Patient Shirley Andrews, pictured here with Personal Support Worker Laurie Kizlyk, is slowly getting her strength and breath back after a bout with pneumonia. She is looking forward to going home, where a number of changes have been made to create a safer environment and prevent a fall.

Quick facts on falls

• Falls are the leading cause of injury in the elderly
• About 4,500 Niagara seniors come to an ER each year due to a fall
• Falls are the No. 1 cause of hospitalization
• $962 million is the estimated annual cost of seniors’ falls in Ontario
• 50% of our 65+ population have two or more chronic conditions
• Use of multiple medications is a risk factor for falls
• 29.9% of Niagara seniors live alone
• Learn more at fallsprevention.ca

Quality Improvement Plan

Through our Quality Improvement Plan for 2011-12, our community will be able to very clearly see our targeted areas for improvement and will be able to chart our progress.

To create this year’s goals, the NHS Board Quality Committee worked closely with administration, physicians and other healthcare professionals to determine areas where we are doing well and areas where we have room for improvement. The following aims and objectives have been set to be achieved by March 31, 2012.

Safety

Our aim is to improve the overall safety of care we deliver to our patients. Our success in achieving this aim will result in:

• A reduction in the number of patient falls from 12.14% to 10.94%.

Effectiveness

Our aim is to provide patient care reflective of current evidence-based practice and the appropriate use of available resources. Our success in achieving this aim will result in:

• A reduction in our Hospital Standardized Mortality Ratio from
• 100 to 95.
• Continued financial improvement which will see our Total Margin being maintained at -0.80%.

Access

Our aim is to ensure patients in the communities we serve have timely access to the appropriate care and services required to maintain their optimal health status. Our success in achieving this aim will result in:

• A reduction in the amount of time patients who are admitted to hospital wait in the Emergency Department before moving to their inpatient bed from 45.3 hours to less than 39.9 hours.

Patient-Centred

Our aim is to provide care and services to all patients and families that reflect our respect for individual choices and patients as partners in their care. Our success in achieving this aim will result in:

• 75.3% of our inpatients stating that they received all services needed.
• 56.2% of our ER patients stating that they received all services needed.

Falls are one of the top reasons that the elderly are admitted to hospital. Studies show that one in three people 65 and older will fall at least once a year.  Falls cause more than 90% of all hip fractures in seniors. Possibly the most distressing statistic is that one in five seniors who fractures a hip will die within a year of the break.

Preventing the fall in the first place takes awareness and education, and at Niagara Health, the spotlight is on falls prevention as part of our Quality Improvement Plan. Currently, just over 12% of Complex Care patients (patients in hospital with complex medical conditions) fall during their hospital stay. In the next year, the healthcare team is targeting reducing the number of patient falls by 10%.

“We’re aiming to do a better job at identifying our patients who are at risk for a fall and ensuring they get the attention they need to prevent that fall, both in hospital and after discharge,” says Health Program Director Wendy Robb. “In Ontario, every 10 minutes at least one senior comes to an ER as a result of a fall. In Niagara, that translates into almost 4,500 seniors a year. We have the highest volume of ER admissions due to falls in our LHIN.”

Identified at risk for a fall is Shirley Andrews, a Complex Care patient at Port Colborne Site in early June. At home with her husband William, the 79-year-old Port Colborne woman uses a walker to get around, but after a bout of pneumonia left her weak and short of breath, she was admitted to Port Colborne Site. While in hospital, Shirley is regaining her health and benefitting from an increased focus on falls prevention.

“Because I have lupus, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, I use a cane and a walker at home, so I know I am at risk for falling,” Shirley says. “Fortunately, I haven’t had a fall yet. I want to keep it that way.”

Safer environment

Physiotherapy and nursing staff are working on strengthening and balance exercises with Shirley. Staff members teach her how to get up properly from a chair by pushing down on the arms of the chair to maintain balance.

“I’m slowly getting back my strength and my breath. I’m looking forward to going home, but my husband’s going to have to take care of me a bit now,” Shirley says with a smile.

At home, the couple have already made some changes to create a safer environment, such as removing scatter carpets and reducing clutter. Other items to reduce falls at home include wearing non-slip footwear, proper lighting in hallways and stairs, grab bars and railings in bathrooms and stairs, and outside the home smooth sidewalks/pathways and thorough ice/snow removal.

More education

Inside our hospital walls, the falls prevention program is ramping up, particularly in Complex Care areas. “We’ve created a simple orange triangle poster, which will be posted at the bedside of patients who are at risk of a fall,” Wendy explains. “We’re increasing our education beyond nursing staff to include all those in the hospital who interact with patients, including hospitality aides, dietary aides and volunteers. If they see a patient struggling to get out of bed or up from a chair, they will assist or quickly get assistance to prevent a fall.

“We’re also increasing the involvement of patients and their families so they see the importance of following the tips in the falls prevention brochures we give them on discharge,” says Wendy. “We are taking a team approach to preventing falls because it’s so important that everyone becomes proactive, both in the hospital environment and in the community. Falls don’t have to happen – everyone can play a role in ensuring the safety of our seniors.” «

Board of Trustees

The Niagara Health System Board of Trustees is made up of volunteers who live and work in Niagara. Each board member brings unique skills and expertise to this leadership role. The board is responsible for governing the NHS and providing strategic direction to the hospital to ensure it meets the healthcare needs of the community within the resources that are available.

• Jean Armitage
• Dr. Andrei Arvinte, VP, Medical Staff Association
• Rob Cary
• Helen Eggleton
• Mike Henry
• Dr. Joanna Hope, Interim Chief of Staff
• Steve Hudson, Vice-Chair
• Paul Leon
• Dragan Matovic
• Flo Paladino
• Jennifer Patrick
• Steven Pillar, Vice-Chair
• Dr. Ken Reddy, President, Medical Staff Association
• David Schram
• Sue Matthews, Interim President & CEO, Secretary to Board
• Alan Simpson
• Betty-Lou Souter, Chair
• Wade Stayzer

People are the heart of healthcare and across the Niagara Health System a great team of compassionate and skilled people care for our patients and their families.

As one hospital, with seven individual sites, our goal is to provide the best possible quality and compassionate care to every patient and to continually seek to improve the way that we do that.

Fiscal 2010-11 was a very active year for the Niagara Health System. Our team of 4,180 employees, 614 physicians, midwives and dentists, and our 1,100 volunteers:

• provided care to approximately 36,000 inpatients;
• treated more than 188,000 patients in our ER and Urgent Care centres;
• conducted more than 35,000 day surgeries;
• provided 247,513 clinic visits;
• performed nearly 383,000 diagnostic tests and completed an amazing 6,393,134 laboratory tests.

Statistics paint only part of the picture. Every admission, treatment or clinic visit we provided last year was for a patient – a person who ranged in age from newborn to more than 100 years of age, the majority of whom live, work and play here in Niagara.

QUALITY: Quality improvement is an ongoing priority for the Niagara Health System to help continually find new and better ways of doing things to enhance care for patients, increase satisfaction and achieve even better clinical outcomes. Our hospital teams are working very hard to enhance quality of care and our patients’ experience. While steady progress is being made to improve our wait times and quality indicators, our hospital recognizes there is always more to do to improve care and service.

In addition to a number of ongoing quality initiatives, Niagara Health developed a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) that targets specific initiatives in the areas of  safety, effectiveness, access and patient-centredness. Our progress over the coming year will be tracked and reported publicly.

ACHIEVEMENTS: We are proud to report on a number of achievements this past fiscal year including the introduction of new patient programs and services and the receipt of full accreditation status from Accreditation Canada.

As part of the ongoing implementation of the Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP), we introduced a number of new outpatient clinics across our sites. We also introduced the Regional Acute Stroke Unit – a dedicated 10-bed inpatient unit at our Greater Niagara General Site to stabilize stroke patients.

Construction continued on the new healthcare complex in west St. Catharines and our healthcare teams began to plan for the move into the new building.

OUR GRATITUDE: For another consecutive year we received invaluable support from our auxiliaries and foundations and their donors and volunteers. Without the dedication of our auxiliaries and foundations, we would be hard pressed to provide the equipment, facilities and technology our health providers and patients rely on.

We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network and the Province of Ontario in supporting our hospital this past year.

And last but not least, our employees, medical staff and volunteers are to be commended for their continuing efforts to improve on the care and service provided to patients and families. «

Financial Report – Fiscal 2010-11

The Niagara Health System publishes its audited financial statements every year as part of our financial accountability and responsibility to the community. The complete set of financial statements for fiscal 2010-11 (April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011) is posted on the NHS website.

The hospital has made significant progress in improving its financial health this past fiscal year.

Our deficit position on our $410-million operating budget at 2010-11 year-end is $5 million. This includes one-time costs of approximately $4 million related to restructuring and the implementation of the Hospital Improvement Plan.

Our financial position is a tremendous improvement since 2008, when our deficit exceeded $18 million, especially given the fact that our annual funding increases have not kept pace with inflation due to the recent economic slowdown.

We continue to use our financial resources effectively and wisely. As planned, we are forecasting a $2.5-million deficit for fiscal year 2011-12 and a balanced budget by 2012-13.

Our staff’s ongoing commitment is to find efficiencies while maintaining service levels, and they are focused on finding new innovative approaches to delivering quality care. «

Revenue sources for 2010-11

The NHS received a base funding increase of 1.3% for fiscal 2011 to help offset inflationary cost pressures for salaries and benefits, patient care supplies and services and general operating expenses.
Approximately 83% in base and one-time funding was received from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant (HNHB) Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) during the fiscal year.

Average emergency visit: $243

Eighty per cent of expenses are related to direct patient care like nursing, pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, laboratory and therapies. An additional 10% is related to support services like housekeeping, food and maintenance. The remaining 10% is for administrative costs.

Expense breakdown for 2010-11

The fiscal 2011 budget incorporated a total of $5 million of revenue generating and cost saving initiatives from the Hospital Improvement Plan and annual benchmarking review.

Approximately 68% of total expenses are related to salaries, benefits and medical staff remuneration. Inflationary cost pressures for the fiscal year amounted to approximately $8 million, with $6 million attributed to collective bargaining economic increases.

Average inpatient cost per day: $1,077

Approximately 78% of expenses are related to direct patient care like nursing, pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, laboratory and therapies.

An additional 12% is related to support services like housekeeping, food and maintenance. The remaining 10% is for administrative costs.

Investments in capital assets

In 2010-11, the hospital invested $14.7 million in equipment and building infrastructure upgrades as follows:  New Hospital Complex $3.0 million; Energy Retrofit Initiative $3.4 million; Building $3.5 million; Equipment $3.7 million; Information Technology $1.1 million.

The majority of capital spending is financed through the provincial and federal governments and local foundations and auxiliaries. The NHS relies on donations from foundations and auxiliaries to fund necessary new and replacement medical equipment. Annually, the NHS’s capital needs exceed funding by approximately $8 million.

Hospital Accountability Agreement

The NHS has signed the Hospital Service Accountability Agreement with the HNHB LHIN for the 2011-12 fiscal year. This agreement sets out the roles and responsibilities of both parties with respect to funding, performance and service. Together, NHS and the LHIN will monitor progress under this agreement, posted on the NHS website.

Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP)

The HIP is a framework for the NHS to enhance quality of hospital care across Niagara while at the same time balance financial pressures, the needs of Niagara’s aging population, and the challenges of the ongoing shortage of doctors, nurses and other health professionals. The plan was endorsed by the LHIN in December 2008.

We continue to rebuild our financial health, as has been our priority over the last number of years. The HIP includes more than $28 million of savings over five years through the creation of centres of excellence, improved quality and efficiency initiatives, and by working collaboratively with the HNHB LHIN and other community agencies to ensure our patients are cared for in the most appropriate setting.

Approximately $20 million in savings have been achieved since the 2008-09 fiscal year.

In 2010, a group of Niagara Health nurses came together during International Year of the Nurse to support health efforts in Kenya, partnering with international child rights and relief agency Free the Children.

“Across the globe, nurses are being asked to act as catalysts to improve health,” says Interim CEO and Chief Nursing Executive Sue Matthews. “We are blessed in Canada to enjoy a standard of care and living which is among the best in the world. Our nurses wanted to do something for others in our global community that could profoundly improve their health and well being.”

Launching the fundraising effort at the Rose Festival Parade in Welland last June, the nursing team soon organized a bevy of fundraising events, including a giant yard sale, several pasta dinners, raffles and draws, and more. A call went out to local high school students to become involved, which would make them eligible to travel to Kenya to help improve conditions in the African nation.

Key to the initiative from NHS were Sue Battersby-Campbell, Marianne Deprinse, Eric Doucette, Beth Draper, Cindy Ko, Sandy Lindsay, Sue Matthews, Carol Munro and Donna Rothwell.

As a result of their efforts, $11,122 was raised to send two Niagara students to experience the life of the Maasai and Kipsigis people. They will assist with development projects to help communities become independent.

The students are travelling on the 10-day trip in early summer.«

Among the committee members with the hospital’s International Year of the Nurse initiative are, clockwise from front left, Beth Draper, Marianne Deprinse, Eric Doucette and Carol Munro.

The past year has seen a number of new outpatient clinics open across Niagara to better serve patients.

COPD Clinic – Fort Erie patients with chronic lung disease and asthma can now get relief locally at a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinic. Staffed by a respiratory therapist and respirologist physician at Douglas Memorial Site, the clinic provides assessment, diagnostic testing and education.

Cardiac Rehab Service – A satellite clinic for patients with heart conditions in need of rehabilitation is now offered at the Fort Erie YMCA. The exercise sessions are fully supervised by Niagara Health exercise specialists and registered nurses.

Gynecology Clinic – A new outpatient clinic provides Port Colborne and area women services ranging from mature women’s health and menopausal counselling to consultation on hysterectomy and minimally invasive surgery for urinary incontinence. The clinic, staffed by an obstetrician/gynecologist, is located at Port Colborne Site.

Joint Replacement Clinic – Niagara patients with hip and knee problems are coming to Greater Niagara General Site to reduce their wait time for required joint replacement surgeries and to explore non-surgical solutions. An advanced practice physiotherapist conducts a thorough functional assessment of the patient’s flexibility and works with an orthopedic surgeon to diagnose and make treatment recommendations.

Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program – A nurse navigator is the primary contact for patients with possible lung cancer as they find their way through the health system. The registered nurse fast-tracks diagnostic tests and ensures a quick referral to an oncologist, surgeon or other medical specialist to develop a treatment plan. Since the program opened September 2010 at St. Catharines General Site, the time to confirm a diagnosis has dropped from 95 days to 35 days.

Prostate Cancer Clinic – Hamilton radiation oncologists are now coming to St. Catharines General Site to see patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer and develop a treatment plan. Until now, these patients would travel outside Niagara to see the specialist. «

Registered Respiratory Therapist Diane Michaud sees patients with chronic lung disease at a new clinic at Douglas Memorial Site. She is pictured giving patient Lucy Plourde a spirometry test, which diagnoses and monitors lung conditions.

A small army of 1,100 volunteers help run our seven hospital sites. Coming from all walks of life and ranging from teenagers to octogenarians, our volunteers are at the patient’s bedside, they are members of auxiliaries to fundraise and support patient care, they serve with foundations to raise awareness and community donations. They also serve on standing committees and the Board of Trustees to steer our course.

About 300 of our volunteers participated in a recent survey. We asked what motivates them to volunteer, whether they are satisfied with the amount of time they volunteer, and whether communication is effective.

Why do people volunteer? We asked that question and 91% told us they are motivated to volunteer in a hospital setting because it’s an opportunity to interact with and help people.

That sense of working to better our community is very strong. Almost 90% said they volunteer to give back to the community and almost 3/4 said this is their strongest reason for volunteering.

Here’s just one of the many comments that reflects the commitment: “I volunteer because I really feel that I am needed, and that I want to do my part for the wellbeing of my community. I can afford to give my time, so I do and have for almost 20 years.”

A sincere thank you goes out to all our volunteers. Quite simply, we couldn’t do what we do without you. «

Volunteers Anita Minov, left, and Olga Stybell are a vital communication link for outpatients at Greater Niagara General Site.

Our new health complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre entered its third official year of construction at the end of April – on time, on budget and on scope.

With construction more than 65% complete, the NHS is focusing on the work needed to transform the building into a functioning hospital.

Planning for the new facility has brought together an unprecedented team of professionals, physicians, staff and volunteers. Initiatives of this scale cannot be accomplished without the shared vision and support of our community, business and philanthropic leaders, and we thank everyone who has been involved in the planning and fundraising of the new health complex,  which will create a lasting legacy for our local communities for generations to come.

Did you know?

• Total size is almost one million square feet
• There are currently over 600 workers on site daily and this number is expected to rise to more than 700 workers as construction peaks
• More than 1.3 million combined work hours have been completed to date
• The building will be completely air tight by the end of the summer
• There are 25,000 pieces of equipment to purchase and install in the building prior to construction completion in November 2012
• The actual patient move takes just one day!
• The new health complex will have 1,400 sinks and 80% single patient rooms to promote best practice in infection prevention and control   «

This May aerial photo is from the corner of Fourth Avenue and First Street. Just left of the photo’s centre is the main entrance with covered walkway and the Walker Family Cancer Centre is directly to the left of the main entrance. Bottom right shows the ER, with the 2 inpatient towers at the top right.

A green makeover across our hospital sites is already starting to reduce our environmental footprint. Niagara Health is halfway through a contract with Ecosystem Ontario to make energy-saving retrofits to our physical plants. When fully implemented, the retrofits will have the same greenhouse gas reduction effect as taking nearly 1,000 vehicles off the road. This project will also save the hospital $1.2 million annually in natural gas, electricity and water for years to come, a major reduction to our $6-million annual utility bill.

Projects include changing boilers that heat the Port Colborne and Niagara-on-the-Lake sites from steam to hot water, ventilation system improvements, heating plant optimization and heat recovery systems at several sites. A total of 25 energy-saving measures are underway to be completed by August 2012.

Patients and staff will notice improved comfort when the project is complete and will benefit from better regulated temperature control, improved fresh air flow and energy-efficient lighting.

The environmental benefits are substantial. When completed, these retrofits will save 1.4 million cubic metres of natural gas, 1.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 215 million litres of water annually.

The $12-million investment by site is as follows: Douglas Memorial Site – $1.1 million; Greater Niagara General Site – $4.1 million; Niagara-on-the-Lake Site – $432,000; Port Colborne Site – $1.7 million; Welland Site – $3.7 million. «

Maintenance Engineer Irv Poirier is able to control the Niagara-on-the-Lake Site’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems with the click of a mouse.

Triage Nurse Vicki Walters guides us through a typical evening in the Welland ER.

Registered Nurse Brian Yeo is responsible for assessing patients who arrive at the Welland ER by ambulance. The order in which ER patients see the doctor is based on the seriousness of their condition, not the time they arrive or whether they come by ambulance.

Alyssa Grubb, a 10-year-old Welland girl, shows Triage Nurse Vicki Walters her sore finger from a playground soccer collision earlier in the day at her school.

Triage Nurse Vicki Walters guides us through a typical evening in the Welland ER.

The patient’s left hand is wrapped in a faded beach towel. He cut the tips of his fingers with a table saw just 10 minutes earlier, and his fingers won’t stop bleeding.

Welland ER Triage Nurse Vicki Walters brings the man in for assessment right away. She asks him to sit down, unwraps the towel to clean his fingers and wraps his hand in a tensor bandage as the patient watches, fear and pain etched on his face.

“Are his fingers all there?” his wife asks Vicki.

“They’re there,” she responds reassuringly. “The tips may be a problem, and he’ll need to have an X-ray.”

Vicki asks a number of questions and determines the patient will also need a tetanus shot. Concerned he will be unsteady on his feet, she tells the patient and his wife that he will need a wheelchair and that she will be right back.

And off she goes on what will be one of dozens of times in her eight-hour shift that she speed walks through the ER to check patient areas for empty beds or opportunities to move patients around in order to find places for the new ones coming in.

On this mid-spring evening, the ER is full as usual, and Vicki decides to move a young patient from the minor treatment room whose finger injury isn’t as serious as the patient with the saw injury. She quickly reappears in the Triage area.

“Your chauffeur awaits,” she says to the man before wheeling him away.

Although full, it is still considered quiet in the Welland ER. No one dares say the “Q” word – code for quiet – in case it brings bad luck. ER nurses are a superstitious bunch, and with a full moon only a couple of nights ago, they don’t want to do or say anything to jinx things. It’s one of the ways they cope with the pressures of working in the ER, where things can change in a split second and they can find themselves in life and death situations.

No two days are ever the same in the ER.

During her eight-hour shift, Vicki sees a couple dozen patients, far less than usual. Even still, they keep her busy, too busy to take a break, eat her yogourt and banana, or even go to the bathroom.

The patients are all ages. On this evening, they come to the ER with chest pain; schizophrenia; back pain; leg pain; shoulder pain; abdominal pain; depression; insomnia; stroke symptoms; difficulty breathing; migraines; fever, vomiting and dehydration; smoke inhalation; lip cuts from a dog bite; and attempted suicide.

