Section A: To be submitted by January 8, 2018

Celebrating the Human Spirit Award – Nomination Form

Nominations must be made by an individual member of the College.

Nominee: Prefix: Dr. Name: Jeff Beselt Title: Executive Medical Director, Geography 1 Organization: Island Health Address: c/o Unit C, 220 Dogwood Street, Campbell River, BC V9W 3A6 Phone: 250.204.0310 Fax: Email: Jeffrey.Beselt@viha.ca Team Name (if applicable):

Nominator: Prefix: Ms. Name: Catherine Mackay Title: Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Organization: Island Health Address: Royal Jubilee Hospital, Begbie Hall Executive Offices, Third Floor, 1952 Bay Street,

Victoria, BC, V8R 1J8 Phone: 250-370-8828 (This is the phone number of Ms. Mackay’s assistant, Amelia Roy.)Fax: 250-370-8750Email: Catherine.Mackay@viha.ca (Assistant Amelia Roy’s email: Amelia.Roy@viha.ca)

Please submit nominations to: Julie Bruyère, Coordinator, Corporate Partnerships and Events Canadian College of Health Leaders 292 Somerset Street West Ottawa, ON K2P 0J6 Tel: (613) 235-7218 ext. 236 Toll free: 1-800-363-9056 Fax: (613) 235-5451 jbruyere@cchl-ccls.ca

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Section A cont’d

The following template has been provided to help nominators with the nomination process. Please be sure to complete all sections within the template to the best of your ability. We request that you use this template to submit your nomination.

Summary for Publication (Limit: 250 words) Please include a synopsis of the nominee’s achievements, as they relate to the award criteria. This information will be reviewed by the selection committee in order to create a shortlist of top contenders; it will also be published in the College’s Leading Practices booklet. Dr. Jeff Beselt is driven by his passion for cultural humility. Much of Jeff’s career has been dedicated to serving First Nations communities. He and his family lived in Kwadacha, a remote village in northern BC for three years and were part of the fabric of that community. Jeff continues to travel to Kwadacha and Tsay Keh Dene while supporting local nurses through virtual care 24/7. As Executive Medical Director for North Vancouver Island, Jeff’s vision of a welcoming and culturally safe environment for Indigenous people was foundational to the design of two new hospitals opened in 2017 in Comox Valley and Campbell River. Through Jeff’s commitment and leadership, project staff and leadership participated in “It Takes a Village” workshops organized by local First Nations to foster understanding of Indigenous peoples’ experiences. Working with local Chiefs and Councils, Jeff supported creation of an Aboriginal Working Group (AWG) to provide input on hospital design and signage, customizing both sites to individual First Nations traditions. AWG supported development of the Gathering Place (a room designed to accommodate drumming and smudging ceremonies) and ensured local Indigenous artwork was incorporated into the hospitals. Jeff championed the development of a Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal Maternal Health with birthing rooms designed for extended family and materials/colors chosen by local First Nations. Before both hospitals opened, Jeff organized blessing ceremonies by local First Nations. Jeff’s compassionate spirit is changing culture and his inclusive approach is creating lasting change. He inspires those who work alongside him.

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Contact Information for Publication Please include the nominee’s contact information. This will appear in the College’s Leading Practices booklet. If you do not wish to have contact information published, please indicate “n/a” in the applicable fields.

Please use the contact information provided in the nomination form. (Check if applicable.) Prefix: Dr. Name: Jeff Beselt Title: Executive Medical Director, Geography 1 Organization: Island Health Address: n/a Phone: n/a Fax: n/a Email: Jeffrey.Beselt@viha.ca Team name (if applicable):

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Section B:

You need only complete Section B if your nomination has been shortlisted. The College will notify all shortlisted nominations by mid-December, 2017. Please be sure to include information from Section A when submitting Section B.

Report (Limit: 2,500 words. Please respect the word count limit. The College reserves the right to disqualify nominations that exceed the word count.) Please complete the following sections and clearly articulate why the nominee merits the award.

1. Introduction

Island Health is one of five regional Health Authorities in British Columbia; it serves over 765,000 people of which over 47,000 or 6% of the population are Aboriginal. The majority live in Geography 1 which is comprised of the North of the Island, including Campbell River, Comox, Courtenay, Mt Waddington and Strathcona regions. Dr. Jeff Beselt has been the Executive Medical Director for Geography 1 since 2014.

