The Manitoba government has provided patients with more than 72,300 additional diagnostic and surgical procedures, ensuring more Manitobans are getting care faster with increased capacity in a stronger, more resilient public health system, Health Minister Audrey Gordon announced today. Read more

The Manitoba government is investing more than $15 million to reduce patient wait times by adding two new CT scanners at Selkirk Regional Health Centre and doubling CT scan capacity for Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority, Health Minister Audrey Gordon announced today. Read more

Masking requirements across Manitoba’s health-care system will be lifted next week in most acute, long-term and community settings, Shared Health announced today.

The change, which applies to most visitors and patients entering health-care facilities across the province, will occur May 10 as the health system continues its gradual return to pre-pandemic practices. Individuals who are ill will still be asked to wear a mask when seeking care and should refrain from visiting or accompanying a loved one receiving care. Read more

Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority has achieved SAFE Work certification, making it the first of Manitoba’s health regions to achieve this distinction.

“SAFE Work certification acknowledges Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority’s staff and leadership have successfully implemented a health and safety program that meets the standards of the Manitoba Association for Safety in Healthcare program and Manitoba’s SAFE Work Certification,” said Marion Ellis, CEO of Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (RHA). “We’ve illustrated our commitment to continuous improvement and a safe work environment. We’re delighted to achieve this certification.”

It’s recognition that identifies Interlake-Eastern RHA as a leader in ensuring safe work environments, according to Jamie Hall, vice-president of SAFE Work Manitoba, which is a division of the Workers Compensation Board.

“SAFE Work Certified is built around the safety essentials of leadership commitment, hazard identification and risk control, and employee participation to develop or improve an occupational safety and health program,” said Hall. “Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority is now at the forefront of Manitoba’s health-care sector when it comes to an industry-based approach to preventing injury and illness.”

Interlake-Eastern RHA signed an agreement with SAFE Work Manitoba in 2020 identifying its desire to pursue certification. To demonstrate the effectiveness of a robust safety management system for staff, the RHA participated in a pilot project with SAFE Work Manitoba and the Manitoba Association for Safety in Healthcare (MASH). MASH is the industry-based service program for Manitoba’s health-care industry under SAFE Work Manitoba.

From February 13 to March 10, three auditors from SAFE Work Manitoba visited Interlake-Eastern RHA facilities. During their visits, they spoke with staff to learn about their safe work procedures and gain a better appreciation of staff’s understanding  and adoption of these work processes.

According Ron Van Denakker, executive director of MASH, Interlake-Eastern RHA’s work will benefit health-care certification across the province. 

“I am thrilled and very proud of Interlake-Eastern for their strategic leadership and overall teamwork across all levels of the organization in their safety certification,” Van Denakker said. “This is instrumental to paving the way for the rest of the provincial health-care system.”

To maintain its certification, Interlake-Eastern RHA will continue to conduct internal audits and host an external audit again in 2026.

People experiencing difficult or challenging times as a hospital patient or resident of personal care home, or anyone living with serious medical issues can really use compassionate, relationship–based care on their healing journey. In these instances, spiritual care is often seen as an effective means to help in times of illness and vulnerability. To meet the ongoing need for spiritual care throughout the region, Interlake–Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA) is offering its Spirit of Caring course this spring to people who are interested in volunteering with the program.

The nine–week program will be offered virtually so registrants will be trained from the comfort of their home. Training will be offered once a week and it covers areas such as understanding suffering and compassion, trauma and crisis, communication and spiritual development. Participants will be able to interact with the program leader, Ferdinand Funk, who is IERHA’s regional spiritual health services coordinator.

“This is a course that will build the capacity and increase self–awareness of the participants to engage in the practice of spiritual care, particularly in changing situations such as might occur in a health-care setting,” says Funk. “We welcome those interested in the spiritual aspect of life in general, and in health care particularly, and with the goal of becoming a spiritual care volunteer with the IERHA. This course prepares volunteers to accompany and support people in a health-care setting in a respectful, caring and compassionate way.”

Prior to joining IERHA, Funk had been a pastor for more than 20 years. He has served as a board member with Bethania Group for four years and for 13 years he was the organization’s director of spiritual care and chaplain.

In addition to helping patients find their peace, inner strength and courage, Funk says training participants often take many other positives away from the experience.

“They gain insight and expand their ability to care for themselves, their colleagues, and the patients and families they serve,” Funk says. “They experience a renewed sense of being part of a health-care community called to care for those in their greatest times of need. We invite all who are interested to learn to walk alongside and support these many patients and residents.”

For more information or to register, please call or email Ferdinand Funk, 204-461-3414 or ffunk@ierha.ca. Please advise if you would like to participate but don’t have the means to connect virtually. Efforts will be made to accommodate all interested participants where possible. Registration deadline is Friday, April 14 with the course to begin on Wednesday, April 19.

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An early morning drive from Arborg area to Selkirk through thick ice fog has ended with the first birth of the year at Selkirk Regional Health Centre in Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.

Wanda and Samuel Wipf welcomed their fifth child, Zachary Don, at 9:05 a.m. on Wednesday, January 4.

He weighed 6 lbs,, 11 oz and is 21.5” long.

“He’s the smallest one yet,” said Wanda, comparing him to his siblings Noah, 9; Logan, 7; Lindsay, 6; and Jackson, 3.

Zachary will be welcomed with open arms by his brothers and sister who are at home with their grandma at Broad Valley Colony.

“We sent them a picture this morning and apparently they are hitting the ceiling,” said Samuel.

The birth was attended by Dr. Margaret Speer. This was Wanda’s fourth birth at Selkirk Regional Health Centre where she says she has always been treated very good. The couple said everyone is very helpful and they have always been  welcomed at the health centre.