Through it all, Vicki is pleasant and unflappable. She explains what she is doing and what the patients can expect during their visit. She tries to make them feel at ease, which is especially obvious with the children.

“Have you ever had your blood pressure taken before,” she asks a little girl clutching two stuffed animals. “I am going to give your arm a little hug. It won’t hurt.”

When she’s done, she offers the girl a freezie pop and a sticker.

“Do you like dogs?” she asks as they look at the different stickers.

“I like cats AND dogs,” responds the little girl, who is later admitted with appendicitis.

Triage nurses assess patients

The Triage area is considered the front door to the ER. It is here that patients are assessed on arrival. In Welland, the Triage area is behind a glass door and windows for patient privacy and staff safety. The area is outfitted with a chair, a bed, medical equipment and a freezer full of ice packs and freezie pops.

Triage Nurses are Registered Nurses specially trained to assess patients on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being life threatening and 5 being minor. It’s this assessment that determines the order in which patients will see the ER doctor, not the time they arrive as many people believe.

On the other side of the Welland ER, another nurse triages the smaller number of patients who arrive by ambulance. Coming to the ER by ambulance won’t make the wait to see a doctor any faster. It is always based on the seriousness of the patient’s condition. Every patient is assessed the same way.

Patients are asked what brings them to the ER. Blood pressure and temperature are checked. There are questions about allergies, medications and bathroom habits.

Unless their condition is serious or the ER is quiet, which is rare, the patients will be asked to sit in the waiting room once their assessment is complete. Vicki instructs them to tell her if their condition changes while they are waiting. At the same time, she will keep tabs on them. She’ll bring out flannel sheets and ice packs to comfort them.

No one likes the wait, and patients and family members often watch Vicki from the waiting room, hoping to lock eyes with her, hoping for a sign that they will be next.

Welland is the smallest of the Niagara Health System’s three ERs. There are 12 observation beds, two resuscitation bays and eight exam rooms used for patients who are admitted and waiting for beds in other areas of the hospital. More than 26,000 patients are treated here each year.

The nurses, doctors and other members of the healthcare team keep busy caring for the patients once they come into the ER. It is a constant cycle of assessments, lab tests, diagnostic tests like CT scans, and consultations with specialists. Unfortunately, there can be a lot of waiting in between. There are many reasons for the wait: high demand; patients with complex needs; shortage of doctors and nurses; the need to co-ordinate ER patients’ care with care being delivered throughout the rest of the hospital.

“You get a lot of satisfaction out of making a difference for your patients,” says Acting Charge Nurse Cindy Johnson, who is the supervisor for this evening shift. “In the ER, you can give people answers to their health concerns; you can help them with their pain and help them feel comfortable.”

Working hard to improve wait times

“My biggest concern is the wait time,” she says. “No one has asked for this. It doesn’t make anything better by waiting.”

Cindy says the staff in the ER do what they can to get patients cared for as quickly as possible and get them feeling better sooner.

Wait times in the ER are something everyone in the hospital is working hard to improve so patients have a more positive experience.

The introduction of medical directives is one of the ways patient flow through the ER has been enhanced. Medical directives give nurses the authority to conduct certain tests in advance of the doctor’s assessment. This way, when the doctor sees the patient, they already have test results and information that can lead to a more rapid diagnosis and course of treatment.

A Nurse Practitioner stationed in the ER helps the ER doctors care for patients. This nurse assesses and treats less serious cases, enabling the overall flow of patients through the ER.

Another common sight in the ER is security guards. They help to manage the number of visitors and help with patients and visitors who may be disruptive, violent and abusive.

Growing up in Fonthill, Vicki wanted to be a marine biologist or an oceanographer but discovered nursing was the perfect fit. She has been a Registered Nurse for 22 years, all of them at the Welland hospital, 12 of them in the ER.

“Working here, you want to say to people: ‘Live each day to the fullest because you never know what is going to happen’. I have shed many tears here. There have been many sad, upsetting situations. The worst are when children are seriously ill or injured. You never know what or who is going to come through the door here. You fear that you will know the people, and many times you do. There is a lot of satisfaction in seeing your patients go home safely.”

Vicki, who has her pilot’s licence, has worked in most areas of the hospital and will soon be spending more time working in the Intensive Care Unit. The hours in the ICU are easier for her to manage. Time off in the ER can be hard to get because there often aren’t enough nurses to cover all the shifts when holidays and sick time are factored in.

In the ER, Vicki checks the bed situation again and the order of patients waiting to see the doctor when a 16-year-old patient shows up at Triage with her mother. The girl hurt her shoulder a couple weeks ago and the pain keeps getting worse.

“The doctor will decide whether you need an X-ray or otherwise what is wrong,” she explains to the patient and her mother as she completes her assessment.

It’s obvious they are concerned.

In typical fashion, Vicki finds a way to make them feel more at ease. The girl is wearing two brightly coloured socks, one solid purple, the other solid aqua.

“I like your socks,” Vicki says. “Do you like colour? You should be an artist.”

As the girl registers next door, Vicki does her routine speed walk to check for beds. It’s still quiet, which means Vicki can bring the girl right in.

“Come on in here and get comfortable,” Vicki says to the girl and her mother as they follow her past the nurses’ station and into a curtained patient area.

“You’ll need to put this on,” Vicki explains, handing the girl a hospital gown. “Hey, look at that! It’s your colour – green!”

Vicki breaks back into her speed walk, returning to the Triage desk within seconds.

A colleague briefs her on the two patients on their way in by ambulance – a young man who attempted suicide and an elderly woman who had a fall.

A few minutes later, another suicidal patient arrives by ambulance. So, too, does an elderly man who was hit over the head, along with his son, who hit him. The son is accompanied by a police officer and is in handcuffs. Another officer is interviewing the father.

And this is a quiet evening in the ER. «

With her eyes wide open and her ears tuned in to the events unfolding around her, Niagara Health Now editor Caroline Bourque Wiley spent a rainy, spring night shadowing veteran ER nurse Vicki Walters as she performed her duties through a routine shift in the Welland ER.

The sights and sounds along with the actions, decisions and treatments experienced that evening are adeptly captured in Caroline’s story. And while by all accounts it was a routine night – although quieter than the norm – the time flew by as Caroline kept pace with Vicki and her colleagues.

Our editorial team picked the ER as the subject of our first close-up story primarily because of the sheer number of patients and families who turn to our ERs and Urgent Care Centres (UCCs) every day. Niagara Health is the largest provider of urgent care and emergency department care in Ontario, with nearly 190,000 patients treated every year in our hospital’s ERs and UCCs. That’s about 520 patients being cared for every 24 hours across the system.

Thanks to the support and participation of Vicki and her colleagues, as well as the patients and family members who attended the Welland ER that evening, Caroline has been able to tell the ER story with insight and impact and provide us with important information about the ER. «

Christine Clark
Chief Communications Officer

Dr. Sue Matthews, Interim President & CEO

In recognition of National Nursing Week, celebrated this year May 9 to 15, I want to reflect on why, if I had to do it all again, I would be a nurse again IN A HEARTBEAT! I once came across this and thought it appropriate to reflect the profession:

20 Things I Have Learned From Nursing

1. When you’re 92, you shouldn’t have to beg for the salt shaker, even if you have congestive heart failure.
2. Our profession has no room for bullies or whiners.
3. Every day I’ve held a hand but forgotten to chart vital signs, I still may have come out ahead.
4. A good physician is one who’ll say, “I have no idea what’s going on with this patient. What do you think?”
5. Whatever I need in a hurry will inevitably be in someone else’s room.
6. Healing the spirit is as important as healing the body.
7. If I don’t take care of myself, I can’t take care of anyone else.
8. A body believes every word you tell it.
9. Time flies whether or not I’m having fun.
10. A lot of patients get well in spite of us, but even more get well because of us.
11. If I don’t get emotionally involved with my patients, it’s time for me to change professions.
12. It’s usually better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission, especially if I’m taking a Saint Bernard into the paediatric ward.
13. Professionals give advice but healers share wisdom.
14. If I don’t celebrate the exquisiteness of each day, I’ve lost something I’ll never get back.
15. Grief knows no rules.
16. The more unloving a patient acts, the more he needs to be loved.
17. Some things have to be believed to be seen.
18. No one promises us tomorrow.
19. If I can’t cure, I can still care.
20. Nursing is the hardest and easiest thing I’ve ever done.

There is no question that nursing is a challenging and rewarding profession. I am reminded of one of my favourite sayings about nursing: “Never, ever let anyone tell you it will be easy … just worth it.”

To our 1,800 nurses at the Niagara Health System, please take the time to reflect on your reasons for choosing the profession of nursing and know that I am thankful that each of you did! Every one of you is a valued member of our healthcare team, and I know your colleagues and patients also appreciate and respect your hard work and commitment to providing the best care possible. Without you, the NHS would not be the great place it is today.

Dr. Sue Matthews is a nurse with more than 25 years experience. «

The Niagara District Stroke Centre is at Greater Niagara General Site, where ER nurses have stepped up for specialized stroke training to ensure stroke team coverage 24/7. Pictured are some of our RN Stroke Specialists, front, from left: Bridget Lipinski; Melanie Harshaw; Theresa Boutilier; Trina Lemay; Pam Lockey. Back, from left: Joann Carey; Marie Rusnak, Nurse Practitioner; Marlene Bauer, and Stroke Co-ordinator Leanne Hammond.

Among stroke clinicians, the saying goes “time is brain.” Why? Because during a stroke, a blood clot interrupts the blood supply to a part of the brain. A million brain cells can die every minute that a stroke is left untreated.

That’s why time is of the essence when injecting tPA (a clot busting medication), so that the harmful effects of a stroke can be minimized. During Stroke Month in June, stroke centres across the province are urging Ontarians to call 911 when one or more stroke symptoms appear.

Only half of stroke patients call 911

The Niagara District Stroke Centre works closely with Niagara EMS to ensure patients are brought to the most appropriate centre for care.

“Right now, only about half of the people in Niagara who have stroke symptoms call 911,” says Stroke Centre Co-ordinator Leanne Hammond. “The call to 911 activates the regional stroke protocols used by emergency responders, so making that call is important and should be done as soon as symptoms are noticed. Paramedics with Niagara EMS assess the patient and ensure they are taken to the most appropriate hospital for treatment.”

The stroke centre for Niagara patients is Greater Niagara General (GNG) Site in Niagara Falls, where the acute stroke team in the Emergency Department has received advanced stroke training and is available 24/7. The Nurse Stroke Specialists have been trained and certified by Neurologist Dr. Don Chew, Medical Director of the District Stroke Program, and Marie Rusnak, Acute Stroke Care Nurse Practitioner.

“Our ER Stroke Team starts the stroke alert process when they are notified by EMS of a stroke patient who meets the criteria and is on the way to GNG,” Leanne explains. “This saves valuable time. In-house departments – ER, Diagnostic Imaging, Laboratory – are put on alert for the arrival of the stroke patient and that close collaboration has been the key to our success.”

More patients meet criteria for tPA

Until now, clinicians have had a window of three hours from the onset of stroke symptoms to inject tPA. However, new research supports the expansion of the time window to 4.5 hours. This expansion should allow for more patients to meet the criteria to receive the medication. “However, it is important that the ‘time is brain’ principle is maintained,” Leanne says. “The longer a patient waits to receive the medication, the more likely they are to have a poorer outcome following treatment.”

One year ago, a regional acute 10-bed stroke unit opened at GNG to provide specialized hospital care to patients after a major stroke. Niagara stroke patients are clustered here so the healthcare team can better co-ordinate care and therapies. “Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Nursing are just a few of the services that are important immediately following a stroke,” Leanne explains.

“We’re reviewing the data from our first year of operation and are finding that appropriate patients are being admitted to the unit from across the region, the percentage of patients being transferred to Hotel Dieu Shaver for rehabilitation has increased, and the number of patients readmitted following their discharge from the Acute Stroke Unit has decreased and is well below the provincial average. These positive outcomes on the Acute Stroke Unit can be attributed to our system’s excellent team approach.” «

RN Maria Rickman checks the dialysis machine for patient Riley Gaultieri at Welland Hospital Auxiliary Dialysis Centre, which opened in 2008.

A new dialysis centre planned for Niagara Falls will have 21 stations and approximately 20 staff. Care will be provided in three shifts for patients, meaning 63 patients will receive dialysis each day.

Increasingly, dialysis centres are being located in community settings, and the plan under development for Niagara Falls provides for a 16,000-square foot satellite dialysis centre downtown at 4342 Queen St., beside City Hall.

“This location is central and based on our extensive search it was the most suitable building with minimal redevelopment cost,” says Bala Kathiresan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “This building was originally built to higher standards than a typical office building. The landlord has been very accommodating of our needs, such as designated parking close to the building for our patients and a new elevator to serve the dialysis centre. There is also good public transportation access.”

The hospital is working closely on this proposal with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and our Local Health Integration Network. Minister of Health Deb Matthews recently provided her approval to move forward with this project.

“We need to do what we can to reduce the burden of chronic kidney disease on our patients and their family members, and the sooner we can bring this centre into service the better,” says Bala. “This is a wonderful step forward for local dialysis patients and their family members who will benefit by having closer-to-home service available much sooner than if the centre was to be located at the Greater Niagara General Site.”

The centre will serve dialysis patients from Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and parts of Niagara-on-the-Lake. There are currently more than 180 residents from these municipalities receiving life-sustaining dialysis treatment three times a week – four to five hours each time – at the NHS centres at the Welland Site and Ontario Street Site in St. Catharines.

The centre could be up and running in the fall of 2012. «

Infection Control Practitioner Nalini Agnihotri, left, Hospitality Supervisor Lisa Beckett, and Albert Lee, Manager, Laboratory and Infection Prevention and Control, are already seeing positive results from the new champions intiative.

They are known as “champions” and their role is to promote hand hygiene and infection prevention and control practices in the hospital.

“This is another new strategy Niagara Health has introduced to encourage everyone to use good hand hygiene and follow infection prevention and control practices to reduce the spread of infection,” says Vice President Patient Services Frank Demizio.

Almost 50 champions, all of whom are hospital staff, received training in all aspects of hand hygiene and infection prevention and control practices in late March. This included reviewing best practices for hand hygiene, when and how to wear personal protective equipment, and how to safely transport patients between departments. The training sessions were provided by NHS Infection Control Practitioners who will support and guide the champions in this initiative.

“It’s really important that everyone participates in infection prevention and control. It isn’t just one person’s job,” says Infection Control Practitioner Nalini Agnihotri. “This new initiative allows us to make a more concentrated effort in all of the different areas of the hospital. Every area is unique and may have some of its own concerns and requirements. If necessary, special requirements can be addressed based on the champions’ observations and knowledge about the areas where they work.”

Champions serve as role models

The champions serve as role models and provide guidance to other hospital healthcare providers, support staff, patients and visitors, ensuring policies and procedures are followed and utilizing all of the resources and educational materials available to them.

As a Hospitality Supervisor at the Greater Niagara General Site, Lisa Beckett is a natural for the role of champion. In fact, she already is a champion, working hard alongside her staff to follow proper hand hygiene and infection prevention and control practices. “When we are cleaning rooms, we need to know the proper procedures and follow them at all times. Being a champion allows me to expand my awareness efforts to a wider group of colleagues and to patients and visitors.”

“We have made a lot of gains with our hand hygiene and infection prevention and control practices in the last few years,” says Bonnie Sipos, Administrative Director of Diagnostics, Laboratory and Infection Control. “Our volunteer champions will play a key role in helping to sustain these efforts as well as take compliance to the next level through ongoing education and awareness. We hope to recruit additional champions in every department and/or unit across our seven sites.”

Niagara Health System has seen a 60% drop in outbreaks over the last two years as a result of improved hand hygiene and adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines.

“Good hand hygiene takes a conscious effort and rates tend to fluctuate,” says Frank. “By constantly monitoring our rates, we can identify the first sign of a downward trend and push harder to educate and raise awareness. This is how the champions program came to be.” «

The World Health Organization created this day in 1987 to draw global attention to the epidemic of tobacco use and its lethal effects. At the NHS, outdoor display tents (weather permitting) will be on the front lawn at both Welland Site and St Catharines General Site from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Staff and the public are invited to drop by to use your break to make the break from tobacco use. Displays will be in lobbies in case of rain.

Test your levels by exhaling into a CO monitor to measure the level of carbon monoxide in your breath. Look for lots of handout information on smoking and speak to our Smoking Cessation Counsellors who will be staffing the displays. As well, Monica Bennett of Smokers Helpline will be at Welland in the morning and St. Catharines in the afternoon.

Thanks go to … Smokers’ Helpline, Niagara Region Public Health, Tim Hortons Owner/Operators Pat & Rodney Hay, Welland locations, and the Zoccoli family, Queenston St. location, St. Catharines. «

Co-ed Beach Volleyball Tournament

Get together a team for this popular fundraiser July 16, organized by our own Terry Turner, RN in Maternal/Child at St. Catharines General Site. This is the 9th annual Keep the Spirit beach volleyball tournament, hosted by the St. Catharines Firefighters for the Rankin Cancer Run.

Entry fee is $200 per team with great prizes and BBQ lunch at NSP Sandbox, Lock 3, St. Catharines. Recreational and competitive divisions. Enter by July 6 by contacting Terry or Bret Turner at 905-356-9362 or bturner10@cogeco.ca. Support the many excellent Rankin Cancer Run events, which last year raised $520,000 for cancer care in Niagara. «

Congratulations to Welland’s ECU

Welland Site’s Extended Care Unit (ECU) was honoured with a Quality of Care Plaque May 17 at the annual Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors convention. ECU received the plaque in recognition of achieving full accreditation status from Accreditation Canada, a challenging task given the increasing requirements that long-term care homes must adhere to. Great job to the whole team for this recognition. «

New graduates Elizabeth Stanford and Regine Krechowicz said during the award presentation at an April reception that Dr. Kobylecky is a preceptor who models what a compassionate and caring physician should be at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

“We hope to one day be able to demonstrate the care, compassion, and medical expertise that Dr. Kobylecky modeled for us while we worked with her as her students,” they told assembled guests and students. “As a General Surgery preceptor, Dr. Kobylecky values your input as a medical student on the surgical team and welcomes any and all of your questions. She is a medical expert who is kind to her patients and takes the time to explain and share information with patients.”

Congratulations also go to other Niagara Regional Campus physicians, who were awarded for their teaching abilities by McMaster University. They are: Internal Medicine Dr. Eli Rabin; Internal Medicine subspecialty Dr. George Zimakas; Emergency Medicine – best med student teacher Dr. Doris Wiens; and Emergency Medicine – best resident teacher Dr. Adrian Crowe. «

Each year, our staff members nominate RNs and RPNs for Nursing Awards of Excellence. Congratulations to this year’s recipients, announced at the annual Nursing Week Breakfast.

Nursing Awards for Excellence in Direct Care

• Heather Anderson, RPN, Inpatient Surgical, Welland Site
• Linda Dyck Humphries, RN, ICU, St. Catharines General Site
• Sue Veldman, RN, Mental Health, Welland Site
• Debbie Williams, RN, Charge Nurse, Maternal/Child, Greater Niagara General Site

Nursing Leadership Awards

• Carol Munro, Clinical Manager, Maternal/Child, Greater Niagara and Welland sites
• Colleen Winger, Administrator, Extended Care Unit, Welland Site

Nursing Endowment Fund

$500 bursary per recipient courtesy of Nursing Professional Development Advisory Council

• Lindsay Dracz, RPN, Emergency, Greater Niagara General Site
• Debbie Roberts, RN, Complex Care Educator

Congratulations also go to Janice Randles, RN, Urgent Care, Douglas Memorial Site, who received an honourable mention in this year’s Toronto Star Nightingale Award. Each year, patients and peers nominate Ontario nurses.

Learn more about our nurses by reading the new 2011 Nursing Report online. «

Manager of Food Services and Production Centre Luc Guilbault, with Dietary Helpers Piri Bacso, left and Mary Potalivo.