The profound gaps in health outcomes and social determinants of health for Aboriginal peoples in Island Health, compared to the general population, create an imperative to address these underlying challenges. This is especially relevant since Island Health facilities are located on traditional Indigenous lands and many of the hardships experienced by Aboriginal peoples are due in large part to long-term systemic racism including policies with harmful multigenerational impacts such as residential schools and the reservation system.

One of the barriers to good health lies within the bounds of the healthcare system: many Aboriginal people do not trust—and therefore do not use—mainstream health care services because they don’t feel safe from stereotyping and racism. The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) defines cultural humility as “A life-long process of self-reflection and self-critique to understand personal biases and to develop and maintain mutually respectful partnerships based on mutual trust”. As the FNHA notes: Cultural competency is something that we strive for. Cultural Humility is the only way we get there. With an open heart and open mind, we can increase the space for Cultural Safety.

As you will see from the testimonials attached, Jeff is driven by his passion for improving the social determinants of health, patient experience, and aboriginal health through cultural humility and safety. His approach to his role is one of personal curiosity and growth and he has an innate understanding that leadership is also an opportunity to learn from others.

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These characteristics are evidenced by his work in relation to the North Island, including supporting the staff and physicians through the planning, construction and recent opening of two new hospitals in Campbell River and Comox Valley. It’s also evident in his unwavering commitment to providing clinical care in rural, remote, and underserved communities. Much of Jeff’s career has been dedicated to serving First Nations and Aboriginal communities. For three years, he and his family lived in Fort Ware (Kwadacha), a remote First Nations village in Northern BC, where they became part of the fabric of that community. His children attended school on reserve and learned the local language. Jeff continues to provide clinical support to the people of Fort Ware and Tsay Keh Dene. He is physically present every second week of the month and is on call 24/7 providing telehealth support. Over the years, Jeff has also held several leadership and clinical roles in Island Health. Prior to his current role, he was Chief of Medical Staff at Campbell River Hospital and Medical Director for the North Island Hospitals Project. While in these leadership roles, he has continued to work as an Emergency Department physician at Campbell River Hospital. Jeff is also father to six energetic children and has been married to his wife, Sarah for 21 years.

2. Describe the act, initiative or program that the nominee is being nominated for.

Jeff is being nominated for the actions he has taken in modeling cultural humility and creating culturally safe environments for the Aboriginal communities who live on North Vancouver Island and in the communities of Northern BC where he practices. Through his leadership, Jeff has changed the way that Island Health staff think, and more importantly, behave. Jeff’s actions have been recognized by the Aboriginal communities in which he has lived and worked and his collaborative efforts have resulted in the development of programs and services that are culturally appropriate and welcoming. Through these actions, he is addressing the social determinants of health and leading efforts to close the gap in health status that exists between the Aboriginal and general populations.

3. Discuss how any of the groups below were impacted as a result of the initiative.

Patients and Families: In all aspects of Jeff’s work, whether it is his clinical work in Northern BC and in the Campbell River Emergency Department, or his administrative work as Executive Medical Director, his focus is the guiding principle of patient centred care. The practice of wrapping cultural safety and humility around this principle has had a significant impact on how care and services are provided to patients and their families, in addition to creating changes within the physical environment where care is delivered. Jeff brings care to healing, as many of the people in these communities would tell you that land, mind, body and spirit are all connected to wellness and you cannot have one without the other. The impact of his work is more than an initiative; it’s a calling to a journey of truth, reconciliation and healing.

Community: Through the continued work of focusing on cultural safety and humility as part of care, many providers are learning that people, family and community are not separate as they relate to care and wellness. They are all connected and valued differently amongst people and community. However, through the practice of understanding cultural safety and humility, care providers can begin to reflect on the impact of the past traumas associated with colonization

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and learn where and how to change their practices to create an environment that welcomes people. This is most evident in the new North Island Hospitals where through Jeff’s leadership during the planning, designing and building of these projects, both the physical environment and culture are shifting to be reflective of the care needs of the patients.

