Posts By: ESPCN Communications

Integrated Care: Adapting and Thriving

Paul and Denise Blakebrough are adaptable people. They began their married life in England, but decided to make their home in Canada in 1958. After two decades in Ontario, they moved to Calgary, and later to Thorsby, where they lived on an acreage for 17 years. It was their most recent move, to the town…

Integrated Care: It Takes a Team

The waiting room at Bonnie Doon Medical Clinic is standing room only this windy April morning. But the crowd gathered in this comfortable neighbourhood clinic isn’t here to renew prescriptions or have their blood pressure checked. They will be seeing the doctor, but in a totally new way. They’re here for Walking on Wednesdays (WOW),…

Happiness Basics: Invest in yourself

Sharon came to the Happiness Basics following success in other Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network programs. She had just been to an exercise workshop, and was looking into more classes, when Happiness Basics was mentioned. Happiness Basics was new at the time, as a program to teach individuals what happy people do differently, and she…

Five reasons eating with friends and family is good for you

Nutrition Month is here and dietitians are celebrating! This year, one area of focus is to unlock the potential of food. We want to help Canadians discover how food can bring us together. No matter who we are, we all have one thing in common: We love food – it unites us! But when is…

Colon-versations: Remove your poop filter

Growing up, bowel movements were not a taboo topic in my home. With five kids close in age, our dinner conversations unsurprisingly led to the most inappropriate topics. Still, we must have developed filters over time, as I hesitated recently before texting my mom, “Have you and Dad had a poop test lately?” The Canadian…

Physical Activity: Do it for your heart

By Stephanie SchlaakExercise Specialist With February being National Heart Month, there is no better time to talk about how to keep your heart healthy and strong. This is important because taking care of your heart can help prevent heart disease, a condition where the heart is not working well. Heart disease affects 2.4 million Canadian…

National Non-Smoking Week: Practice to Quit

By Amy RawlinsonRegistered Respiratory Therapist and Certified Respiratory Educator The National Non-Smoking Week is the perfect time to consider your next steps in becoming tobacco free. However, with so much information and products available, the quit process can be overwhelming. A good place to start is using a Practice Quit to help develop a long…

Always being asked for your contact information? That’s great!

By Brittany Faux Clinical Improvement Facilitator Does it seem as if the receptionists at your doctor’s office are constantly asking for your details? The next time they ask, remember to thank them for doing a great job! Confirming patient information is one of the most fundamental steps a clinic can take to improve care. Did you…

Health team provides full support for diabetic patient

When Jeff Symic discovered he had Type 2 diabetes, he also found out there was a team of health professionals to support him in his medical clinic. That concept of having all these services under one roof is known as a medical home, which helped Jeff take steps towards a healthier lifestyle. Jeff has been…

PCN workshop inspires patient to write a poem

Hendrik Albarda discovered what Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network has to offer after his family doctor referred him to a healthy aging nurse. He explains that his doctor, Dr. Sheela Duia, at Nova Medical Clinic thought that the PCN could help him with his aging. Mary Whale, the healthy aging nurse, visited Hendrik in his…