Welland Site’s dietary staff were among our hospital staff from across the region who went all out for the April 29 royal wedding. Food services staff had great fun, all wearing tiaras or crowns and white gloves to deliver food trays to patients. “The morale was great and there were lots of laughs among staff and patients,” says Manager of Food Services and Production Centre Luc Guilbault, pictured with Dietary Helpers Piri Bacso, left and Mary Potalivo.  «

• Carol Adams
• George Armstrong
• Cynthia Arroyo
• Sherry Bain
• Jeanette Barnhart
• Shirley Benedikty
• Patricia Berard
• Ruby Besa
• Aline Bibawi
• June Bowen
• Jane Brandon
• Susan Clark
• Mary Coleman
• Lorraine Coles
• Linda Courchaine
• Barbara Crawford
• Sheila Davidson
• Nancy Delgaty

• Nancy Deschamps
• Deborah Desroches
• Theresa Donnelly
• Kathryn Dumais
• Judith Dutcher
• Dorothy Edwards
• Nicholas Edwards
• Patricia Edwards
• Rosina Edwards
• Mary Essar
• Lurrean Fisher
• Valerie Fleming
• Lydia Gallaway
• Anthony Gatti
• Darline Gelok
• Linda Gibson
• Marija Greguric
• Nedra Gupta

• Allison Hagel
• Cathy Herbert
• Betty Jones
• Teresa Kellett
• Sandra Kislasko
• Klara Kukucska
• Sandra Lacharity
• Kimberley Law
• Louise Lennox
• Arlene Lessard
• Diane Librock
• Judith Lucy
• Barbara Luszczyk
• Cynthia Marinelli
• Judy Matthews
• Linda McNeil
• Monica Meaton
• Wanda Melinko

• Pat Meskis
• Carol Miller
• Camilla Mingle
• Hendrika Montague
• Candice Mortensen
• Angela Murdoch
• Helen Pearson
• Roy Phillips
• Mary Pohorly
• Karen Radford
• Kathryn Raimondo
• Rosetta Reynolds
• Sharon Reynolds
• Rosemary Richardson
• Sandra Roscoe
• Darryl Schoenfeldt
• Maria Schriver
• Femmechien Scott

• Margaret Slack
• Linda May Smith
• Elizabeth Teeple
• Helen Tragarz
• Sharon Lynn Turner
• Imre Ungor
• Sharon Vizbulis
• Eleanor Waters
• Annabelle Watson
• Linda Wenglowski
• Marina Whissell
• Gloria Wiebe
• Tina Yetman
• Janet Zeppa

This artist’s concept depicts a nursing care station in an inpatient unit of the new health complex. A main nursing station like this one, along with other smaller decentralized stations throughout a unit, are becoming the standard for enhancing the quality and efficiency of nursing care. Decentralized stations reduce travel time which increases nursing time at the bedside.

Improving the patient and family experience the highest priority

When the design process for the new health complex and cancer centre began in 2007, Niagara Health System nurses and professional staff were critical to linking the opportunities provided by the creation of a high-tech building with high-quality care.

“Well-designed care environments support practitioners to deliver safe and effective care, while at the same time contribute positively to the patient’s healing journey,” says Interim President and CEO Sue Matthews.

The involvement of staff and the public in defining the priorities of the new hospital began in 2007 with a visioning session, followed by two years of user group sessions involving front-line staff who had the opportunity to further refine the needs of programs. Eight guiding principles for the design process came as a result of the visioning process.

“It came as no surprise that the highest priority identified by staff was to improve the patient and family experience, followed by a focus on a healthy work environment,” says Gloria Kain, Chief Planning and Development Officer.

Additional priorities

Additional priorities include the focus on infection prevention and control, as well as improved learning/training and educational environments and opportunities.

“Given the challenges facing hospitals today, care environments must promote integrity of the clinical encounter, empower the patient, focus on relief of suffering and promote long-term health and wellness, which contribute significantly to both client and staff satisfaction,” says Sue.

A healing environment

“Our new hospital includes many patient-centred design principles such as private rooms, easy wayfinding, large corridors, interiors that suggest openness and calm, larger rooms to accommodate patient ambulation, the avoidance of intrusive technology, as well as incorporating many green design features,” adds Sue.

To improve the patient/family experience, the architects designed brighter spaces that foster a healing environment, more accessibility to help patients feel more in control, and features that promote healthy lifestyle choices.

With focus on a healthy work environment, spaces were designed to promote staff and patient safety, with features designed to reduce anxiety and strain, thus contributing to staff satisfaction.

This interactive approach provided the basis for the design that is currently under construction at more than 50% completion.

Development of the state-of-the-art facility is on schedule, on budget and on scope for completion by November 26, 2012. Following a few months for training and orientation, the new health complex will open its doors to provide patient care in the spring of 2013. «

Bob Meunier of the Rankin Cancer Run presents cheques to Dr. Tom Song, left, and Dr. Peter Willard at the Welland Site. The Rankin Cancer Run, taking place this year on Sat., May 28, raises money for all Niagara Health System sites. Of the $520,000 raised last year for cancer care in Niagara, $355,000 was donated to various Niagara Health departments, including Oncology, Palliative Care, Diagnostic Imaging and Endoscopy.

The common message that each of the local hospital foundations shares is that community donations are the main source of funding for equipment purchases. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care provides minimal funding for replacement equipment.  This is also the one thing that surprises the community the most when they learn this.

“It was one of the reasons I got involved as a donor,” says Roman Groch, Welland Hospital Foundation President. “When I tell people, they are genuinely surprised, but then they too want to help.”

The Niagara Health System conducts an exhaustive capital equipment budget process each year to identify the capital equipment needs for each site of the organization. Through this process the foundations are informed of top priorities, which allows them to campaign and make informed decisions about departmental needs.

Each of the local hospital foundations receives a list of urgently needed capital equipment, items costing $2,000 or more, in mid-April.

Equipment list totals $22,979,347 for 2011/12

The total of these lists is staggering. Across the Niagara Health System, totals for the 2011/12 fiscal year are $22,979,347.

Some of the items common on most of the foundation lists include electric beds at a cost of between $6,500 – $33,000; I.V. pumps at a cost of $4,000; and ceiling lifts at a cost of $8,000 each. The costs astonish donors.

Due to the high cost of state-of-the-art equipment, the foundations are obliged to commit to leases over a number of years. For example, the St. Catharines General Site was in urgent need of a regional Digital Fluoroscopy Unit (the first of its kind with 3D technology in Canada) to replace a unit that was 15 years old and becoming difficult to maintain.

With support from our community, St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation raised $607,174 of the $1.2 million required for the purchase. To meet the immediate need for the patients of Niagara, the SCGH Foundation Board members decided to lease the balance required so that the equipment could be installed in January 2009.

Collectively, the foundations transfer between $3.5-$5 million to the Niagara Health System for equipment purchases at the local hospitals each year.

Grateful for the foundations’ support and hard work

“I am grateful on behalf of everyone who benefits from the foundations’ support and hard work. It goes a long way toward ensuring the availability of equipment which is essential to the delivery of quality healthcare,” says Chief Financial Officer Angela Zangari.

“Niagara Health has aligned with a number of Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO) such as St. Joseph’s Health System GPO, and Medbuy,” says Justin Kelly, Procurement Co-ordinator for the NHS. “We participate in these group purchasing organizations to maximize our buying power by consolidating our needs with other member hospitals across the country. This allows us to leverage our buying ability. The same is true with identifying and consolidating the equipment needs between departments and sites internally.

“When we go to market, the ability to leverage quantity as single purchase produces greater cost savings, rather than tendering multiple times for the same product. Not only can we maximize our spending on the capital side, we are able to negotiate better pricing for the operating expense of consumable items used on the capital equipment list.

“NHS Materials Management will always leverage efficiencies to maximize the spending of our healthcare dollars.”

The Hospital Improvement Plan will also help with some of these equipment purchases.

“There is a lot of duplication in equipment when the same services are offered at multiple sites,” explains Carol Maidens, Greater Niagara General Hospital Foundation Chair. “With the integration of those services, the need for the multiple equipment purchases will be reduced.”

These service changes will also provide a higher level of care to the residents of Niagara, another goal the foundations each have in common.

To support our medical professionals with the tools they require for our family members and loved ones, we ask you to consider making a donation to your local foundation today. «

Dr. Janice Van Kampen, a psychiatrist with Niagara Health System, is dedicated to improving the lives of patients suffering from mental illness.

One in every five Canadians will experience mental illness at some point in their lives. The remaining 80% will be affected by the illness through loved ones – a child who battles with anxiety, a friend with depression, a parent or grandparent who suffers with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Each day, the needs of Niagara patients with mental illness are growing in scope and complexity, and many of these patients must leave the region to access long-term care in Hamilton, Toronto or as far away as London, Ontario. For example, it is estimated that, by 2012, approximately 89,000 Niagarans will be impacted by depression, and an additional 4,450 will be suffering from schizophrenia.

However, positive changes are coming for Niagara’s mental health patients. The It’s Our Time Campaign team is very excited to be supporting the new Niagara regional mental health centre, opening in spring 2013 at the new Niagara Health System healthcare complex. As part of our fundraising campaign, we are attempting to heighten awareness and raise funds for this underserviced and underfunded area of healthcare.

Our commitment to strengthening these services is evidenced by the fact that mental health will constitute the largest department of our new healthcare complex.

With approximately 85,000 square feet, the mental health centre will bring the current three inpatient mental health units, now located at the St. Catharines General, Welland and Greater Niagara General sites, together into one consolidated program. This will result in a more integrated and robust program, streamlined admissions, and better use of limited financial and human resources.

Psychiatric ICU among new services planned

With a greater number of mental health beds due to the introduction of longer-term (tertiary) care, planning is underway for the new centre to include a dedicated emergency psychiatric team, Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, beds designated in the pediatric unit for children, and other important services ranging from crisis intervention to rehabilitation and family support.

In 2013, patients will have access to new services in a modern facility with inviting surroundings including window views, greenery, sitting and activity areas. Nursing stations will be designed to be more approachable and the pleasant surroundings will contribute to a feeling of hope and recovery. With the ability to receive more specialized local care, patients will benefit from the support of nearby family and friends, helping with their re-integration into the community.

“Working with mental health patients gives me the privilege of hearing people’s life stories; they are filled with both happy and sad parts,” says Dr. Janice Van Kampen, a psychiatrist with the Niagara Health System. “However, mental health patients get better. Some patients will achieve full remission of symptoms and others can come to some sort of understanding of how their residual symptoms affect them. It is important to instil hope and help them regain quality of life and functioning.”

Dr. Van Kampen’s words provide inspiration to our fundraising volunteers and staff. Your donations are essential in our mission to fund the tools our doctors, nurses and allied health professionals need to give the very best patient care.

To donate, visit your local hospital foundation today or call 905-378-4647 and ask for your local site.  To donate online and to learn more about the campaign, visit ItsOurTimeCampaign.ca.

Please contribute to our new mental health centre and help strengthen our Niagara communities. Your support will  make a difference.

Patient Ann Wilson, a 71-year-old Welland resident, comes to the Outpatient Oncology unit to see Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, seated, and RN Karen Jones. Front-line staff and physicians are encouraged by a new provincial strategy to provide more comprehensive, personalized care to cancer patients.

Senior Radiology Technologist Lisa Perrella carries out a mammogram in the Women’s Health Centre at Greater Niagara General Site.

Pharmacy Technician Linda Simpson prepares chemotherapy in a biologic safety cabinet.

Dr. Janice Giesbrecht knows all too well the face of cancer.

An oncologist in Niagara for the last 22 years, through her daily direct work in cancer care, she has cared for thousands of cancer patients during the various stages of their cancer journey.

Dr. Giesbrecht’s patients can count on her medical knowledge and personal touch in all aspects of the care she provides to them and to their loved ones at this most difficult time in their lives.

But no matter how deeply she cares about every aspect of the patient experience, Dr. Giesbrecht knows there is always more that can be done to enhance cancer services.

That is why she and her colleagues, both oncologists and other front-line staff, are so encouraged by a new provincial strategy to provide more comprehensive, personalized care to cancer patients.

“Until now, we’ve focused on treatment and radiation centres, but there is so much in the whole continuum of cancer care that our patients need,” says Dr. Giesbrecht, who is the Medical Director of Oncology at Niagara Health System and Deputy Regional Vice President with Cancer Care Ontario. “That continuum starts with prevention, includes assessment/diagnosis and a treatment plan, and extends to follow-up care for cancer survivors.”

The Ontario Cancer Plan, recently released by Cancer Care Ontario, outlines priorities for 2011-2015, sets a course to transform cancer services from the patient perspective, and is driven by a commitment to quality across the cancer journey – from prevention to survivorship or palliative care – as the most effective way to manage cancer.

Faster time to confirm diagnosis

With a focus on more personalized treatment, this new provincial action plan for cancer services is already bearing fruit for Niagara patients.

A Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program – a partnership between NHS, the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton – opened in Niagara last fall. It is one of seven pilot programs across Ontario sponsored by Cancer Care Ontario and the Nursing Secretariat.

A Nurse Navigator helps patients who may have lung cancer every step of the way from initial assessment to diagnosis and into treatment. Already, the length of time this takes has dropped significantly.

“We’ve gone from taking 95 days to confirm a diagnosis to 35 days,” Dr. Giesbrecht says. “This initiative makes an incredible difference, since the earlier we catch cancer, the better chance there is for survival. Now, we’re looking at expanding this model of diagnostic assessment to speed up diagnosis and treatment for breast, prostate and colorectal cancer.”

Screening programs

Dr. Giesbrecht is encouraged by the provincial strategy which will see more screening services    – an initial diagnostic or lab test to check for pre-cancer cells or cancer growths.

“A good example is the Ontario Breast Screening Program for women 50 and older, which is now being expanded to address the needs of younger women at risk,” says Dr. Giesbrecht. “For prostate screening, there isn’t a definitive approach to the best screening and treatment yet. Integration of screening programs is a major focus in the Ontario Cancer Plan.”

At the Outpatient Oncology wing at St. Catharines General Site, the always-busy unit focuses treatment using chemotherapy, specific agents that kill cancer cells, and other targeted drugs or biologic treatments, such as antibodies.

Clinical trials

“For more than 25 years, clinical trials to find better drug combinations have been part of the Niagara program,” Dr. Giesbrecht explains. “The women of Niagara helped pioneer new treatments for fighting breast cancer. Our program gave them access to pivotal studies that resulted in new hormonal therapy, as well as new types of chemotherapy and other systemic therapies based on individual testing. We continue to have a strong program that meets high-quality standards and ultimately provides better quality of care. Today, about 6% of our patient visits relate to clinical trials.”

Linda Boich, Vice President Patient Services and Strategy, leads the large team focused on opening Niagara’s own Walker Family Cancer Centre in about two years, where radiation therapy, in addition to chemotherapy and surgery, will be provided (see page 10 for related story). The new centre will have capacity to provide radiation therapy treatment to approximately 100 patients a day.

Radiation therapy coming to Niagara

“Cancer Care Ontario research shows that 50% of cancer patients would benefit from radiation treatment to reduce cancer and for pain control, yet in Niagara and other parts of Ontario, only 37% of cancer patients opt for radiation therapy,” Linda explains. “Some Niagara patients choose not to go to Hamilton’s Juravinski Cancer Centre for this treatment. We will be changing that when the cancer centre opens in St. Catharines in 2013, and we begin offering radiation therapy in Niagara for the first time. In the meantime, we want to increase options for patients, so we are increasing the number of radiation oncologists who come from Hamilton to Niagara to improve the rate of patient referrals for radiation therapy.”

Niagara’s cancer program has increased about 30% in the last five years. A new prostate cancer clinic also recently opened at the St. Catharines General Site, and the chemotherapy space expanded to include additional patient treatment chairs.

Mortality rates continue to drop, but incidence rates for all types of cancer are increasing.

“There are more cancer survivors than ever before, and we’re examining how the healthcare system can better support them,” Linda says.

For more info visit: niagarahealth.on.ca/services, niagararegion.ca/living or cancercare.on.ca. «

Cathy Caton, recipient of the 2010 President’s Award of Excellence

“A pure act of care that brought added joy” to a palliative patient by arranging for her to get married in the hospital chapel in a bridal gown and tiara, complete with a floral bouquet, is a perfect example of what makes staff member Cathy Caton so special.

The Niagara Health System is recognizing Cathy’s incredibly kind-hearted and compassionate contributions by selecting her as the recipient of the 2010 President’s Award of Excellence. The President’s Award is presented each year to the staff member, doctor or volunteer who, in an overall manner, exemplifies all of the hospital’s success factors and demonstrates the values of compassion, professionalism and respect.

“I was profoundly moved by the way Cathy cared for this patient, her family and her friends during such a happy but difficult time in their lives,” says Interim President and CEO Dr. Sue Matthews. “Cathy’s caring and thoughtfulness embodies the true essence of compassionate care.”

Cathy, a Hospitality Services Aide at the St. Catharines General Site, found out a palliative cancer patient was to be married in the hospital chapel. She went across the street to Stephanie’s Flowers to see if she could arrange for complimentary flowers for the bride. She managed to borrow an artificial bouquet as well as a wedding dress and tiara that were on display in the shop.

“On her own, Cathy saw this patient’s quiet joy and decided to make it even more special,” says Hospital Chaplain Reverend Doug Jones, who officiated at the ceremony. “She made the arrangements and presented the idea and items to the patient. The patient and her family were delighted. This was a pure act of care that brought added joy to a patient whose heart’s desire had come to fruition.”

When Cathy’s manager found out about Cathy’s act of kindness, he said he was so overwhelmed with emotion that he just had to tell others about it. Hospitality Manager Carl Sebasta wanted other people to know how one person’s kindness could touch another person’s life in such a positive way.

“I felt that it was such a wonderful thing that she did,” says Carl. “I wanted to share with everyone how beautiful Cathy is and how wonderful she made this patient feel through the compassion and love that she showed her.”

Cathy, who lives in St. Catharines, says she wishes she had a photo of the bride to remember the occasion. “She looked lovely. That really pleased me. I just felt that I wanted to help to make her day as special as possible and as normal as possible under the circumstances.”

Additional awards

Seven additional awards were presented to NHS employees who were nominated by their peers for demonstrating exceptional behaviours related to the NHS’s Success Factors or Core Values.

Recipients are:

• Focus on those we serve: Marg Davison, Discharge Planning, St. Catharines General Site
• Bring out the best in each other: Sherri Lemon, Volunteer Resources, Greater Niagara General Site
• Build strong and successful relationships: Lillian Aulph, Emergency Department, Welland Site
• Create a better way: Brenda Colbow, Risk Management, Welland Site
• Use our resources wisely (tie): Beth Draper, Complex Care, Welland Site
• Use our resources wisely (tie): Dr. Kim Scher, Douglas Memorial Site
• Compassion, Professionalism and Respect: Mike Doan, Emergency Department, Welland Site

A more detailed description of the award winners’ contributions, along with a list of previous winners, can be found at niagarahealth.on.ca.  «

Time and time again over three years, we made the trip. And while we couldn’t ask for anything better for my mom’s treatment and outcome, the trip quite honestly was never easy.

One of the most compelling memories I have from these visits are the faces of the people sitting in the very comfortable and hospitable waiting areas. People from all walks of life, from youth to middle aged men and women to the elderly, all gathered quietly and most patiently waiting to meet with their specialist, go for treatment or accompany  their family member or friend. These are the many, many faces of cancer.

I never actually counted, but I can say that all too often we would run across people we knew from Niagara – a common-place occurrence that will soon change when the Walker Family Cancer Centre opens its doors in 2013.  As cancer care in Ontario takes on a more personalized approach for patients, we have a great opportunity to take cancer services in Niagara to a new level. «

Christine Clark
Chief Communications Officer

Dr. Sue Matthews, Interim President/CEO

The glamour, the gowns, the limos, and all those superstars … many of us recently watched the Academy Awards, the most prestigious awards in popular culture. And just a few days later we celebrated the Niagara Health System’s 2010 Awards of Excellence. I say the NHS awards are far more meaningful and important than the Academy Awards and here’s why.

Charles Shultz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip had a philosophy. I ask you to read it through and then consider which is more important, winning an Academy Award, or winning an NHS Award of Excellence?

• Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
• Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
• Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.
• Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
• Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
• Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. They are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. These awards tarnish. These achievements are forgotten.  But, ask yourself:

• List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
• Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
• Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
• Think of a co-worker who has made you feel appreciated and special.
• Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier – I would say without a doubt.

The NHS Awards of Excellence winners are nominated by their peers. Each of them has helped others through a difficult time, taught people something that is worthwhile, made others feel appreciated and special, and are people others enjoy spending time with. They are highlighted as people who consistently go above and beyond for patients, colleagues, families and friends. They inspire others and embody our core values of compassion, professionalism and respect. Albert Einstein said: “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others. It is the only means.”

Each person who was nominated for an award has made a difference in someone’s life. What bigger achievement could there possibly be? I would invite you to learn more about this year’s Awards of Excellence recipients from the story in this issue of Niagara Health Now and from our website (niagarahealth.on.ca), which goes into more detail about all of our award recipients’ achievements.

To all of our nominees, I offer my heartfelt congratulations. You are the true superstars! «

Mitchell Wright, a first-year McMaster University medical student in Niagara, shows Nicholas Carroll, a Grade 12 student at A.N. Myer Secondary School in Niagara Falls, how to check a patient’s vital signs.

Take CARE of Your Future (Career Awareness and Resource Exploration)  program, hosted by Niagara Health System and seven community partners, was held during March break for students interested in healthcare careers. McMaster students participated in the program as workshop leaders. «

Dr. Rafi Setrak, an ER physician at the St. Catharines General Site, uses his iPad to access Clinical Connect and call up his patients’ medical records while at their bedside.

When Dr. Rafi Setrak is assessing a patient, he can immediately call up their medical records from other hospitals directly from his iPad, which he carries around with him in the St. Catharines General ER.

Dr. Setrak is one of a number of doctors at Niagara Health System and Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre who are participating in a new initiative that enhances care through the sharing of patient medical information with hospitals in Hamilton and beyond on an electronic network.

