Indigenous History Month

In honour of June, which is Indigenous History Month, REACH is sharing some of the actions REACH is taking in support of the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people in our community:

In May 2019, REACH established the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC), comprised of Indigenous community members, REACH Indigenous Board members and staff, to provide guidance and insight regarding community engagement, policy and program development. The IAC meets monthly.

At REACH’s September 2019 Strategic Planning Session, the Board made Indigenous Health & Wellness their #1 Strategic Priority:
a)     REACH operates on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Skxwü7mesh, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
b)     We recognize a history of colonialism and its effects  on wellbeing  and  health care. 
c)     We will strive to challenge the oppression of Indigenous people in everything we do.
d)    The spaces and services we operate will be safe and inviting to all people.

 To support these goals, we will:
1)     Engage with Indigenous populations in a way that is meaningful to them.
2)     Support internal mechanisms for guidance, advice, & direction on Indigenous issues.
3)     Tailor programs and services to reflect Indigenous community voices and needs.
4)     Build capacity among partners to promote resilience & mental wellbeing in our communities.
5)     Work towards the implementation of the TRC Calls to Action related to Health, particularly numbers 18 through 24.

See the TRC Poster for details.

REACH has developed an Indigenous Self-Identification Poster to promote safety and inclusion, and to support us in developing more culturally-based programs and services for Indigenous community members, and allows for dialogue with Indigenous patients so we gauge their effectiveness.

Since October 2019 REACH started tracking how many patients identify as Indigenous. The medical team facilitated 267 visits for Indigenous persons, representing 9% of total visits. The total number of active patients who self-identified as Indigenous is now 427, representing 8.5% of patients. Indigenous people represent about 10% of total Grandview Woodland population.

In December 2019, REACH, in partnership with Journeys Around the Circle Society, commissioned an Indigenous artist to create a mural for the new Urgent Primary Care Centre.  The mural’s installation was delayed by the pandemic, but will be installed soon.

Created by Hazel Bell Koski’

In February 2020, REACH hired an Indigenous Health promoter to work  one to  one with Indigenous patients, 26 of patients have worked with IHP to respond to other social determinants of health needs.

In July 2020, REACH will start to offer on-line and phone group activities to support the mental health and wellbeing of Indigenous community members during this pandemic.

Share Your Voice to Improve Health Care for Indigenous People

Although the Investigation is not a REACH initiative, REACH supports the investigation into anti-Indigenous racism, in BC’s healthcare system. 

Share Your Voice to Improve Health Care for Indigenous People: The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) encourages clients to participate in the provincial investigation into systemic racism in BC’s health system. Mary Ellen Turpel Lafond and her investigative team are requesting voluntary participation in a survey to understand the presence and extent of First Nations, Métis and Inuit (hereafter called Indigenous) specific discrimination in health services in British Columbia.  This independent investigation led by Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond is endorsed by the FNHA, the First Nations Health Council and the First Nations Health Directors Association

If you want to share your specific story of experiencing or witnessing racism in the B.C. health care system, you can call and leave a message for the investigation team call toll-free at 1-888-600-3078.

Should you require cultural or mental supports following the completion of this survey, please refer to this list of mental health and wellness supports on the BC government website. In addition to these services you can contact REACH’s Indigenous Health Promoters to support you in completing the survey: JohnSakamoto-Kramer@reachcentre.bc.ca

REACH operates on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Skxwü7mesh, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. We recognize a history of colonialism and its effects on wellbeing and health care. We will strive to challenge the oppression of lndigenous people. REACH Community Health Centre works towards the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, particularly numbers 18 through 24.

Celebrating Indigenous People's Day

First Nations Health Authority Good Medicine Page

Message from the National Chief, Assembly of First Nations

Celebrations Across Canada!

Healing Tools & Methods with Gerry Oldman

Resources and Educational Material About the History and Cultures of Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Need Care?

The REACH doctors can now see you via #VirtualCARE as we all #stay_home to stop the spread of COVID-19. If you’re ill or need care for ongoing conditions, our doctors can often treat their patients via phone and video without having to see you in person. Call REACH Medical if you need an appointment!

Why are doctors using so much more virtual care so suddenly?

During this pandemic, it is important that we all do what we can to keep everyone safe. One way we can do this is through providing virtual care to our patients. Virtual care enables patients to stay safe, reducing the risk of transmission of the virus. It also keeps providers safe, so that we can continue to provide care throughout this challenging time. This is not new technology, but it has not been widely used up until now and the numbers of virtual care visits we normally do is much lower.

The BC government and Doctors of BC have agreed to significantly increase our ability to use virtual care to see patients during this pandemic.

Do patients have to pay for virtual care?

Virtual appointments are covered by the BC Medical Services Plan.

Is my privacy ensured?

The systems we use are very reliable. We will do everything we can to ensure your privacy is protected.

You can also do your part by: taking the call from a private area and using your own internet connection rather than a public connection.

What happens if I do need an in-person visit?

If your healthcare practitioner determines that you need an in-person visit, that will be arranged and will take place in a way that maximizes the safety of both you and your practitioner.

What if I really feel I have to see my doctor in-person?

Please call our office first.  We will make it very easy to connect with you over the phone.

Once we have spoken with you, we will assess whether an in-person visit is needed. If so, we will arrange to do that in a safe way.

Will you take calls from patients who are worried they have symptoms of COVID-19?

Yes, we will. Patients can call us about any medical issues they are concerned about.

Patients and the public can also use the self-assessment tool here https://bc.thrive.health/covid19/en

Will you be doing testing for COVID-19?

Testing is being done through designated assessment centers in our community.

We can speak with patients and determine whether they need to go to one of those centers for testing or not.

