Bow Valley PCN – Bow Valley Primary Care Network

Bow Valley Physician Shortage

Bulletin March 22, 2022: Recently we have seen a crunch on our physicians in the Bow Valley. With some doctors leaving the community we are now in the unique position of having no physicians accepting new patients. This creates a challenge for all of us as we try to keep our community and ourselves in optimal health.

For those who do not have a family doctor, walk-in appointments can be booked with a physician at Banff Alpine Medical Clinic (please call ahead 403-762-3155), please note that this clinic is not accepting new patients, but is offering appointments for single-issue visits (e.g. urinary tract infections, injuries, STI’s).

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We encourage everyone in the community to attend a ceremony, wear orange, familiarize yourself with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and simply, listen.

This day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.

The Bow Valley Primary Care Network will be observing Truth & Reconciliation Day on September 30 as a statutory holiday and our offices will be closed.

Good Food Box

The Bow Valley Good Food Box (GFB) is a monthly assortment of fresh produce that focuses on packing in as much nutritious food as it can, while sourcing local, seasonal, and organic when possible. The content of the Box varies each month based on seasonal availability and pricing. Please note there are no choices/replacement items.

The regular price of the Bow Valley Good Food Box is $30, taxes included. This is open to anyone in the Bow Valley. A partially subsidized option of $25 is offered to people with a lower-income* or who have been affected by COVID-19. These subsidies are provided by a grant from the Rotary Club of Canmore and the Bow Valley Christmas Spirit Campaign.

Order your Good Food Box this month

Mental Health Supports in the Bow Valley

The Bow Valley PCN supports a variety of Mental Health supports and resources. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Our Clinicians offer free Community Classes to help maintain your Mental Health and Wellness and there are many FREE mental health resources available to Bow Valley residents.

Community Classes

Our clinicians offer free Community Classes year-round. Topics include nutrition, active living, behavioural change, pre- and post-natal, mental health, and general wellness.

Browse our upcoming classes.

Acknowledgment of Land

The Bow Valley Primary Care Network is grateful to reside in the Bow Valley corridor, the Traditional Territory of the Îyârhe Nakoda peoples. The Îyârhe Nakoda are part of Treaty 7; an agreement signed in 1877 between the Canadian government, the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina of the Dene people, and the Îyârhe Nakoda.

We wish to honour the past, present, and future generations of all the Indigenous Peoples who have lived, cared for, and gathered on this land for generations. We make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to those whose territory we currently reside on.

Please join the Bow Valley Primary Care Network in our commitment to continuing to learn, grow, connect and engage respectfully on these lands.

Recharge and Reflect

The Bow Valley Primary Care Network is launching R&R: Recharge & Reflect a free community health challenge.

Just like physical health, caring for our mental health is important to living our best lives! There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and it requires a balanced look at how we care for our bodies, minds, emotions, and spirit. Based on both Indigenous wisdom and modern science, these cards provide a simple and holistic challenge to help people stay healthy in a way that works for them.

Recharge & Reflect is designed to be used anytime, in a variety of ways, by community groups and individuals. The goal is to increase positive health behaviours that are correlated with increased mental well-being.

When & Where: Designed to be accessible anywhere, with the resources you already have.

Kits: Along with the R&R cards themselves, we can provide employers and community leaders with “R&R kits” (limited supply) which include a tote bag, journal, pen, mountain stress ball, and magnetic word set.

Team leaders: contact lhorsman@bowvalleypcn.ca to request kits for their teams.

Individuals: please visit bowvalleypcn.ca/recharge to participate.