Nova Scotia will be offering spring doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for people who are at higher risk for severe illness. More information on vaccine eligibility and timing will be shared when appointment bookings open. At that time, COVID-19 vaccine spring dose eligibility will be shared online at www.nshealth.ca/coronavirusvaccine.

People aged 6 months and older who did not receive a dose this fall or winter can get their COVID-19 vaccine until June 30. Information about appointment bookings can be found at www.nshealth.ca/seasonal-vaccines.  

There continues to be a substantial increase in global measles cases. While the risk of ongoing community transmission remains low in Nova Scotia, Canada anticipates an increase in measles cases and continuous outbreaks, many of which are associated with travel to countries where measles is prevalent.

Dr. Ryan Sommers, Senior Regional Medical Officer of Health and Senior Medical Director Population and Public Health, Nova Scotia Health, sent an MOH Bulletin on February 27, 2025 with guidance for healthcare providers on Measles.

You can read the detailed bulletin here. 

Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) – Special Edition Measles Grand Rounds on

March 27 at 1:00 PM

CPS is delivering a live webinar on measles prevention and control for healthcare providers. This is part of their National Grand Rounds (NGR) series. The webinar will be open for all healthcare providers and the posting for the webinar can be found on the CPS website.

Register for the webinar here. A recording of the webinar will be made available to all healthcare providers for 1 year.

Since joining the Physician Recruitment team in 2023, Elizabeth Fraser has been dedicated to strengthening Nova Scotia’s healthcare system. With over a decade of experience at Nova Scotia Health, she understands the importance of reliable physician coverage—especially in times of transition or vacation. That’s why, when the opportunity arose to become the province’s first-ever physician locum recruiter, Elizabeth embraced the challenge wholeheartedly.

“I love this work,” Elizabeth shares. “Connecting physicians with the communities that need them most is incredibly rewarding. It’s about ensuring patients continue to receive excellent care, while also giving physicians the balance they deserve.”

Elizabeth has already connected several clinics with locum support with excellent results.

"I recently used the Nova Scotia Locum support services. I was pleasantly surprised at how efficient and professional the service was. Ms. Fraser had an advertisement and practice description prepared within a couple days. I was able to secure a locum with a local GP whom I had never met and things were seamless in the credentialing and locum payment process. I do not think I would have found a locum otherwise,” said Dr. Steve Gallant, family doctor in Antigonish.

This story is just one of many that highlight the impact of Elizabeth’s work in keeping healthcare services running smoothly.

As summer approaches, Elizabeth has built a strong roster of locum physicians ready to step in and support clinics across the province. Whether it's a rural practice needing short-term coverage or an urban clinic preparing for a wave of summer vacations, Elizabeth is at the center of making these essential connections.

Now is the perfect time to engage Elizabeth in securing a locum physician for your practice. Vacations are essential for maintaining physician well-being, and by ensuring we have great opportunities available for locum providers, we can strengthen retention and encourage them to build lasting ties to Nova Scotia.

If you’re planning time away, reach out to Elizabeth today to ensure your clinic and patients remain well cared for. Let’s work together to keep our healthcare system strong and sustainable!

Questions? Contact Liz at locumsupport@nshealth.ca or complete the locum request form here.

We wish to share with you that Dr. Christy Bussey will be stepping down as the Central Zone Medical Executive Director (ZMED) with a plan of transitioning back to clinical practice by July 31, 2025.

Since stepping into the ZMED role, Christy has provided tremendous support to the organization; helping establish the department of hospital medicine, and working on various projects and initiatives, most recently the new West Bedford Transitional Health location. 

Championing system accountability and dedicated to continued improvement, Christy, with Eileen MacGibbon prioritized co-leadership, helping CZ prioritize our operational excellence goals.

On behalf of the organization, I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Bussey for her leadership and dedication to NSH. 

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has released an updated Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) reporting form and its accompanying User Guide.

The Department of Health and Wellness has revised the "It is the Law: Report Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI)" poster to reflect this update.

Please refer to the updated form for all AEFI investigations. 

The One Person One Record Clinical Information System (OPOR-CIS) Change Readiness Survey closed on January 12, 2025, with an overall response rate of approximately 12 per cent! This represents a significant improvement in response rates when compared to the OPOR awareness survey, which was held in early 2024.

Thank you to everyone who participated and provided their valuable feedback!