“The combination of a highly mobile device like the iPad, and comprehensive patient data spanning many hospitals through Clinical Connect, brings effective, fast, secure and safe decision-making ability right to the bedside at any time, day or night,” says Dr. Setrak. “Standing to benefit most are patients presenting with hyper-acute conditions, especially at off hours of the day, when collecting meaningful data is a challenge.”

Anytime, anywhere access

Clinical Connect gives doctors and other healthcare providers secure, real time access to their patients’ electronically stored medical records via the internet. The information includes lab results, transcribed reports, records of visits, medications and more. Hamilton Health Sciences, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington are among the hospitals using the network from the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). Niagara doctors can also access patient health records from several hospitals in the neighbouring Waterloo Wellington LHIN.

In partnering on the project, NHS and Hotel Dieu Shaver knew that with more patient information available electronically, patient care and patient safety in Niagara would be improved, and costs would be reduced.

Dr. Mark Jany, respirologist and internist at St. Catharines General Site, says Clinical Connect benefits patient care directly by allowing quicker decision making by physicians. Clinical Connect provides doctors with immediate access to a patient’s medical history, eliminating the frequent need to repeat medical tests for patients who are cared for outside the region and then come to hospital in Niagara.

“Having immediate access to a patient’s medical records through Clinical Connect saves physicians a lot of time, allowing them to diagnose and treat patients more quickly,” says Dr. Jany.

Dr. Jack Luce, Chief of Staff for Hotel Dieu Shaver, agrees the system has numerous benefits for patients, doctors and hospital staff.

“It certainly makes the process of transferring patients more seamless in terms of having quick and reliable access to the patient’s health information,” says Dr. Luce. “When Niagara patients are repatriated to us from Hamilton for their rehab, we can quickly access
their records.” «

The Niagara Health System has been applauded and highlighted by Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada,  thanks to the hard work of OR staff. In 2010, we had zero surgical site infections related to total joint replacement operations, thus keeping our patients even safer.

Back in 2009, the OR program decided to combine Safer Healthcare Now’s initiative to reduce surgical site infections with the World Health Organization’s surgical safety checklist, both of which were best practice standards. To achieve this, the team decided to add an extra question in the checklist about administering an antibiotic before surgery.

The question prompts staff to confirm that the patient has received an antibiotic one hour before surgery. Because most antibiotics are at full strength at 60 minutes, it is essential that the surgical team targets the one-hour window. If the patient has not received the prophylactic, the OR team is prompted to administer it before starting the procedure.

For the new procedure, each OR team had to realign their process. Within three months, a formal policy and documentation strategy was in place to maintain consistency and sustain best practice on a go-forward basis.

Surgical Health Program Director Patty Welychka attributes this success to a multi-site commitment to embrace quality improvement initiatives.

“We are consistently 100% compliant with our surgical safety checklist and have now reached above the provincial average for compliance in giving antibiotics to our joint replacement patients in a timely manner,” she says. “That means better outcomes for our patients.”

Congratulations to our OR team! «

The dialysis patients at Ontario Street Site came into a colourful, Hawaiian-themed unit in March. Thanks to RN Linda McDermott, pictured left with RN Jennifer Wilson, the unit was decorated to the max with palm trees, paper pineapples, streamers and more. “I’ve been doing this during particularly cold winters for about 15 years,” says Linda. “It lifts the spirits of our patients and staff.”  «

To increase awareness and staff engagement, Green Teams are starting at all sites. Team members act as green champions to raise awareness on better conservation practices at work and at home. The teams are looking for more members. Want to join? Contact Hospitality/Linen Director Nick Jancsar at ext. 52611 or Engineering Services Director Greg Kuzmenko at ext. 32454.

Recycling increase

Most hospitals have a goal of diverting 50% of their total waste from the landfill, and we are getting closer to that goal. In 2003, the NHS diversion rate was 27% for paper, plastic, metal, cardboard, food waste and glass. We are now at 40% in these recycling activities.

Regional initiatives, such as expanding organic collection to include coffee shops and cafeterias along with our kitchens, is diverting an incredible 80 tonnes of food waste a year, about 4% of our total waste.

The paper recycling collection is averaging 40 tonnes a year, but Nick says we’re producing at least three times that in waste paper that could be recycled.

The NHS receives $400 a year from Abitibi, based on the volume of paper we provide them for their paper plant in Thorold. Annually, about 120 tonnes of confidential paper is shredded.

New in the past year are reusable wrappers made of microfibre cloth for wrapping sterile surgical and other equipment. This reduces waste and saves
money – about $40,000 a year.

Celebrating Earth Week

Earth Day (April 22) activities are happening the week of April 18. Stop by a display to learn more about how we’re doing and how you can make a difference. «

Christine Seebach, Medical Laboratory Technologist, with the Ventana, a fully automated immunohistochemistry instrument used in the diagnosis of tissue malignancies - photo taken by Mary Ellen Irvine, MLT SCG

Medical Laboratory Week (Apr 24-30)

Did you know there were more than 4.1 million laboratory tests carried out at NHS sites last year? Or, that laboratory tests result in 85% of clinical decisions and diagnoses?

Laboratory tests serve as the foundation for the diagnosis and management of conditions like cardiac disease, HIV, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, infectious disease and trauma, in addition to the provision of safe blood products.
Medical laboratory professionals – pathologists, medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory assistants – work on the front line of disease detection and diagnosis. Every day they play a vital role in Canada’s healthcare system. The Niagara Health System currently employs approximately 175 laboratory staff.

During National Medical Laboratory Week, take this opportunity to learn more about medical laboratory professionals and the contributions they make to providing quality patient care. Visit the Med Lab Week displays at our sites. «

This artist’s concept shows what the chemotherapy treatment area on the second level of the cancer centre will look like. This area features wall-to-wall windows. The walls between the treatment spaces are designed to create privacy while allowing natural light to flow through the space to help create a healing environment.

Anyone who has sat quietly in the waiting area of a hospital for a treatment or an assessment with a physician specialist knows the tension and fear that build with every moment that ticks by. For cancer patients waiting time after time for multiple chemotherapy or radiation treatments, sometimes the wait can be as overwhelming as the treatment itself.

Opens in 2013

When it opens in 2013, the Walker Family Cancer Centre will become the hub of a co-ordinated regional cancer treatment network for Niagara, meaning that 95% of Niagara cancer patients will be able to receive their chemotherapy and radiation treatment in Niagara.

Radiation therapy

The most anticipated new service that will be offered at the Walker Family Cancer Centre, and in Niagara for the first time, is radiation therapy.

“Waiting in a doctor’s office or a treatment centre is not easy for anyone, especially for those who haven’t yet or have just been diagnosed,” explains Linda Boich, Vice President, Patient Services and Strategy. “Creating a sense of comfort and calm in and around the Walker Family Cancer Centre has been a key priority for us in the design and development of the centre.”

The 67,000-square-foot cancer centre will occupy the first two levels of a four-level outpatient section of the new health complex. The design of the cancer centre incorporates many natural elements and finishes like wood and stone, along with plenty of natural light.

“We wanted the surroundings inside and around the cancer centre to be welcoming to people. We didn’t want the facility to look institutional and cold,” says Linda. “There are some really innovative yet functional features like curved partition walls between the treatment areas.”

Niagara’s cancer centre will be equipped with three radiation treatment rooms. These rooms will house linear accelerators – powerful X-ray machines that produce ionizing radiation to direct radiation beams to the patient’s tumour from different angles in order to destroy tumour cells.

The cancer centre is being constructed alongside the new healthcare complex, which will replace the aging St. Catharines General and Ontario Street sites in St. Catharines. The facility will serve as an acute care hospital for St. Catharines, Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake and surrounding area, providing acute inpatient care, surgical oncology and diagnostic services to support the cancer centre.

Construction is on budget and on schedule at over 50% completion and is on track for completion on November 26, 2012. Following a few months transition for training and orientation, the new health complex will open its doors to provide patient care in the spring of 2013. «

Marcel Dionne, left, with urologist Dr. Ian Brown, centre, and Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor. (Photo courtesy of SNAP)

Marcel Dionne as a player with the Los Angeles Kings.

Marcel Dionne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. This capped a spectacular 18-season career in the National Hockey League from 1971 – 1989 that saw Marcel:

• set an NHL record for scoring by a rookie with 77 points
• record a season high best of 137 points in 1979-80 (tied with Wayne Gretzky for the league lead)
• win the Art Ross Trophy, the Lester B. Pearson Award and the Lady Byng Trophy
• fourth among all-time goal scorers and fifth in total points earned
• play for Team Canada in the 1976 and 1981 Canada Cup
• named to the NHL All-Star Team on 12 different occasions
• play for the Detroit Red Wings, the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers

As if these accomplishments were not enough for one lifetime, Marcel launched a successful career as a businessman and entrepreneur following his retirement as an active player with the NHL. He owns and operates Marcel Dionne Inc., a sports marketing and retail business headquartered in Niagara Falls. In addition, he has been involved as a real estate developer buying and selling many properties throughout North America.

His latest venture is in the restaurant business – a new restaurant on Montrose Road in Niagara Falls in affiliation with his sporting goods/memorabilia outlet.

Throughout his professional hockey career and now as a local businessman, Marcel has been actively involved in helping in charity work. Last year, Marcel was asked to be the Honorary Ride Captain for the inaugural Niagara Region Motorcycle Ride for Dad for Prostate Cancer. He accepted this new role with great enthusiasm and is now part of the organizing committee for the Ride for Dad.

When asked why, he explained his involvement this way:  “As a young boy growing up in Drummondville, Quebec, I remember my parents as working hard to support their family but also finding time to help their neighbours and their community. This has always been a part of my life and I want to use my hockey fame as a way to help our community.” Marcel also mentions Jean Beliveau (Montreal Canadiens) as a man he always admired for his contributions to the game of hockey and for his support of many different charities, and as someone Marcel would like to emulate.

On a far more personal level, Marcel mentions the names of other NHL stars such as Peter and Frank Mahovlich, John Ferguson and Mike Robitaille – all of whom have had prostate cancer. His own healthcare issues have included  prostate tests, biopsies and high PSA levels.

He worries that men do not take the possibility of prostate cancer seriously and thus avoid the simple tests that can save their lives. He notes that “men don’t want to talk about it” but he adds “the message is simple: you can do nothing and pretend it doesn’t exist or you can take a few simple steps to make sure you are ‘okay’.  If detected early it is curable.”  He believes it is not just enough to be a spokesperson as the Honorary Ride Captain but he must also be proactive in getting the message out so other men understand the disease and take steps to help in the fight against prostate cancer.

Come out and join Marcel and hundreds of motorcycle riders on Sunday, May 29, for the second annual Niagara Chapter of the Motorcycle Ride for Dad.  Marcel hopes to meet you there! «

From left, Intensive Care Unit Charge Nurse Christena Thompson, Vice President Patient Services Anne Atkinson, and Acting Chief of Surgery Dr. Jeff Cranford encourage Niagara residents to register their consent to donate organs and tissue.

The Niagara Health System continues to encourage Niagara residents to save the lives of others by registering their consent to donate organs and tissue.

The NHS recovered eyes from 71 patients last year – a total of 142 eyes. Seven people’s lives were saved by two multiple organ donors, resulting in the recovery and transplant of seven organs (one heart, two livers, four kidneys). There were two multiple tissue donations (examples include skin, bone and heart valves), enhancing the lives of more than 150 people.

“Trillium Gift of Life Network recognizes the Niagara Health System as a leader in the province due to the high number of donations in Niagara. Through increased awareness and commitment to organ and tissue donation, we continue to increase our donation rates year over year,” says Anne Atkinson, Vice President, Patient Services. “I want to express my gratitude to the family members who made the decision to give the gift of life by donating their loved ones’ organs and tissue. Although we are pleased with our progress, we are mindful that these donations were the direct result of a family’s loss of a loved one.”

During Organ and Tissue Donation Week, which runs April 17 to 23, the hospital will be setting up displays at its seven sites to encourage people working at or visiting the hospital to register their consent to donate organs and tissue. These displays will be set up April 20.

“Even more lives could be saved and enhanced if more people would register their consent to donate,” says Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer at NHS and a Board Member at Trillium Gift of Life Network. “Only 17% of Ontarians have registered their consent to donation. There are many more people who would be eligible to donate their organs and tissue, but they need to register their consent to make their wishes known.”

More than 1,500 people are on the transplant waiting list in Ontario –   53 from Niagara – and thousands more are waiting for a tissue transplant. Every three days, someone dies in Ontario waiting for a life-saving transplant. One donor’s generosity can have a tremendous impact on improving the health of others who desperately need transplants.  One organ donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of up to 75 others through tissue donation. «

Kim Stephens-Woods joins the NHS as Vice President, Patient Services at the Douglas Memorial, Port Colborne and Niagara-on-the-Lake hospital sites.

A Registered Nurse who has held a number of management positions over the last 10 years, most recently at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, will bring a highly personable approach to her new role with the Niagara Health System.

Kim Stephens-Woods joined the NHS in late March as Vice President, Patient Services at the Douglas Memorial, Port Colborne and Niagara-on-the-Lake hospital sites. In her new role, she is also responsible for the perioperative (includes surgery, endoscopy and related services), complex care and long-term care programs.

“Kim began her healthcare career in nursing in 1979 and has worked in a number of specialty areas, including neurosciences, emergency, utilization and surgery,” says Interim President and CEO Dr. Sue Matthews. “We are privileged to have Kim join us in Niagara. She has extensive experience in healthcare and brings with her a wealth of knowledge. When people meet her, they immediately comment on how her personality makes them feel so at ease. She is very personable and caring, and I know she will be warmly welcomed in her new role.”

Kim most recently held the position of Director of Clinical Services at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McMaster University as well as a Master’s Degree in Nursing with a focus on management from D’Youville College in Buffalo.

“I am very excited to begin this new role at the Niagara Health System,” says Kim. “I have already met a lot of people, and it is clear that they are all passionate about healthcare in Niagara. I am looking forward to working with everyone to enhance the patient care experience.” «

Many people with breathing problems don’t realize they have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the fourth leading cause of death in Canada, says respirologist Dr. Mark Jany. While there is no cure for COPD, there are many effective treatments that can improve symptoms and prevent hospitalization.

Dr. Mark Jany, a respirologist practicing in Niagara for more than 16 years, knows the story well. His patients tell him that they think they have a cold or even asthma. It’s an all too common conversation.

“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada and yet is a relatively unknown condition that covers lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis,” says Dr. Jany. “Symptoms include shortness of breath or wheezing, chronic cough, or coughing up mucus. Fully 80 to 90% of people with COPD are smokers or former smokers. While there is no cure for COPD and it will worsen over time if patients continue to smoke, there are many effective treatments that can improve symptoms and prevent hospitalization.”

For more than two decades, 63-year-old Lucy Plourde thought she had breathing problems from working in a greenhouse and from frequent colds. It wasn’t enough to make her stop smoking though and because inhalers (puffers) seemed to help, Lucy kept up the smoking habit until eight years ago.

“I thought maybe I had asthma,” recalls Lucy.

On a mild June day in 2009, that all changed for the St. Catharines resident. “I was so short of breath I could hardly walk the length of my house, and because I was taking a relative to the Urgent Care Centre (at Ontario Street Site), I decided to get checked out myself,” Lucy says. “The doctor there said I couldn’t wait months to see a specialist and referred me to a respirologist the next week.”

Respirologists are physician specialists who diagnose and treat a wide range of lung conditions, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis.

Simple spirometry test

Respiratory therapist Diane Michaud, right, performs a spirometry test on patient Lucy Plourde. This simple breathing test is key to diagnosing and monitoring COPD and other lung conditions, such as asthma.

Key to diagnosing lung diseases is through a spirometry test, a simple breathing test that calculates the amount of air the patient’s lungs can hold and the rate at which the air can be expelled. The earlier spirometry is performed, the earlier lung disease can be detected and treated. Lucy’s diagnosis wasn’t good; it was COPD.

“We are very fortunate to have a regional COPD rehab program at St. Catharines General (SCG) Site,” says respirologist Dr. Tom Nolan, Lucy’s specialist. “It’s a multi-disciplinary approach involving respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, and this clinic is as important as anything else we do for COPD patients. For the first time, they are with another person who’s in exactly the same boat. Knowing they’re not alone is reassuring.”

Lucy attends the rehab program three times a week for seven weeks, trundling her mini-oxygen tank with her everywhere she goes. A key component of the comprehensive rehab program is improving fitness levels.

“By increasing their fitness levels, even a little bit, our COPD patients can improve their daily activities and that can make life much better for them,” says registered respiratory therapist and educator Diane Michaud, who runs the clinic at SCG.

Improving fitness levels

Even a small increase in exercise levels can improve lung function for people with COPD. Physiotherapist Jeremy Buchan, standing, works with patients Lloyd Kerr and Rachelle Harvey.

Physiotherapist Jeremy Buchan monitors the heart rate of the five or six patients from across Niagara in the program as he puts them through their paces. The exercise portion includes warm-up stretches; circuit training on treadmill, stationary bicycle and arm trainer; then comes lightweight training; and finally, cool-down stretches.

“Initially, the participants are scared to do much because they know they will be short of breath,” Jeremy says.

Not only does their endurance improve, Jeremy says he sees a big increase in confidence. “That confidence boosts their overall feeling of wellbeing and outlook on life. They are happier and more productive when they realize they’re not as disabled as people have told them they are.”

After the exercise portion, Diane and her colleagues deliver education with a different topic each time on smoking cessation, improving physical fitness, breathing control, energy conservation, preventing flare-ups, medication management, nutrition, and learning to live with a chronic condition.

“One of the key elements in this program is to help our patients develop an action plan, so that when they have a flare-up (sudden and sustained worsening of symptoms), they can take the right steps to minimize the changing symptoms,” Diane says.

These steps may include altering medication and doing exercises to open the airways. The plan also covers when it’s time to call the doctor or 911.

New COPD clinic in Fort Erie

A new COPD clinic at Douglas Memorial Site opened in January to serve the lakeshore community, which has a higher-than-average number of people with COPD. The Fort Erie clinic is different from the rehab program. Diane and the respirologists see patients one-on-one for assessment, medication review, education/counselling and follow-up appointments to ensure they are managing their symptoms.

“Our goal in Fort Erie is to identify patients at risk and see them closer to home to improve the management of their condition,” Dr. Jany says. “If we can help them reduce their symptoms we can also hopefully prevent hospitalization. Someone without COPD may get a chest infection and not need to be admitted to hospital. However, when COPD patients have poor lung function to start with, it can be life-threatening. In many cases, their condition gets worse and they never quite recover to their previous level of function. The respirology group would like to expand this type of clinic because it’s been shown to make a difference for people with COPD.”

For Lucy, despite the knowledge that she will always have an oxygen tank at her side, the rehab program has made a difference between just surviving each day and actively living each day.

“When I started the rehab program, I could only be on the treadmill for three minutes,” Lucy says. “Now I can do 20 minutes.”

“I am doing everything I can. I still go camping, I still garden, but at a slower pace now. With this program, Diane and Jeremy show us that we can still have a life.”  «

Fast facts on COPD

• COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is an umbrella term that describes chronic lung diseases that limit airflow to the lungs. The two most common COPD diseases are emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
• Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, chronic coughing, and/or coughing that produces mucus.
• Up to 90% of people with COPD smoke or used to smoke. About 10-20% of COPD cases are caused by other factors such as air pollution, lung infections, occupational exposures and genetic disorders. It is a progressive disease, which means it gets worse over time.
• It is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada.
• COPD flare-ups (sudden and sustained worsening of symptoms) are the main cause of hospitalization from chronic medical conditions in Canada, according to the Canadian Thoracic Society.
• Last year, the main cause of hospitalization to an NHS inpatient medical bed was COPD. There were 963 patient admissions for COPD out of a total of 33,394 admissions.
• The Canadian Lung Association website, www.lung.ca, is an excellent resource to learn more about COPD, risk factors and treatment. Take the quick quiz to see if you are at risk.

Some elective surgeries were postponed recently due to an increased number of patients with cardiac conditions, pneumonia and seasonal illness over the winter months.

Quality performance indicators for the Niagara Health System show that wait times are improving in surgical and diagnostic care.

The latest data for January 2011 shows that wait times for cancer surgery, hip replacement surgery, and CT and MRI scans are all better than the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) target.

There is still work to do in knee replacement surgery and cataract surgery, which are above the LHIN target.

“These statistics are reported publicly each month as part of the provincial Wait Time Strategy,” says Interim President and CEO Dr. Sue Matthews.

“The data is very helpful in measuring our performance in these targeted areas as we continue to work to shorten wait times and improve the overall quality of care we provide to the residents of Niagara. We are extremely pleased that we have shortened wait times for our patients and will continue to make improvements in the areas where we need to do better.”

The hospital typically sees an increased number of patients with cardiac conditions, pneumonia and seasonal illness over the winter months, and wait times can fluctuate based on demand.

