Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital
51 highway 105 P0V 2M0 Red Lake, ON, Canada

To the Red Lake Hospital Team During Holiday Season, I like to pause and reflect on the year I have lived with my Team, before looking to what might be ahead for us. And oh what a year it has been for us! Pandemic, fire, evacuation, more pandemic, and myriad challenging situations along the way. And yet I continue to see your kindness and caring shine through, for your patients and for each other. You have saved lives, offered comfort, provided safety and helped meet Patients...’/Clients and Care Partners’ needs when it mattered most. You have kept the place running shipshape, and worked with our community partners to help people access support, find employment, and be their best selves. You have yet again contributed to Red Lake Hospital’s mighty fine reputation in Northwestern Ontario, and most importantly to the amazing positive feedback from so many of our Patients/Clients and Care Partners. We have successfully weathered 2020. Let’s be proud, and celebrate that in our hearts. Happy holidays, to a very deserving Team. Here’s to a strong and healthy 2021 for us all. In deep gratitude, Sue LeBeau CEO RLMCMH

Our travel recommendations have been updated. Check them out! http://ow.ly/sXh150CIhmB

Thank-you (again!) to the Hospital Auxiliary for the wonderful holiday treats! Each year, staff are grateful to receive some very special snacks from some very special ladies! We are so #grateful to have you looking out for us.

The RLMCMH would like to thank the Hospital Auxiliary for their recent capital donations, which included a new Shower Chair (pictured here), BiPAP Ventilator, and Bladder Scanner. The combined total value of these items is close to $50,000! The Auxiliary works hard, year round, raising funds to put toward new equipment at the Hospital. Thanks to their dedication and the generosity of the community, the Hospital is lucky to receive support from the Auxiliary, year after year. You can bet we will but this new equipment to good use! Thank-you ladies for your continued commitment!

A Holiday Message to Hospital Staff, from the RLMCH Board of Directors: As 2020 draws to a close, the RLMCMH Board of Directors would like to recognize and sincerely thank the Hospital staff for their contributions, this past year. With the onset of the pandemic and the forest fire evacuation, 2020 has been a particularly challenging year for our Hospital, with the staff continually providing the very best care. We want to express our gratitude to the staff and management f...or their continued dedication, as we venture into the New Year. From our family to yours, we wish everyone a very happy & healthy Holiday Season & New Year! Sincerely, Eleanor Vachon Board Chair, on behalf of the Board of Directors

Wow! Thanks Naleena!!!

October 1st marked one year, since the Red Lake / Ear Falls Mobile Crisis Program officially opened. The program is based out of Community Counselling & Addiction Services. In partnership with the Red Lake & Ear Falls OPP, the Mobile Crisis Program (MCP) provides crisis support to individuals who are experiencing mental health and addictions issues. Individuals can be referred by the OPP or Hospital, or they can call the 24/7 crisis line themselves (1-866-888-8988). The ...MCP has proven to be a valuable resource to our community. In the past year, the program has been accessed 97 times. Mobile Crisis Workers attend the crisis situation in person, at the most appropriate location -- whether this is at the individual's home, in the community, or at the Hospital. This has relieved some pressure on the Emergency Department, as individuals can access support right in their own home. Common issues addressed include suicide risk, mental health concerns, substance use issues, and general distress. The program is available to individuals of ALL ages. Pictured, here, are some of our local Mobile Crisis Workers, Director of CCAS, and RL OPP Staff Sergeant. Thank-you so much to this Team for their hard work, leadership, and dedication, over the past year! You've done an excellent job navigating this new program, while providing essential support to members of our community, at a critical time of need. The Hospital is grateful to see this program continue! Although the Mobile Crisis Workers, themselves, are not available 24/7 (they are primarily available after hours), the Crisis Line is. If you are experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis at ANY time, please call 1-866-888-8988 for support.

Virtual care is new to most of us. Asking questions or asking someone to join you shouldn't be. We're here to help you make the most of your virtual visits. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute worked with the Canadian Medical Association to develop two virtual care checklists and a how to make the most of your virtual visit infographic to help you prepare for and make the most of your virtual visits. For your next visit, use the following checklists to prepare yourself for ...the virtual appointment: U:\Canadian Patient Safety Week\CPSI_Checklist_Preparing_For_a_Visit-.pdf U:\Canadian Patient Safety Week\CPSI_Checklist_During_Your_Visit-.pdf #ConquerSilence

