Every weekday morning at 8:15, Dr. Brian Ritchie starts his day at the Ermineskin Medical Clinic in southwest Edmonton. By the time his first patient arrives 45 minutes later, Dr. Ritchie has met with the clinic staff, studied his list of patients, and is ready to take on any surprises a new day can bring….
Coordinating care for a senior can be a difficult challenge, especially when you are unfamiliar with which resources to turn to. For Winn McLeod, caring for her husband, Cliff, became a bit easier once Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network began providing support. Cliff, 85, has Parkinson’s Disease. Winn says he has a hard time walking…
Alison Pepper has overcome many roadblocks in her life. When she was born, illness affected the part of her brain that assists with the functions to speak, read and write. As an adult, she worked hard to improve these skills with a speech language therapist and sought out a tutor through the Project Adult Literacy…
Having a mild heart attack four years ago has made Georg Gutzmann monitor his health more closely, including changing the way he eats and moves. Georg is borderline diabetic and must watch his sugar intake. He’s been meeting with an Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network (PCN) dietitian to monitor his food on a monthly basis….
Mary Jo Hague is no longer sitting still. Instead, she is making it her mission to take thousands of steps a day to better health. She became inspired to increase her walking after being connected to Moving for Health, a two-month supervised exercise program at Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network. Mary Jo found out about…
Some people would give up on exercise if they were faced with limited mobility or a disability. Agnes Leonhardt has been finding ways to keep fit while waiting for a hip replacement. At first, Agnes did give up on exercising because she can’t walk. Once she was connected to Sandra Pelchat, an exercise specialist with…
How to search for a family doctor when you move to a new city can stump anyone. Where do you start? What tools and resources do you use? Sabra Saleh Kassongo faced this dilemma when she moved to Edmonton to join her husband in March 2012. Familiar with the health systems of Dubai, Tanzania and…
July 27, 2011: For immediate release Who is medically safe to drive? The presence of an illness can make even the best motorist unsafe to drive at any age. Because it is illness that affects driving skill and safety regardless of age, the medical community is well placed to help identify those patients whose driving…
Media release July 27, 2011: For immediate release Edmonton, AB – Family doctors are using a proven and free research tool, developed by the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta, to screen for cognitively impaired drivers. Unsafe driving is sometimes due to impairments from medical conditions, says Dr. Bonnie Dobbs, director…
Jim McLaws pulls out his laptop and inserts a USB stick. This is not an ordinary USB stick. It allows him to input his blood glucose measurements directly into the computer, resulting in a much better quality of life for a diabetic who is constantly on the road for his job. The results are sent…