Colleagues: Jeff’s leadership has had a major impact on his colleagues, both at the senior most levels of Island Health and at the point of care where he works with a multitude of care providers. Through his appreciative and inquiring approach, Jeff has modeled for his colleagues, that cultural safety is about realizing the power of one’s own life experiences on interactions with others and how that can impact the way care is received and delivered. This reflection inherently improves the patient experience and by association, that of the care provider. Organization: Working with local Chiefs and Councils, Jeff supported creation of an Aboriginal Working Group (AWG). This group was representative of all of the First Nations and Aboriginal Organizations in North Island and members provided input on hospital design and signage, customizing both sites to individual First Nations traditions.

Welcoming Wall in Native Languages

The AWG supported development of the Gathering Place (a room designed to accommodate drumming and smudging ceremonies) and ensured local Indigenous artwork and color palettes were incorporated into the hospitals. Signage and wayfinding also reflect First Nations input.

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The members also contributed by making recommendations on functions of space. But their recommendations went beyond just building design. Healing gardens are a part of the landscaping at both sites and the local communities were involved in the planting ceremony that occurred on National Aboriginal Day.

Aboriginal Working Group in the Healing Garden at Comox Valley Hospital Under Jeff’s leadership, the architects who were hired to design the two hospitals attended a Village Workshop facilitated by Elders in a Big House in Campbell River to hear the impact of colonization. As a result of this session, the architects changed the main entrance of the hospital to reflect a Big House.

Architects for the North Island Hospital attending a Village Workshop

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Jeff also championed the development of a Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal Maternal Health with birthing rooms designed for extended family and materials/colors chosen by local First Nations.

Maternity room designed for larger families – honouring a First Nations tradition In partnership with the FNHA, local physicians, community members and mothers, the patient journey for mothers who had given birth in the North Island was mapped out. As a result of this session, gaps in service including transportation and accommodation were identified and changes are being made to enhance the birthing experience recognizing that family and community play an important part in birth. Island Health and FNHA are actively supporting families in accessing care by addressing social determinants of health in a culturally safe way and working with families to eliminate barriers. A health coach is now located at both North Island Hospital campuses to support improved patient experience for families travelling for confinement, tests and follow up from the rural and remote areas of North Island. Maternal Clinic physicians and the FNHA Maternal Child Health Team continue to collaborate to improve the systems to support coordination of care for all expectant mothers and Cultural Safety training with Physicians and Medical Office Assistants is ongoing.

Vision of the ideal patient journey for maternity patients in North Vancouver Island

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Before both hospitals opened, Jeff organized blessing ceremonies by local First Nations. The significance to the First Nations Communities was profound.

First Nations blessing at Comox Valley Hospital

4. Was this a one-time impact, or has the impact been sustained? Jeff’s impact has been sustained. Jeff is extremely dedicated in all aspects of his life and people who have the privilege of knowing and working with him, feel and gather energy from him on a daily basis. On an organizational basis, his impact is also being felt. For example, within Island Health, Organizational Development, Human Resources, Professional Practice, Quality, and Operations have all embedded cultural safety and humility as a core value of their work. As part of the process of planning for the North Island Hospitals, Jeff developed the “Guiding Principles” that would act as a North Star for assessing whether the decisions being made were consistent with the type of facilities in which people would want to receive care. The Guiding Principles are captured in this logo; the shape is significant as a circle is symbolic to the First Nations community.

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Jeff consistently demonstrates that relationships are the most important factor in working towards reconciliation with the local Indigenous communities. Through his leadership, the North Island Hospital Project Team ensured that the Guiding Principles were incorporated in their work, and in adhering to these principles, set the stage for local First Nations involvement in the design and build of the new sites. The Guiding Principles are reflected upon everyday throughout, not only Island Health, but partnering organizations. Cultural Safety and Humility are no longer just words; instead they are an end point on the path to healing. While working on the design of the hospitals, Jeff would often relay a story about building a treehouse for his kids. Jeff wanted it to be cool, his kids wanted it to be fun, and his wife wanted it to be safe. As he started to build the treehouse high up in a tree, his kids told him it wasn’t fun and his wife told him it wasn’t safe. He realized he needed to listen and find balance. This is a lesson that stayed with him and he uses the story to remind his colleagues of the need for patient centred care.

