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Community InformationThe island village of Bella Bella/Waglisa is located on Campbell Island, north of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. It is home to the Heiltsuk Native Band and is the largest community on the Central Coast (population 1,400). Although it was the former site of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort McLoughlin in the 1830s, nothing remains of the fort today. Like many small communities on the coast, such as nearby Ocean Falls, Bella Bella/Waglisa has had a precarious and isolated existence.
The closing of coastal cannery towns and decreased need for coastal shipping reduced the importance of Bella Bella/Waglisa’s port. However, the resumption of ferry services by BC Ferries and the introduction of an air link from Vancouver via Port Hardy by Pacific Coastal Airlines have revived Bella Bella/Waglisa.
INDUSTRY:
Fishing, forestry, tourism Population
Town Population: 1,019 (2016 Census)
Patient Catchment: 2,897 (LHA 49- Bella Coola Valley, BC Stats 2009)
Ages of Population: 0-17: 23.3% 18-24: 9.5% 25-64: 53.9% 65+: 13.4% (BC Stats, 2010 Figures for Bella Coola Valley)Health Administrative Information
Health Authority: Vancouver Coastal Health
Health Service Delivery Area: North Shore/Coast Garibaldi
Regional District: Central Coast
Rural Designation: RSA community
RRP Designation: A
RRP Points: 39.0
Practitioners + Clinic information
General Practitioners: 5 (www.cpsbc.ca)
Clinic Bella Bella Medical Clinic General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2332 | F: 250 957-2360
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Hailika'as Heiltsuk Health Centre
Box 819, 212 Wabalisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2308 | F: 250 957-2311
The hospital provides acute care, continuing care, and emergency care. There is also an intensive care unit, a laboratory, diagnostic imaging services and telehealth services. There is a medical clinic, pharmacy, and ambulance service within the hospital.
Contact Info
R.W. Large Memorial Hospital General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2314 | F: 250 957-2612
Hospital Info
Acute Care Beds: 6
Continuing Care Beds: 7
Emergency Care Beds: 3
Intensive Care Unit: Yes, this community has an ICU
Referral Hospital: St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver
Emergency Room
This community has a limited service Emergency Room that provides basic acute care. The ER is open 24/7 and has three beds.
Number of Visits per Year: 3,159 (2009/2010 Statistics: VCHA)
Travel Distance to Transfer hospital: 1,004 km to Vancouver (air transport only)
Lab services
R.W. Large Memorial Hospital Lab General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2314 | F: 250 957-2612 Hours: 24/7Imaging services
X-Ray R.W. Large Memorial Hospital Imaging General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2314 | F: 250 957-2612 Mammography Mammography services provided by BC Cancer Agency twice a year. See www.bccancer.bc.ca for details. Additional Services Electrocardiography
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BC Ambulance
BC Ambulance Services provides coverage in this community, including Air Ambulance services.
Pharmacy
R.W. Large Memorial Hospital Pharmacy General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2314 | F: 250 957-2612
Extended Care
R.W. Large Memorial Hospital (7 beds) General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2314 | F: 250 957-2612
Home Nursing
R.W. Large Memorial Hospital General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2314 | F: 250 957-2612 Hailika'as Heiltsuk Health Centre (in-community) Box 819, 212 Wabalisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2308 | F: 250 957-2311f
Diabetic Nurse Educator
Hailika'as Heiltsuk Health Centre Box 819, 212 Wabalisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2308 | F: 250 957-2311
Mental Health and Addictions
Hailika'as Heiltsuk Health Centre Box 819, 212 Wabalisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2308 | F: 250 957-2311
Social workers
Bella Bella Family Services Box 754, 247 Wakas Drive Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-4325 | F: 250 957-4340 Heiltsuk Kaxla Child & Family Service Box 754 Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-4235 | F: 250 957-4340
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Practice Site Information
Bella Bella Medical Clinic General Delivery, 88 Waglisla Street Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1Z0 P: 250 957-2332 | F: 250 957-2360 Physician Site Coordinator(s): Dr. Lauri-Ann ShearerTraining Site Information
Family Practice Resident Site: Yes Medical Resident: UBC
Students & Residents Perspectives
On the Community
“A First Nations community with an indigenous Heiltsuk population of approximately 1500 local residents. Nurses, physicians, teachers are typically non-indigenous, otherwise it is an aboriginal community that also serves remote communities including Klemtu (approx. 400 First Nations people) and Ocean Falls (approx. 25 non-indigenous people). The people are used to outsiders providing services and are welcoming and friendly. Being a small community, everyone knows each other and there is a strong sense of community spirit. The primary industry is fishing, and this is also how the majority of people will feed themselves/each other. Food is certainly more expensive, being delivered once weekly on the ferry, and thus fresh fruits and vegetables are not a common table of the local diet.”
On the experience
“Highly recommend it! Good for learning to treat aboriginals. Small, isolated community. Beautiful location.”
“Highly rewarding! Working here felt like I found a place where medicine is practiced the way I had dreamed of practicing family medicine.”
Challenges
“Transitioning from a more supervised practice to a significant level of independence afforded here took some getting used to, however was ultimately one of the greatest rewards of the rotation. While time to review cases was not explicitly set aside, the regular physicians and locum physicians visiting were always happy to offer advise/discuss a case/join me during a patient interaction as needed.”
Patient Economics
% low: 90 % medium: 10
Patient Load
Practice per day: Average 20/day or less
Office Set-up
Personnel in Office: Nurses
Will Residents have contact with these personnel? Yes
Does your office have a surgical suite? No
Do you use a consistent charting system in your practice? Yes
Is there a problem list on each chart? No
Is there space for the resident to have an office an an examination room? Yes
Would you expect the resident to rotate offices on a regular basis? No
Technology: Email Internet Medline Healthnet in town Electronic Medical Records Videoconferencing
Educational Opportunities
Hospital Rounds:
Yes. There are daily rounds on hospital patients (long-term care as well as acute patients), and this is an ideal opportunity for discussion of cases and mutual learning/teaching.
CME Teleconferences:
Yes. Local staff also intermittently provide rounds if they have attended conferences/CME events.
Videoconferences:
Yes, there are opportunities for videoconferences.
Fantastic rural trauma rounds from Interior Health are joined via videoconferencing.
Conferences:
Yes, there are opportunities for conferences.
Local staff also intermittently provide rounds if they have attended conferences.
Journal Clubs/Reading:
Yes, there are opportunities for journal clubs/reading.
What other educational opportunities are available to your students and residents (e.g., rounds, CPD)?
The staff are very appreciative of residents providing insight regarding recent studies/clinical management, and were also keen to share their wealth of experience, particularly as it pertains to their remote setting.
Preceptor Physicians
Dr. Stuart Iglesias Dr. Farghad Rojeab Dr. David Arnold Dr. Maki Ikemura
Teaching Disciplines
Nursing Public Health Mental Health Pharmacy