Message from Dental

To all of our valued patients 
 
We just wanted to update all of you on what is happening at our dental office presently. In compliance with both the BC Dental Association and the College of Dental Surgeons of BC, we have stopped seeing any patients for any and all routine, non-essential dental treatments. This includes cleanings and restorations. At the time when we can return to the office, which we don’t know right now, we will honour the appointments in the schedule and work on getting those of you who were cancelled seen as soon as possible. We will need your patience during that time. 
 
If you have an emergency, which is categorized as uncontrolled pain, swelling, facial trauma or cellulitis (spreading infection), please text or call 604 351 4227 and leave us you name, phone number and a short description of your emergency and one of our dentists will help address your concern either prescribing medication or referring you to an appropriate facility that is properly equipped with PPE (personal protection equipment), which we do not presently have.

We know these are very challenging times for all of us, but these decisions have been made to keep everyone as safe as possible. As you can imagine, dental work, due to the creation of aerosols when a drill or ultrasonic scaler is used, is one of the riskiest activities during a pandemic involving an illness that is spread by saliva droplets. 
 
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

 Stay safe everyone, wash your hands and practice social distancing.

Updates MESSAGE FROM REACH PHARMACY DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

In order to best serve our clients in this time, our pharmacy is establishing a temporary policy starting immediately.  Going forward, there is a maximum ONE MONTH SUPPLY of refill medications.  This will be at the discretion of pharmacy staff and may be lower for certain medications. This will resolve in the coming weeks as wholesalers restock supplies, and for now we will transfer prescriptions to other pharmacies as needed.

Inventory usage is different from location to location so most items should be found for you. We thank you for your understand and apologize for the inconvenience.

Message from REACH Pharmacy during the COVID-19 outbreak

Due to higher than usual volumes and to prevent transmission during the COVID-19 outbreak, we are encouraging all clients to only refill medications that are urgent or presently due. There is absolutely no need to stockpile as long as you have a 2 week supply of your ongoing medications.

Orders given by phone through our pharmacy can be ready by the next business day and delivered if needed at no charge. Please be aware of delayed response times as most messages left will be handled by the end of the day. 

Until further notice, our pharmacy operating hours will be Weekdays 9:30am to 6:00pm (with lunch closure from 12:30 to 1:30) and Saturdays 9:30am to 1:00pm. 

We appreciate your cooperation as we work through this crisis and thank you for all of your support.

UPCC Recruitment and Information Evening

Our REACH Urgent and Primary Care Centre Team would like to invite you to our Recruitment and Information Evening!

We strongly encourage Medical Office Assistants, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Nurse Practitioners to attend and bring your CV's! Here is the link to Job Descriptions on our web site https://www.reachcentre.bc.ca/careers

Date: Thursday, November 28th
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: REACH Community Health Centre, 1145 Commercial Dr.
Second Floor, Room 217

Refreshments will be provided.

What is your preferred name?

Do you have a preferred name that’s different from your legal name?  Please consider the following:

In contrast to Medical and Dental computer systems, Pharmacies in BC link directly to the PharmaCare Network.  For this reason, filling your prescriptions requires our computer system to have your legal name, rather than your preferred name.

We certainly respect your preferred name and wish to call you by it.  We are working to adjust our system so that it reminds us of your preferred name during each visit.  But there is no perfect system for this, especially if our interaction with you has not yet reached accessing our computer.

 While we get to know you better, please tell us your preferred name and pronouns at each visit to our pharmacy.

FLU Shots Coming Soon!

The FLU shots will be here soon. Immunize BC has announced that the annual influenza injections will be made available around October 17th. We hope to begin administration starting Monday October 21st. Please check the Immunize BC website for updates: https://immunizebc.ca/influenza. 

This year at REACH Centre, FLU shots are available to everyone 5 years and older on a drop in basis at the pharmacy during regular hours. There will be no charge for the injection. Unfortunately, this season FLUMIST nasal spray is not available in Canada. For children under 5 years or for clients that require further consultation, please book an appointment with one of our nurses at the medical department.

Of note, Children 6 months to 9 years getting the flu shot for the first time will need 2 doses at a 4 week interval. Furthermore, clients 65 years and older should also receive a one time Pneumovax 23 injection and will be administered a slightly different quadravalent FLU shot for better response. 

If you have any further questions please call our pharmacy at 604-216-3136 or refer to the Immunize BC link above. 

Thank you Patricia for 22 years at REACH!

After 22 years of hard work and dedication, our MFC Manager, Patricia, is retiring from REACH. Thank you for everything you have done for the community and our programs. We'll miss you immensely and wish you the best in your future endeavours!

Taking Team-Based Care to a New Level

Starting September 1st, 2019, there will be some changes in how we serve our patients at the REACH Medical Clinic. The biggest change is that we will be splitting the medical clinic into two teams. Our goal is for these smaller teams to share the knowledge of our patient's needs and the care they receive. Smaller care teams will also allow care providers to create a stronger relationship with each patient to help meet their individual needs.

To meet the teams and for more information on the changes please look at our Patient Information Sheet. Information sheets will also be available in the waiting rooms.

Please contact REACH Medical at 604-254-1354 for any questions or concerns.

Our AGM is fast approaching! Join us September 24, 2019 at Brittania’s Learning Resource Centre (1661 Napier St. Vancouver, BC). Doors open at 5:30pm, and we begin at 6:30pm.

Everything old is new again

Welcome to REACH’s new website! We are very excited to be launching this updated site, which we hope will be of even more use to our wonderful community. We have created a Frequently Asked Questions page, which hopefully will answer any inquiries you have. If not, we have a contact form on our Contact us page, where you can email us any questions.

Along with our website, we are on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin,