The Prairie Mountain Health (PMH; ; formerly Western Regional Health Authority) is the governing body responsible for

healthcare Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...

delivery and regulation for the eponymous

health region Health regions, also called health authorities, are a governance model used by Canada's provincial and territorial governments to administer and deliver public health care to all Canadian residents. Health care is designated a provincial responsi ...

in southwest Manitoba. PMH is one of 5 regional health authorities (RHAs) in Manitoba, and was formed in June 2012 by amalgamating the former regional health authorities of Brandon, Assiniboine, and Parkland. As of July 2019, PMH has approximately 7,846 employees. Covering a geographical area of about , the region is made up of 55 municipalities (including the cities of Brandon and Dauphin), 14 First Nation communities, 15 Northern Affairs community councils, and 32 Hutterite communities. As of 2018, the population of the region was 170,899 (~12.9% of Manitoba's population). The region includes 20 acute care (hospital) sites, 43 long-term care (

personal care Personal care or toiletries are consumer products used in personal hygiene, personal grooming or for beautification. Products Personal care includes products as diverse as cleansing pads, colognes, cotton swabs, cotton pads, deodorant, eye lin ...

home) sites, and 9 transitional care sites; as well as 6 primary healthcare centres, 1 primary care centre ( Swan River), 1 orthopedic rehabilitation centre (

Rivers A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

), and 38 EMS ambulance facilities. During the 2019/20 fiscal year, PMH was the largest user of Manitoba

telehealth Telehealth is the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. It allows long-distance patient and clinician contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, mon ...

in the province.

Locations and communities

The Region is made up of 55 municipalities, 14 First Nation communities, 15 Northern Affairs community councils, and 32 Hutterite communities. There are also 2 designated

Francophone French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the l ...

communities:

St. Lazare Lazarus of Bethany (Latinised from Lazar (name), Lazar, ultimately from Hebrew language, Hebrew Eleazar, "God helped"), also venerated as Righteous Lazarus, the Four-Days Dead in the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the subject of a prominent Miracle ...

in the Asessippi area and Ste. Rose in the Agassiz Mountain area, as well as a significant French-speaking community on and around the Canadian Forces Base Shilo.

Indigenous communities

The geographical area of PMH includes 14 First Nation communities: * Treaty 2 — Ebb and Flow, Keeseekoowenin, O-Chi-Chak-O-Sipi, and Skownan * Treaty 4 — Gambler First Nation, Pine Creek, Rolling River, Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, Tootinaowaziibeeng, Waywayseecappo, and Wuskwi Sipihk * Dakota First Nation (no Numbered Treaties) — Birdtail, Sioux Valley, and Canupawakpa The

Manitoba Métis Federation The Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) a federally recognized Métis organization provincially incorporated in Manitoba, Canada, on 28 December 1967. Its current president is David Chartrand. In September of 2021, the MMF withdrew from the Métis Nat ...

(MMF) is represented by 7 regions in Manitoba, with the MMF-Southwest and MMF-Northwest regions being within the boundaries of PMH, as well as a small pocket of several northern Métis Locals/communities.

Brandon Regional Health Centre

The Brandon Regional Health Centre (BRHC) is the largest facility within the Prairie Mountain Health region and a central health-care hub for western Manitoba. In 2016, the BRHC began a $16.8-million renovation project, with $15.8m funded by the Government of Manitoba and the remaining $1.1m coming from the PMH and a campaign by the BRHC Foundation. The project was officially completed in the 2019/20 fiscal year.

Former health authorities

Prairie Mountain Health was formed in June 2012 by amalgamating the former Brandon, Assiniboine, and Parkland Regional Health Authorities.

Assiniboine Regional Health Authority

The Assiniboine Regional Health Authority (ARHA) was the health-care service provider for the Assiniboine Region in southwestern Manitoba until it merged into Prairie Mountain Health in 2012. The population of the ARHA before the merge was estimated at 71,500. Covering an area of , the region began from the northwestern point in the Rural Municipality of Shellmouth-Boulton near the community of

Russell Russell may refer to: People * Russell (given name) * Russell (surname) * Lady Russell (disambiguation) * Lord Russell (disambiguation) Places Australia *Russell, Australian Capital Territory *Russell Island, Queensland (disambiguation) **Ru ...

, continuing down the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border until meeting the USA border, and extending south-east to the Rural Municipality of South Norfolk near Treherne, and north to the

Rural Municipality of Glenella The Rural Municipality of Glenella is a former rural municipality (RM) in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was originally incorporated as a rural municipality on April 10, 1920. It ceased on January 1, 2015, as a result of its provincially man ...

in the Neepawa area. ARHA provided health services in the following communities: Baldur, Birtle,

Boissevain Boissevain is the name of a Dutch patrician family of Huguenot origin. History The family originates from the Dordogne in France. Lucas Bouyssavy (1660–1705) appears to have been the founder of today's Boissevain family.

, Carberry,

, Cartwright, Deloraine, Elkhorn, Erickson,

Glenboro Glenboro is an unincorporated urban community in the Municipality of Glenboro – South Cypress within the Canadian province of Manitoba that held village status prior to January 1, 2015. it is located about 80 km southeast of the City of B ...

, Hamiota, Hartney, Killarney, Melita, Minnedosa, Neepawa,

Reston Reston may refer to: Places * Reston, Florida, an unincorporated community in Florida, United States * Reston, Lincolnshire, a parish in England * Reston, Manitoba, a small community in southwestern Manitoba, Canada * Reston Scar, a fell in Cumbria ...

, Russell, Sandy Lake, Shoal Lake, Souris,

Strathclair Strathclair is a locality in the province of Manitoba in Western Canada. It is located northwest of Brandon, Manitoba and is on Highway 16. It lies within the Rural Municipality of Yellowhead. The population is 709 in the 2016 census Sixteen ...

, Treherne, Virden, and Wawanesa. It also included Riding Mountain National Park. ARHA operated 20 acute care facilities, 1 transitional care unit, 28 long-term care facilities, and 7 elderly persons housing units. The ARHA provided public health, mental health, diagnostic, emergency medical, and home care services, with 64 physicians providing medical services in the area.

ARHA governance

The BHRA was run by a 14-member board of directors. The Minister of Health appointed directors for a 3-year term. In August 2011, the ARHA directors were: * Dean Dietrich (based in Neepawa) – Chairperson * Debbie Eastcott ( Shoal Lake) * Randy Hodge ( Killarney) * Kristine Janz ( Baldur) * Jacqueline Leforte ( Goodlands) * Marg MacDonald ( Brandon) * Kelvin Nerbas ( Shellmouth) * Eva Whitebird ( Rolling River First Nation) * Leona Williams ( Deloraine) * Laura McDougald-Williams (Brandon) * Reginald Buss * Isobel Jarema (Neepawa) * Terry Johnson ( Virden) * Pat Phillips

Brandon Regional Health Authority

The Brandon Regional Health Authority (BRHA) was the governing body for

services in and around the City of

Brandon, Manitoba Brandon () is the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the southwestern corner of the province on the banks of the Assiniboine River, approximately west of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, and east of the ...

. In addition to Brandon, the BRHA service area included the Rural Municipalities of Cornwallis, Elton, and Whitehead, as well as being a regional referral centre for Manitoba's Westman area. Based on the 2001

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

census, the BRHA served a population of 47,652. In 2005, the BRHA was criticized for a lack of

medical specialists A medical specialty is a branch of medical practice that is focused on a defined group of patients, diseases, skills, or philosophy. Examples include those branches of medicine that deal exclusively with children ( paediatrics), cancer (oncology), ...

and slow recruitment for departing physicians.

BHRA governance

As of September 2011, the BRHA board members were: *Marg MacDonald – Chairperson *Alison McNeill-Hordern – Vice Chair *Rita Blaikie *Charles Cuerrier *Barry French – ARHA Rep. *Karen Doty-Sweetnam *Jo-Anne Douglas *D.J. Scotty McIntosh *Terry Parlow *Al Patterson *Perry Roque *Barbara Anne Smith *Anne Todd *Roland Vodon

Parkland Regional Health Authority

The Parkland Regional Health Authority (PRHA) was the governing body responsible for the planning, coordination, funding, and delivery of all health services within the

Parkland Region Parkland is an informal geographic region of the Canadian province of Manitoba, located between Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegosis on the east and the Manitoba– Saskatchewan border on the west. The largest population centre is the city of Da ...

of west-central Manitoba. Serving a population of around 42,000, the PRHA had 7 hospitals, 11 personal care homes, and 6 Manitoba

sites. Covering an area of approximately , the region was bound on the west by the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border, on the north by the 53rd parallel, on the south by Riding Mountain National Park, and on the east by

Lake Manitoba Lake Manitoba (french: Lac Manitoba) is the List of lakes of Canada, 14th largest lake in Canada and the List of lakes by area, 33rd largest lake in the world with a total area of . It is located within the Provinces and territories of Canada, Cana ...

and Lake Winnipegosis. The region covered the city of Dauphin; the town of Swan River; the Rural Municipalities of Alonsa ( Alonsa, Bacon Ridge, Pine River) and Mountain ( Birch River,

Mafeking Mafikeng, officially known as Mahikeng and previously Mafeking (, ), is the capital city of the North West province of South Africa. Close to South Africa's border with Botswana, Mafikeng is northeast of Cape Town and west of Johannesburg. In ...

); and communities such as Benito, Camperville, Crane River,

Duck Bay Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ta ...

, Ethelbert,

Gilbert Plains Gilbert Plains is an unincorporated urban community in the Gilbert Plains Municipality, Manitoba, Canada, that was classified as a town prior to January 1, 2015. It is situated on the Valley River, in the Parkland Region between Riding Mountain ...

, Grandview,

McCreary McCreary is a surname. It is derived from the Irish and Scottish Gaelic surnames ''Mac Ruidhrí'' and ''Mac Ruaidhrí''. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016) p. 1755. People with the surname * Aaron McCreary, American college baseball coach * Bear McCr ...

, Minitonas, Pelican Rapids, Roblin, Rorketon,

Ste. Rose du Lac Sainte Rose du Lac (often abbreviated Ste Rose du Lac) is an unincorporated urban community in the Municipality of Ste. Rose, Manitoba, Canada. Prior to 1 January 2015, it was designated as a town. It is located approximately 50 km east ...

, Waterhen, and

Winnipegosis Winnipegosis is an unincorporated urban community in the Rural Municipality of Mossey River, Manitoba, Canada. It lies at the mouth of the Mossey River on Lake Winnipegosis The community was once categorized as a village, but this status was r ...

PRHA governance

The Parkland RHA’s Board of Directors would have up to 15 members including the Chairperson, with one vacancy and an option for one additional appointment by the Minister of Health. From April 2011 to March 31, 2012, PRHA's Board of Directors was: * Mary Hudyma (based in Dauphin) – Chairperson * Rowena Powell ( Roblin) – Vice‐Chair * Sharon Basaraba (

) * Monica Black (

Bowsman Bowsman is an unincorporated urban community in the Municipality of Minitonas – Bowsman, Manitoba, Canada. The community is 16 kilometres north of the Town of Swan River. Bowsman was originally incorporated as a village in 1949, but lost that ...

) * Patricia Delaurier ( Ste. Rose) * Alex Grimaldi (Dauphin) * Robert Hanson (

) * Anne Lacquette (

Mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...

) * Andy Maxwell ( Swan River) * Charles "Chuck" Morden (

) * Paul Overgaard (Dauphin) * Gerald Shewchuk (Dauphin) * Harry Showdra (Swan River) * John Tichon ( Fork River)

YouTube video lawsuit

On April 12, 2022, Prairie Mountain Health and ten of its employees filed a lawsuit in Winnipeg against a former employee, a psychiatric nurse who worked at the Brandon Regional Health Centre, based upon four videos she had uploaded to YouTube which Prairie Mountain Health alleged to be defamatory. The videos were said to contain disparaging statements about the employees as well the nurse's claims that she had been bullied in the workplace. Prairie Mountain Health sought an injunction forcing the nurse to remove the videos and prevent her from creating more of them.

References

External links

Prairie Mountain Health regional map

Regional Health Authorities of Manitoba
{{coord missing, Manitoba Health regions of Manitoba Parkland Region, Manitoba