Coronavirus Prevention and management

Coronavirus prevention (also good for general virus prevention):

Maintain good hygiene:

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces once per day with regular household disinfectant containing one part bleach to nine parts water.  

  • Flush toilet with the lid down – the virus may also be present in stool. 

  • Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use disposable paper towels when possible.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or into your sleeve when you cough or sneeze. Throw used tissues into a lined trash can in your room before disposal. Immediately wash your hands. 

Suspected Virus (Coronavirus or other):

If you suspect you may have a virus or coronavirus, and are not having difficulty breathing, it is best to stay home and isolate yourself while you get better.  If you are having difficulty breathing please call the local emergency room and ask them how to proceed (they may have separate entrances etc). If you are unsure of what to do, please book a phone appointment with your doctor if available. 

HOW TO ISOLATE YOURSELF: 

Stay home 

Remain in your home except to get urgent medical care.

  • Do not go to work, school, or public areas (e.g. places of worship, stores, shopping malls, and restaurants). Your doctor may provide you with a note excusing you from work or school. 

  • Cancel non-urgent appointments. 

  • Do not use public transportation or taxis. 

  • Notify health care facilities before you visit 

  • Call ahead before visiting a health care facility, and advise them that you have or are being tested for novel coronavirus. 

  • Remind health care providers when you arrive. This will help health care facilities to take steps to keep other people from becoming infected.

Separate from household members 

  • If you have a mask, use it in shared spaces or maintain a two metre distance from household members. 

  • Stay and sleep in a well-ventilated room separate from other people. 

  • Use a separate bathroom if available. 

  • Household members should stay in another
    home or place of residence if possible, especially if they have compromised immune systems or chronic health conditions. 

  • Restrict visitors until you recover.

  • Avoid sharing household items such as dishes, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding, or other items. After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. 

Monitor your symptoms 

  • Seek medical attention if you have trouble breathing, are unable to drink fluids, or if your illness is getting worse. 

  • Notify health care facilities and health care providers (e.g. emergency departments, ambulance paramedics, doctor’s offices) before you visit.

  •  Wear a face mask when you visit a health care facility. 

  • If your mask gets wet or dirty, change it. 

  • Face masks are available at the entrance to health care buildings. N95 respirator masks are not required.

Dr. Lea and Dr. Mehaffey

Starting in September, Dr. Lindsay Taylor will be joining Dr.’s Lea and Mehaffey in a long-term practice share. 

Patients who are rostered with Dr Lea will most often see either Dr Lea or Dr Taylor. Patients rostered with Dr Mehaffey will usually see either Dr Mehaffey or Dr Taylor. As before, there will be times when none of the 3 of us are available to cover clinic due to holidays or hospital responsibilities, and in these cases a locum doctor will be available for patients. 

When you go to book online, you will see the providers listed as “Lea/Taylor” and “Mehaffey/Taylor”. If it is important for you to see the same provider at your next appointment, the best way to be sure of this is to confirm the date of your next appointment with your doctor at the end of your appointment.

We hope that this arrangement will enable more consistency and access for our patients overall.


Dr. Ally Downs and Dr. Penny Wilson

Grow Health would like to announce that Dr Ally Downs will be taking over the care of Dr Penny Wilson's patients as of August 12 2019. It is with mixed feelings that Dr Wilson steps down from her role at Grow and she would like to take the opportunity to thank her patients for being so welcoming and understanding while she was learning the ropes of the Canadian system. You may still occasionally see her around the office working as a locum GP while she contemplates her next move. She is delighted to be able to entrust her patients' care to Dr Downs who has been a regular locum fixture at Grow Health since it opened and some of you may have seen her in the past. She is just back from maternity leave and is now ready to take the plunge into having her own practice. She looks forward to getting to know all of you and is grateful for the care and attention Dr. Wilson took in setting up the practice.

Flu Shot Clinics

We are coming into flu season, and last one was a doozy!! We have just received our flu shots as well!  

This year we will be booking flu shot appointments on line.  They will be short, and meant only for flu shots.  Unfortunately due to our high patient load, we will only be able to immunize Grow Health patients.  And only those that qualify for a flu shot.  Please see below.  There will be an occasional time when your doctor may be able to give you your flu shot when you are in for another reason, but this will be an exception...not the rule, so please DO NOT count on it.  

So read below...make sure you qualify....then go to www.growhealth.ca to book your appointment.  Up to four Grow Health patients can be booked into one appointment, so if you and your kiddos need immunizations they can all be done at the same time!  Make sure to read the appointment  info carefully to do this properly. 

