Canadian Emporiatric Medical Society

L'Association Emporiatrics Medicale Canadienne

2006 Report

Executive Summary

Canadian Emporiatric Medical Society

L'Association Emporiatrics Medicale Canadienne

Canadian Emporiatric Medical Society L'Association Emporiatrics Medicale Canadienne is a national education group headquartered in Winnipeg.

At present, its main goal is to provide continuing medical education for nurses, physicians and lay people. Our publications are available free from our website.

The organization started as a local group Wilderness Medicine Manitoba and has published a series of lectures concerning medical subjects not commonly discussed.

Our past and present faculty and members has included speakers from different backgrounds to give a multidisciplinary perspective on human and animal health issues that are controversial or not yet fully characterized in Canadian Medical literature.

Archived Prior Meetings

2003

Wilderness Medicine Manitoba (1 st annual meeting)

2004

Wilderness Medicine Manitoba (2 nd annual meeting)

2005

Wilderness Medicine Manitoba (3rd annual meeting)

(Immunization-1 st day, Expedition medicine –2 nd day)

Caribbean Sports Medicine

(Co produced with University at Sea)

Black Sea Travel medicine

(Co produced with Seacourses)

Winter Sports Medicine

(Co produced with Wilderness Medical Society)

Arctic Medicine (Churchill, Manitoba)

(Published with Canadian Arctic Medicine)

2006

Food Poisoning Meeting (4 th Annual meeting)

Future planned themed meetings:

Zoonoses

Water safety (a planned companion meeting to the Food Poisoning Meeting)

Canadian Travel Medicine Course

Our Travel Medicine Course has been organized to provide an evidence based platform for clinicians planning to start an Immunization or Travel Medicine Practice.

Part 1 Basic Travel medicine will take place in Calgary Feb 9 and 10 th , 2007

Part 2 Advanced Travel Medicine will take place in Vancouver May 18 and 19 th , 2007

Future sittings in other Canadian cities are being planned.

We are also trying to accredit this course as a Diploma Certificate course as well.

Partners and Stakeholders in health

We are pleased to acknowledge many of the local and national groups we have done joint projects with. Many of these although lay organizations are very important to us as they share the same goals towards preventing diseases and promoting health.

Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce

Have been very helpful in the last several years . In 2006 we jointly involved an immunization at work program to reach small businesses.

Allied Beauty Association

Through the annual ABA meeting and meeting with local Estheticians two pamphlets were produced:

“Estheticians and Viruses” and “Body Art Safety”. These focus on awareness of Hepatitis B among Winnipeg Salon workers and Tattooists, and offer them group access to Hepatitis B immunization programs.

Manitoba Hotel Association

We participated in Centrex, the annual meeting of the Hospitality industry. Many Winnipeg Hotels have started employee immunization programs.

Manitoba Restaurant Association

Manitoba Cooks and Chefs Association

We have kept close ties with both groups and have started a Food hygiene program which have educated managers and owners on Hepatitis A and Influenza. A pilot project involving voluntary Hepatitis A immunization of restaurant employees is underway.

Manitoba Travel Agents

We have had a very good liaison with local travel agents and are using the Winnipeg experience as an example to other provinces and countries at the International Society of Travel Medicine meeting in Vancouver 2007. Local independent agencies have been able to help facilitate understanding of immunizations for travelers.

Red River Community Nursing College

The RRC Directors- Mr Shane Woods (Outgoing), and Mr Ian Blackmore (Interim Director) have worked with us and helped establish an on campus flu clinic to reach more students. This was also a valuable opportunity to promote immunization in a group setting and dispel myths for these future healthcare workers.

Ongoing Projects and Initiatives

As Part of our educational role through our meetings and travel medicine course we wish to assist other clinics across Canada among members

Flushot@Work

This project involves a mobile nurse/physician/receptionist team to attend businesses and administer flu immunizations

HepatitisAshot@Work

Using the flu shot approach we have applied the same approach to restaurants

Human Papilloma Virus Awareness

We are promoting among Travel clinics, OBGYN, and pediatricians a model to explain HPV disease and administer the HPV in an efficient manner.

This is likely to follow with other vaccines such as Zostavax (Shingles, coming in 2007) where the pre-existing infra structure of a travel clinic will be useful in administering vaccines not covered by Provincial health services.

HepatitisBshot@Work

This program focuses on businesses at high risk for hepatitis

Project Travel Agents

In order to keep an open relationship with local travel agents we provide specialized advice for group travel on request regarding safety issues for specialized tours. This service and any specialized presentations are given free to local agencies.

Expedition Support

Sojourners and technical adventure explorers may request specialized group planning and even nurse or physician support if available. Costs and liability insurance must be evaluated first on a case-by-case basis.

Project Educator

Our society is developing a library of presentations to have available for special interest groups on health topics especially vaccines.

Groups we have lectured to have included: Schools and Universities, Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, Teachers, Government workers, and Travel agencies. These presentations are intended to be versatile so as to be received well for laypeople as well as professionals.

Pilot project expansions

We are examining and evaluating the success of various Manitoba based initiatives to see how well they will work in other cities or areas in Canada. Many may be transplanted successfully but this is not always assured. We plan to work with our members across Canada to create a supportive network to enhance healthcare beyond the expectations of Provincial models by finding and engaging partners in the business world.