5. Explain why you feel the act, initiative or program is a celebration of the human spirit. Jeff’s commitment to cultural humility and safety is a testament to his celebration of the cultures in which he lives and works. His willingness to set aside his cultural perspective and to listen and learn from others with an open heart is important, but it is his celebration of the human spirit of a people who have been marginalized and his willingness to build trust one relationship at a time that is truly inspiring. Jeff’s commitment to create an environment free of racism and discrimination where all people feel safe to deliver and receive care is beyond compare. He has chosen to look inward, reflect on his own life experiences, understanding the impact those experiences have had on him and make changes to create relationships based on trust. To his colleagues, this is the epitome of celebrating the human spirit. As one noted: “Jeff’s conviction for putting patients first and providing excellent care within their communities has challenged myself and other providers to rethink how we deliver care”. Jeff’s approach to medicine is the same as his approach to life; it’s about creating a relationship. As he works his Emergency Department shift, he creates a connection – no matter how short a time he may have with a patient. He builds trust and trust creates the space to ask questions and hear answers. He understands the imbalance that power creates and how it gets in the way of creating relationships, which gets in the way of wellness.

6. Discuss the opportunities for knowledge transfer that resulted from this initiative. (For example, could this initiative be applied in other organizations/settings, or how could the initiative influence others to follow in the nominee's footsteps?)

Establishing an Aboriginal Working Group to provide input into the design of the North Island Hospitals is being adopted as a standard by the provincial government and will be incorporated into the design process for the new St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. But more than impacting building design, Jeff’s actions are impacting the delivery of care, and as his colleagues continue to learn from his actions and model his example, Island Health will become a better organization and will better meet the health care needs of our most at risk population.

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Over and above the processes Jeff has introduced, the opportunity to emulate Jeff’s approach to his work is one that has been, and will continue to be, adopted across the organization.

7. Conclusion

Jeff’s spirit may be best summed up in his own words. In his note announcing his decision to step down from his Executive Medical Director role, he wrote: I’ve had the chance to spend a lot of time visiting with elders in their homes over the last 13 years. They often live in very different circumstances than I do. Many of the elders taught my kids their Tsek’ene language when we had the chance to live in Kwadacha. As I walk through the snow to their cabins, I often think I am going to care for them, but it’s often the reverse. One consistent question they ask me: “Dekant’ea (How are you?), Doctor how is your family? It was more than a greeting, more like a value, concern and loving inquisition wrapped into a question. I’ve had to say goodbye to many of these incredible people as they have passed on over the years, but their questions remain with me. In the midst of all of this work of which I am very passionate, I have not made the space to live out my contribution value with my family in the way I would like. The Beselt family is in good shape, but I have not lived out this value consistent with its importance in my life. I plan to continue working in ER in the Campbell River Campus of North Island Hospital, as well as continuing to work and partner with Tsay Keh Dene and Kwadacha nations in northern BC. Most importantly, I plan to have a much more detailed answer to report back to the elders. Mussi cho! (Big thank you) Jeff

Jeff, with one of his children visiting an Elder in Fort Ware. Jeff was given the name “Dene nat tsadi” meaning “strong man” from a Kwadacha Nation Elder

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Patient Stories/Testimonials Please include two patient, family, or community testimonials describing how the nominee has had a positive impact on the patient, their family or the community. (These may be included as appendices.)

How to submit your nomination: The nomination should include all of the items listed below. The nomination is to be submitted to jbruyere@cchl-ccls.ca as one PDF file. The letter of support, and testimonials, should be included in the PDF file as well. Electronic signatures are acceptable.

Nomination deadlines: Section A: November 30, 2017

Section B: February 1, 2018

Please include the following in your nomination package: Section A:

the completed nomination form; and the nomination summary.

You need only complete Section B if your nomination has been shortlisted. The College will notify all shortlisted nominations by mid-December, 2017. Section B:

the completed nomination form; nomination summary; the completed report template; two patient/family testimonials; and a letter of support from the chief executive officer or vice president, who is a

member of the College.

Should you have any questions, please contact: Julie Bruyère, Coordinator, Corporate Partnerships and Events Canadian College of Health Leaders 292 Somerset Street West Ottawa, ON K2P 0J6 Tel: (613) 235-7218 ext. 236 Toll free: 1-800-363-9056 Fax: (613) 235-7218 jbruyere@cchl-ccls.ca

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Sponsored by:

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February 5, 2018

Julie Bruyere, Coordinator Corporate Partnerships and Events Canadian College of Health Leaders 292 Somerset Street West Ottawa, ON K2P 0J6 Re: Letter of Support for Dr. Jeff Beselt I am honored to have been asked to support Dr. Jeffrey Beselt’s nomination for Celebrating the Human Spirit Award. Without hesitation, I accept this privilege and challenge to articulate the ways Dr. Beselt, affectionately known as Jeff, embodies the human spirit of care, compassion, and commitment.