After reviewing the results of this latest survey, six core themes were identified that will guide our planning and the information that will be shared in the months ahead:

1.     Training and Readiness - Looking for more information on when and how training will happen.

2.     General Uncertainty – Respondents are unsure of how OPOR and the CIS will impact them, and of the benefits.

3.     Communication and Information - Looking for more OPOR Program content and information from their leadership.

4.     Impact on Workflows - Wanting to know how their specific workflows will change.

5.     Awareness and Engagement - People are aware of OPOR but are looking for ways to be involved.

6.     Positive Sentiment and Optimism - Looking forward to improved patient care and operational efficiencies.

Ways you can stay up to date with the latest OPOR updates and information:

There are several ways to stay informed and engaged with the latest OPOR updates and information!

•  OPOR Hub (SharePoint): We encourage everyone to regularly visit the OPOR Hub (must be on the IWK Health or Nova Scotia Health network to access), where you can find a wealth of resources, including the monthly updates and the newly launched provincial town hall series. Bookmark the page so it’s easy to find in the future! Don't forget to explore the OPOR video series on the Hub and view the downloadable posters, which are for internal distribution only.
• Virtual Town Halls: Be sure to register for upcoming town halls or catch up on past sessions through the OPOR Hub Town Hall page, which hosts recorded content.
•  IWK Pulse and Nova Scotia Health News: Keep an eye out for regular stories in the IWK Pulse Newsletter and Nova Scotia Health News for OPOR Program developments.
•  IWK Pulse and Nova Scotia Health Intranets: OPOR information and links are posted to the intranets, along with updates! We also offer several opportunities for you to get involved and play an active role in the OPOR Program. Become an OPOR Change Champion or apply to be a Peer Mentor. More information about these roles, including the OPOR Change Champion List and details about the Peer Mentor role, can be found on the OPOR Hub. If you're interested in becoming a Peer Mentor, be sure to fill out the Peer Mentor Interest Enrollment form.

We look forward to continuing to share valuable updates as we approach our first Go-Live! If you have any questions, feel free to contact the OPOR Program Team at opor@nshealth.ca.

The latest episode of Coaching Physicians: A Prescription for Leadership, hosted by Physician Executive Leadership Coaches Lorie Campbell and Verna MacDonald, dives into the art of navigating difficult conversations in healthcare leadership. They explore how these conversations can strengthen professional relationships, improve team dynamics, and drive positive change.

Join Lorie and Verna as they discuss:

• Key frameworks for handling challenging discussions with confidence and clarity.
• The connection between conversations and relationships and key steps to strengthen both.
• How to prepare for the difficult conversation and the seven steps to have it.

Tune in for actionable insights and strategies to transform difficult conversations into opportunities for growth and leadership.

Listen to episode here: Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Podcasts. Learn more about Physician Leadership Coaching here.

May 15 & 16, 2025

In-Person Conference at the Halifax Convention Centre

Register here.

On February 12, 2025, physicians from the Dartmouth General Hospital team, led by Dr. Natalie Cheng (Medical Site Lead, DGH), participated in a full-day "Leading Through Coaching " workshop. The session was facilitated by Medical Affairs, Physician Learning, Development and Support, along with Executive Coaches Lorie Campbell and Verna MacDonald.

The "Leader as Coach" model focuses on equipping leaders with skills to lead in a coaching conversation to empower their teams through SMART goals, problem-solving techniques, powerful questioning, and active listening. A similar workshop is scheduled for the Eastern Zone on May 23, 2025, with additional quarterly sessions planned across all NS Health Zones.

The Medical Affairs’ Physician Learning, Development and Support team offers ongoing supports to NSH Physicians and Physician leaders through strategic engagement, professional development and sustainable work models that underpins and promotes overall wellbeing of Physicians-focusing on continuous learning, resilience, and retention. 

Final Reminder! Physician Leader Identity: How Being Affects Doing

March 25, 2025 5:00pm to 6:30pm

Virtual: Zoom

Should leaders to be true to themselves - or does this impede their ability to respond to the challenges of leadership? In this session, we will explore how temperament, values and experiences shape a leader's identity. Drawing upon a cognitive-behavioral framework, we will consider how leaders' cognitive schemata arise from their core values and self-concept, and how this influences the choices they make in their leadership roles. We will discuss how society's view of what a physician leader should be like has changed over time (or not), and how this may affect the credibility of some leaders more than others. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own leader identity and consider how they can act authentically in their leadership practice while still being flexible and open to making necessary changes.