“In order to care for the higher number of patients coming to the hospital in January and again in February, we have had to make some difficult choices about elective surgeries,” says Interim Vice President Carol Potvin. “We do expect wait times to increase for February due to higher than normal patient volumes.”

Members of the public are welcome to view the wait times data, as well as other quality indicators that measure the overall patient care experience at the NHS. This public information is posted in the Quality & Performance section of the NHS website. Wait times are also posted on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s website and the Ontario Hospital Association’s myhospitalcare.ca website. «

COPD covers a spectrum of chronic lung conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, all of which limit airflow to the lungs. Shortness of breath, wheezing and chronic coughing typically characterize this progressive disease, and the majority of people who are diagnosed with COPD are commonly smokers or former smokers. In Niagara, the incidence of this debilitating chronic illness is more prevalent than in other parts of the province. Across the nation, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death for Canadians.

In this issue of Niagara Health Now, our feature story focuses on a regional clinic that helps COPD patients reduce their symptoms and hopefully prevent hospitalization. You can also read about a new smoking cessation initiative launched by the hospital for diabetes patients who put their health at increased risk by smoking.

The promise of springtime brings the promise of new beginnings and new life. For smokers who want to kick the habit, this spring season there isn’t a better time to start anew to breathe easier. «

Christine Clark
Chief Communications Officer

“Smoking is unhealthy for everyone, and the importance of quitting smoking cannot be underestimated for patients who have a chronic health condition like diabetes.”

David Barry
Manager of Outpatient Addiction and Withdrawal Management Services

A new program launched by the Niagara Health System targets diabetes patients in Niagara who put their health at increased risk by smoking.

Thirty to 35% of diabetes patients registered in the regional Niagara Diabetes Centre smoke cigarettes, leading the hospital’s diabetes centre and Addiction Services to launch the Quality Intensive Treatment for Smoking (QITS) initiative.

“Smoking is unhealthy for everyone, and the importance of quitting smoking cannot be underestimated for patients who have a chronic health condition like diabetes,” says David Barry, Manager of Outpatient Addiction and Withdrawal Management Services. “For example, many diabetes patients have circulation issues, and smoking makes this condition worse.”

“We know it is a challenge for people to quit smoking, and we have various supports in place to help them with their tobacco addiction,” says David.

QITS is available to all diabetes patients involved in the Niagara Diabetes Centre, with access to services at the Ontario Street Site in St. Catharines and the Welland Site. Participants will work with a Nurse Practitioner and Addiction Counsellor. They will receive a health assessment; therapies which include smoking cessation aids like nicotine replacement therapy, support and counselling; and ongoing follow up as necessary.

“This is an excellent opportunity for healthy lifestyle management strategies as it relates to smoking for our diabetes patients,” says Cathy Lanteigne, Manager of the diabetes centre. “The ability to stop smoking will not only decrease the risk of other health concerns such as heart disease, circulation issues or amputations but also decreases a financial burden for individuals that are already taxed with costs associated with their diabetes management.”

Niagara Health, which is 100% smoke-free on its properties, provides similar services to patients and staff to help them manage their nicotine addictions or quit smoking. «

The Hospital Improvement Plan is about a modern model of care delivery that is built on sound clinical evidence, is patient-centred and patient-driven, and focuses on providing quality care.

The hospital’s Interim President and CEO Dr. Sue Matthews met with Niagara Health Now to answer questions many people are asking about the Hospital Improvement Plan and about healthcare in Niagara.

Why proceed with the HIP when there is still opposition?

The HIP was developed to adapt to the trends and challenges of delivering quality healthcare. Demand for healthcare continues to grow. Costs continue to escalate. Medical treatments and technologies continue to advance. For many years, we haven’t been able to afford the equipment or infrastructure needs, and we’ve struggled with not having enough healthcare providers to meet demand. Our hospital cannot be all things to all people in all places. It’s not possible.

The HIP is about a modern model of care delivery that is built on sound clinical evidence, is patient-centred and patient-driven, and focuses on providing quality care.

How will Centres of Excellence make a difference?

Our goal is to provide our patients with care of the highest quality. Medical research shows that patient care is better and safer when it is delivered in a focused, high-volume model. The Centre of Excellence approach will also make more effective use of our healthcare providers, buildings and equipment. We will be able to attract and retain the best healthcare professionals through providing them with the most up-to-date models of care delivery.

Hospital equipment is funded 100% by donations. Our community is very generous, but healthcare equipment is extremely expensive. Every year, needs for new equipment far outstrip our ability to purchase it. By centralizing services, we can purchase the best equipment so our healthcare team can provide patients with the best possible care.

We keep hearing we are paying more for less. Is this true?

New regional services in cancer care, mental health, cardiac catheterization, obstetrics and dialysis will be offered at the new health complex in St. Catharines when it opens in 2013.

So far this year, in Fort Erie, we have opened a new clinic for patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and introduced a new cardiac rehabilitation service. A new joint assessment clinic opened in January at the Niagara Falls site for patients from across the region with hip and knee problems.

When the HIP is complete, there will be a wider range of hospital services here in Niagara. Fewer people will have to leave the region for care. However, more people will have to travel to the different sites within Niagara to obtain specialty care, such as eye surgery in Welland or stroke care in Niagara Falls.

Why can’t you convert the Urgent Care Centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne back to ERs?

Emergency Departments are not all the same. We refer to them as ERs but they do not all provide the same level of service. Today, the standard in ER care includes access to CT, MRI, surgeons and other specialists. These services were not available at the Fort Erie or Port Colborne ERs. Patients would arrive on their own or via ambulance and then be transported to an ER with access to these services, which caused a delay in their treatment.

The change to urgent care improves patient access to the right site, for the right care and on a more timely basis. These Urgent Care Centres are seeing an increasing number of patients. Although the ERs in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Welland are seeing an increasing number of sicker patients, they are seeing a decreasing number of patients who can be seen at an Urgent Care Centre and an overall decreasing number of patients coming to the ERs.

What’s next?

Most of the work under the HIP has been completed. Over the next two years, we will wrap up the remaining work which includes creating Centres of Excellence in surgery and obstetrics. We will be asking our healthcare experts in these specialty areas to demonstrate that their plans to centralize these services serve the best interests of quality patient care based on sound medical evidence.

The implementation plan for the final phase of the HIP will be confirmed by the hospital’s HIP Steering Committee. It will be brought forward to the Board of Trustees in June 2011, and then provided to the Local Health Integration Network for review. «

Visitor Diko Kokedjian cleans her hands at one of the new kiosks at the front entrance of the Ontario Street Site.

Niagara Health System is taking its infection prevention and control strategies up a notch to encourage everyone to clean their hands more often when they are at the hospital.

Visitors, doctors and staff at the Greater Niagara General Site now hear a motion-activated voice message asking them to clean their hands when they enter the main entrance and other areas of the building.

“Good hand hygiene takes a conscious effort, and these new strategies will help us to keep the importance of hand washing top of mind for everyone,” says Frank Demizio, Vice President Patient Services. “As a result of improved hand hygiene, we have seen a significant drop in outbreaks by 60% over the last two years.”

Important for everyone

“Good hand hygiene is an important practice for everyone, including our patients,” adds Frank. “It’s one of the best ways to prevent the spread of many infections. We plan to expand this initiative to all of our sites.”

In addition, new kiosk displays with alcohol-hand dispensers have been set up across all sites. Messages reinforcing the importance of hand washing are posted on the displays.

“What’s unique about these kiosk displays is that they have ledges for people to put their purses, bags and other items to free up their hands so they can clean them,” Frank says. “It can be difficult for people to clean their hands, particularly during the winter, when they are carrying gloves and other items with no convenient place to put them.”  «

Tips for cleaning hands properly

• Rub all parts of the hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and running water
• Pay special attention to fingertips, between fingers, backs of hands, base of thumbs
• Keep nails short and clean; do not wear artificial nails; remove chipped nail polish
• Remove rings and bracelets
• Make sure sleeves are pushed up and do not get wet
• Clean hands for a minimum of 15 seconds
• Dry hands thoroughly; if cleaning hands with soap and water, turn off water from tap using paper towel
• Apply lotion to hands frequently

Niagara EMS Operations Superintendent Robert Barbison demonstrates how a new colour-coded system works on ambulance stretcher IV poles to show at a glance whether ambulance patients have been triaged and how long they’ve been in the ER.

As part of this year’s Lean initiative to improve ER wait times and the flow of patients through the hospital, two kaizen (improvement) events recently focused on challenges healthcare providers deal with daily at St. Catharines General Site (SCG).

The delays that frequently occur for Niagara Emergency Medical Services (EMS) when paramedics bring patients to Niagara’s busy ERs is an ongoing challenge. The January kaizen event brought Niagara EMS and NHS together for four days to find solutions.

Ambulance offload delays

The team tackled issues such as different criteria between EMS and ER staff to triage patients, information sharing, lack of stretcher beds for patients, and inconsistent transfer of care practices between paramedics and ER staff.

Freeing up ER space and staff to care for emergency patients is key to reducing offload delays. A solution to the crowded ER environment focuses on those patients who come to the ER with a minor ailment and have long wait times before being seen.

“Up to now, it hadn’t been our practice to suggest that a patient with a minor health issue go to our Ontario Street Site (OSS) Urgent Care Centre 10 minutes away when they’re already at SCG ER,” explains Catherine MacDougall-Chiarelli, ER/Urgent Care Manager. “However, we examined all the risks and advantages in referring non-emergency patients to OSS, and we determined that it would be better for these patients. They would be seen sooner in the Urgent Care Centre and would free up resources we need for the seriously ill ER patients at SCG.”

Now, non-emergency patients who can receive care at OSS receive an information package with map and instructions after they’re triaged at SCG, and medical info is entered at SCG into the shared electronic health record so the patient doesn’t need to answer the same questions when they get to OSS.

The group also found solutions to other challenges, including colour-coded mini flip-charts which will tell nursing and EMS staff at a glance whether patients arriving by ambulance have been triaged, and how long they have been in the ER.

“The kaizen event was an excellent opportunity to bring together the various people who play a role in this complex process,” says Kevin Smith, Niagara EMS Deputy Chief. “It was an opportunity to see past the obvious and work within the realities of the current situation to have a positive influence on the process. Niagara EMS was pleased to be involved in this event and welcomes opportunities to assist the NHS in their efforts to find efficiencies to improve the patient care experience.”

Discharge planning for inpatients

For this kaizen event, an inter-professional group of hospital staff and Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) staff gathered to examine every typical interaction an inpatient has with various health disciplines.

On the SCG Medical Inpatient Unit, the average length of stay for patients is about one week. At the earliest opportunity, the patient and healthcare team will begin planning for discharge. The discharge planner works with the patient/caregiver and with input from the healthcare team, counsels the patient/caregiver about discharge options, completing the necessary referrals, applications and forms for community support agencies.

One of the key areas to improve on is when to involve allied health disciplines, such as diagnostic imaging, physiotherapists, speech therapists and respiratory therapists.

“During our kaizen event, we developed a new way to involve allied health staff sooner in patient treatment. Not only does this benefit patients and get them the care they need more quickly, but it could allow them to go home sooner, freeing up that bed for the next patient,” says Health Program Director Su Bolibruck.

“Also, we now have a simplified process so that all the admitting information is in one place electronically, and a standard form for head-to-toe assessment of the patient is completed when they come on the unit,” Su says. “This will reduce the likelihood of errors, improve communication between departments and best of all, improve the experience and quality of care for our patients.” «

Staffers Yul Beauchamps, left, Nancy Thompson and Joanne Mataya have been working together on LiMe to ensure a smooth implementation of the education software.

A simple and intuitive online learning system, called LiMe or Learning Information Management Environment, is shaping up to be a new way of delivering education. LiMe is a complete e-learning package for creating, managing, tracking, delivering and assessing organization-wide learning, explains Nancy Thompson, LiMe and ICT Project Analyst.

“LiMe will offer staff the ability to access learning at a time that is convenient to each individual learner,” says Eric Doucette, LiMe Project Sponsor and Regional Director, Education, Interprofessional Practice and Patient Client Centred Care. “This approach recognizes the balancing act that each staff member must perform when considering work requirements and creating space for learning.”

A LiMe steering committee, representing key departments across the NHS, provides oversight for planning, implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of our on-line learning processes.

To brand the product internally, the steering committee chose to create a logo (pictured) which is a circle of hands suggesting that we learn from, with and about each other. Within the circle of hands, the wording Our Learning Space has been inserted to suggest that we participate together in learning as adults and that learning requires time and space. The tag line to support creating awareness and promote use of e-learning is Sharing Knowledge: Enhancing Performance, which conveys that knowledge is designed to be shared and that learning is linked to building competencies that enhance performance.

“Most training will be available online and LiMe will provide a record to track accomplishments, so that staff can self-direct and monitor their completion of mandatory and other training,” says Eric.

Staff will use their current Meditech login/password to access Our Learning Space. Each staff member will have a personalized learning page containing both mandatory and other e-learning courses or modules that the staff member has pulled into their learning space.

A number of key milestones have been accomplished to date and include:

• Submission and approval of the LiMe implementation plan that includes three waves:
  • Wave 1: SCG, NOTL and OSS
  • Wave 2: GNG and DMH
  • Wave 3: WHS and PCS
• The team will not launch the roll out to the next wave until at least 75% of the users in the current wave have been trained.
• The software has been purchased and installed on NHS servers.
• An inventory of unit/department computer stations is complete to assess if there are sufficient access points for staff.
• Round One of super user training is completed and the role and responsibilities are defined. Super users will be the departmental lead for planning implementation and promoting sustainability of LiMe.

Similar to the IRS roll out approach, a master user will be the key “go to person” to facilitate group or one-to-one training as sites go live. Each unit/department will also have its own super user to support implementation. To round out the plan to ensure staff has access to super users, our PEERs have also agreed to undertake supporting the associated training.

A LiMe SharePoint page is currently under construction and will soon be available for all staff, so look for more information in the near future as roll-out details are finalized. «

The Pay It Forward team raised $600 with their paper bricks fundraiser. Seated from left are: Pam Mackie, Harry Hansen, Patty Spencer and Janice Randles. Standing from left are: Debbie Wood, Marianne Deprinse, Joanne Jackson, Deanna Hannigan and Brian Clune. Team members not pictured are Marg Sisler, Joy Misztal, Bernice Schoenhals and Brenda Benner.

The fundraising effort to send Niagara students to Kenya to assist in a Free the Children project has reached the halfway point, reports the International Year of the Nurse fundraising committee.

“We’ve raised about $10,000 so far,” say co-chairs Donna Rothwell and Eric Doucette. “We’ve had a number of fundraisers, including a yard sale, two pasta dinners and efforts by various clinical departments to get us to this point.”

Partnering with international child rights and relief agency Free the Children, NHS nurses are organizing a number of fundraising events to send a contingent of youth from Niagara to a Kenyan village to help build a health clinic. Organizers of the effort hope to raise approximately $20,000, enough funds to send up to four young people to Kenya.

Pay it Forward

One recent effort involving staff at Douglas Memorial Site was called Pay it Forward. Organizer Marianne Deprinse explains that the concept asks that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead. Starting Dec. 1, national Pay it Forward Day, staff used this premise for a creative fundraiser.

A team of administration, nursing, dietary, housekeeping and radiology staff built the paper bricks to pay it forward. A brick was given to each staff member in recognition of excellence. Upon receiving a brick, the staff person had the option of buying three more bricks for $5 to recognize their colleagues and good work.

“I thank all the Douglas Memorial staff who demonstrated that when we pull together as a team, we can accomplish anything,” Marianne says. “We had great participation – 75% of staff were involved, raising $600 for the Kenya health clinic.”

Stay tuned for more ways to get involved to help our nurses reach their goal this year. You can get the latest information by checking out the Facebook site for the NHS International Year of the Nurse Association, or by emailing
niahealsys@live.com.  «

We achieved $75,000 thanks to your participation in our raffles, the generous contribution of $1,000 from OPSEU and 396 payroll pledges. Thirty of these pledges were for $500 or more, falling into the leadership donor category.

We are wrapping up our United Way Campaign with a final raffle with the following three great prizes:

• Free parking for a year
• $500 gift certificate to the Pen Centre
• One paid day off

Please watch for these raffle details as well as a great gift from one more union to our campaign.

Thank you for supporting the communities we serve with your generous contributions.  «

Sincerely, Co-Chairs Bala Kathiresan and Lynne Pollard.

“People from across all of our sites have stepped up to the plate to help out. We have received more than 70 submissions to our Bright Ideas program and our managers and directors are currently reviewing them,” explains Angela Zangari, Niagara Health Chief Financial Officer.

The Bright Ideas program was established to encourage everyone to share their ideas about work processes, cost savings and improvements to service.

“Many of the suggestions we received this past month are about opportunities to save money by standardizing products and things that can be done to reduce the impact of overtime and sick time,” says Angela.

Sick, overtime, workplace injury costs are significant expenses for the hospital. “One of the greatest cost savings opportunities we have is to bring our overtime and sick time experience in line with that experience of our peer hospitals. More than 10 of the Bright Ideas were about things we can do to reduce the burden.”

Niagara Health is currently in the process of finalizing its 2011/12 budget for presentation to the Local Health Integration Network. As outlined in the Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP) in 2008, the hospital’s goal continues to be to achieve a balanced budget by 2013. As per the approved HIP, the hospital continues to plan on a deficit of approximately $2.5 million for 2011/12. «

More than 85% of the workforce at the construction site for the new healthcare complex are from the local area.

Construction of the new healthcare facility in St. Catharines is providing a sizeable boost to the regional and Ontario economies by directly and indirectly supporting and creating thousands of jobs, many of which are located in the Niagara region.

“Skilled trades, subcontractors and suppliers from across the region are benefiting from this immense project, which at the peak of construction will boast approximately 750 workers on site each day,” says Mike Marasco, CEO of Plenary Health, the company overseeing the development and construction of the complex.

In addition to job creation at the construction site, there is an increased demand for restaurant meals, retail space and other related services in and around St. Catharines.

Where possible, local materials have been used to construct the building, and retail and other business opportunities linked to the new facility will be available to local entrepreneurs.

Investment brings opportunity

“Investment in a project of this magnitude brings real opportunity for the economic outlook of the area,” says NHS Chief Planning and Development Officer Gloria Kain.

“We’ve been blessed by an excellent working relationship with our project partners. Our general contractor PCL has been steadfastly committed to working with the local trades. It is due to this commitment that more than 85% of the workforce has been sourced from the local area.”

As an example, the mechanical contractor for the project, Sayers & Associates, has a significant presence and office in St. Catharines.

“In a hospital project, the mechanical costs account for a substantial amount of the total project costs,” says Mike.

Along with positions to support new regional services to be offered at the site, the complex will have a positive impact on recruiting family doctors, specialist physicians, nurses and allied health professionals to Niagara.

The new complex, which replaces the aging St. Catharines General and Ontario Street sites in St. Catharines, is on budget and on schedule to open in spring of 2013.

In addition to serving as an acute care hospital for St. Catharines, Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake and surrounding area, the new health complex will house new regional services, including comprehensive cancer care at the Walker Family Cancer Centre, longer-term mental health and cardiac care services. «

Since the spring of 2009, we have:

• Moved 12,000 truckloads of dirt
• Moved 5,700 loads of concrete to the site which is enough to pave a 6” thick and 5’ wide sidewalk from the site to Peterborough
• Worked with 5,000 tons or 12 million pounds of reinforced steel which is equivalent to 1.2 million – 10 pound bags of potatoes
• Installed 280 miles of electrical conduit (in concrete and surface mounted) which is enough conduit to run end to end from the site to Sudbury
• Produced more than 60,000 square feet of precast concrete
• Had 1,700 tons of structural steel in fabrication
• Installed more than 4,000 mechanical pipe sleeves in concrete

Interesting construction facts

• Construction is 50% complete; the design is complete
• Cranes used to service the site were dismantled at the end of 2010
• Temporary building heat allows work to continue through the winter
• About 540 workers are currently on site daily with more than 840,000 man hours worked
• The exterior of the building (known as the building envelope) will be complete in May 2011
• Substantial completion (when construction is complete) is on target for November 2012
• Following training and orientation, the new health complex will open for care in the spring of 2013

Two hundred and thirty-eight riders registered for the first annual Motorcycle Ride for Dad, raising more than $30,000 for equipment at the future Walker Family Cancer Centre. The 2011 Ride for Dad is scheduled for Sunday, May 29. For details, go to motorcycleridefordad.org.

In my role as a volunteer with the Greater Niagara General Hospital Foundation, I have had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of people in our communities regarding our hospitals and healthcare in general. One of the most common misconceptions that people have is funding for equipment.

FACT – While the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care funds hospital operations, the federal and provincial governments do not use your tax dollars to provide funding for the purchase of new or replacement medical equipment for our hospitals.

