Pictured new CEO for Interior Health being shown a computer communications system at SOGH by nurse Jaret Blidook with Nursing Administrator Lori Motluk looking on.

It was a day of touring and visiting facilities in the South Okanagan-Similkameen for the top manager for Interior Health Authority, Chris Mazurkewich – who left the region about 8 years ago for Alberta but has returned to head the organization.

That tour today through Princeton, Keremeos and Oliver – meeting with local politicians, media and other groups including the local hospital auxiliary and the Medical Foundation.

Here is what we learned:

Innovation is the key word in IHA with Princeton now working on a new model of care that includes, doctors, nurse practitioners and specialists who come directly to the hospital rather than patients making the trek to Penticton. Mazurkewich says the old system showed that only 37% of patients made it to appointments – now that figure if 98%. Quite a change he says from his former days within the system. “The culture of cooperation has changed…all for the better.”

He also stated that it was a wise decision to place a rural care facility and clinic in Keremeos and he thanked Walter Despot and Roger Mayer for their “push” to get what was needed in a rural centre with a major highway running through it.

In Oliver, the new computer system has resulted in a large drop in medication errors and overall the innovation will spread to a ‘new use of it’ at the Royal Inland in Kamloops. Mazurkewich says it is a good idea to test new ideas in a smaller facility.

On questioning Mazurewich recognized that Oliver’s number one problem is staffing the emergency ward and 5 doctors are coming to see if SO General Hospital would be a good fit for them to start a practice.

Only 7 of 15 local doctors help out in the “Emerg” ward and that is beginning to take a toll on at least one physician who does everything in his power to prevent that ward from closing.

The new look of health care could come as a result of Rural Health Plans. Mazurkewich says each location and area is different and the plans will be different. There are issues of age, diabetes, mental illness, obesity etc. – each town or community should have a specific plan that acknowledges the problems and plans on how to cope with the needs of patients.

Mazurkewich says the Oliver/Osoyoos area has the highest percentage of the elderly in the province.

“Hospital care must move out into the community” he says in answering a question on home care.