As a community health nurse for the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), I give careful attention to my responsibility of providing nursing care that upholds and promotes FNHA’s Vision of “Healthy, Self-determining and Vibrant BC First Nations Children, Families, and Communities.” Working alongside Dr. Beselt in the First Nations community of Tsay Keh Dene for the past 4 years, I have witnessed his ability to create work environments and working relationships that help advance FNHA’s Vision.

In a work environment wherein, at the community level, two nurses provide primary care, emergency care, public health, and health promotion services in a geographically remote nursing station, Dr. Beselt goes above and beyond the call of duty to be accessible and responsive to community level needs. Regardless of time of day, distance, or inclement weather, Dr. Beselt makes every effort to be reachable through telephone, text, email, and telehealth, for a range of health care providers: nurses, community health representatives, patient transfer network staff, higher level of care physicians, Medevac pilots, and BC Ambulance Service. From non-urgent to resuscitation situations, he is available to offer high quality medical expertise, advocacy, support, and life-saving guidance. When Dr. Beselt is in community for the monthly doctor clinics, he works until everyone seeking medical care is seen, visits Elders in their homes, and participates in community gatherings. Dr. Beselt helps break down obstacles to health service access.

Dr. Beselt understands the Tsay Keh Dene community and their relationship to land and waterways. He has been the community’s primary medical care provider for the last 13 years, several years of which he lived in community with his wife and children. I, and many nurses and community health representatives I have worked with concur that, because Dr. Beselt knows the community well, there is an ease in consulting him about individual, family, and community care plans. Dr. Beselt inspires health care delivery that is collaborative, strength-based, trauma-informed, culturally safe, and relationship centred. His commitment to continuity of care and meaningful relationship-building is medicine.

In my 18 years of nursing experience, Dr. Beselt is a rare doctor who practices cultural humility, and encourages other health providers, including myself, to do the same. He is a valuable mentor who is always willing to teach. Dr. Beselt’s service, as a partner to the Tsay Keh Dene First Nations health and wellness journey, has made lasting and profound impacts to mine and many other nurses’ commitment in supporting the health, self-determination, and vibrancy of Tsay Keh Dene’s children, families and community.

Yours truly,

Leah Diana

Ms. Barbara Whyte 3003 Back Road

Comox, BC V9M 4E4 February 1, 2018

Julie Bruyère, Coordinator Corporate Partnerships and Events Canadian College of Health Leaders 292 Somerset Street West Ottawa, ON K2P 0J6 Dear Ms. Bruyere: RE: Letter of Support - Dr. Jeff Beselt, "Celebrating the Human Spirit Award"

My name is Barbara Whyte and I am an Elder of the K’omoks First Nation in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, BC.

I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Jeff Beselt for several years on the recent North Island Hospital Project in the Comox Valley. My participation was around the construction planning of the "All Nations Room," Plant Medicine Garden, Mural and Welcoming Wall in the reception area, which includes colored photos of medicinal plants from our territory.

Dr. Jeff Beselt was intent on including First Nations Peoples from the very first concept of a new hospital in the Comox Valley. He attended all of our First Nations Health Forums, and was very generous with his time on the project – starting with the construction plans that he fabricated on paper, and laid out for us to view with the various First Nations Chiefs and health leads present.

The "All Nations Room," Welcoming Wall and the Plant Medicine Garden have created a perpetual bridge between alternative health care and scientific health care, and for me (a Traditional Practitioner and trained Nurse who has worked in acute care settings) this is a dream come true. These initiatives are a reminder of our physical, emotional and spiritual health needs; they provide awareness and support, and will have a sustaining impact for generations to come.

Dr. Jeff Beselt spearheaded the inclusion of our people, our culture, and our medicine into the building of the new hospital, and I am very grateful to him for making it all possible. He truly is a celebration of the human spirit…

Sincerely,

Ms. Barbara Whyte, Elder