About Us

Staff:

Executive Director:               MARY ANNE BEITH

Mary Anne has extensive managerial experience with non-profit organizations.  She was the Executive Officer with The Sault Ste. Marie Real Estate Board, worked in administration at the Sault Area Hospital and the Ontario Lottery Corporation.  She holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Algoma University and has completed several Front Line Leadership Courses and has received training in employee coaching, engagement and recruitment.  Her background includes management, finance, administration and technology. She is currently working towards her Masters in Business Administration.  She was the first employee hired at the North Channel NPLC in July of 2013. 

She enjoys every day at the clinic and strives towards leading the team to provide the best quality care for the residents of a huge and diverse geographical catchment area. She is a past Director on the Board of the Association for Healthier Communities, formerly the Association of Ontario Health Centres, that represent 107 health care organizations across the province. She is currently a member of the Alliance Rural, Remote and Northern Steering committee. 

 

 Nurse Practitioner:              DANIEL COLLINGS, BSCN MN PHCNP

Dan Collings is a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner who grew up in Echo Bay,ON. He graduated from the Sault College BScN Nursing program in 2010, and spent the next five years working in the Emergency Department at the hospital in Sudbury. Dan relocated with his family back to the Algoma area in 2016, and gained employment at Group Health's Occupational Health Department at Algoma Steel Inc. in Sault Ste. Marie.  In the spring of  2020, Dan graduated from the Masters degree in the Nursing / Nurse Practitioner Program from Athabasca University.  Dan  is excited to provide primary care services to the Thessalon, Echo Bay and the North Channel area.

 

Nurse Practitioner:               MARTINE TERESINSKI, BSCN MN PHCNP

Martine is originally from Echo Bay.  She has been a Nurse Practitioner since 2012, has completed a Masters in Nursing from Laurentian University in 2014, has a Bachelor of Nursing from Laurentian as well as a Bachelor of Science from Guelph University.  She has completed courses in advanced nursing footcare, minor procedures, concurrent disorders - CAMH, crisis prevention, prescribed narcotics, opioid dependency, diabetic wound care, dementia care, palliative care as well as leadership.  She is thrilled to be back in the area and wishes to pursue her dream of owning a hobby farm. 

 

Registered Nurse:                 TANYA ALLEN, RN

Tanya graduated from Cambrian College in Sudbury with a Registered Nurse Diploma  in 1998.  She began her career at the Med Plus Health Centre in London Ontario and remained there for 15 years working in family practice.  She is registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario and has recently completed training in Chronic Disease Self Management.  Additionally, she completed her Geriatric Education Series and assists in geriatric consultation clinics several times a year.  Tanya conducts patient education sessions for hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, and does the venipuncture at the clinic.

Tanya works enthusiastically at the clinic and creates positive experiences for all of the patients. 

Social Worker:                        MARNEY YOUNGSON

Marney graduated from the University of Windsor in 1982 with her honours Bachelor of Social Worker degree, and returned to her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, where she was employed as a Student and Family Counsellor until 2017.  Marney moved to Thessalon several years ago and was employed in Elliot Lake as a Registered Social Worker (OCSWSSW), specializing in the areas of Sexual Abuse and Trauma until 2019 when in March she joined the North Channel NPLC.  Marney is an invested team member, providing individual and couples counselling to her clients, with special interests in areas concerning anxiety, depression and loss and trauma. 

Registered Practical Nurse:   COLLEEN ORR, RPN

Colleen graduated from Sault College in 1999 with a Registered Practical Nursing Certificate and is a registered RPN with the College of Nurses of Ontario.  She began her career in home care and long term care until working in primary health care in 2002, when she joined the Group Health Centre.  She continued to work there until she started at the North Channel NPLC in 2014.  Colleen completed training in Maternal & Newborn Education(1), Palliative Care, RPNAO Leadership, RNAO Smoking Cessation Champions and Stand UP.  She is the Safety Representative at the clinic and has completed the Work Specific Joint Health & Safety Committee Certification (Level II).

Colleen brings a professional edge to the team and has implemented excellent procedures when providing care.  She has been influential in developing the satellite location in Echo Bay and is proud of this contribution in a community where she was raised. 