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! Gobble Gobble Gobble!

http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/immunization-vaccines/vaccines-in-bc/influenza-flu-vaccine

Recommended and provided free to the following groups:
1. People at high risk:

• People aged 65 years and older
• People of any age who are residents of long-term care facilities
• Adults (including pregnant women) and children with the following chronic health conditions:

o Cardiac or pulmonary disorders (e.g., bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis, asthma)o Diabetes and other metabolic diseases
o Cancer; immunodeficiency (including human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection);immunosuppression due to underlying disease or therapy (e.g., severe rheumatoid arthritisrequiring immunosuppressive therapies)
o Chronic kidney disease
o Chronic liver disease, including hepatitis C
o Anemia and hemoglobinopathy
o Conditions that compromise the management of respiratory secretions and are associated with an increased risk of aspiration (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injury, seizure disorder, and neuromuscular disorders)
• Children and adolescents (6 months to 18 years of age) with conditions treated for long periods with acetylsalicylic acid
• Children and adults who are morbidly obese (adult BMI ≥ 40; child BMI assessed as ≥ 95 percentile adjusted for age and sex)
• Aboriginal peoples (on and off reserve)
• Healthy children 6 to 59 months of age
• Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy during the influenza season (typically spanning November to April)
• Inmates of provincial correctional institutions
• People working with live poultry (Immunization may reduce the potential for human-avian re-assortment of genes should such workers become co-infected with human and avian influenza.)

2. People capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk:

  • All health care workers (including all health authority staff, accredited physicians and residents, volunteers, students, contractors, and vendors) who come into contact with patients at health care facilities including long-term care facilities. This includes independent health care practitioners and their staff in community settings.

  • Visitors to health care facilities and other patient care locations

  • Household contacts (including children) of people at high risk whether or not those high risk people

    have been immunized

  • Those who provide care and/or service in potential outbreak settings housing high risk persons (e.g.,

    crew on ships)

  • Household contacts of healthy children 0 to 59 months of age

  • Those providing regular child care to children 0 to 59 months of age, whether in or out of the home

3. People who provide essential community services:

• First responders: police, fire fighters, ambulance

• Corrections workers

Podcast

Dr. Maria Kang, Pediatrician and Dr. Alicia Power, family doctor have started a podcast on a wide variety of health topics!  Check us out on iTunes, youtube our our website! We hope to have topics that interest everyone! Pregnancy, Paediatrics and general health.  If you have ideas for upcoming podcasts we would love to hear them! 

Youtube

Podcast

Flu Shot Clinics

Well it is that time of the year again! 

Our flu shots will be in soon, so we will be having drop in flu shot clinics coming up.  You do not need to make an appointment.  Just come on by between 1-3:30.  Please bring your care card with you, and if you have family members that are not patients of grow health, but need a flu shot...you can bring them (and their care cards) along with you.  

Dates are 

October 21, 2017 1-4pm (Dr. Shana Johnston)

October 28, 2017 1-4pm (Dr. Juliane Riemer)

November 4, 2017 1-4pm (Dr. Alicia Power)

Please ensure you qualify....see below...

  • People 65 and older and their caregivers
  • Children and adults with chronic health conditions and their household contacts
  • Health care workers
  • Emergency responders
  • Healthy children from 6 months of age to less than 5 years old
  • Household contacts and caregivers of children from birth to less than 5 years of age
  • Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy   
  • Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities
  • Owners and operators of poultry farms
  • Aboriginal peoples
  • People who are very obese (those with a body mass index of 40 or greater)
  • Corrections officers and inmates in provincial correctional institutions.
  • Those who provide care or service in potential outbreak settings housing high risk persons (e.g. crew on ships)
  • Visitors to healthcare facilities

Grow Health Summer Update

A little Summer update

We would like to welcome Dr. Erin Cusack to Grow Health.  She comes to us from Vancouver, BC.  She will be providing Family health care (no maternity).  At this time her practice is generally full, but if you are already a Grow Health patient and know of someone who does not have a family doctor, please ask your family doctor if they could request care by Dr. Cusack. 

Yes we doctors get to have some rest and relaxation too!  Just a reminder that when we take some time off we carefully choose doctors to fill in for us that are both lovely and competent.  Don't be surprised if you see a new face on your visit to your doctor. 

We will be starting a new series of Post Partum Discussions.  It will cover three different topics, in a rotating series.  These groups will be aimed at infants less than 6-7 months of age and their caregivers.  You can start anywhere in the series and come to whatever topics you like.  The talks will be led by Dr. Power and a public health nurse.  Space will be limited, so please sign up with reception if you would like to attend.  If a non Grow partner wants to join, please bring their health cared so we can register them.  
Topic are:
1) Infant feeding and starting solids
2) Sleep and your infant
3) How to stay healthy as a family
Please see posters in clinic for upcoming dates and times. 

