Exciting news! We are thrilled to share that the next Choosing Wisely Canada National Meeting will be in Winnipeg in May 2025! This is your chance to showcase the amazing initiatives and innovative care approaches you have implemented in the Manitoba health system to reduce low value tests, treatments and procedures. Ready to shine? Submit your abstract or presentation pitch now!
Call for Content: Choosing Wisely Canada’s National Meeting – Choosing Wisely Canada
Choosing Wisely Manitoba is proud to announce, Dr. AbdulRazaq Sokoro, PhD, FCACB, FADLM. Chief Operating Officer, Provincial Diagnostic Services, Shared Health, was awarded the Clinical Excellence in Choosing Wisely Award at the national Choosing Wisely Conference held in Montreal on April 15, 2024. This award, recognizes a clinician (physician, nursing, pharmacist, allied health) who has exhibited exceptional leadership and commitment to resource stewardship within their clinical practice, with a dedication to reducing unnecessary tests and treatments while enhancing patient care.
Dr. Sokoro has contributed to Manitoba’s health system for 14 years serving in a variety of roles including Shared Health’s Executive Director of Provincial Laboratory Operations, and Associate Head of the Department of Pathology at the University of Manitoba’s Max Rady College of Medicine
As noted in his nomination, Dr. Sokoro has supported a large number of initiatives in Manitoba, which have resulted in the following changes and improvements:
Dr. Sokoro holds a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry and Zoology from Egerton University in Njoro, Kenya as well as a PhD in Toxicology from the University of Saskatchewan and a post-doctoral residency in Clinical Biochemistry from the Max Rady College of Medicine at the University of Manitoba. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Clinical Biochemistry, Canada and the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine in the United States.
His recent professional accomplishments beyond Choosing Wisely range from the standardization of quality oversight of point of care testing in a partnership with First Nations & Inuit Health Branch, development of a red blood cell utilization/transfusion strategy that brought Manitoba in line with the rest of Canada, to ongoing efforts to train, recruit and retain laboratory staff. Dr. Sokoro’s collaborative approach and passionate advocacy for communities, partner organizations and staff are valued assets as part of any team he is part of.
Congratulations Dr. Sokoro, your efforts and perseverance have assisted Manitoba’s current and future health providers to choose more wisely.
Meeting with your healthcare provider can sometimes be stressful and anxiety inducing. Being told you require a test, treatment, surgery, or other procedure can cause a lot of emotion and confusion, especially if they’re using new vocabulary you don’t understand. Before you move forward with your provider’s proposed plans, there are four important questions you can (and should) ask.
Do I really need this test, treatment, or procedure?
This can be a difficult question to ask but knowing the potential benefits of pursuing any medical option is your right. If it’s a test, find out what information you and the team will receive from the results. If it’s a surgery or procedure, learn what improvements on your quality of life you’re going to gain. Getting details on the ‘why’s’ of potential actions can help you make informed decisions and lead to you being a better authority on your own health.
What are the risks or challenges?
These are important to know. You may be required to temporarily halt current medications you’re taking, or have side effects from new prescriptions. Additionally, there may be missed time from work or family, required travel, need for a mobility aid, or someone needed to look after you in the hours and days after a surgery. Tests may not directly impact physical health, but there is a chance of findings that may cause further testing and impact your mental health. Procedures come with possibilities of complications and follow-up appointments or actions. These factors need to be considered and potentially planned for ahead of time.
Are there safer, simpler options?
This might seem like an odd thing to ask, but it can spark a conversation with your doctor about the pros and cons of different alternatives and how they relate to your health goals. You may find the original plan is what’s best for you, or you and your team may discover that there’s a route that works better for your situation or lifestyle. This could mean choosing medication over surgery, or even simple lifestyle changes instead of medications or procedures. The goal should be to find the path that provides results that fit your needs, while minimizing risks and costs to you.
What happens if I do nothing?
Sometimes the best course of action is no action at all. Find out of your condition could get worse – or better – if you choose to remain as-is for the time being. Ask what the downsides and potential effects of that decision could be. If they’re acceptable to you, taking the extra time may allow you to pursue additional options or simply prepare for future actions, whether that’s notifying work or arranging for assistance. Additionally, you may decide the effects of inaction work better for you than the risks and benefits of the procedure overall.
