This new icon will flag items requiring action. Based on physician feedback, we’ve added this feature to streamline your review of this weekly newsletter. A summary of action items will also appear at the top for quick reference.

This Week’s Action Item(s):

• Review the message regarding the Cyanokit shortage and the associated risk of microbial contamination.

Further details are provided below.

~shared on behalf of Atlantic Canada Poison Center

We have previously communicated that there is a national shortage of Cyanokit. Manufacturing of Cyanokit® has been temporarily suspended due to an investigation into the possibility of a risk of microbial contamination.

• Production is expected to resume shortly, but this interruption has resulted in a shortage. In order to address the shortage, additional lots of Cyanokit® have been distributed in Canada, some of which have been sent to Nova Scotia.
• Although the risk of contamination of the affected lots cannot be completely excluded, it is minimal and outweighed by the benefits of using Cyanokit® in cases of suspected acute cyanide poisoning.
• In this context, SERB and Methapharm wish to draw the attention of healthcare professionals likely to use a potentially impacted batch of Cyanokit® to the following points:
• Cyanokit® should be reserved for patients presenting with clinical signs of acute poisoning in a context suggesting exposure to cyanide (smoke inhalation victims or patients with ingestion of a cyanide salt or a cyanogenic product), including the following signs: cardiac arrest, shock, respiratory distress, coma, high lactic acidemia (> 8 mmol/L).
• Cyanokit® should not be used in the absence of signs of hypoxia.
• Any sign or symptom suggesting a systemic infection or sepsis after administration of Cyanokit® (e.g. fever, persistent hypotension suggesting shock) should trigger obtaining blood cultures, and administering empirical antibiotic therapy.

The second episode of the Coaching Physicians: A Prescription for Leadership podcast, hosted by Physician Executive Leadership Coaches Lorie Campbell and Verna MacDonald, is titled "Mindfulness Matters in Medicine." In this episode, the hosts are joined by Dr. Jennifer Jones, a gastroenterologist at Nova Scotia Health, to explore the transformative practice of mindfulness.

With training and education in mindfulness, Dr. Jones explains how this practice is more than just a skill—it’s a powerful tool for enhancing both personal and professional well-being.

Listen to the new episode on Spotify, SoundCloud, or Apple Podcasts.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Simple, practical ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life as a healthcare provider.
• How mindfulness can reduce stress and improve overall well-being
• Strategies to use mindfulness for strengthening patient engagement and enhancing the healthcare workplace.
• Real-life examples from Dr. Jones' experience as both a physician and a mindfulness advocate and teacher

Whether you’re seeking to enhance your personal life or reduce stress in your medical practice, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you take meaningful steps toward a calmer, more mindful you.

The Coaching Physicians: A Prescription for Leadership podcast explores the intersection of leadership and healthcare. Join us as we share strategies, stories, and practical tools to empower physicians to thrive as impactful leaders. Whether you're navigating challenges, seeking professional growth, or aiming to enhance your leadership journey, this podcast offers the guidance you need to succeed. Learn more about Leadership Development Coaching here.

Listen to episode here: Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Podcasts. Stay tuned for new episodes released every two weeks!

In this episode of Chats on Change, interim President and CEO Karen Oldfield sits down with Jason Shannon, President of Shannex Inc., a leader in senior living and healthcare services across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario. Together, they highlight Shannex's innovative initiatives, such as Parkland on the Common, and their groundbreaking new healthcare partnership with Nova Scotia Health - West Bedford Transitional Health.

Jason shares insights into creating vibrant, community-oriented spaces that prioritize patient-centered care and integrate cutting-edge technology to improve mobility and foster independence. This conversation highlights how collaboration and innovation are driving the future of healthcare, with a focus on restorative care that helps patients return home.

Listen to all episodes here. (Transcript available upon request)

Nova Scotia Health’s Geriatric Medicine Clinic has expanded its services from two locations to three with a new location on the Dartmouth General Hospital campus.

This new clinic location means patients in Dartmouth and along the province’s Eastern Shore now have the option to access a clinic closer to their community. This past fall, the Geriatric Medicine Clinic began seeing patients at a new location at 18 Acadia St. who were experiencing frailty, dementia, increased falls or other age-related health issues such as changes in memory or thinking.