Administrative Assistant:      KERRY GOODMURPHY

Kerry is the newest member of our team.  Her background includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University Guelph with a double major in Management and Economics. Kerry has an extensive background in management and finance.

Kerry was born and raised in Thessalon and currently resides there with her family. She is very passionate about the community she lives in and looks forward to helping sustain health care locally.

 

Board of Directors:

Past President:                       Brenda Paat

President:                                Tracy Buffone

Directors:                                Sheila Martineau

                                                 Andrew Belsito

                                                 Linda Mizzi

        Ashley Caputo

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Vision, Mission & Values

The vision, mission and values of the NC NPLC guide the Board’s actions.

Vision:   North Channel Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic is a primary care service in which interdisciplinary health care providers collaboratively deliver programs and services that respond to the needs of the communities served.

Mission:   North Channel Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic is a not-for-profit corporation that provides primary care, including; prevention, screening, education, diagnosis and treatment for chronic and episodic illnesses to patients in Central Algoma who do not have primary health care providers.  Led by nurse practitioners, the interdisciplinary team assists clients to achieve and maintain their optimal health.

Values:  The values of the clinic guide all the actions and decisions of the staff and board.

  1. Excellence in Patient Care

The NC NPLC is dedicated to the common cause of achieving and ensuring excellence in patient care.  The NC NPLC is committed to accessing technology and other initiatives to strengthen competencies and contributions of all practitioners in order to provide excellent care to patients. 

  1. Collaboration/Integration

The NC NPLC uses collaboration and integration, to work together in order to enhance the level of primary health care available to the community.

  1. Mutual Respect

The NC NPLC respects the roles, competencies, diversity, worth and contributions of all practitioners and staff who form the NC NPLC.  All staff and board members will engage in honest, courteous and non-judgmental communication and acknowledge the needs of others to be involved in decisions that could affect their interests and roles in the organization.

  1. Accountability

The NC NPLC acts responsibly in accordance with professional and clinical service standards, use resources wisely and efficiently, shares information appropriately and measures and reports on performance to key stakeholders.

  1. Innovation

The NC NPLC is committed to acting upon and contributing to the latest advances in best practices.  The policies, procedures are aimed at fostering mutual understanding and a working environment that encourages individual initiative, creativity and problem solving, that enables professional development through continuous learning and recognizes and rewards high performance and team excellence.

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Quality Improvement Plans   

           Excellent Care for All

Health Quality Ontario

Health Quality Ontario (HQO) is the agency in Ontario mandated to advise government and health care providers on the evidence to support high-quality care, to support improvements in quality, and to monitor and report to the public on the quality of health care provided in Ontario. The agency received this mandate through the Excellent Care for All Act, 2010 (ECFAA). The goal of ECFAA, as well as Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care, is to transform the healthcare system by creating greater public accountability, increasing the focus on quality, bringing patient satisfaction to the forefront and basing patient care decisions on the best scientific evidence available.

HQO’s critical roles in the implementation of this quality agenda, as outlined by the legislation, are :

  • to monitor and report to the people of Ontario on,
    • access to publicly funded health services,
    • health human resources in publicly funded health services,
    • consumer and population health status, and
    • health system outcomes;
  • to support continuous quality improvement;
  • to promote health care that is supported by the best available scientific evidence by,
    • making recommendations to health care organizations and other entities on standards of care in the health system, based on or respecting clinical practice guidelines and protocols, and
    • making recommendations, based on evidence, concerning the Government of Ontario’s provision of funding for health care services and medical devices.

HQO is an important leader in the health care system, strategically formed by the amalgamation of several health care improvement organizations and programs. HQO will evaluate evidence, spread knowledge, and report on the system's progress, building the foundation to help Ontario's health care system become the sustainable resource it needs to be for future generations to come.

For more information about HQO please visit their website at :  http://www.ohqc.ca

Our Quality Improvement Plans can be seen at:  https://qipnavigator.hqontario.ca/Resources/PostedQIPs.aspx 

 

PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEY:  Approximatley 240 surveys are received annually from patients of the clinic.