It’s important to remember that you are the authority of your own health. It is both your right and your responsibility to know as much as you can when making decisions. Asking your provider these questions may help you navigate difficult, painful, or scary situations, knowing you’ve done as much as you can to be an advocate for yourself.
Hospitals in Manitoba have reached a major milestone in their blood stewardship efforts. Every hospital that performs transfusions in the province has achieved the Using Blood Wisely Hospital designation status.
“We undertook this work to ensure Manitoba’s blood products were being used as efficiently and effectively as possible,” explains Dr. Charles Musuka, Haematopathologist and Medical Director for Transfusion Medicine at Diagnostic Services, Shared Health.
Manitoba was one of the highest users of blood products nationally with a rapidly growing rate of use each year. Blood products such as red cells and plasma are a critical resource used in treating and recovering many Manitobans.
Largely starting in 2021, new provincial practices and guidelines were implemented to help bring Manitoba into alignment with national rates of use. These guidelines ensure blood product use is prioritized using best practices to impact patient care the most. With appropriate clinical oversight, the needs of patients continue to be met while the supply is more efficiently managed to allow for a stabilized and standardized use of blood products across the province.
“Achieving these designations is a testament to the incredible work and dedication of health-care providers and administrators across the province,” says Dr. Musuka. “Despite incredible pressures, they have exemplified an unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality care.”
This provincial accomplishment has now been officially acknowledged as the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority recently joined other Manitoba regions and hospitals in receiving the Using Blood Wisely designation.
“We are excited to be part of this important work happening across the province and proud of our region for achieving its Using Blood Wisely designation,” says to Katie Hibbs, Director Health Services – Acute, Selkirk Regional Health Centre.
Using Blood Wisely, launched by Choosing Wisely Canada and Canadian Blood Services, recognizes hospitals that have made significant achievements in meeting national appropriateness benchmarks for reducing inappropriate red blood cell transfusions. The inappropriate use of blood transfusions can significantly strain Canada’s blood supply and increase the risk of potential harm to patients.
In Manitoba, the work included a collaborative transfusion stewardship project called Appropriate Inpatient Red Blood Cell Utilization in Manitoba. This provincial clinical practice change implemented a new set of guidelines that optimizes laboratory and clinical processes to assess the appropriateness of each unit transfused in the inpatient setting. Results have included sustained reductions in inappropriate red blood cell transfusions, leading to improved patient outcomes and reduced risks associated with blood transfusions.
This initiative demonstrates a true provincial effort in implementing practices that benefit the system, health-care providers and patients. This milestone not only highlights leadership in promoting best practices but also serves as a reminder of the critical importance of blood products and the need to carefully manage this life-saving health-care resource.
Les hôpitaux du Manitoba ont franchi une étape importante dans leurs efforts de gestion du sang. Tous les hôpitaux qui pratiquent des transfusions dans la province ont obtenu la désignation Transfuser avec soin.
« Nous avons lancé cette initiative pour nous assurer que les produits sanguins du Manitoba sont utilisés le plus efficacement possible », explique le Dr Charles Musuka, hématopathologiste et directeur médical de la médecine transfusionnelle, Services de diagnostic, Soins communs.
À l’échelle nationale, le Manitoba était l’un des plus importants utilisateurs de produits sanguins, avec un taux d’utilisation en augmentation rapide chaque année. Les produits sanguins, comme les globules rouges et le plasma, sont une ressource essentielle pour traiter la population manitobaine.
Depuis 2021, de nouvelles pratiques et lignes directrices provinciales ont été mises en œuvre pour que le Manitoba harmonise son taux d’utilisation avec celui du pays. Ces lignes directrices visent une utilisation optimale des produits sanguins en s’appuyant sur des pratiques exemplaires qui permettent d’améliorer les soins aux patients. Une surveillance clinique appropriée permet de répondre aux besoins des patients tout en assurant une gestion efficace des produits sanguins ainsi qu’une utilisation connexe uniforme et normalisée dans l’ensemble de la province.