On January 22, the Dartmouth General Foundation invited donors, Barb Adams, MLA for Eastern Passage and other guests to tour the facility and officially celebrate the opening of this new clinic.

Learn more.

~shared on behalf of Scott McKenna, Chief Information Officer, Nova Scotia Health & IWK Health 

On Jan. 13, Nova Scotia Health expanded functionality in YourHealthNS that gives Nova Scotians access to upcoming medical appointments in the Records section of the app, as well as the ability to allow push notifications from the app to remind them of their upcoming appointments. In addition, NSH began sending text message reminders for some NSH and IWK Health appointments and most specialist appointments. 

Launching these initiatives involved consolidating information from nearly 900 systems and while extensive testing was conducted before the launch, live patient data could not be used, which meant some issues could not be anticipated. 

Early last week, the text message appointment reminder service was paused after it was discovered a small proportion of patients had incorrect times included in their reminder notifications.  

Our teams are continuing to fine-tune appointment reminders to eliminate confusion and improve the overall patient experience. 

In response to valuable feedback from both clinicians and citizens regarding the timing and clarity of YourHealthNS appointment notifications, Nova Scotia Health has also implemented several improvements to better meet clinician and patient needs: 

• To better accommodate clinic workflows, we’ve introduced a seven-day delay before appointments appear in YourHealthNS. This ensures clinics can contact patients directly before appointments are visible in the system. 
• Appointments will only appear for the coming month (28 days), recognizing many changes can happen in schedules for both citizens and clinicians over a longer timeframe. Just showing the next month will ensure patients don’t receive multiple changes or information for tentative appointments. 
• We have also temporarily paused information on: 
• Specialist appointments from non-hospital appointment booking systems (e.g., private surgeon offices).  
• Certain appointment areas to ensure that sensitive information can be communicated with patients most appropriately.  
• Language in the YourHealthNS app has been updated to clarify appointment location details and to remind citizens to refer to the information provided by their clinic, since not all details can be captured in a brief notification on the app. 

If you/your clinic is experiencing specific issues related to these appointment reminders, please reach out directly to appointment.reminder@nshealth.ca.  

The text message appointment reminder service will remain paused until we are confident our partners are aligned with all these new changes. 

Thank you again for your patience and support. 

Scott McKenna,  

Chief Information Officer 

Nova Scotia Health & IWK Health 

Mark your calendars! The 2025 Quality Summits are your chance to connect with peers and colleagues from across Nova Scotia Health and dive further into healthcare quality improvement. Open to front-line staff, physicians, learners, leadership and patient family advisors, these summits are designed to inspire collaboration, learning and transformation.

This spring, we’ll be hosting events in all four zones. Registration opens in February, but here are the dates to save:

• Northern Zone: Thursday, May 22 – Pictou County Wellness Centre, New Glasgow
• Western Zone: Wednesday, May 28 – Old Orchard Inn, Wolfville
• Central Zone: Thursday, June 5 – Pier 21, Halifax
• Eastern Zone: Wednesday, June 11 – Membertou Trade & Convention Centre, Membertou

~shared on behalf of the Department of Medicine at Dalhousie University

We’re pleased to highlight the Dalhousie Department of Medicine’s recently published 2023-24 Annual Report, Foundations for Success, which celebrates foundational achievements, innovations, and collaborations advancing healthcare across the Maritimes and beyond.

Among many notable milestones from the department’s fifteen divisions, the report showcases collaborative approaches to rare disease treatment, the launch of Nova Scotia’s first Early Supported Stroke Discharge program, advancements in CAR T-cell therapy bringing life-saving cancer treatments closer to home, and research addressing gender disparities in kidney transplantation.

At the core of these accomplishments is a network of partnerships – administrators, clinicians, researchers, and educators – working seamlessly to ensure the very best in patient care.

Read the full report today!

~Shared on behalf of Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer of Health

Dear colleagues,

I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Jesse Kancir will be Nova Scotia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health effective March 3^rd. Jesse has been a regional Medical Officer of Health in NS since 2022. He completed his Public Health and Preventive Medicine residency in 2021 and then worked as an MOH in Yukon before coming to Nova Scotia. Prior to that Jesse worked as a senior policy advisor for the Federal Minister of Health and obtained a Masters in International Health Policy and a BSc. in biotechnology and economics.