Our medical professionals (doctors, nurses and allied health professionals) and support staff cared for more than 33,000 admitted patients last year and saw almost 190,000 emergency and urgent care visits at our seven sites. Each year, these professionals identify the essential equipment they need to look after our patients – this year, the complete list of equipment items totals about $30 million.  It is the job of all foundations (Douglas Memorial, Greater Niagara General, Niagara Health System, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Colborne, St. Catharines General, and Welland) to appeal to our communities for their financial support so that we can provide the funds necessary to purchase this equipment.

We have been extremely fortunate that individuals, businesses and other community organizations generously support us with their financial gifts and on average, between $3 and $5 million is contributed region-wide each year towards the purchase of equipment at our sites. Although significant, obviously even greater support from our generous donor community is needed to fund the medical equipment required in the immediate future.

Where does this money come from? Local community groups and individuals volunteer their time and talent to hold events to raise funds to support our hospitals. This includes gala dinners, golf tournaments, elimination draws, fashion shows, comedy nights, and events like the Rankin Run, Motorcycle Ride for Dad and the Big Move Cancer Ride – all designed to raise funds to help purchase the equipment we need.

In addition to fundraising for annual equipment replacement, the foundations supporting the NHS also work together on the Niagara-wide It’s Our Time campaign. The campaign is raising $40-million for capital development, medical equipment and technology to support new and expanded regional healthcare services for the treatment of cancer, cardiac, kidney and mental health diseases.

I encourage all of you to get involved. Attend the events that support our hospitals. Volunteer to help out on a committee. Make a donation.

Each of us at some point in our lives will need the services of our hospital, whether it is for ourselves, a family member or a friend, and we all want the best care possible. This can only be accomplished through the financial support of everyone in our communities – these donations enable us to purchase the equipment we need.

Together we can make a difference –  Can we count on you for your support?

To learn how you can help or to donate today please call 905-378-4647 and ask for your local foundation office. «

Carol Maidens
Chair, GNGH Foundation Board of Directors

Cardiac rehabilitation is a set of lifestyle programs designed to lower the risk for developing future heart problems. The full program includes: counselling on making healthy eating choices; supervised exercise program; smoking cessation; stress and relaxation classes; and education.

Niagara Health’s cardiac rehab program runs out of the Ontario Street Site in St. Catharines, the Greater Niagara General Site in Niagara Falls and the Welland Site. All of the programming, except for the exercise component, takes place in the hospital setting. This month, the program expanded its exercise services to Fort Erie, where a clinic is offered two afternoons a week off site at the local community YMCA. These classes are fully supervised by hospital exercise specialists and registered nurses.

“The program received funding to expand to Fort Erie as part of a one-year pilot project,” says Health Program Director Debbie Smith. “We worked closely with Fort Erie’s family doctors to set up this new service in the town, and we look forward to evaluating the program in a year and seeing what other opportunities might be available to bring additional cardiac rehab services here based on the healthcare needs of residents.”

A referral by a family doctor or specialist is needed to participate in the exercise program. Patients will include people who have had or are awaiting heart surgery as well as those who have had a heart attack or angioplasty, angina, congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy, or a heart transplant.  «

Dr. Kim Scher, the lead physician of Douglas Memorial Site’s palliative care program, reguarly visits his patients in their homes accompanied by his daughter Meah. They are pictured here in one of the palliative care rooms at Douglas Memorial.

For some patients, a cure is not possible. Palliative care nurses Pat MacMillan, left, and Mary Lou Hannah help palliative patients live their final days in dignity and in comfort.

Mary Dietrich, left, and Trish Lazarak-Perdue are members of Niagara Health’s palliative care team.

Dr. Kim Scher jokes that nobody wants to see him despite his charming accent and offbeat sense of humour. On the other hand, all his patients want to see his three-year-old daughter Meah. In fact, they practically demand he bring her along. “If I don’t bring her they ask where she is,” he says.

At any one time Dr. Scher could be visiting a couple dozen patients in their homes. Meah accompanies him on most visits. She isn’t content to just sit back and watch her daddy work. “She’ll ask them what’s wrong and tell them, ‘Don’t worry, my daddy will fix you.’”

Not many doctors do house calls these days. But Dr. Scher isn’t like most doctors. He is a busy family physician in Fort Erie. He also works eight or nine nights a month at the Douglas Memorial Urgent Care Centre. On top of that, he is the lead physician of Douglas Memorial’s palliative care program.

Dr. Scher can’t fix his palliative care patients, but he can help them manage their pain. He can help them remain at home for as long as possible. He can help them live their final days in dignity and in comfort. These may seem like small details, but they mean the world to his patients and their families.

Growing branch of medicine

Palliative care is a growing branch of medicine, and it was borne of the experience that for some patients a cure is not possible. When patients reach that stage in life, it is important they know there is still medical care from physicians like Dr. Scher and from a dedicated team of healthcare professionals.

Instead of trying to cure the patient, the focus in palliative care switches to trying to manage his or her symptoms so they can lead as full a life as they can for as long as they can.

He doesn’t find the field depressing. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. “The families and patients are very inspiring. They put up with the most horrifying illnesses. They’re brave. It’s absolutely inspiring that way. That also makes it very rewarding,” he says.

Despite all our medical knowledge, all of our sophisticated equipment and all of our caring we cannot, in the end, prevent death. Death is a part of life. In fact, Trish Lazaruk-Perdue has a sign in her office at the Greater Niagara General that sums it up: Dying is our final act of living, it reads.

Trish is the palliative care nurse for the Greater Niagara General and Douglas Memorial sites. She has helped numerous patients and their families over the years in her role and she is keenly aware of how precious this time is in their lives. For many families, though not all, some of the deepest bonds are created during these times. The knowledge that their time together is nearing an end can help patients and their families come to a greater realization of their love for each other.

Trish realized just how much good can come from palliative care after her experience with one family. “The daughter came out of the room. Her mother had just died. She gave me the biggest hug and said thank you for making that not as hard as I thought it would be. Her heart is breaking. She’s just lost her mother, her best friend. But I was able to make it just a little bit less terrible.”

“Afterwards I just thought that’s it. That’s why I’m doing this.”

Team approach

Niagara Health uses a team approach to palliative care, which is available at all seven sites. The palliative care team involves physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers and even dietitians, occupational and physiotherapists. A healthcare professional, support staff, patient or family member can refer a patient to the palliative care team. When the referral is made, a palliative care nurse will meet with the patient to talk about how they want to live their remaining days.

Mary Lou Hannah is the palliative care nurse for St. Catharines General and Niagara-on-the-Lake sites. She feels it is hard to generalize because every patient’s needs are unique, but she believes one of the keys to providing great palliative care is to always remember the patient is alive.

At its heart, palliative care is about empathy and she feels privileged to be able to help. “To me it’s like I’ve been given a gift by the patient and their family to be there in their final days because they don’t want people they don’t know in their private world,” she says.

Pat MacMillan, the palliative care nurse for the Welland and Port Colborne sites, agrees that “it is a passion and a privilege to be able to help people at the end of their life journey. Pain, suffering and loneliness do not have to characterize the experience of dying. In my role, I am able to provide holistic patient-centred care that can lead to a peaceful end-of-life transition to death while supporting the family during the grief process.”

Working together with community partners so patients have access to care outside of the hospital is also part of the role of the palliative care team. For example, many patients choose to die at home, and Pat and her colleagues will work with their partners in the community to do what they can to support that desire.

Resources for family members

The program also has resources for the family of palliative care patients because oftentimes the patient is better prepared for their death than is their family.

Susan Adams says for many palliative care patients their greatest worry is how their family will cope after they die. Susan is the Clinical Manager of Inpatient Medicine at the St. Catharines General Site and spent nearly four years with the palliative care team.

She knows that being able to help other family members through their grief helps the palliative patient accept death as well as helping family members prepare for the rest of their lives. “You’re not just caring for the patient, you’re caring for the family so you stay with them and listen to their concerns,” she explains.

Volunteers also play an important role. Mary Dietrich is the volunteer coordinator for the palliative care program. Last year she spearheaded a very successful drive that saw 34 new volunteers recruited and trained. Volunteers are available to help patients and their families. A volunteer can sit with patients to give family members a coffee break. A volunteer can take a patient out on hospital grounds. Or they can just be there for company. Their main skill is listening.

Not every palliative care patient wants a volunteer around. Others do not have family living in the area and welcome the company and comfort the volunteers offer. “If the patient wants to talk about dying, the volunteer will listen to their fears and stay with them if they don’t have family. They will do overnight stays. They will sit and listen to family members. Each situation is different, so we assess what the need is and provide what is needed,” Mary says.

Care continues to evolve

It has come a long way over the past two decades, and palliative care at Niagara Health will continue to adapt in the future. Whether that means more inpatient beds or enhanced services for the families will be shaped by the community’s needs.

Nothing would make Susan happier than to see the palliative care program expand. That would mean the service is being used. It would mean that the service is valuable to patients and their families. It would mean that people are erasing the stigma of talking about death.

And it might mean that people live fully right up until the day they die.  «

Terrence Sullivan, President of Cancer Care Ontario, and Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, Medical Director of the Niagara Health System’s Oncology Program, talk about planning underway to enhance cancer services prior to taking a recent tour of the Walker Family Cancer Centre construction site.

It is often said that a hospital is about so much more than bricks and mortar. And so it is for the new Walker Family Cancer Centre, currently under construction in St. Catharines.

While there is much excitement over the physical development of the cancer centre taking shape, it is what will take place behind the walls once it opens that has people in Niagara and beyond eagerly anticipating its opening in 2013.

Long before the foundation was poured for the new regional cancer centre, members of Niagara Health’s oncology program were working with partners Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) and Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton to ensure the thousands of patients touched by cancer in Niagara receive quality, compassionate care now and when the new centre opens.

“Our cancer services have increased about 30% in the last five years,” says Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, Medical Director of the oncology program. “We will continue to improve cancer care in Niagara by introducing new services and focusing more on the patient experience.”

The most anticipated new service that will be offered at the Walker Family Cancer Centre, and in Niagara for the first time, is radiation therapy.

“Providing radiation therapy closer to home will help make treatments easier on our patients and will hopefully increase the number of patients who choose this course of treatment,” says Dr. Giesbrecht. “This will enable us to provide all cancer treatments to 95% of patients diagnosed with cancer in this region, eliminating the need for patients to travel outside Niagara for radiation therapy.”

Currently, an estimated 1,200 patients travel to Hamilton and beyond each year for life-saving radiation treatment.

Oncology program leaders are looking at all aspects of the delivery of cancer services in preparation for the opening of the Walker Family Cancer Centre. In this integrated partnership model with Juravinski, they are working on everything from radiation and chemotherapy services to a shared information system, academic involvement, human resources planning and palliative care services.

Along with expanded chemotherapy services, the program recently introduced a prostate cancer clinic for men and a diagnostic assessment program for patients with a suspicion of lung cancer. In addition, radiation specialists from Juravinski are coming to Niagara Health on a regular basis to consult with their medical colleagues on patient cases.

Improving the quality of cancer care is something CCO is focused on across the province. On a tour of the Niagara cancer centre construction site recently, the then President and CEO of CCO talked about the work underway to strengthen the focus on the patient experience.

The recently released Ontario Cancer Plan outlines priorities for 2011-2015 for cancer services, sets a course to transform cancer services from the patient perspective, and is driven by a commitment to quality across the cancer journey – from prevention to survivorship or palliative care – as the most effective way to manage cancer.

CCO’s Terrence Sullivan predicts both the calibre of the leadership and strong relationship between Juravinski and the Walker Family Cancer Centre will serve as a catalyst for the best possible cancer care in Niagara.

“By building on the talent in Niagara and at Juravinski,” he says, “you will have world-class services to treat patients when you open the doors at this new cancer centre.”  «

Dr. Sue Matthews, Interim President/CEO

Health and healthcare is near and dear to all of us in so many different ways. Our hospitals are places of healing and caring that people of all ages and walks of life depend on, often in some of the most difficult circumstances of their lives. Healthcare professionals have the privilege of being with individuals and families at all ages and stages of their life.

In the few years since I joined the Niagara Health System (NHS), time and time again I have witnessed the difference all members of our healthcare team make in the lives of those for whom we care. As I transition to the role of Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, I acknowledge our staff, physicians and volunteers for all that you do to ensure our patients receive the best care possible.

In the time ahead, I am hoping to connect with staff, physicians and volunteers at each of our hospital sites as well as with community leaders across the region as we work through this period of leadership transition.

A lot of excellent work and progress have been made in recent years across the NHS but at the same time we know there is always more we can do to further enhance care in Niagara.

Work is underway at a number of levels to map out the next steps under the Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP). We remain on course when it comes to implementation of the HIP and the changes that need to take place to improve quality.

We have experienced unprecedented change in healthcare in Niagara, and I would like to thank our healthcare team for stepping up to the ongoing challenges and consistently supporting patients and families across Niagara. There is a saying about nursing that I think translates to all who work in healthcare. It is: “Never, ever let anyone tell you it will be easy … just worth it.”

As a nurse I know how important it is for every member of the healthcare team to provide patients with the best possible care and in this new role I am committed to ensuring we nurture a caring environment that puts patients and families first while at the same time support our staff in a healthy work environment. «

As we turn the page to 2011, readers of Niagara Health Now (NHNow) can continue to look forward to learning more through the pages of this newspaper about our hospital’s services and the people who provide care to patients and families across our sites.

We print 15,000 copies of every issue which are made available free of charge at community locations across Niagara and our hospital sites.

We are always looking for more locations for NHNow so please contact us if you or your agency would like copies. We’re also proud to say that our online readership grew through 2010 with nearly 27,000 online readers reading our NHNow web edition. Our goal in 2011 is to increase online readership.

The most read story online in 2010 was New Doctor in Town, a closeup of a few of the new physicians who recently joined Niagara Health, which was published in our November issue. This was followed by our May 2010 feature saluting our nurses titled Our Nurses Rock.

In the months to come we will be asking our readers about what they want to see in the pages of NHNow. In the meantime, on behalf of the NHNow team, a huge round of thanks to our readers for your support and interest. «

The goal of this new program is to help patients stay active as long as they can and prepare them for surgery if required.”

Dr. Bryan Rittenhouse
Chief of Orthopedics

A new joint assessment clinic for patients with hip and knee problems is focused on finding possible non-surgical solutions – and also reducing wait times for joint replacement surgeries when they are required.

“When you can no longer get in and out of a car or climb stairs without pain, it’s time to have an assessment, and this clinic is unique because it’s focusing on more than surgical interventions to improve patients’ quality of life,” says Monica Koepke, Clinical Manager for the surgical program at Greater Niagara General Site.

The Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (HNHB LHIN) has developed the new Regional Joint Assessment Program in Brantford, Hamilton and Niagara. At Greater Niagara General Site in Niagara Falls, the outpatient clinic serves patients from across the region who can be referred by their family physician or orthopedic surgeon. The program gives patients the choice of seeing the next available surgeon to manage their condition if there is a long wait list for the surgeon to whom they have already been referred.

“The Regional Joint Assessment Programs have played an integral role in patient care and patient access in other parts of our LHIN,” explains Donna Cripps, HNHB LHIN CEO. “This clinic at the Niagara Falls hospital will help to manage the growing demand for total hip and knee replacements and help to reduce wait times for surgery in Niagara.”

The OHIP-covered clinic specializes in preventive options, diagnosis and therapy.

The clinic expects to see up to 20 patients per week, but if there is a need for more clinic time, it will expand. Each appointment is about 45 minutes long, and patients will have their appointment within two weeks of referral.

“In many cases, surgery is not the only answer, and our clinic is staffed by an advanced practice physiotherapist who carries out a thorough functional assessment of the patient’s flexibility,” Monica says. “This information helps the orthopedic surgeon as he/she evaluates the patient’s medical complexity. Together, the team will diagnose and make treatment recommendations, including the urgency level if joint replacement surgery is necessary.”

Treatment options range from conservative management such as physiotherapy and nutrition management, to intermediate interventions such as arthroscopy or cortisone injections, all the way to total joint replacement surgery.

“Having an advanced practice physiotherapist complete a thorough assessment of the patient and create an individualized plan of care will help them manage joint pain and optimize their mobility and quality of life,” says Dr. Bryan Rittenhouse, Niagara Health’s Chief of Orthopedics. “The goal of this new program is to help patients stay active as long as they can and prepare them for surgery if required.”

Last year, Niagara Health performed 1,156 hip and knee replacements, and according to the latest stats is below the provincial wait time for hip replacements at 138 days, compared to 190 provincially. The hospital is slightly above the average for knee replacement surgery wait times at 230 days, compared to 202 provincially.

For more information on the clinic, go to replacemyjoint.ca, call 905-378-4647, ext. 53110, or 1-888-868-5568. «

Auxiliary President Laurie Harley, left, and Niagara-on-the-Lake Site Administrative Assistant Wendy McGinty go through archived hospital files.

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Auxiliary is asking for community input on a Recollections Project to publish a collection of stories that demonstrate the life experiences, accomplishments and rich legacy of 90 years of hospital volunteers in the community.

Led by a team of seniors from the auxiliary, the initiative is actively seeking participation from Niagara-on-the-Lake residents to conduct research, engage seniors, document their stories, and publish a collection of their recollections.

The project will conclude with a celebration event to launch the publication.

The auxiliary received Community Participation and Leadership funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for the project.

Members of the community with photographs, memorabilia and stories to tell are encouraged to contribute to the project. Please contact Laurie Harley at 905-468-5600. «

Ward Secretary Anna Marchio (seated), RN Jody Gowling (right) and RN Gene Bannister work in the main ER nursing station at St. Catharines General. The area was decluttered to provide better workflow.

Niagara Health is borrowing from a proven practice used in the automotive sector to improve our patients’ experience.

“We’re introducing Lean methodology to reduce wait/treatment times in our ERs, improve patient flow between hospital departments, and ensure we are running programs as efficiently as possible for patients,” says Vice President Patient Services and Strategy Linda Boich.

Lean was developed at Toyota in the 1930s. One of its key features is a kaizen event. Kaizen is Japanese for improvement or change for the better. The first two Niagara Health kaizen events took place at St. Catharines General’s Emergency Department and Medical Unit involving front-line staff, vice presidents, clinical managers, charge nurses, maintenance staff and lab techs. Already, improvements through the Lean initiative have reduced the time spent on finding equipment, increased communication about patients who may have an infection, and improved the process for ordering lab and X-ray tests.

In the ER

The most visible effect of the first two kaizen events can be seen in the St. Catharines General ER, where up to 135 patients are seen every 24 hours in space designed for fewer patients. Wait and treatment times are high. The challenges were obvious.

“We gathered a team together to examine every step an ER patient takes – entry, triage, registration, assessment, testing, diagnosis, treatment, right through to discharge or admission to an inpatient unit,” explains Lean facilitator RN Claudia Danyluk. “We determined how and if each step added value to the patient.”

The interprofessional team sorted possible solutions into three categories: quick wins which could be resolved with a couple of meetings; project work requiring several months’ effort and resources; and kaizen events where process improvements occur over four days. The kaizen event focused on industry’s 5S methodology of Sort, Set in order or Straighten, Shine or Systematic cleaning, Standardize, and Sustain.

The team gathered in the ER for the kaizen event. They decluttered supply closets, relocated equipment closer to patients, standardized supplies in the cardiac trauma area, added three computer stations, created better ergonomics at the main nursing station, and much more.

“The kaizen event was really about organizing on a small and large scale,” Claudia says. “We’re monitoring to make sure we can sustain these changes. That is difficult when you have high patient volumes day after day but so far, things are going well.”

Medical Inpatient Unit

On C3 East and C3 West, the focus was on better infection prevention and control. Most patients are in two-bed or four-bed rooms, so the ever-present risk of MRSA, C difficile and VRE infections is a major challenge.

“The key areas that the team focused on were to ensure consistent isolation procedures when patients are admitted, that lab test protocols are consistently applied and to improve communication between departments and staff,” says Lean facilitator Rachel Bayley.

“We had some really positive results,” says Rachel. “For example, we’re now at 100% compliance in ensuring all medical inpatients are swabbed.”

Sustaining improvement

The late-January kaizen event in ER focused on ambulance offload issues. Hospital staff at St. Catharines General worked with Niagara EMS personnel to make improvements to the time it takes ambulance patients to be transferred from the care of paramedics to the care of ER doctors and nurses. On the inpatient side, discharge planning was the focus to improve patient discharge times and ensure follow-up care at home is in place.

“What’s different about the Lean program is that there is a strong emphasis on sustaining the improvement,” says Su Bolibruck, Health Program Director. “So many times, changes are made but do not continue year over year, because long-term monitoring practices were not well ingrained and the gains made were not sustained over time. However, we want to make improvements in our patients’ experience and Lean is working in other hospitals. It will work here too.”

“We welcome local service clubs, church groups, non-profit groups and agencies to learn more about health matters and local healthcare services through our Speakers Bureau,” says Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer. “A number of dedicated and talented hospital representatives are participating, including doctors and nurses who welcome the opportunity to speak to Niagara residents about these important health matters.”