October 19th-23 was Pharmacy Week, in Canada! RLMCMH is lucky enough to have two Pharmacy staff on siteRhea, Pharmacy Assistant, and Rey, Registered Pharmacy Technician (also the Pharmacy Manager). Happy Pharmacy Week, Ladies we are so happy to have you on our Team! The Hospital Pharmacy is a busy place. The Pharmacy staff are responsible for filling Hospital medication orders for all patients, for mixing & compounding medications, and for maintaining and ordering inven...tory. This job requires an incredible level of attention to detail, as well as constant planning and monitoring. Pharmacy staff work very closely with the Nursing Department, as well as consult regularly with the Regional Pharmacist that is based out of TBRHSC. There can be many challenges to running a Hospital Pharmacy in a rural and remote location, especially during a global pandemic. Recommendations for treatment are constantly changing with new research developments and the Pharmacy must keep on top of this and be prepared for an outbreak at all times. Working in the Hospital Pharmacy is also a rewarding experience. The Pharmacy staff are a critical part of the Care Team.Rey notes that the best part of her job is helping to provide local services to people that face difficult health challenges for example, the Hospital Pharmacy plays a significant role in the delivery of chemotherapy to local oncology patients. These patients would otherwise have to travel great distances to receive care. A big thank-you to our dedicated Pharmacy Team! We couldn’t do it without you.

We are proud to take part in Canadian Patient Safety Week! Canadian Patient Safety Week (CPSW) is a national, annual campaign that started in 2005 to inspire extraordinary improvement in patient safety and quality. CPSW is relevant to anyone who engages with our healthcare system: providers, patients, leaders, and citizens. Working together, thousands can help spread the message to Conquer Silence The 2020 theme is Virtual Care is New to Most of Us. Only 10% of people in Can...ada have experience with virtual care. As health care providers in town, help your patients make the most of every virtual visit by encouraging them to ask questions. Find out how to improve your WEBside by checking out the infographic U:\Canadian Patient Safety Week\Webside_Infographics_EN.pdf #ConquerSilence

October 11-17 was Medical Device Reprocessing Week! Medical device reprocessing refers to the processing of all reusable patient care items. The MDRD is essential to infection prevention and control, as well as to quality assurance and patient safety. In Ontario, MDRD Technicians are educated, certified, and regulated by the MDRAO including our own MDR Technician, Colleen! The processes and equipment used in the MDRD are highly specialized and Colleen knows it all. ...She has over 35 years of experience, combined, as both a Nurse and MDR Technician, so we can be confident we are in good hands! Over the last several years there have been numerous changes and improvements to the practice of MDR, as standards evolve. Our own MDRD was recently renovated in order to meet these standards and ensure the continued delivery of quality patient careColleen has been a key player in helping the Hospital to implement, understand, and maintain these changes. The MDRD is a hoppin’ place. As a single person department, there are no slow days and Colleen does an amazing job to ensure that patients, nurses, and physicians have what they need. Without the MDRD, the Hospital could not function! Happy MDR Week Colleen & thanks for all that you do! See more

A Shout -Out to Our Ultrasound Technologists! Last week was Sonography Week in Canada and RLMCMH would like to recognize our very talented Team of US Techs that provide services to our community! Thank-you Hana, Cindy, & Jada! What is sonography / ultrasound, exactly? Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to assess organs, tissues, and blood flow to produce images. The probe used by the technologist emits high-frequency sound that is inaudible to the human ear. Th...e waves bounce back to the ultrasound machine to determine the size, shape, and consistency of tissues and organs, producing real-time images which provide key diagnostic information for healthcare providers to determine treatment and care. Sonography is a specialized program and the technologists undergo intense education and practice in order to become certified. As professionals, they are regulated and must continue to participate in education, throughout their careers. The Ultrasound Department is always busy, with well over 1500 scans per year and no two scans are alike! At RLMCMH, our Technologists provide services to outpatients, as well as emergency patients. They are an essential part of the care team. Happy Sonography Week, everyone! See more

Well the Red Lake Hospital Auxiliary is back with the Catch The Ace draws. The draws will be held at the Thirsty Moose on Thursday nights at 8:30pm. Tonight’s... draw was won by Angela Feigl . She chose envelope number 35 and in it we found the 7 of Clubs. Congratulations Angela you won $139.00. The Progressive Pot grows. It is now at $2845.00 so get your tickets for next week You can buy them at Mitch’s Midtown during the week or at the Thirsty Moose on Thursday nights from 6 to 8 pm Thanks again to everyone for your support and have a great week. See more

We have opened more dates for flu clinics!

Turkey Dinner & Pumpkin Pie for the patients on Thanksgiving Monday! Hope everyone had a safe and relaxing long weekend. Thank-you Food & Nutrition Department!

The Hospital wishes a very happy and safe Thanksgiving to all of our patients, staff, & their families.