Register here.

After the session participants will be able to:

• Explain the concept of leader identity.
• Explain how models of physician leadership in medicine have evolved over time.
• Reflect upon their own identity as leaders and how this shapes their practice of leadership.         

About the Speaker:

Dr. Lara Hazelton is a professor and director of education for the Dalhousie Department of Psychiatry. She has been a psychiatrist for over 25 years and currently practices community mental health at the Cobequid Health Centre in Lower Sackville, NS. She has a Master of Education from Acadia University and worked in faculty development at Dalhousie’s faculty of medicine from 2013 – 2024. Dr. Hazelton has written extensively on topics related to medical education and leadership and is the host of the Faculty of Medicine podcast, Leadership PRN.

Physician Leader: Leading the Way in Trauma-Informed Care

April 23, 2025 5:00pm to 6:30pm

Virtual: Zoom

During this session, you will learn:

• Understand Empathic Strain, Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout and recognize the symptoms associated.
• Define psychological safety and learn strategies to foster a psychologically safe work environment.
• Provide guidance on best practice when conducting informal and formal debriefs.
• Learn how to implement practical techniques and tools to promote wellness in the workplace.
• Understand the principles of trauma-informed care and their application to patient care and workplace interactions in healthcare settings.
• Recognize the signs of trauma in patients, colleagues, and oneself, and apply appropriate, non-triggering responses.
• Learn strategies to create safe, supportive environments that minimize re-traumatization risks for patients and staff.

Register here.

About the Speakers:

Dr. Aaron Smith is a medical executive committed to improving health systems through innovation and continuous learning. He is also deeply focused on understanding the social determinants of health to foster more effective and equitable models of care. As the Provincial Medical Executive Director and Operational Lead for Primary Care Clinics and Health Homes, Aaron blends strategic leadership with active clinical practice in Hospitalist Medicine.

He holds an MD from Dalhousie University and has completed graduate studies in Community Health and Epidemiology. A Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and a Certified Physician Executive by the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders, Aaron is dedicated to advancing patient care and transforming health systems. His work is defined by collaboration, a strong community focus, and forward-thinking strategies.

Rachel Askett is the Wellness and Education Lead within Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellness. She works alongside the OHSW team to advance psychological safety within healthcare setting guided by the National Standard. Her approach to education is strengths-based and focuses on facilitating connections for knowledge sharing. 

She holds a Master of Public Health from Queen's University, obtained a bachelor's degree in health education from Laurentian University, and has completed a Knowledge Translation Professional Certificate. She has implemented workplace wellness initiatives within the Mining and Manufactauring Industry, the Canadian Armed Forces and now, Nova Scotia Health. 

Luke MacMillan is the Provincial Wellness Manager within Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellness at Nova Scotia Health. He oversees wellness initiatives across the province, leading efforts to improve occupational health and psychological safety for Nova Scotia Health staff & team members. Departmental methods are rooted in evidence-based and preventative strategies, fostering collaboration among multidisciplinary teams to enhance workplace wellness.

He holds a Master of Science from the University of New Brunswick and is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist, with experience in chronic disease management, rehabilitation, mental health, and health policy development. Luke has led programs for diverse populations, including his time spent as Manager of Health Promotion for CFB Halifax. 

These presentations are part of Medical Affairs' seminar series, "Leadership in Focus: Empowering Physicians as Change Leaders in Medicine." As our healthcare system continues to evolve, these seminars offer a chance for Physicians to gain practical tools and actionable strategies to lead with confidence. Each session will focus on timely topics to help you navigate change, drive health transformation, and make a meaningful impact in your role as a healthcare leader.

Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care is excited to share we have taken steps to improve access to information about our programs and services for people in our diverse community.

In collaboration with our partners in Language Services, the following resources are now available in Arabic in addition to English and French:

• Continuing Care Programs and Services Brochure - Arabic / French / English
• A Guide to Receiving Home Care Services in NS – Arabic / French / English

We are dedicated to empowering individuals and families in our community to understand the support offered through Continuing Care to help people of all ages who need home care, community care services and long-term care. More information about Continuing Care: www.nshealth.ca/continuing-care

Dr. Lisa Calder returns for Part 2 of the conversation, diving deeper into the critical role of mentorship, sponsorship and coaching in leadership development. Find the episode here.

CSPL podcasts are now available on Apple podcasts.

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.