This year, there are four new topics in the listing. Topics are:

• Careers in Healthcare
  Teenagers who are planning their future learn about the wide range of career opportunities in hospital healthcare.
• Designing for the Future
  The latest on construction of the new west St. Catharines healthcare complex.
• Emergency and Urgent Care
  Know your options about emergency and urgent care services in Niagara.
• Fundraising for Healthcare Improvements
  Learn how you can support fundraising for healthcare and what our foundations are planning now and in the future.
• Living Healthy with Type 2 Diabetes
  Almost 10% of Niagara adults have Type 2 diabetes. Learn how to best manage this condition and stay healthy.
• Preventing Diabetes
  Type 2 diabetes can be prevented. Find out how to reduce your risk.
• Overview of Cancer Now and in the Future
  Learn about reducing your risk for cancer, early detection/screening programs, treatment options, and future trends in cancer treatment, from Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, NHS Oncology Medical Director.
• Reducing Your Risk for Chronic Conditions
  Learn how to prevent many health problems, such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This session identifies common risk factors (smoking, high blood pressure, inactivity, etc.) and steps to reduce risk.
• Stroke Care in Niagara
  Learn about signs, symptoms, care and treatment of stroke.
• Transitioning Care Needs as We Age
  Moving to the right level of care as we age is often necessary for many health and safety reasons. This presentation helps families understand the steps to take and what’s available in Niagara.

Book a presentation online or phone 905-378-4NHS, ext. 47579. «

Dr. Neil Malcolm

An early warning tool being piloted at St. Catharines General Site gives staff a snapshot of a patient’s health status, allowing them to see quickly if the patient’s health is improving or deteriorating.

The Niagara Early Warning System (NEWS) has been under discussion since 2008, when intensivist Dr. Neil Malcolm introduced the concept from a similar tool he used while working in Scotland.

Under the direction of Vice President Anne Atkinson and ICU Medical Director Dr. Malcolm, the Critical Care team reviewed literature from around the world to develop an action plan for an early warning system of our own. The new hybrid system uses a basic vital signs flow sheet with a colour coding tool to track the patient’s important vital statistics, giving a quick picture of their status over time. An algorithm in the tool triggers nursing staff to contact a physician when the patient’s status deteriorates.

Thanks to one-time funding, nurse educators put together a full day of training for the pilot areas – medicine and surgical inpatient units – and developed new policies/procedures to guide staff in making the transition in their documentation. Several education sessions have occurred with physician groups and an abstract was presented at the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses conference in 2009. The tool has also been shared at several other conferences, generating significant interest from hospitals across Canada.

Already, our Maternal Child program has adapted the scoring system in the NEWS tool for expectant mothers who present with the potential of an H1N1 infection. Maternal Child staff have also developed a medical directive for nursing. This is a great example of how a system developed by one program can be used in other areas.

Once the pilot is complete, any necessary changes will be made to process and forms, and full roll out to all medical and surgical floors across the NHS should happen this year.

Thanks go to everyone who has participated in the process to develop, implement and evaluate NEWS. This is a patient-centred initiative that will save lives.   «

Terry McMahon

A truly innovative pilot project is underway for employees who have been injured at work. The goals are two-fold: develop a Return to Work process that is safe, therapeutic and productive; and better capture employees’ experiences to reduce/eliminate the conditions that led to their injury in the first place.

“I was initially approached by Cindy Forster and Loretta Tirabassi of Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) together with their health and safety specialist Erna Bujna, who asked if we were interested in being a pilot site for this initiative,” says Terry McMahon, NHS Vice President of Human Resources. “Given our deteriorating safety record and significantly increased costs, I readily accepted. We needed help to turn this around – we needed some fresh and unbiased perspectives.”

What followed was a series of union meetings with ONA, OPSEU and SEIU, as well as knowledgeable external partners to define and launch the project. These partners include Occupational Disability Resource Team (affiliate of the Ontario Federation of Labour), Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, Public Services Health & Safety Association, and Institute for Worker Health.

The project formally started in September 2010 with one-to-one surveys with 50 staff, including employees recently or now in a Return to Work program, union leadership, frontline staff, managers and Occupational Health & Safety staff. A working group is tackling the 19 recommendations from survey results, starting with a revised Return to Work policy and process to be completed in February.

The project has already sparked a number of developments related to an underlying theme of developing a true safety culture in the NHS. All managers completed mandatory training last spring, and all frontline staff will undergo similar mandatory training this year. Already, over 200 employees have received training from Brent MacMillan, NHS safety consultant.

“I am not aware of any other hospital in Ontario that is embarking on this type of mandatory frontline training,” says ONA’s Erna Bujna. “We are all very excited by the commitment of all the partners and the potential for this pilot to contribute to the health and improved safety for everyone at the NHS.”

The project has captured the interest of the Workplace Safety Insurance Board, which has noted it on their website, as well as Desjardins Financial Services, which administers our long-term disability program for non-occupational illness/injury.   «

Feedback, suggestions and questions are being sought by everyone at Niagara Health as we work to balance the budget over the next couple years.

Healthcare is a vital service for all of us and while we want nothing less than to provide quality care to our patients and their families, we need to be aware that it is also one of the largest expenditures in our province. We have a duty to be diligent and use the resources we have as effectively as we can.

As we start the New Year we are asking everyone across the organization to work together to streamline processes and find ways to do things more efficiently as we continue to provide our patients with the care they deserve.

Like most hospitals in Ontario, Niagara Health continues to run over budget due to increasing expenses and ongoing funding pressures. This is due largely to increasing costs such as negotiated salaries and benefits, medical supplies and utilities.

All of these costs are rising at a rate higher than our annual funding increases. For example, Niagara Health received a 1.32% overall funding increase for the current fiscal year, while at the same time costs increased by about 3%. This represented a $7-million shortfall to our $400-million operating budget.

In addition, overtime and sick time are significant expenses for the hospital. Last year, sick time costs were $6.8 million and overtime premiums were $4.5 million. Costs this year for sick and overtime premiums are expected to increase further to approximately $12 million.

At this time, we are forecasting a deficit of $3 million for 2010/11 and approximately $7 million for the next fiscal year, $5 million more than anticipated for as part of our four-year plan to balance our budget by 2013.

To be successful in achieving our goals, we are encouraging everyone to complete a Bright Ideas form with any suggestions on how we can do things more effectively and efficiently.

As well, managers, directors and members of the Fiscal Advisory Committee will be attending a half-day brainstorming session along with the senior team. These discussions will be shared with staff, who are encouraged to participate in identifying new ways to do things differently.

This isn’t an easy task, but it is necessary to ensure the financial viability of our hospital. Please go to source•net for a Bright Ideas form and ongoing updates on this process, including ideas received from staff.   «

Niagara Health’s United Way Campaign got a welcome boost recently with a $1,000 donation from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. Pictured here at the cheque presentation are, from left: Frank Gigliotti, Past President of OPSEU; Nancy Rogers, President of OPSEU; Frances Hallworth, Executive Director of United Way St. Catharines and District; Susan Ersking-Fournier, Labour Program & Services Coordinator at United Way; and NHS United Way Co-Chairs Bala Kathiresan and Lynne Pollard. Have you made your pledge yet? Getting involved is easy. Go to source•net and click on the United Way Workplace Campaign to print a form, complete it, and send to Payroll, Ontario Street Site.   «

Speech Language Pathologist Nancy Wilson, left, is the happy recipient of a free voucher for lunch or dinner at the Mandarin Restaurant in Niagara Falls. Giving Nancy the voucher is June Cooper, Annual Giving Coordinator and Office Manager with the Greater Niagara General Hospital Foundation. The restaurant is generously offering all GNG employees a free meal, and vouchers can be picked up at the GNGH Foundation office in the Allied Health Building. Check Marketplace on source•net or more great Niagara Health employee discounts. «

Infection Control Practitioner Edwige De Souza, left, and Clinical Project Manager Marilyn Bellows review drawings of the new healthcare complex. The design boasts the highest average of single patient rooms in the province.

Healthcare-associated infections are by far today one of the most common complications affecting hospitalized patients.

“Currently, around one in nine patients contract a hospital-acquired infection during their hospital stay,” says NHS infection control practitioner Edwige De Souza.

While healthcare professionals do their best to follow guidelines for effective hand washing, another effective means to prevent the spread of infection is to design an environment of care in which patient-related activities can be performed safely, effectively and efficiently.

Building a new healthcare facility is a unique opportunity to utilize best practices in infection prevention and control to promote the most positive outcome for patients.

The  new health complex in St. Catharines has been designed to support a healing environment equipped to protect staff, visitors and patients from infections. The design boasts the highest average of single patient rooms in the province, easy access to hand-washing sinks and alcohol-based hand rubs, among a number of other features.

“With the dawn of our new health complex, we are hoping to significantly reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections,” says Edwige. “So if, for example, now one out of nine patients get an hospital infection, we hope to reduce that number to zero.”

Unprecedented number of sinks

The amount of hand-wash sinks in the new facility is unprecedented and has set a new standard for the hospital designers. Doctors and nurses using a patient’s washroom sink will be a thing of the past.

“We had long discussions with our healthcare teams and architects about where and how many hand-wash stations could be installed,” says clinical project manager Marilyn Bellows.

Hand-washing stations for the use of doctors, nurses and staff will be located throughout the facility in directly viewable areas at entries to departments and  inpatient rooms and in all treatment areas. In public areas where sinks are not within easy reach, alcohol-based hand rubs will be available. The hand-washing stations are triggered by censors and do not require users to touch them.

The other big change from the aging St. Catharines General Site to the new facility will be the number of patient rooms. Eighty per cent of the patient rooms will be single rooms, allowing staff to easily isolate patients with infections when required.

Currently, hospitals in the province have few single patient rooms. At the SCG Site, most rooms have four beds. In this type of a layout, if one patient acquires an infection, that patient has to be moved to another room and the other three patients in the room have to be temporarily isolated to determine whether they also have an infection.

“This means the fourth bed cannot be used for a new patient until all the other patients in the room are cleared of infection. This can take over a week,” says Edwige.  “This translates to one less bed for the hospital to use, increasing patients’ wait times for beds and adding to the nurses’ workload.”

“We hope these improvements will boost staff morale as we move to a healthier work environment and a facility where patients will come to get well,” says Marilyn.

In addition, the facility has been designed to segregate inpatient and outpatient zones to allow for complete isolation in the event of a pandemic or other significant event. This high-tech design enables the hospital to be split in two separate air handling zones.

“In addition to the hand-wash sinks, this is another area where we challenged the architects. This practice has not been utilized before, and they are now using our design to show to other hospitals around the world,”
says Marilyn.  «

Is your New Year’s resolution to eat healthy? Be more active? The St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation has an exciting opportunity to help you keep your New Year’s resolution while giving back to the community and ensuring your loved ones have access to state-of-the-art healthcare equipment.

The 12th Annual Run/Walk for the General

Cardiovascular disease accounts for the death of more Canadians each year than any other disease in Canada. With 38% of the region’s population over the age of 55, Niagara is home to thousands of residents at a prime age for developing severe health problems such as heart disease. We must position ourselves to meet the needs of our residents, to ensure that you, your family and your loved ones have access to the quality healthcare we all deserve.

In its 11-year history, the Run/Walk for the General has raised over $365,000 in sponsorship and pledges for urgently needed equipment at the St. Catharines General and Ontario Street sites. Proceeds from the 2010 Run/Walk and Spin for the General events allowed the Foundation to purchase three urgently needed ECG machines; two for the General and one for the Ontario Street Site.

You can get “heart healthy” and give back to your community by taking part in the 12th annual Run/Walk for the General on Sunday, May 1, at Club Roma. Join in this exciting tradition for a registration fee of $40 for adults and $20 for youth aged 15 to 18. Register before April 18 and take advantage of the early bird registration fee of $30. Children aged 14 and under are encouraged to participate in the 1k Kids Fun Run for a $10 fee.

Participants will receive a BBQ lunch, running shirt and have the opportunity to win great incentive prizes. Proceeds will be directed toward the purchase of Cardiac Echo Machines. Registration begins in February. Visit the foundation’s
website at scghfoundation.com

Looking for more of a challenge?

Take part in the first annual Prostate “Challenge” Marathon. This unique marathon is aiming to raise awareness about early detection for prostate cancer and dollars for the Walker Family Cancer Centre (WFCC), focusing on services and equipment for prostate cancer.

The marathon will begin at Club Roma in partnership with the 5k Run/Walk; participants will then have the next five days to complete the remainder of the 42k at their pace. The marathon will conclude with a celebratory party taking place on Friday, May 6 (details to follow).

Participants will be required to pay a $30 registration fee and collect a minimum of $250 in pledges for the regional WFCC.

Learn more by visiting scghfoundation.com. Early detection saves lives…Get checked! «

This year’s Say Awe Gala theme will pay tribute to the honoured medical professionals: our doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who show compassion and courage in our most fragile time
of need.

Guests will enjoy: exquisite cuisine by award-winning Executive Chef Michael Price; a special performance by our host Alan Frew – lead singer from Glass Tiger; a silent/live auction featuring one-of-a-kind packages and a few surprises along the way!

“We are very excited that Alan Frew will be joining us as a special guest at this year’s gala,” said Sandra Sabo, Chief Operating Officer, SCGH Foundation. “His passion and unique style will certainly entertain our guests and help us surpass our fundraising goal of $175,000 for urgently needed equipment.”

Proceeds raised at the Say Awe Gala, taking place on Saturday, February 12, at White Oaks Conference Resort & Spa, will be directed toward the capital patient equipment wish list currently totalling $4.5 million. For further information visit scghfoundation.com
or call 905-323-FUND (3863). «

Helen Dawson has volunteered with the Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Auxiliary for more than 60 years. She’s shown here sitting at the picturesque front entrance of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Site.

Helen Dawson has made more than her fair share of sandwiches over the years. She has set up more harvest balls than just about anyone in Niagara-on-the-Lake and mended more hospital gowns than she cares to recall.

For nearly 61 years, Helen has volunteered with the Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Auxiliary. It has been a lot of work, but she made a lot of friends along the way. Being with friends makes the work easier, Helen explains.

Through the years there has been one reason Helen has continued: she knew her contributions of time and effort helped make a stay at the hospital more pleasant for her friends and neighbours. “You feel good if you do something to help,” Helen says.

That spirit of helping out the community is at the heart of the hospital auxiliaries that support the Niagara Health System. Auxilians remain a vital link in the healthcare chain. Last year, 381 auxilians volunteered 79,744 hours and raised almost $500,000. That is money that helps provide equipment that otherwise would not be at the hospital.

Dedicated people

Auxilians have been volunteering for a long time, and Niagara Health is fortunate to be able to draw on the skills of these dedicated people. The St. Catharines General Hospital Auxiliary is celebrating its 145th anniversary, making it the oldest hospital auxiliary in Canada. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Auxiliary is celebrating its 90th anniversary. The Welland Hospital Auxiliary turned 65 this year.

Our auxiliaries will continue to be there for all of us in the future, but only if more people join their ranks. Many of our auxilians are past retirement age but still bake cookies, knit baby blankets and staff the hospital gift shops.

As they have in the past, auxiliaries are changing with the times. In their early days, they were ladies’ organizations that devoted much of their efforts to raising money to keep hospitals open and patients fed. They changed to become organizations that held bake sales, raffles and operated gift shops to support patient services and hospital equipment needs.

Many men are now members, and there are more than 1,000 teens in the Golden Horseshoe area that volunteer with hospital auxiliaries. In fact, the Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario honoured Brian Stoner, an auxilian with Greater Niagara General Hospital Auxiliary, with its 2010 Student Award in recognition of his many contributions. Brian is studying for a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay.

Sense of fulfilment

Auxiliary members are not paid. But they receive a sense of fulfilment that can be hard to find. Sue Alexander, president of the St. Catharines General Hospital Auxiliary, discovered that early on in her volunteering days.

“The patients gave me back more than I could have thought possible. My boys would always tell me, ‘Mom you always look so happy when you come back from the hospital,’” Sue says.

If you have some time to give — a few hours a week or even a few hours a month — consider the auxiliary in your home town. All the money raised goes to support patients and purchase equipment at the local site, and improves the hospital stay for people in your community.

For more information, please call Andrea McCollum in Volunteer Resources at 905-378-4647, ext. 54927, or Sheri Lemon, at ext. 44209. The volunteer application form is available at  www.niagarahealth.on.ca/volunteers/ «

Winning entry in holiday card contest.

A water colour depicting nurses hand in hand as angels is the winner of this year’s Niagara Health System holiday greeting card contest. The competition was stiff with a record 59 entries this year.

Winning artist Leah D’Aloisio, 12, is the daughter of Rita D’Aloisio, a Medical Radiation Technologist working in the CT unit at Greater Niagara General Site. The family lives in St. Catharines, where Leah is a student at St. Ann’s School. Leah is active in soccer and volleyball but especially enjoys art. “Leah works very hard on all her artwork,” says Rita.

Contest judges were very impressed by the subject matter and the uniqueness of Leah’s work.

Winning artist of this year’s holiday greeting card contest, Leah D’Aloisio, left, with her mother Rita.

“Every year, the decision is harder to make when all the artwork is displayed for judging,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “This year, we are moving to an electronic greeting card, rather than printing traditional cards. It’s better for the environment and there’s an immediacy to an emailed greeting that’s gratifying.”

The e-card will be distributed to community members and partner organizations throughout the region and province.

Leah’s family feels the same way about an e-card. “We’re thinking of using Leah’s artwork on our family Christmas card and sending it out online as well,” Rita says. “Our daughters have been entering these and other art contests for the past few years. Leah also received an award for her Remembrance Day submission to the Royal Canadian Legion locally. We’re very proud of her talent.”

All children and grandchildren aged 12 or under of Niagara Health staff, physicians and volunteers were invited to participate in the artwork contest, giving them the chance of being selected as the acclaimed artist of the card. Judging with Debbie were Board Chair Betty-Lou Souter and Chief Communications Officer Christine Clark.

Winners in each of the three age categories were selected as follows:

• Ages 3-5 – James Martinelli, 5 years old, St. Catharines, grandson of Joan Martinelli, Charge Nurse at Port Colborne Site;
• Ages 6-8 – Monica Pastore, 8 years old, Fonthill, daughter of Kerry Pastore, Resource Centre Representative at Welland Site;
• Ages 9-12 – Alexandra Girard, 11 years old, St. Catharines, daughter of Vera Girard, RN at St. Catharines General Site.

The winners in the age categories will receive a certificate of recognition. Leah will be presented with a $100 gift certificate and her framed artwork at the Dec. 21 Board of Trustees meeting.  «

A record number of employees were honoured recently for 40 years of service. From left, Barbara Bain, Sandra Stokes, Linda Rossi and Kathleen Ventura.

From left, Mike Cvetanovic, Marg Davison, Larry Lanthier, Ethelyn Mutch and Nancy Rogers. Missing are Colleen Anderson, Cathy Mander, Janice Valovich and Sonja Young.

Niagara Health System recently recognized 714 staff members from across all of our sites for their dedicated and caring service to the community at the hospital’s 10th annual Loyalty Recognition events.

These long-service employees were honoured for their five-year milestone anniversaries ranging from five years to 40 years of service and commitment to the residents of Niagara. This year, there were a record number of employees in the 10-, 25-, 30-, and 40-year milestone anniversaries.

“Our employees go over and above on a routine basis to deal with our day-to-day challenges, supporting each other and ensuring patients are cared for with compassion and professional care,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “Please join me in congratulating our staff members as they celebrate these important milestones in their careers. No matter what their specific roles and individual responsibilities, their contributions make a difference to so many.”

View the complete list of the employees that were honoured at the event in the PDF version of this story.

Debbie Sevenpifer,
President and Chief Executive Officer

We could not do what we do without the contributions of our auxiliaries

Our auxiliaries are a vital link between healthcare providers and the communities we serve. Their contributions are vitally important to the patient care experience, and I am always thankful to our auxilians for all that they give.

They are the people who sell cookies at bake sales; the people who make the sandwiches and sell the stuffed animals at our tuck shops and gift shops; they are the people who staff the information desks at our sites. In short, they make everyone’s stay or visit better.

Our auxiliaries raise funds to purchase needed equipment, and we are truly thankful for their support. Equipment purchases are not funded by the government so without the efforts of our auxiliaries, as well as our foundations, we would not have much of the equipment our staff rely on to provide the best care to our patients.

Together, the 381 members of the six hospital auxiliaries raised nearly $500,000 last year. Here is a list of some of our auxiliaries’ contributions in recent years:

• The Welland Hospital Auxiliary has donated $500,000 over the past five years toward the dialysis unit which is named in its honour. A further $100,000 is coming early next year, and the auxiliary is well on its way to attaining its $1-million goal;
• The Greater Niagara General Hospital Auxiliary wrapped up a $1-million emergency room equipment campaign and has embarked on a $500,000 general equipment campaign;
• The St. Catharines General Hospital Auxiliary, the oldest hospital auxiliary in Canada, has donated some $4 million in the past 20 years. In recent years, it has replaced 30 intravenous units and poles, purchased a bariatric bed and an operating room table;
• The Douglas Memorial Hospital Auxiliary exceeded its $125,000 goal to help launch the Ontario Breast Screening Program at its site. It is donating a vital signs monitor, a single-infusion pump and an over-bed lift this year;
• The Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Auxiliary is in the midst of replacing the over-bed tables. Members keep up the gardens at the site and visit patients in their rooms while making their rounds with the candy cart;
• With funds raised from bake sales, a quilt raffle and an annual draw, the Port Colborne General Hospital Auxiliary purchased two rehabilitation chairs and in the past has provided several wheelchairs and hospital beds.