Have a wonderful summer and don't forget your sun safety. 

Online Appointment Booking

Online Appointment Booking

Grow Health will be booking appointments online for patients of our Family Practice and Maternity Doctors.  

Please see our website at www.growhealth.ca to learn more or try it out!  Here you will be able to see all available appointments for the next three months, including same day appointments.  Exactly what our office staff sees!!!! 

You are able to book most appointments online, but there are some, such as complete physicals and more complex appointments that you will need to call in to book.  You will also receive an e-mail reminder 48 hours prior to your appointment time! 

You are also able to book some phone call appointments, for quick chats with your doctor. These can only be booked online.  

We look forward to embarking on this adventure together! 

Flu Shot Clinics

Flu Shot Clinics:

Grow Health will be holding flu shot clinics on the following date.  

  • Nov 5, 2016 2-4:30 pm (flu shots only)
  • Nov 12, 2016 2-4:30 pm (flu shots only)
  • Nov 19, 2016 2-4:30 pm (flu shots only)
  • Nov 26, 2016 2-4:30 pm (flu shots only)

We ask you to ensure you qualify for a flu shot prior to attending the clinic.  These will be run on a first come first serve basis.  We will not address any issues other than the flu shot.  We ask you to book a separate appointment for any other issues.
We are happy to immunize other members of the family that are not our patients as long as they qualify for a flu shot.  Please have them bring their MSP number to the clinic with them.


Who should get the influenza vaccine?

 

In B.C., the inactivated influenza vaccine or flu shot is provided free this year to the following groups of people.

People at high risk of serious illness from influenza, such as:

  • Children 6 months to less than 5 years of age
  • Pregnant women who are at any stage of pregnancy during the influenza season
  • Seniors 65 years and older
  • Residents of any age living in residential care, assisted living or other group facilities
  • Aboriginal people (on or off reserve)
  • Children and teenagers required to take Aspirin® or ASA for long periods of time due to a medical condition 
  • Children and adults with certain medical conditions, including: 
    • Heart or lung disorders that require regular medical care, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or cystic fibrosis
    • Kidney disease, chronic liver disease such as hepatitis, diabetes, cancer, anemia, or weakened immune system
    • Those with health conditions causing difficulty breathing, swallowing, or a risk of choking on food or fluids, such as people with severe brain damage, spinal cord injury, seizures or neuromuscular disorders
    • Those who are very obese
  • Farmers and other people who work with live poultry
  • Inmates of provincial correctional institutions

People able to transmit or spread influenza to those at high risk of serious illness from influenza including:

  • Household contacts of people at high risk
  • Household contacts, caregivers and daycare staff of children under 5 years of age
  • Doctors, nurses and other health care providers
  • People who live or work in confined settings, such as correctional facilities
  • Those who provide care or service to people at high risk in potential outbreak settings such as cruise ships
  • Visitors to health care facilities and other patient care locations

Other groups who are also eligible to receive the flu shot for free include:

  • People who provide essential community services such as police officers, firefighters and ambulance attendants
  • Corrections officers

Welcome Allied Health

We at Grow Health are SOOOOO Excited!

We have a few new team members joining us and we would like to introduce you:

Cynthia - RN and Breastfeeding guru.  Cynthia joins us in her "spare time" from her main job as a charge nurse on the mother babe unit at VGH LDR.  She tries to come once a week to see our new mommas and babies to help assist with breastfeeding (either before there is an issue, of to help resolve an issue that comes up).  You will always be seen with a Doctor at your breastfeeding visit. 

Sandra - RN public health.  Sandra will be starting with us at the end of May.  She will be doing immunizations for our wee family practice patients (2, 4, 6, 12 and 18 months).  We will look at expanding her role to all immunizations needed as time goes on!  She will also be doing developmental checks at these appointments.  You will also always see a grow Doctor to review with Sandra.  If you are interested doing your child's immunizations with Sandra please call the office to book. She will be starting with one evening a month and as demand goes up, hopefully so will her presence!

Blaine Wilkins - Pharmacist.  Blaine has come to lead the team at our local Pharmasave.  He has been a trusted pharmacist in the community for years.  We feel so privileged that Blaine has become our neighbour!  He and his team are happy to do medication reviews, answer questions and discuss questions or concerns with the Grow Doctors.  He is even looking at expanding his pregnancy and newborn section with the essential gear, based on our recommendations of course!!

New Team Members

We would like to welcome our new team members at Grow Health. 

Dr. Ioana Smirnov is joining us as a family doctor.  She will be practicing both maternity and family practice. 