Since joining the MOH team in 2022, Jesse has led a number of issues (e.g. COVID response planning in provincial Corrections; mpox response and vaccination program) and demonstrated his public health expertise as well as his caring and compassion. I very much look forward to working closely with Jesse and please join me in welcoming him to his new role.

I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize Dr. Shelley Deeks for her outstanding contributions to public health in Nova Scotia, Canada and internationally and wish her all the best in her retirement.

Thank you for arranging distribution to your leadership teams.

Dr. Robert Strang

Chief Medical Officer of Health

Department of Health and Wellness

Sign up now for the new monthly, province-wide One Person One Record (OPOR) Virtual Town Hall meeting series!

• Who: Open to all IWK Health and Nova Scotia Health physicians, clinicians, and employees across the province.
• What: Get the latest OPOR Program news and updates, view clinical information system (CIS) demonstrations, join Q&A sessions with OPOR leadership, and more.
• When: Fourth Wednesday of every month from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Where: Virtual meeting (Microsoft Teams)
• How to Join: Register online now to add this meeting to your calendar!

Can’t attend one of the Town Hall meetings? Not to worry, they will be recorded and added to the OPOR Hub so you can stay up to date on the latest OPOR Program information and discussions. 

If you have any questions related to the OPOR Program, the OPOR-CIS, or Town Halls, please connect with our team at opor@nshealth.ca.

OPOR-CIS Change Readiness Survey: Thank You for Your Feedback!



The One Person One Record Clinical Information System (OPOR-CIS) Change Readiness Survey closed earlier this month; we have begun the analysis and look forward to seeing the results, measuring the levels of understanding people across IWK Health and Nova Scotia Health have about OPOR and the CIS.



Thank you to everyone who participated! We will be contacting the winners of the coffee gift cards shortly!  

Great news for staff and physicians at Colchester East Hants Health Centre (CEHHC)! The new Fitness Centre is now open, offering access to a range of fitness equipment, generously sponsored by the Colchester East Hants Health Centre Foundation. The centre is available free of charge before, during (on breaks), and after work hours. For more details, contact NZWellness@nshealth.ca.

Watch the virtual tour video here.

This week highlights the importance of addressing the health risks associated with smoking and promoting the benefits of a smoke-free lifestyle. Tobacco use remains one of the leading preventable causes of premature death in Canada, claiming approximately 46,000 lives each year.

To learn more about how to support your patients through smoking cessation, visit Nova Scotia Health's Stop Smoking Program.

Our Medical Affairs team is growing. This section will introduce the team members, allowing physicians to see the many individuals who contribute to making our organization better for you.

Meet Anisha “Annie” Mary Alex, Manager of Physician Resources

Annie recently joined the Medical Affairs team at Nova Scotia Health. Her role involves leading the credentialing, tracking, and recruitment of physicians across the province. Annie oversees the day-to-day operations of the Privileging and Credentialing Office, working to streamline processes and ensure physicians have the tools and support they need to deliver exceptional care.

Born and raised in Kerala, India, Annie moved to Nova Scotia to study at Cape Breton University, where she earned a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Business Management. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and an MBA in Hospital Administration. Her career has spanned roles in healthcare administration, human resources, and banking, including her time as a Resolution Officer at RBC.

Annie is passionate about improving healthcare systems and is excited about introducing a new centralized digital platform for physician applications. Outside of work, she enjoys singing, dancing, and staying active in her church and community.

1-833-876-1724

If you're a physician seeking support for your practice or wishing to provide feedback, please reach out to our hotline. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you.

In the event we're engaged in another call, rest assured your voice message will be promptly addressed within one business day. Your concerns will be directed to the Medical Affairs team and our health system partners for resolution.

Our task force is committed to returning calls and scheduling meetings with practices at mutually convenient times.

Wellness resources for physicians have been migrated to an actively monitored page on the Physician Information Portal. You can access it here.

If you have an item to submit, please reply to this newsletter.