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 Items:

• Express your interest in becoming a defined licensure supervisor and earn $6,000 for approximately 40 hours of supervision.
• Register for the Retirement Planning Seminar for Physicians.

Further details are provided below.

Care Coordination Centre (C3) is excited to announce that as of November 15, 2024, the Patient Manager Tile will officially be live at nine additional sites across the province! This is a major milestone in the Care Coordination Centre (C3) Project.

The Patient Manager Tile provides real-time, patient-level data that allows care teams to:

• Orchestrate patient care more effectively by prioritizing, escalating and expediting care activities.
• Improve communication and collaboration across the care team with a consolidated, easy-to-access view of patient lists, flags and alerts.
• Enhance workflow and reduced manual tracking, allowing teams to focus more on delivering high-quality care to patients.

By having this information in one place, we expect to see improved care coordination, faster decision-making, improved rounding practices and, ultimately, better outcomes for our patients.

See the full announcement for details.

Are you an experienced physician who is interested in a rewarding mentoring opportunity? Step into a role as a Defined License Supervisor! 

As a Defined License Supervisor, you'll guide physicians in training towards independent practice over a flexible six-month period (with potential for extension). 

Why Apply? 

• Earn $6000 for approximately 40 hours of supervision. 
• Flexible role – share supervision with another physician or switch supervisors if needed. 
• Supervise activities include review of patient records, observation of direct or indirect patient care procedures, and review of the supervised physician’s continuing professional development plan 

80% of physicians on a defined license are independent after six months. Learn more about how you can become a supervisor here.

Express your interest by contacting physicianrecruit@nshealth.ca.

As you may be aware, on Sunday evening, parts of the QEII’s emergency department were flooded after a sprinkler was activated. With help from the fire department, Nova Scotia Health staff cleaned up the water.

Recent update (Thursday, November 14 – 2:45 p.m.):

• The Facilities Management Services (FMS) team, project managers and other support staff are actively working on the restoration of the affected Emergency Department area. 
• Staff should expect hoarding in the area for the next several weeks while restoration takes place.
• A temporary patient overflow area is in the works, in the former blood collection space on the 4th floor. Please note this is a short-term solution only.
• Work is underway to create a rapid assessment zone (RAZ) for low acuity patients as early as next week.
• Public communication has been shared regarding the impact of ED flooding with a request that people to consider other options for care.

We are asking physicians to:

• Please make every effort to expedite discharges as soon as possible to free up space.
• Ensure that referrals to the ED for consultation are reviewed and limited to those requiring emergent consultation.
• Services should attempt to provide non-emergent consultative care in clinic settings during this time.
• Please ensure that all non-traditional care spaces are used, according to appropriate guidelines.

The Incident Management Team continues to meet to discuss mitigation strategies for this situation and will provide updates as soon as possible.

The recording of Introducing Nova Scotia Health’s Physician Recruitment Strategy presented by Katrina Philopoulos is now available below.

This seminar is designed to provide an in-depth look at Nova Scotia Health’s physician recruitment strategy. Attendees will gain insights into the current landscape of physician recruitment, the innovative approaches being used to attract top talent, and the support systems in place to ensure physician satisfaction and retention.

Upcoming presentation:

• Understanding Nova Scotia Health’s Medical By-Laws, Physician Complaints, and Disciplinary Process Presented by Jesse Joice (December 10 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.) More information and register here.

The One Person One Record Clinical Information System (OPOR-CIS) implementation will transform patient care and clinical practice, impacting every patient and provider across Nova Scotia, including our province’s Nurse Practitioners (NPs).

While we are grateful for their incredible efforts and expertise every day of the year, Nurse Practitioner Week (November 10 – 16, 2024) offers a special opportunity to pause and recognize the vital role of NPs in the provision of healthcare services in our communities. 

NPs are registered nurses with advanced knowledge and education in primary healthcare, or other areas of specialty care, including emergency, cardiology, palliative, and many more. They provide direct support to patients, as well as collaborate with other providers including physicians and members of interdisciplinary teams, to complete the full circle of care.

The OPOR-CIS is being designed and tailored to support the needs of all healthcare workers, including Nurse Practitioners, in both their autonomous and collaborative care approaches. The OPOR team has spent hundreds of hours with local Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), including Nurse Practitioner leadership, to evaluate workflows, equipment, resources, and data, to inform the design of the CIS and ensure we have a system that truly optimizes care in Nova Scotia. In addition to assisting with the details of design, Nurse Practitioners are also members on the OPOR Clinical Governance Working Groups, where they contribute to decisions which will impact patient care provincially. Learn more here.

Learn more about OPOR and the OPOR-CIS at opor.nshealth.ca

November 10 to 16 marks Perioperative Nurses Week which celebrates the incredible dedication, skill, and impact of perioperative (surgical) nurses across the province. Perioperative nurses play an integral role in supporting their patient’s surgical journey, from pre-admission to recovery, and delivering high-quality care in and out of the operating room.

Check out our recent stories below:

• Seeing the impact of perioperative nursing
• Perioperative nurses delivering quality care in and out of operating rooms

The Nova Scotia Health Physician Recruitment Team will be hosting a Winter Webinar Series from December 10 - 12, 2024 to showcase the many exciting family medicine, emergency medicine and hospitalist opportunities available across our province. 

The team will cover:

• Robust remuneration and benefits package from the newly negotiated contract 
• Wide range of incentive programs including relocation and site visits 
• Provincial Locum Program (for eligible physicians)

Register and more details here. Questions can be directed to physicianrecruit@nshealth.ca

The Department of Psychiatry is hosting a 75^th Anniversary Commemorative Public Engagement “Closing the gap: Expanding access to mental health care in Nova Scotia” on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 301, 3^rd Floor, Halifax Central Library. Visit the event page or click here for more information. 

Planning for retirement can be stressful, especially for physicians who have dedicated their careers to caring for others.

The Retirement Seminar on Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom, hosted by Nova Scotia Health and Doctors Nova Scotia (DNS), is designed to help physicians take the first step in thinking about their future beyond practice. 

This virtual seminar will guide attendees through key retirement topics, including how to announce your retirement, review of DNS practice closure guide, TIP-TOP Program, panel cleanup work, after-work opportunities and more.  

Whether you're in the early stages of your career or approaching retirement age, this event will provide valuable insights and practical advice tailored specifically for healthcare professionals. You'll hear from experts in the field who understand the unique challenges physicians face when it comes to retirement planning, interesting opportunities available for retiring physicians and you'll have the opportunity to ask questions and connect with peers. 



RSVP today to secure your spot! 

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.