Dr. Jennifer Kondra will be covering for Dr. Riemer while she is on maternity leave. 

Dr. Eric Milne will be covering for Dr. Harmon while she is on maternity leave

Meaghan, Anjali and Cassie are joining our front line team. 

We hope you will welcome our new team members.  We are lucky to have them all!

First Group Pregnancy Visit

What a wonderful night!

Thanks the the seven women and their partners for coming out.  What a blast.  Great to talk about all the questions and concerns that everyone is experiencing and learning from each other.

Looking forward to the next one! See you in February!

Group Pregnancy and Post Partum series

We are excited to announce a new series of group medical visits aimed at pregnant women and new moms and babies.  Have a look at our events page to learn more about the series of group discussions focused around common issues and concerns that arise in pregnancy and new parenthood.  Topics that will be discussed include common discomforts of pregnancy, breastfeeding, parenting issues, labour and delivery, infant sleep, infant feeding and immunizations to name a few.  Join us in this new and exciting way of delivering health care!

Flu Shot Clinics

Flu Shot Clinics:

Grow Health will be holding flu shot clinics on the following date.  

  • October 24, 2015 2-4pm
  • Nov 7, 2015 2-4 pm
  • Nov 14, 2015 2-4 pm
  • Nov 21, 2015 2-4 pm

We ask you to ensure you qualify for a flu shot prior to attending the clinic.  These will be run on a first come first serve basis.  We will not address any issues other than the flu shot.  We ask you to book a separate appointment for any other issues.
We are happy to immunize other members of the family that are not our patients as long as they qualify for a flu shot.  Please have them bring their MSP number to the clinic with them.


Who should get the influenza vaccine?

In B.C., the inactivated influenza vaccine or flu shot is provided free this year to the following groups of people.

People at high risk of serious illness from influenza, such as:

  • Children 6 months to less than 5 years of age
  • Pregnant women who are at any stage of pregnancy during the influenza season
  • Seniors 65 years and older
  • Residents of any age living in residential care, assisted living or other group facilities
  • Aboriginal people (on or off reserve)
  • Children and teenagers required to take Aspirin® or ASA for long periods of time due to a medical condition 
  • Children and adults with certain medical conditions, including: 
    • Heart or lung disorders that require regular medical care, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or cystic fibrosis
    • Kidney disease, chronic liver disease such as hepatitis, diabetes, cancer, anemia, or weakened immune system
    • Those with health conditions causing difficulty breathing, swallowing, or a risk of choking on food or fluids, such as people with severe brain damage, spinal cord injury, seizures or neuromuscular disorders
    • Those who are very obese
  • Farmers and other people who work with live poultry
  • Inmates of provincial correctional institutions

People able to transmit or spread influenza to those at high risk of serious illness from influenza including:

  • Household contacts of people at high risk
  • Household contacts, caregivers and daycare staff of children under 5 years of age
  • Doctors, nurses and other health care providers
  • People who live or work in confined settings, such as correctional facilities
  • Those who provide care or service to people at high risk in potential outbreak settings such as cruise ships
  • Visitors to health care facilities and other patient care locations

Other groups who are also eligible to receive the flu shot for free include:

  • People who provide essential community services such as police officers, firefighters and ambulance attendants
  • Corrections officers

Medical Education

We all know that to become a caring, compassionate and knowledgeable professional we must be taught these skills.  We learn these skills from those we interact with.  This is no different for our future family doctors.  To learn to be a good family doctor they must be taught.  And who does most of that teaching....the wonderful people we call our patients.  You allow these learners to be a part of you medical journey.  They learn to listen to your problems and concerns and how to hone in on the specific issues that need addressing.  They learn to take that information and look for clues to help them from their physical exam.  They learn how to decide what tests to orders, medications to prescribe or reassurances to give through their experiences with you.  Sure, we as physicians, are their to help guide them along their journey, but you the patients teach them.  We would like to thank you for teaching us, your doctors, and hope that you will continue to do that with each new batch of learners that come to spend time with us in the office.  We have four family doctors who will be joining us on their journey and we hope that you will welcome them and teach them.  

 

Labour and Delivery talks

We know how many questions women and their partners have about their upcoming birth experience so we are going to put on monthly Q&A group visits.  See our events page for details. These are popular, so make sure you sign up early for the session you want.  Probably best to come between 32-38 weeks of pregnancy.  Look forward to seeing you there!

New Grow Health Pregnancy Videos

A big thanks to Dr. Johnston, Riemer and Harmon for starring in our first set of pregnancy info videos.  Have a look under Grow Videos .  There should be more to come.  We hope to put together a series on different topics in family health.  Are there any topics you would like to see covered?  If so please leave a comment below and we will do our best to make it!