Breast milk is the best food to help your baby to grow and develop. It is custom-made by each mother for her own baby, and contains the perfect amount of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals. Remarkably, as your baby grows, your milk will also change to keep up with your baby’s needs. Human milk is also easier than formula for your baby to digest, which means less mess and fuss!
 
Breast milk contains valuable antibodies that help prevent disease and may reduce the risk of your baby developing allergies. After birth, your first milk, called Colostrum, offers vital early protection and helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria by coating your baby’s digestive system. This early protection is even more important if your baby is born prematurely.
 
Benefits to Mom
Research suggests that breastfeeding provides a measure of protection against breast cancer, ovarian cancer and weak bones later in life.
Your body uses calories to produce milk, so breastfeeding can help you to gradually lose weight gained during pregnancy. Exclusive breastfeeding may also delay the return of menstruation for at least a little while.
Breast milk is always safe, fresh and exactly the right temperature. It’s ready for baby at a moment’s notice, and you don’t have to heat it, boil water, or sterilize bottles. This makes night time feedings a lot easier.
Since breast milk is always with you, travelling and shopping with your baby is simpler, with no equipment to carry or refrigeration needed.
Breastfeeding Support
Breastfeeding is natural, but it may take up to six weeks or longer to establish, so don’t give up!  Advice and support are available from your midwife/primary care provider and/or public health unit.  They have experience with the challenges you may be facing and will understand how you feel. 
Everyone can offer encouragement so mothers feel supported to breastfeed anytime, anywhere.  The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team welcomes and encourages breastfeeding on our premises.  We have a designated breastfeeding area with a special comfy chair available for breastfeeding mothers (provided by the Timiskaming Health Unit).  Please feel free to enquire at the front desk.


The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team…
committed to keeping you as healthy as possible!

Spirometry is a common and effective diagnostic test that can easily be done in your health care provider’s office. Spirometry is the most reliable way to test your lungs for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma. The earlier it’s done, the earlier lung disease can be detected and treated.

Who should have spirometry testing? 

People with asthma:
Spirometry is an important diagnosis and management tool for people with asthma. If you have asthma and have never had a spirometry test, please talk to our respiratory therapist about spirometry.

Smokers and former smokers:
If you are over 40 and smoke or used to smoke, you may have COPD. Take this quick test:

1. Do you cough regularly?
2. Do you cough up phlegm regularly?
3. Do even simple chores make you short of breath?
4. Do you wheeze when you exert yourself (exercise, go up stairs)?
5. Do you get many colds, and do your colds usually last longer than your friends’ colds?

If you answered "Yes" to one or more of these questions, you may have symptoms of COPD. See our respiratory therapist to find out what is causing your symptoms


Why should I see a respiratory therapist? Can't it wait?
If you get early treatment for COPD you can slow down the damage to your lungs.

Referrals to our respiratory therapist are generated through the Temagami FHT’s physician, nurse practitioner, registered nurse or through self-referral by calling (705) 569-3244 to request an appointment.

What is a foam roller and how can it help to reduce soreness and pain?
A foam roller is a large cylinder-shaped object that is made of high-density foam.  It’s a type of self-massage used to release trigger points or relieve muscle tightness.  Foam rolling can be used as a “mobile massage therapist” to relieve everyday aches and pains, including chronic conditions.  

What are the Benefits?

• Improvement of circulation
• Improved flexibility
• Lengthening of ligaments and tendons
• Release of tight muscles
• Reduction in level of soreness after a strength training work out
• Stretching of areas that are hard to reach using deep pressure massage methods
• Prevention of injuries
• Promotion of an optimal range of spinal motion
• Breaking down of knots found in muscles and reduction of pain

The Temagami FHT will be launching a 6-week Foam Roller Workshop.  From your head, neck and shoulders to your feet, in this workshop you’ll learn simple movements and variations tailored to your specific condition(s) or recovery.  These skills will empower you to a new level of self-care.

These free classes are available to rostered patients of the Temagami Family Health Team.
For more information or to find out when and where the workshop is taking place,
please call (705) 569-3244.

In Ontario, Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses with additional education and experience who are able to order and interpret diagnostic tests, communicate diagnoses, prescribe medications and perform specific procedures.

NPs emphasize health promotion as well as illness/injury prevention and complement rather than replace the care delivered by other health care providers. As well as providing a wide range of health care services to patients, NPs can also help patients to access other health and social services that they may require.

NPs work collaboratively with many other health professionals. In particular, they consult with physicians, as required by the needs of their patients.

Primary Health Care NPs:
Primary Health Care NPs generally work in community settings and provide general primary health care services to people of all ages. For many people, primary health care NPs are their first and most frequent point of contact with the health care system. Examples of the types of health care services provided by primary health care NPs include:

• Annual physicals;
• Patient counselling (e.g., mental health, family planning, medication compliance);
• Health promotion (e.g., smoking cessation);
• Immunization against disease;
• Screening for diseases (e.g. cervical cancer);
• Treatment for short-term acute illnesses (e.g., infections, minor injuries);
• Monitor patients with stable chronic illnesses (e.g., diabetes);
• Referrals to other health care services (e.g, home care services);
• Referrals to social services (e.g., housing supports).