« L’obtention de cette désignation témoigne du travail et du dévouement incroyables des administrateurs et des fournisseurs de soins de santé de la province », déclare le Dr Musuka. « Malgré les conditions difficiles, ils ont fait preuve d’un engagement inébranlable à fournir des soins de qualité. »
Cette initiative provinciale est maintenant officiellement reconnue, et l’Office régional de la santé d’Entre-les-Lacs et de l’Est s’est récemment joint à d’autres régions et hôpitaux du Manitoba pour obtenir la désignation Transfuser avec soin.
« Nous sommes heureux de participer à cette initiative provinciale importante, et nous sommes fiers que notre région ait obtenu la désignation Transfuser avec soin », affirme Katie Hibbs, directrice des services de santé – Soins de courte durée, Centre de santé régional de Selkirk.
Lancé par Choisir avec soin et la Société canadienne du sang, le programme Transfuser avec soin reconnaît les hôpitaux qui ont réalisé des progrès notables pour ce qui est du respect des critères de référence nationaux visant à réduire le nombre de transfusions inappropriées de culots globulaires. Les transfusions sanguines inappropriées diminuent considérablement les réserves de sang du Canada, et augmentent le risque de préjudice pour les patients.
Au Manitoba, l’initiative comprend un projet collaboratif de gestion des transfusions intitulé Utilisation appropriée des transfusions de culots globulaires chez les patients hospitalisés au Manitoba. De nouvelles lignes directrices visant l’optimisation des processus de laboratoire et cliniques afin d’évaluer la pertinence de chaque unité transfusée à un patient hospitalisé ont été mises en œuvre dans le cadre de la modification des pratiques cliniques à l’échelle de la province. Ainsi a-t-on pu observer une réduction durable du nombre de transfusions inappropriées de culots globulaires, une amélioration des résultats pour les patients et une réduction des risques liés aux transfusions sanguines.
Cette initiative témoigne d’un véritable engagement provincial dans la mise en œuvre de pratiques bénéfiques pour le système, les fournisseurs de soins de santé et les patients. Non seulement ce jalon souligne-t-il l’importance de promouvoir les pratiques exemplaires, mais il rappelle également le caractère essentiel des produits sanguins et la nécessité de gérer avec soin cette ressource médicale qui permet de sauver des vies.
When: April 19 at 12 PM ET
Register here
Surgical backlogs are causing significant pressures in provinces across the country, exacerbated by successive waves of the pandemic and shortages in health human resources. What is the role of reducing overuse in addressing backlogs and how can we better support Canadians in making informed decisions about their surgical care?
Join Choosing Wisely Talks on April 19 at 12 p.m. ET to discuss the current state of surgical backlogs in Canada. Experts will discuss the role of shared decision-making, system changes, and how we can work together to improve access to timely and high-quality surgical care.
Dr. Logan Trenaman, Scientist, Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, University of British Columbia
Dr. Sacha Bhatia, Population Health and Value Based Care Executive, Ontario Health
When: March 22 at 12 PM ET
Register: https://choosingwiselycanada.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYod-mvpjssH9T-yQ0AbAmPqM38BULkJDMB
In several provinces, the scope of pharmacist prescribing has expanded, enabling them to assess and prescribe treatments for common syndromes. With other provinces and territories expected to adopt similar approaches, how do we support pharmacists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals in promoting resource stewardship and appropriate prescribing practices?
On March 22 at 12 p.m. ET, Choosing Wisely Talks will discuss the widened scope of practice for pharmacists. Experts will discuss recent changes and future thinking around interprofessional collaboration in patient care.
Danielle Paes, Chief Pharmacist Officer, Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA)
Shelita Dattani, Vice President, Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada
Janet Reynolds, Family Physician, Choosing Wisely Canada Primary Care Co-Lead
Choosing Wisely Canada is now accepting abstracts to be featured at Choosing Wisely Canada’s National Meeting, on May 11 and May 12, 2023.
Showcase your Choosing Wisely Canada initiatives and innovative approaches based on the following themes:
Abstracts will be accepted in English and French. Relevant abstracts will be published in a digital abstract book and considered for in-person presentations in concurrent breakout sessions.
Important Dates:
If you are submitting an abstract from Manitoba, please email [email protected].