Hospital (Grey Nuns) of Saskatoon and St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation, is pleased to announce the grand reopening of St. Paul’s Hospital Front Entrance and the Kikâwînaw wîki Healing Centre on January 29, 2026. Kikâwînaw wîki means Our Mother’s Home in Plains Cree.

🌐View full release

 Staff Information 

Four communities among first to roll out Virtual Access to Addiction Medicine program

More Saskatchewan residents will have quicker access to addiction medicine treatment through implementation of the first phase of the new Virtual Access to Addiction Medicine program in detox centres, recovery treatment centres, and select Saskatchewan communities including Lloydminster, Nipawin and Cumberland House, Cree Nation and Northern Village.

The Virtual Access to Addiction Medicine program connects clients with substance use issues to a team of physicians, nurses, and addiction counsellors through a virtual platform. A soft launch of the program began in December 2025 and expanded to include detox centres, recovery treatment centres and select communities in January 2026. Expansion to additional communities across the province is anticipated over the following months.

Clients can access the program through self-referral, referral from family, or referral from any health-care provider or community-based program. Eligible clients will receive same day support and access to medications, treatment, and resources to help them move toward recovery.

Providing more options for addiction treatment reflects the SHA CARES values by delivering compassionate, respectful, equitable and safe access to addiction treatment services that meet the needs of clients in Saskatchewan. Phase one of the Virtual Access to Addiction Medicine program is a key step in enhancing addiction services treatment and support. Future expansion of the program will include more treatment options at more locations in the province.

🌐Virtual Access to Addiction Medicine

SharePoint modernization update

eHealth Saskatchewan is modernizing the SharePoint environment by migrating active SharePoint 2016 sites to SharePoint Online and archiving sites that are no longer required. This initiative ensures we are using secure, supported technology platforms while reducing risks associated with older systems. Completion of this work is targeted for June 2026.

As part of this effort, eHealth and SHA Digital Health will be reaching out to directors to gather initial information. Following that, eHealth will engage with identified SharePoint site owners to collect the additional details needed for planning. For most staff, no action is required at this time, and there will be no immediate changes to SharePoint access or to day to day work.

This modernization initiative supports the safe management of information and helps minimize disruption during future system upgrades. Thank you for your cooperation as this work progresses.

Patient Safety Talk - reporting patient safety incidents

Effective Feb 1, 2026 there will be three systems to report a patient safety incident in the SHA, depending on your location.

Saskatoon hospitals will transition to reporting patient safety incidents on the electronic system called the Safety Reporting System.

See the latest Patient Safety Talk poster below for more information. 

📄 Patient Safety Talk

 Notice Board

Stewardship and Clinical Appropriateness - 5 Minute Update

This month we are celebrating the 75th edition of the 5 Min Update! The antimicrobial stewardship topic includes a highlight of extensively drug-resistant Shigella. The opioid stewardship topic outlines a quality improvement project in Lloydminster that reduced the use of sustained-sustained release opioids following arthroplasty.

You can also find information and the registration link for the February 10th Education rounds featuring Katherine Neil, Staff Pharmacist at Lloydminster Hospital who will be speaking about the above mentioned quality improvement project.

📄January 2026 update

Webinar: Quality Improvement Power Hour - Unlocking Research Potential with Saskatchewan Healthcare Data​​​​​​​

Hosted by the Health Quality Council, this Quality Improvement Power Hour session will provide an overview of the Health Data Research Platform - Saskatchewan and highlight the types of research opportunities it enables, including how researchers can connect to health data within the province and across the country. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the platform’s role in supporting data-driven health research and fostering cross-jurisdictional connections.

Whether you are a researcher, data professional, or stakeholder interested in the future of health data access, this session offers a valuable introduction to an evolving national research ecosystem.

• When: Friday, February 27, 9 - 10 a.m.
• Presenter: Maloria Keller, Director of the Health Research Data Platform - SK

🌐Register

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SHA Rounds is the Saskatchewan Health Authority's e-newsletter. Send your feedback to news@saskhealthauthority.ca