SLMHC recognized as RNAO Best Practice Organization pre-designate 

Tim Brody - Editor

The Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC) has been recognized as a Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) pre-designate through the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO).

SLMHC shared that the BPSO designation, “Is an opportunity for SLMHC to further accomplish its vision of being a Centre of Excellence in First Nations and northern health care and improving the health status of everyone we serve now and for generations to come.” 

“This designation will complement our current BPSO designation at William A. George Extended Care Facility (ECU) which entered its pre-designation status in 2016 and was designated in 2019,” explained Sue Anderson, Director of Patient Experience at SLMHC. 

SLMHC shared that the BPSO pre-designation means that for the next three years, SLMHC will be dedicated to a work plan to reach designation, “and provide quality, evidence-based care.” 

Best Practice Spotlight Organizations are healthcare and academic organizations selected by the RNAO to implement and evaluate RNAO’s best practice guidelines. 

“Implementing best practice guidelines will impact our nurses and all of our health care team here at SLMHC. These guidelines will be implemented into our policies and procedures and provide even more high-level of care for our patients and families we serve,” Anderson said. She noted that during the three-year process, there will be a steering committee and several sub-committees involved in the rollout of evidence-based practices, data collection and evaluation. 

“Our Mission, Vision and Values are very clear and we aim for Excellence Every Time in all that we do at SLMHC. These aren’t just words, these goals really mean something to everyone here and we take them very seriously. While we work with the BPSO program, we will be participating in a very organized and thorough process,” Anderson said.

“When I think about what this means from a community-level, our patients and families are going to see the engagement improving. There’s going to be better connections through best practice guidelines that we are implementing, especially through our patient-family centred care and care transitions guidelines. Our patient satisfaction will continue to be elevated in areas where we can improve,” Anderson added. 

Anderson will be the BPSO lead. SLMHC will be posting updates over the coming years on its website at www.slmhc.on.ca.  To find out more about RNAO and the BPSO designation, visit www.rnao.ca/bpg/bpso.