Primary Care

The Primary Care Program’s focus is to assist in the delivery of health care services to clients who may have difficulties finding or accessing a health care provider or services. The program helps provide screening to clients, providers to those who need to access one, education, and help clients try to maintain as health a life as they can. The program consists of a team of Primary Care Nurses working collaboratively with physicians within the region as well as a team of nurses trained to provide cervical screening to women accessing established clinics. Currently the program has two sites staffed with full time Primary Care Registered Nurses with expanded duties through delegation of function and three sites staffed with part time RN (EP) – Nurse Practitioners.

The Rossburn and Erickson Primary Care Access sites are staffed with the Registered Nurses with delegation of function. Both of the Access sites deliver services on a full time basis- Monday to Friday. Both nurses work in conjunction with physicians at their respective sites. Dr. Roos is available to Sandra Hallam in Rossburn from 0800 hours to 1600 hours. Sandra Hallam is currently also holding an Access Site Clinic every Friday at the Waywayseecappo First Nation Health Unit for the residents of the community. Appointments with Sandra can be made by calling: 204-859-2566 for Rossburn and 204-859-5080 at Waywayseecappo. Dr. Breytenbach works with Josie Coulson at the Erickson Access site from 0900 hours to 1700 hours. Appointments with Josie can be made by calling: 204-636-6809.

The Hamiota, Wawanesa, Carberry Primary Care Access sites and Neepawa Personal Care Home (Country Meadows) are staffed with part time RN(EP)- Nurse Practitioners. Two of these Access sites provide service on a part time (0.5 eft) basis. Judy Marvin works with the Hamiota Physician group of Dr. Kristjanson, Dr. Breneman , Dr. Juce and Dr. Ranson seeing clients. Judy provides service two days a week at the Hamiota Clinic. Judy has also held Women’s Wellness Clinics at Birdtail Sioux First Nation. Appointments with Judy can be made by calling: 204-764-2412. Vicki Wenger, RN (EP)- Nurse Practitioner, provides services out of the Wawanesa Medical Clinic with the support of Dr. Lee. Vicki also works on a part time basis and is available two days a week. Appointments with Vicki can be made by calling:204-824-2993. Sherie Wray, RN (EP)- Nurse practitioner works a .8eft. Sherie will be providing service to the Neepawa Personal Care Home- Country Meadows two days a week and a further two days a week working out of the Carberry Medical Clinic with Dr. Ward and Dr. Grimbeek. Appointments with Sherie for the Carberry Medical Clinic can be made by calling 834-2126.

We currently have a full time vacancy for an RN (EP)- Nurse Practitioner for the Virden Medical Clinic to work with the physicians in the clinic. We continue to actively recruit for this position.

The use of the Electronic Primary Care Records has become one of our initiatives within the region. The electronic record is functioning at clinics with Primary Care Nurses working within them as well as other Medical clinics that have shown interest and are willing to invest in converting their current practice into a paperless system. Currently there are nine clinics on the same shared system with the Electronic Primary Care Record- Russell, Birtle, Hamiota, Souris/Hartney, Erickson, Treherne , and Rossburn with access from Waywayseecappo , Wawanesa and Virden Clinics. We recognize that patients access health care services in neighboring communities and are hopeful that the increased availability of medical information, to specific health care providers throughout the region, will improve continuity of care, lessen duplication of lab tests or services and result in better quality medical services for all clients with the implementation of the Electronic Primary Care Record.

The Women’s Wellness Clinic Nurses hold screening clinics for women in different communities across the ARHA. The Women’s Wellness Clinics allow women to get cervical screening (PAP test) and/or a clinical breast examination completed by a trained female provider.

The newest service the Primary Care Program has been providing, in conjunction with RANA Medical Services, educational sessions on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Educational sessions include: An Introduction to COPD and Breathing Exercises, Recognizing and Understanding Symptoms, Understanding Medication for COPD, COPD and Healthy Living and Exercise and COPD. Primary Care Nurses deliver the educational sessions at scheduled sites and answer any questions or concerns. Currently we provide these sessions with RANA in the communities of Russell, Minnedosa and Neepawa. We hope to expand these educational sessions to other communities in the ARHA that RANA Medical visits. These sessions are open to clients and/or their families as well as the general public who wish to attend and learn about Chronic lung disease.

If you require further information about the Primary Care Program or the services it provides- please don’t hesitate to call 204-859-3504.

“Primary Care- A Partner in Your Care!”