This month, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is introducing a new Emergency Communication Nurse System (ECNS) to better assess non-emergent patients calling 911 in Regina and Saskatoon. 

Through the ECNS, 911 dispatch will transfer callers assessed with non-urgent symptoms to specially trained nurses for further assessment. ECNS nurses will determine if transport to an emergency department is required or if the patient should be directed to an alternate care setting that would better meet their needs.

“The new Emergency Communication Nurse System puts patients first by ensuring they receive timely and effective care while increasing EMS capacity to respond to other emergencies. This will also help to further reduce EMS offload delays at Emergency Departments,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “We are thankful to our frontline health care staff for the important work they do to promptly respond to medical emergencies and ensure patients get the care they need.”

This new triaging technology and personnel will improve emergency response and provide patients with alternatives that meet their care needs. Over time, the new system is expected to help ease Emergency Department capacity pressures, prioritize EMS response for patients requiring urgent intervention, improve EMS response to emergencies, and improve alignment between patient needs and care options.

“This new system will help to reduce capacity pressure on emergency departments while also ensuring non-urgent patients are safely connected to the care they need when they need it,” said Rod MacKenzie, Executive Director, Provincial Clinical and Support Services – Community Care. “The Emergency Communication Nurse System will support better outcomes for patients who require emergency care while ensuring patients with less urgent needs receive more appropriate treatment in alternate settings.”

The Government of Saskatchewan is investing approximately $405,000 in one-time funding to establish an ECNS in Regina and Saskatoon along with an estimated $957,000 in annual operational funding. ECNS RNs will be employed by the SHA in Regina and by Medavie Health Services-West under contract with the SHA in Saskatoon. 

“Medavie Health Services West is proud to be part of this important initiative to improve access to care for residents of Saskatoon,” said Angela Sereda, Senior Operations Manager. “By integrating emergency communication nurses into the 911 system, we can better connect patients with the right level of care, ease pressure on our emergency departments, and allow our paramedics to focus on the most urgent emergencies. This is a significant step forward in building a more responsive patient-centred healthcare system across our community.”

In May 2025, the Prince Albert Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) held its first Kangaroo Care Challenge.

“Kangaroo care” means a parent or caregiver holds a baby skin-to-skin. This helps moms make more milk and helps babies keep warm.

During the challenge, nurses earned a sticker each time they helped a baby and caregiver with Kangaroo Care. At the end of the month, the nurse with the most stickers – Registered Nurse Vangie Cabilao – won a prize. She also got to choose a doctor to dress up as a kangaroo for the day, and she chose neonatologist, Dr. Parvez.

The challenge showed how SHA staff live our CARES values: (compassion, accountability, respect, equity, and safety) every day. In this case, compassion stood out the most. 

The challenge was a fun team building opportunity for staff, but the best part was that it helped babies and their families spend more time together and supported the health and wellbeing of our tiniest patients.

Steven (name changed to protect his identity) lives with multiple chronic mental illnesses. Struggling with addictions, depression, anxiety and homelessness, Steven required more supports than traditional services, like counselling, could provide.

After a hospital visit and an introduction to the Moose Jaw Mental Health and Addictions Transition Team, Steven’s life began to turn around.

“Our team supported and advocated for Steven, working diligently and creatively to get his basic needs,” said Michael Seiferling, Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services Southwest. “We connected with him wherever he felt comfortable – whether it was in a back alley or downtown.”

Gradually, Steven connected with income support. Securing housing was a challenge, but with time and support, the Moose Jaw Housing Authority offered him an apartment if ongoing resources were in place to support him.

Multiple community partners came together to help. Psychiatry professionals provided medication, outreach teams offered supports, and the Ministry of Social Services arranged daily pick up for odd jobs, meals and social outings. These connections were necessary for Steven’s treatment and recovery.

Today, Steven lives independently in his own apartment, takes his medication and is engaged with support through numerous outreach services. He is proud to have a space to call his own.

Steven’s story shows how, regardless of circumstances, compassion, respect and equitable opportunities for support can help people rebuild their lives — an example of the SHA CARES values in action.

Members of the Moose Jaw Mental Health and Addictions Services Transition Team include Kody Morland, registered social worker, and Tracey Bennett, registered psychiatric nurse. The Moose Jaw Transition Team provides outreach services to support and advocate for clients living in the community.

The SHA’s public health teams are hard at work preparing for the annual fall immunization campaign, with support from many others throughout the organization.

“Immunization is an important and effective tool for preventing or minimizing disease complications. We highly recommend folks to get, and be up to date, with the vaccines available to them,” said Dr. David Torr, Medical Health Officer, Southwest Saskatchewan, and Area Department Lead – Rural for the SHA Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

“Saskatchewan has a large geographical area.

In some places, it’s hard for folks to come to a centralized place to get immunizations.”

“We have methods of reaching out to those populations so they can protect themselves from the diseases we have vaccines for, prevent complications and hospitalizations, and stay in the best of health.”

Operational teams visit schools and communities throughout the province, offering immunizations and ensuring people are comfortable while receiving them.

Occupational Health and Safety teams also go the extra mile, making immunizations available to SHA staff and physicians to ensure that they and their families, as well as the patients and residents they care for, are protected.

This incredible collaborative effort is a true embodiment of the SHA CARES values, as everyone involved contributes to a crucial service that helps keep Saskatchewan residents healthy through the winter.

SHA staff go the extra mile to immunize their colleagues, patients, residents and the public during respiratory illness season.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is pleased to announce the opening of a second primary health care clinic location in Yorkton.

