Page 63 - 2017-2018 Department of Psychiatry Annual Report

up of Drs. Donna Davis, Curt Peters, as other representatives meet every their overall inpatient / acute care
Joseph Sadek, Mirka Koljova, Tuesday to work together to improve experience.
Kristen Holm, Aaron Keshen, Nicole patient flow. This has been a valuable
Herschenhous, Alice Aylott, Sam step to reduce bed pressures and Community Mental Health
Bhalla and Jon Wan. The team is increase good quality collaboration and Addictions
joined by a very dedicated, hard- within the health systems. Transitions
working locum psychiatrist in Dr. between services are always a In keeping with the NSHA’s Healthier
JoAnn Davis, who covers the units significant event in patient care and Together 2016-19 Strategic Plan, we
when a physician is on leave. we continue to work on ways to embrace a model of co-leadership
facilitate effective transitions to avoid (administrative and physician) in the
The acute care team also employs a gap in care. Central Zone Community Mental
family physicians Dr. Greta Taylor, Dr. Health and Addictions (CM&A)
Wahab Mershati and Dr. Yuri Stubeda The median length of stay in program and over the past year we
who address both assessment and inpatient beds heavily hinges on have been actively working with our
treatment for physical aspects of our the relationship between acute care partner co-leadership teams in crisis
inpatients, allowing for the provision and the community services who services, acute care, specialty teams,
of a holistic approach to acute care. facilitate discharge. The goal of acute and Recovery and Integration (R&I)
care is to further improve the patient to strengthen and standardize the
A major challenge has been to flow pathway to in turn, improve processes for patient transfers and
provide stable psychiatric coverage continuity of care and acute care bed patient transitions between services.
for the units in the face of staff availability. Over the past year, management,
shortages in nursing care and getting physicians and allied health providers
appropriate placements for patients The team is working with psychiatric within these core services have
awaiting alternate levels of care in the and mental health services in all the worked to build and strengthen
community. Both aspects are being provincial zones to have standardized communication, cooperation and
addressed actively by administration. policies and procedures. This coordination for patients requiring
approach works well with one health continued psychiatric and mental
The team continues to work towards authority and allows for the sharing health care in CMH&A. Notably,
effective collaboration with outpatient of resources and ideas, ultimately CMH&A teams have greatly
mental health partners, both mental leading to more effective care of appreciated the regular updates
health clinics, as well as community Nova Scotians. The goal is to provide and inclusion in discharge planning
services. Recovery and integration both consistency and continuity provided by many of our inpatient
and acute care clinical leads, as well for patients in order to enhance psychiatric colleagues, as well as

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