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) at the Temagami FHT is an integral part of the team who collaborates with our physician and other interdisciplinary providers, i.e. RN, mental health worker, dietitian, and respiratory therapist to provide the best possible care for our patients. Our NP provides same day/next day appointments as appropriate and offers extended hours on Tuesdays.  Please call (705) 569-3244 to schedule an appointment.

A resident of Ontario must have a health card to show that he or she is entitled to health care services paid for by OHIP.  The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) pays for a wide range of services, however, it does not pay for services that are not medically necessary.

Most of your Ontario health benefits are covered across Canada.  The province or territory you are visiting will usually bill the Ontario MOHLTC directly for hospital and physician services.  In Quebec, you may have to pay for physician services and then submit your receipt to your local ministry office for payment.

OHIP coverage normally becomes effective three months after the date you establish residency in Ontario.  The Ministry strongly encourages new and returning residents to purchase private health insurance in case you become ill during the OHIP waiting period.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Whether it’s the red and white health card or the newer photo health card, you should carry it with you at all times.  The Ontario MOHLTC requires that your health card must be validated by your health care provider whenever you are presenting for health care services.
• Each and every time you present to the Temagami Medical Centre for services, please be prepared to give your health card to the receptionist who will swipe it to retrieve your electronic medical record. Also, it is extremely important that you let the receptionist know if there have been changes to your address or telephone number so we can ensure that your medical record is up-to-date.
  

Blood work is done as part of your annual health exam or to assist in monitoring certain medications or illnesses.

The average healthy person needs their blood work done every 1-3 years. As a person ages, as health problems develop or prescriptions change, blood work may need to be done more often. This is especially true in cases of diabetes or with the use of Coumadin, a medication that helps make the blood less “sticky”. In these situations, the patient is usually asked to come in more often. In most other situations, such as increased bad cholesterol or triglycerides, the blood work really only needs to be checked once every year.

The following is information that might be helpful before you come in for blood work: 

• If you are thirsty, you can and should drink small amounts of water while you are fasting for blood work.
• Fasting means no food or drink (except water) or smoking for 12 – 14 hours prior to having your blood drawn. This also means no gum.
• Most medication can and should be taken prior to having fasting blood work done. The exception would be diabetic medication or medication that must be taken with food. 
• If you are diabetic, you do not necessarily have to have fasting blood work done every time you have your blood drawn. If you are unsure, ask your provider.
• Wear loose clothing especially around the arms. Short sleeves are best.
• Let the provider know if you have ever felt “light headed” or have fainted when having your blood drawn.
• If you cannot get an appointment in the desired time in Temagami, you can take your requisition to another laboratory. This is sometimes helpful if you have plans to be out of town during the timeframe that you want your blood work done.
• Relax – drawing blood is easier when you are relaxed. Sometimes it looks like a large amount of blood is being drawn, but remember each vial contains no more than 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons

Blood work is an important part of monitoring you health. It usually does not need to be done frequently but it does need to be done. If you haven’t had either your blood work or an annual health exam done within the last few years, contact the Temagami Family Health Team to schedule an appointment.

Heath care is a team effort.  You, as the patient, are a primary team member and as such, you are expected to be an active participant in your health care.

Your responsibilities include:

• Ensuring your health care provider has accurate and complete information about current symptoms and complaints; current medications and treatments; allergies and past medical history including illness, injury and treatments;

• Keeping all appointments and NOTIFYING THE OFFICE IN ADVANCE if this is not possible;

• Returning to the clinic if you are still unwell after treatment;

• Notifying your primary care provider of any significant change in condition or reaction to treatment or diagnostics;

• Actively participating in all decisions about treatments and asking questions if there is any confusion—please continue to ask questions if you still don’t understand;

• Complying with prescribed treatments and lifestyle changes or discussing options or alternatives with the provider(s), and asking for help if you don’t understand how;

• Scheduling your own diagnostic imaging appointments, e.g. ultrasound.  A requisition will be provided to you by our office, but it is your responsibility to call and schedule your appointment.  No one knows your schedule better than you do!

• Booking an appointment to follow up when your provider orders diagnostic testing, i.e. lab work, x-rays, ultrasound, etc. especially if you are unwell;

• Calling the pharmacy to have your prescriptions refilled (if you have refills) or calling to make an appointment BEFORE you run out if you have no refills. We would like to see you once a year to renew all of your medications (narcotics not included); please keep your medications in their original containers.

• Calling the office to enquire about test results or specialist appointments if a reasonable amount of time has elapsed without hearing from us.

• Informing reception of any changes to your address, phone number, health card number or change in pharmacy. It’s important to keep this information up-to-date!