Beginning October 14, 2025, the Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic, located at 398 Broadway Street West in Yorkton, will be open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic offers the same primary health services as the existing Sunrise Health and Wellness Centre. 

“The new Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic is a valuable addition, enhancing access to high quality care for families in the Yorkton area,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “This is another step forward in our government’s commitment to ensure everyone in Saskatchewan has access to a primary care provider by the end of 2028”. 

Five primary care providers and three clinic staff are relocating from the Sunrise Health and Wellness Centre to the new Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic. Patients of Dr. Hashem, Dr. Rosborough, Dr. Bernat and nurse practitioners Stephanie Monette and Andrea Litzenberger, will visit the new location for all appointments as of October 14. To make an appointment at Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic after October 14, call 1-306-782-8080.

“Adding a second clinic will provide increased access to primary health care services in Yorkton and area,” said Jodie Yathon, Director of Primary Health Care, SHA. “Delivering a coordinated, team-based approach ensures patients are be seen by the right provider at the right time, and that providers and staff can work together seamlessly to provide the care each patient needs.” 

The new Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic will enhance access to primary care services for residents of Yorkton and the surrounding area, ensuring that all providers in the region can continue delivering high-quality care. To inquire about providers taking new clients, please call either the Sunrise Health Wellness Centre at 1-306-786-6363 or the Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic.

“The opening of this new clinic is an exciting step forward for Yorkton and the surrounding area,” MLA for Yorkton David Chan said. “Thanks to the dedication of our local health care providers, families will benefit from high-quality care delivered right here in our community.” 

New positions have also been added to support the two primary health care clinics in Yorkton, thanks to a $559,000 investment from the Government of Saskatchewan. These include a primary health care Registered Nurse, a dietician, a primary health care counsellor, a part-time pharmacist, and additional clinic assist staff. Through the addition of these new positions, the Broadway Primary Health Care Clinic will offer a comprehensive team-based approach to patient care, including access to nursing, nutrition, and mental health support, as well as chronic illness management.

Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resource Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain is seeing results. Fifteen health professionals have located to Yorkton under the rural and remote recruitment incentive program. This includes registered and licensed practical nurses, medical lab and radiation technicians and assistants. A recent government investment also created a new family medicine resident training seat to be placed in Yorkton. 

A Saskatchewan Air Ambulance aircraft has been upgraded to better meet the needs of all patients — especially those with more complex and urgent health issues.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), working with SaskBuilds and Procurement, saw an opportunity to enhance the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance aircraft to include a larger cargo door, a bigger stretcher, a new support system, and an electronic lift.

The aircraft upgrades highlight both safety and equity — two of the SHA’s CARES values (compassion, accountability, respect, equity and safety) — by increasing the ability of the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance to provide safe and efficient specialized critical care air transport to more people throughout the province.

Saskatchewan Air Ambulance has been providing rapid air transport and care to patients in all corners of the province since 1946. It’s a vital service experiencing increased demand in recent years.

Watch this video to learn more about the upgrades to the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance aircraft.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has expanded its online Patient Booking System to include lab appointments in Estevan and Weyburn. This tool enables patients to book appointments for blood and urine collection, electrocardiograms (ECGs) and glucose intolerance testing online.

Booking opens for both communities on October 1, with appointments available starting October 7 in Estevan and October 8 in Weyburn.

The SHA Patient Booking System is the fastest way to book a lab appointment and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To book your appointment using the online system, you need:

• a valid health card; and
• a phone number or email address to receive notifications.

If you do not see your desired appointment type or location, or if you require further assistance, call the Patient Booking System Call Centre Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (closed statutory holidays) at 1-833-727-5829. Walk-in appointments will continue to be available on a first-come, first-served basis at all testing locations.

Over the past two months, traditional medicines for patients in need have been gathered in Saskatchewan to provide comfort to patients.

First Nations and Métis Health (FNMH) teams in Saskatoon and Regina have harvested sage, one of the four sacred First Nations medicines, twice this summer.

“Usually, individuals pick their own medicines,” explained Holden Cronin, manager with First Nations and Métis Health in Regina. “But people in the hospital can’t do that. When we pick, we pick for our patients, so they have access to traditional medicines they need while in hospital.”

Sage is used in smudging ceremonies, for spiritual cleansing and to help people connect to the Creator. First Nations and Métis Health   teams also make and use sage spray, noted Paula Jacobs, manager of First Nations and Métis Health in Saskatoon.

“Families ask for the spray when their loved one is on life support and smudging isn’t possible,” explained Colleen Chief, Knowledge Keeper and Cultural Support Worker with First Nations and Métis Health in Saskatoon.

Members of First Nations and Métis Health teams in Saskatoon and Regina scouted areas for sage and made offerings to those who allowed them to harvest there.

“A nurse at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon, Samantha, was more than happy and willing to provide her space for the sage harvest this year,” said Jacobs.

They follow traditional ceremonies when gathering the medicine.

“Before we work with the plants, we smudge ourselves,” explained Leo Yahyahkeekoot, Knowledge Keeper and Cultural Support Worker in Saskatoon.

Smudging is just one of many cultural supports offered by the First Nations and Métis Health team, who embed the SHA’s CARES values of compassion, accountability, respect, equity, and safety, in all they do.

Teams from Saskatoon and Regina harvested sage using traditional methods over the summer. The sacred medicine will be used to comfort patients and families throughout the rest of the year.