During their stay in the obstetrics unit, Betty Milkowski, president of the Selkirk Regional Health Centre’s Ladies Auxiliary, visited the Wipf family to celebrate Zachary’s arrival. She presented them with a new play pen, diapers, sleepers and toys on behalf of the auxiliary.

“This is such a wonderful way for us to start the year,” said Milkowski.

Clinical team manager for the obstetrics unit, Jamie Brown, said they are pleased that the Wipf family has made Selkirk Regional Health Centre their preferred location for their deliveries.

“We are very proud of our obstetrics unit and the team that works to provide care. It is our pleasure to help families get off to a great start! For those who are interested, we do offer epidurals. We encourage anyone interested in delivering with us to call the health centre at 204-482-5800 to learn more and arrange a tour of the unit,” said Brown.

In 2022, there were 397 births at Selkirk Regional Health Centre which is Interlake-Eastern RHA’s birthing centre.

Pine Falls Primary Care Clinic CLOSED Sun., Dec. 4 due to unexpected illness.

Please call Selkirk’s Quick Care Clinic for a same day appointment.
Phones answered at 9:30 a.m.
204-482-4399
In the event of a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.
We apologize for this inconvenience.

On September 2, 2022, Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Beausejour’s East Gate Lodge Personal Care Home on the Shamrock Unit.

At this time:

• All residents and their family members/key contacts have been advised of the outbreak.
• All staff have been advised of the outbreak.
• Outbreak protocols are in place in the Shamrock unit.
• General visitation is now restricted on the Shamrock and Rose units. Designated family caregivers may still attend to the needs of residents in the Shamrock unit.

On August 31, Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Selkirk Regional Health Centre’s medicine 2 unit. An outbreak is declared when two or more patients, who are not roommates or do not share a bathroom between two patient rooms, acquire healthcare-associated infections attributed to a unit, within 10 days of each other.

At this time:

• All patients/family members and staff have been advised of the outbreak.
• Medicine ward general visitation is now restricted.
• Emergency department services at Selkirk Regional Health Centre are not affected by this outbreak and we will continue to admit inpatients to the health centre.
• Appointments for surgeries and hospital programs such as day surgery, dialysis, diagnostic imaging, lab and the community cancer program are proceeding as usual with no disruption to service delivery as a result of the outbreak.

Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Pinawa Hospital.

While outbreak protocols are in place, the emergency department continues to care for patients based on scheduled physician availability. Admissions to the hospital will be restricted to patients who are recovered from COVID-19, those who are COVID-19 positive or those who are fully vaccinated and boosted.

Access to the community cancer program, telehealth and physiotherapy services operating in the hospital remain unaffected by the outbreak.

Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health declared a COVID-19 outbreak in the Crocus Unit at East Gate Lodge Personal Care Home in Beausejour on August 2, 2022. The outbreak was declared over on August 22, 2022.

July 16, 2022 – The regional medical officer of health has concluded the COVID-19 outbreak at Selkirk’s Betel Personal Care Home. The site will conclude outbreak protocols and resume general COVID-19 protocols in place at all personal care homes in the region.

Manitobans experiencing lingering symptoms consistent with post-COVID-19 conditions or Long COVID are being provided with a one-stop access to information, self-help tools and resources that will assist them in overcoming their illness and resuming their normal activities.

“Many Manitobans are feeling the effects of COVID long after they have had the disease, and this can have a negative impact in their lives beyond just feeling sick,” said Dr. Eberhard Renner, Shared Health’s provincial medical specialty lead for medicine. “Making it easier for these individuals to connect with the supports they need to address their symptoms will allow them to better manage their illness and, hopefully, recover more quickly.”

New webpages were launched Wednesday that provide patients with helpful information, advice and resources to address their symptoms. The pages – located on the Shared Health website – provide Manitobans with access to self-management tools that can help people with Long COVID manage and overcome their symptoms.

A working group that included a range of experts across several health disciplines looked at similar initiatives in other provinces to help guide the creation of the new self-management tool. The goal of their work is to make it easier for patients of all ages – or their family or caregivers – to get the help they need for post-COVID-19 health concerns, regardless of where they live in the province.

“We have included resources to help manage the most common symptoms including fatigue and weakness, shortness of breath, brain fog and mental health conditions, as well as resources created specifically for children and teens,” said Dr. Cornelia van Ineveld, a geriatrician and co-lead of the provincial Long COVID working group. “There are also links to virtual courses on topics like mindfulness, nutrition and physical activity.”

In Manitoba, patients with post-COVID-19 conditions or Long COVID are typically managed by a primary care provider – normally their family doctor or a nurse practitioner – who will refer their patients to specialists when symptoms are more serious.

The vast array of symptoms and the similarly numerous types of specialists required to treat them, combined with the fact there are people with post-COVID-19 conditions in all areas of the province, makes the new online resource the best way to ensure a suitable approach to recovery is available to all Manitobans.

“We are thrilled we can offer this one-stop shop for Manitobans dealing with COVID-related symptoms that seemingly won’t go away,” said Carrie Fruehm, director of collaborative practice with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and co-lead of the provincial Long COVID working group. “Visitors to the site will be able to access information and tools to better understand the lingering symptoms they are experiencing and how to best manage them, with an emphasis on brain health, mental health and self-care.”

Anyone who has concerns about their recovery or has persistent or stronger symptoms should talk to their health-care provider about other resources and specialized services in the community that are available by referral. Those experiencing severe symptoms – including difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, difficulty staying awake, confusion or fainting – should call 911 immediately.

Long COVID and post-COVID-19 conditions webpages

IERHA relevant resource