As well, six auxilians were recently honoured with lifetime memberships to the Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario: Helen Eggleton and Diane Tenny from the Douglas Memorial Hospital Auxiliary; Emily James and Connie Seibel from the Greater Niagara General Hospital Auxiliary; and Lucy Sebert and Claire Turpin of the St. Catharines General Hospital Auxiliary.

I congratulate each one of you and thank you for your service.  «

In a world where people often change careers and jobs during their working lives, it is truly amazing to be able to celebrate so many long-service employees. The Class of 1970 has experienced unprecedented change and progress in healthcare, assisted thousands of patients and mentored hundreds of colleagues.

Colleen Anderson has enjoyed her nursing career at Greater Niagara General Site, caring for patients with mental health illnesses; Barbara Bain spent much of her career at Greater Niagara in the Day Surgery/Recovery Room and now works at Welland Site; Mike Cvetanovic is well known at St. Catharines General where he works in the Maintenance Department; Marg Davison has had many nursing roles at St. Catharines General and currently works as a discharge planner; Larry Lanthier is a Maintenance Engineer at Ontario Street Site; Cathy Mander started in Welland as a Registered Practical Nurse and is now Ward Clerk in Complex Care.

Linda Rossi began as an RN at Welland Emergency and now works in the Medical Day Clinic; Sandra Stokes, RN with Welland Surgery, is now a Resource Nurse; RN Janice Valovich has long served in the Welland Intensive Care Unit ; RN Kathleen Ventura started in the Intensive Care Unit at Welland Site, moved to the Emergency Department mid-career and is now with the Welland Medical Day Clinic; Ethelyn Mutch is an RN in the Recovery Room at St. Catharines General; Nancy Rogers started as a Medical Laboratory Technologist at Hotel Dieu Hospital and moved to St. Catharines General where she is a Charge Technologist; Sonja Young started her X-ray Technologist training in 1968 at St. Catharines General and has worked in Radiology for her entire 40-year career.

We salute all of you and thank you for your gift of 40 years of loyalty and service to the hospital, your patients and colleagues. «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer

Wendy McPherson, left, Clinical Manager of Complex Care at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Site, is pictured with Registered Nurses Donna Poulin, centre, and Lisa Rempel at the Ontario Street Site. Wendy recently completed training in patient client centred care. This training will be extended to all healthcare providers in the near future.

Wendy McPherson can still see the man.

He was fighting the cancer that was slowly taking his life. She was a student nurse in a Toronto hospital. He could no longer chew food, and Wendy had just finished feeding him with a syringe. He was conscious but was lying with his eyes closed. A doctor came by making rounds and announced to his colleagues the man didn’t have much longer to live.

The next day when she went in to feed the man he refused the syringe. Within 48 hours he was dead.

“He gave up that day. That really stayed with me. The experience showed me that as healthcare providers we can really influence people by the way we go about things,” Wendy says.

Niagara Health is trying to ensure that the way things are done in the future improves the patient experience. That is one reason why we are implementing patient client centred care, or PCCC.

Now the Clinical Manager of Complex Care at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Site, Wendy is part of the PCCC steering committee, which was the first cohort of healthcare providers to receive PCCC training. In the near future, all staff involved in the patient experience will receive the training, which consists of a series of videos, readings and discussions.

Patients have always been the focus of healthcare providers. Changing to a PCCC model ensures the patient is seen as a person, not as someone who receives medicine at certain times of the day or whose bed needs to be changed each day.

It’s a subtle change that can make a large difference. There is also growing clinical evidence to back up the fact that PCCC results in better health outcomes for patients and an improved sense of professional worth on the part of healthcare providers.

With PCCC, the patient is recognized as an equal member in the care team. Physicians, nurses, dietitians, social workers and others have their areas of expertise. Patients are the experts in themselves. By having patients and their families fully involved, and by having their needs and care preferences respected, they become partners in the healthcare team.

Better for patients

In part, the change is an understanding that no one medical specialty can provide all the care a client may require.

It is better for patients that we embrace the PCCC model. “The world has changed,” says Eric Doucette, Director of Professional Practice, Patient Centred Care. Eric says patients and their families have usually researched their condition before they arrive at the hospital. They often know about various courses of treatment and want explanations for the one recommended.

“Patients come with information in hand and questions to ask,” says Eric. “So that is a major driver of the change.”

To bolster the PCCC, the hospital re-launched its Interprofessional Care Grand Rounds this year. As well, every newly hired staff member and volunteer receives the PCCC presentation as part of his or her orientation.

“Patient client centred care is gaining momentum in the healthcare field,” says Eric. “It is the underpinning of interprofessional practice. More importantly than if it is a trend or not, it is the right thing for us to be doing at this time.”

Eric believes the most important factor for success is for every staff member to embrace PCCC. There are four practices that should be incorporated into daily routines to make it a reality:

• informing patients/clients that we welcome them as partners in their care
• making patients/clients the key decision maker in planning care and service
• making patient/client goals central to the coordination, continuity and consistency of care
• engaging the patient/client in the evaluation of their care and health outcomes.

«

Watch our urgent care commercial

A video crew filmed patients, staff and physicians at the Port Colborne and Douglas Memorial Urgent Care Centres in November for a television ad about when to go to an Urgent Care Centre.

Hospital emergency departments and emergency services personnel across Niagara are extremely busy this time of year. It is important that Niagara residents know the options available to them for emergency and urgent care.

Sometimes it is difficult to know whether your problem is serious. Here are some examples of when to go to the Emergency Department (ED) or call 911:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Severe abdominal pain
• Fractured or broken bones
• Stroke symptoms – dizziness; numbness/tingling in arms, hands, legs; sudden, severe headache; blurred vision; trouble speaking (Greater Niagara General Site is Stroke Centre)
• Major injuries
• Mental health issues

If you need advice, consult your family physician or call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. If you have any doubts, call 911 or go to the closest ED.

EDs, open 24/7, are located at the following Niagara Health System sites: Greater Niagara General Site (Niagara Falls), St. Catharines General Site and Welland Site.

Urgent Care Centres in Fort Erie, Port Colborne and St. Catharines

The three Niagara Health Urgent Care Centres are an effective alternative for residents needing non-emergency care. With shorter wait times and fewer patients than ERs, Urgent Care Centres provide medical attention and treatment for unexpected minor illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening.

Here are some examples:

• Sprains, sports injuries
• Cuts that may need stitches
• Minor burns
• Minor abdominal pain (nausea, vomiting)
• Ear, nose, throat or eye problems
• Urinary tract infections
• Fever
• Coughs and colds, flu

There are three Niagara Health Urgent Care locations, including Douglas Memorial Site in Fort Erie and Port Colborne Site, both open 24/7. In St. Catharines, the Urgent Care Centre is located at Ontario Street Site, 155 Ontario Street. It is open daily, including weekends and holidays, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Be prepared

• Avoid health problems and illness by being prepared:
• Call the doctor’s office and local pharmacy. Find out what their hours will be over the holidays and ask about any back-up coverage arrangements.
• Get a flu shot. Family doctors can offer this service or refer patients to the nearest clinic that does.
• Check medications and medical equipment. Make sure that all family members have enough of their medications, both prescription and non-prescription, to last throughout the holiday season.
• Have extra batteries on hand for equipment such as electric wheelchairs.
• Update emergency telephone numbers and post them in a visible place.

How you can help

• Have an up-to-date Ontario Health Card when coming to an ED or Urgent Care Centre.
• Bring a list of all medications being taken on a regular basis, along with any other important information such as allergies.
• While waiting for treatment, please do not eat or drink without first checking with a nurse.
• If patients decide to leave the hospital before being seen by a doctor, please speak with a nurse.

Learn more about your healthcare options

A revamped website is part of a provincial campaign to help Ontarians access all the healthcare options in their communities. The website provides information about family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, community health centres, urgent care centres, walk-in clinics or emergency rooms.

Niagara Health also launched a 30-second urgent care television ad, currently running on TVCogeco’s TV Listings channel 17 and on our website.  «

In this issue of Roundup…

Better safety in joint surgery
Hats off to the Surgical Program for a patient safety initiative that has made it into the Ontario Hospital Association’s 2010 Guidebook to Patient Safety Leading Practices. The submission was titled Reducing Surgical Site Infection Rates by Monitoring Antibiotic Administration… » cont’dCongratulations to…
Margaret Vos for recently passing the Canadian Nurses Association demanding certification in Gastroenterology;
Geriatric Assessment Program staffers Carol Colangelo and Christine Lam-Au, who ran in the Nov. 7 New York City marathon… » cont’dNews Briefs
Donate food and toys, Shop late, save big, Take Our Kids to Work Day a big success… » cont’dEarly Bird winners win big
The Niagara Health United Way Committee thanks everyone who participated in the recent campaign kick-off. Our pizza lunches at each site raised approximately $650 for the United Way… » cont’d

This photo taken from the roof of the new complex looks north to Fourth Avenue, which will be redeveloped into four lanes. Highway 406 traffic can be seen in the distance.

The construction of a medical arts building next to the new health complex in west St. Catharines is under discussion, along with improved roadways and transportation for our community to access the facility when it opens in the spring of 2013.

The new health complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre are situated on 32 acres of a 40-acre site at First Street and Fourth Avenue in St. Catharines.

The remaining eight acres of the property located immediately west of the hospital building and Francis Creek Drainage Canal will include a helipad for emergency air traffic to the site and new building development.

“A medical arts building is part of the Niagara Health System’s overall development plans for the site,” says Chief Planning and Development Officer Gloria Kain.

“A development like this would allow additional complementary healthcare services to be made available to the public while at the same time generate revenue for the Niagara Health System that could be largely invested into equipment purchases for the hospital,” says Gloria.

Niagara Health is working with its neighbours, partners and legal advisors to begin a competitive process to select a developer that will meet the needs of the hospital and the community. Construction of the new hospital continues to progress on budget and on schedule, and it is expected that the medical arts building would open at the same time as the new hospital in 2013.

In the meantime, the Regional Municipality of Niagara’s transportation and engineering department continues with traffic planning in the city’s west end. Work has already begun to assess the repositioning of hydro lines along Fourth Avenue in anticipation of road widening and new traffic lights around the hospital.

“Eventually the road leading up to the hospital from Vansickle (Road) will be widened and will mirror the four-lane roads that pass by the Fourth Avenue shopping plazas,” says Niagara Region’s Transportation and Engineering Project Manager John Rizzo.

These improvements came about due to a previous traffic study of west St. Catharines and are not solely due to the presence of the hospital.

“In addition, the Region is working alongside the Ministry of Transportation and the City to conduct a class environmental assessment to determine the suitability of an additional interchange off the 406 Highway to service west St. Catharines,” says John.

While the exact location and details of the interchange are being worked out, the plans will be ready for public input late in the year. «

Please visit nhs.plenaryprojects.com to learn more about the construction and development of our new healthcare complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre and to view photos and web cameras.

Dr. Mohamed Ali is pictured at the Welland Site with an IV Pump. The pumps are urgently needed at many of our local hospital sites.

Some of the many items on the Foundations’ wish lists:

• Douglas Memorial Hospital Foundation:
  $20,000 to support renovations and equipment for the Urgent Care Centre
• Greater Niagara General Hospital Foundation:
  Two defibrillators for the Critical Care/Intensive Care Unit at a cost of $56,000
• Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Foundation:
  A Wander Guard System at an estimated cost of $30,000
• Port Colborne Hospital Foundation:
  Four Geo-Matrix mattresses at a cost of $4,000 each to provide enhanced comfort for patients suffering from complex medical conditions
• St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation:
  Electric beds for both the SCG and Ontario Street sites at a total cost of $1,500,000
• Welland Hospital Foundation:
  A Pasteurizer machine at a cost of $25,000 to provide high-level disinfection for various equipment pieces

For a complete list of equipment and to donate, please visit your local community hospital foundation.

In the spirit of the holiday season, the foundations of the Niagara Health System wish to thank our generous donors for support of our efforts to raise funds to provide our physicians and allied healthcare professionals with state-of-the-art equipment to provide the very best patient care.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care does not fund replacement medical equipment. Each of the six hospital site foundations fulfils a very important role fundraising in their local community to meet annual equipment replacement needs for their respective sites. Collectively, $3,105,511 was raised over the past year to purchase urgently needed equipment.

A sample of equipment purchased includes a Blood Bank refrigerator for transfusion patients at the Douglas Memorial Hospital Site;  a Heated Chair Recliner for the Oncology Department to help comfort cancer patients and three ECG Machines for Cardiology Department patients at the St. Catharines General Site; and seven infusion pumps for the Greater Niagara General Emergency Department.  With about 47,000 patient visits each year to the GNG ED, the pumps have a significant and immediate impact on the delivery of care for its patients.

At the Niagara-on-the-Lake Site, electric beds, overhead lifts and Geo-Matrix mattresses were purchased to help medical staff provide comfortable patient care. Port Colborne Hospital Foundation funded a Wheelchair Washer for the Occupational Therapy Department at that site. The washer completely cleans all working parts of wheelchairs and other frequently used equipment to prevent the spread of infections. Welland Hospital Foundation funded a Portable Ultrasound for Vein Cannulation at this site’s Anaesthesia Department. The machine has multiple functions, including the administration of intravenous nutrition for patients who cannot take in nutrition orally.

Life-saving equipment

The purchase of this life-saving equipment would not have been possible without the generosity of individual donors, local businesses and community associations who show an unwavering dedication to improving healthcare throughout Niagara.

In addition to their annual equipment fundraising efforts, our site foundations work collaboratively with the Niagara Health System Foundation and an amazing team of community volunteers led by Jan R. Cook, Trevor Cooper, Archie Katzman, Rob Neill, Mark Sherk, John Walker and George Waters on the It’s Our Time Campaign. Since 2006, this campaign has been raising funds for medical equipment to support regional programs for cancer, cardiac and kidney disease, along with development of the new healthcare complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre. Over the past year, the campaign raised $4,106,565 to achieve an incredible $31 million of the $40-million Campaign goal.

This year, the foundations hope to raise more than $3 million for equipment needs.

The purchase of state-of-the-art equipment has a direct impact on the quality of patient care, providing improved comfort, security and updated technology for treatment and diagnosis. Help grant our wishes and donate towards new and replacement equipment. Each and every donation – whether big or small – truly makes a difference. «

More than 95% of patients who visited the Emergency Departments at the Port Colborne and Douglas Memorial sites continue to access great care at the Urgent Care Centres, which operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Pictured here, Port Colborne resident Ashleigh Miatello-Skrubbeltrang, left, brings her daughter Cecilia to Port Colborne Site’s Urgent Care Centre to be treated by Dr. Lambert Van Sittert.

The delivery of hospital healthcare is changing and nowhere is that more evident than in south Niagara. Changes at Port Colborne Site and Douglas Memorial Site in Fort Erie have been particularly stressful for residents of those communities. The conversions of the Emergency Departments (EDs) to Urgent Care Centres at these sites were done to improve patient access to the right site, for the right care and on a more timely basis. Unfortunately, misinformation continues to circulate in the community that the Port Colborne Site and Douglas Memorial Site are closed or will be closed. This is simply not true.

More than 95% of the patients who visited the EDs at Port and Fort continue to access great care at the Urgent Care Centres, which operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – with lower wait times than in our EDs. The other 5% – the sicker patients – are now taken directly to an ED in Welland or Niagara Falls which have the equipment and healthcare professionals required. This means that ambulances in the Fort Erie area take non-emergency patients directly to Douglas Memorial Site’s new Urgent Care Centre and in the Port Colborne area take non-emergency patients directly to Port Colborne Site’s Urgent Care Centre.

As well, inpatient and outpatient services continue to be offered at both these sites and work is underway to expand the number of outpatient clinics at these two sites to better care for the health conditions of people in these communities, such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and more.

These changes reflect the realities that hospitals – including the Niagara Health System – face. The local hospital can no longer be the one-stop shop for all our healthcare needs. Demands on services and the costs of new technologies, drugs and techniques are all increasing, so we must make the best use of all our resources – people, buildings, equipment and dollars and focus on delivering the best care possible for the residents of Niagara now and into the future.

However, these changes make fundraising for the It’s Our Time Campaign very challenging for the South Niagara Campaign team. Of the $40 million being raised through community donations for the campaign, $7 million is being raised in south Niagara to support the Welland, Douglas Memorial and Port Colborne sites. Of this, $3 million has already been raised for the following improvements.

At the Welland Site, a 128-slice CT Scanner was purchased to replace the 4-slice CT, dramatically extending diagnostic imaging capabilities and enhancing healthcare services. This new equipment allows for faster diagnosis and is a critical tool for ruling out or early diagnosis of cancers, diagnosing aortic aneurisms, strokes, causes of chronic headaches and is essential for trauma cases. Previously when patients required further tests, they often had to travel to Hamilton or Toronto. Having this advanced CT at the Welland Site eliminates the need for most patients to travel outside the area.

At the Douglas Memorial Site, donations are helping fund equipment for the Urgent Care Centre, renovations to develop the Complex Continuing Care Centre to provide specialized care for patients with complex care needs or multiple chronic diseases, and electric beds which cost about $7,500 each.

At the Port Colborne Site, donations will help fund renovations and equipment for the Urgent Care Centre, and upgrades and new diagnostic imaging equipment for the Complex Continuing Care Centre.

These funds must be raised through community donations and your support is essential. Please make your donation today to advance healthcare in our southern Niagara communities by contacting Heather Scott at the Welland Hospital Foundation at 905-378-4647,
ext. 32396.  «

– Rob Neill, B.Sc., FCA

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• Better safety in joint surgery
• Congratulations to…
• News Briefs
• Early Bird winners win big

Early Bird winners win big

The Niagara Health United Way Committee thanks everyone who participated in the recent campaign kick-off. Our pizza lunches at each site raised approximately $650 for the United Way. But most exciting is the fact that we have raised $63,500 to date through your one-time donations and your commitments through payroll deduction. In the first month of our campaign, there have been 27 increased pledges received and 29 new pledges!

New department challenge

As a result of your generosity and enthusiasm, we are holding an organization-wide Department Challenge which will recognize the highest percentage participation by department, and also the most significant progress achieved. Congratulations to our top three departments leading the campaign in the first month with the highest number of staff members participating:  Laboratory, Medical Records, and Human Resources. Stay tuned for more information on the Department Challenge. Maybe your department will win a free lunch as winners!

Early Bird winners

Our Early Bird Draw took place in mid-November. The lucky winners are:

Karen Wilson, winner of the LG 50” 1080 Plasma HDTV, generously donated by Precise Park

Bonnie Sipos, winner of the Apple iPad, generously donated by Telus

Joan Ostrander, winner of the iPod Touch, generously donated by MicroAge

Congratulations to our winners, and a special thanks to our prize donors.

Coming up

Watch for donation boxes in our cafeterias and coffee shops over the next several weeks. Remember, it doesn’t have to cost a lot to make a difference.

We’ll be holding some raffles for another TV and a laptop, so please help us by purchasing tickets. Who knows, you could win one of these great prizes … just in time for Christmas!

Have you made your pledge yet? Getting involved is simple. Go to source•net and click on the United Way link to print a form, complete it, and send to Payroll, Ontario Street Site.

Again, thank you to all who have generously donated to the United Way during our first month of this year’s workplace campaign.   «

Lynne Pollard and Bala Kathiresan
2010 Co-Chairs

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• Better safety in joint surgery
• Congratulations to…
• News Briefs
• Early Bird winners win big

News Briefs

Mental Health Clerk Linda Montague organizes the bin collection at the St. Catharines General Site.

Donate food and toys

More families are struggling to make ends meet and help their children enjoy this special time of year. Please take a few moments at your next stop at the grocery store or department store to get a few items for our collection barrels. Please hurry – items will be picked up by Community Care, Salvation Army, Project Share, etc., by mid-December.
Food items – canned and/or dried soup, Jell-O, tuna, salmon, cookies, crackers, baby food, canned tomatoes, brown beans, canned vegetables, etc. No perishables.

Gift items – makeup kits, hair dryers, curling irons, music CDs, mittens, scarves, hats, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, deodorants, diapers, razors, shaving cream.

Sincere thanks go to Linda (pictured) and individuals at our other sites who take it upon themselves to make the bin collections happen each year. «

Shop late, save big

With Christmas just around the corner, the Welland Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop has extended its hours. Until Dec. 23, the shop will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., except on Saturdays when it will be open 10 – 4.

The shop will be open in the morning only on Christmas Eve.

In appreciation of your continued support, the shop is offering a 10% staff discount on selected items priced $5 and more. This discount is in effect until Dec. 24. Keep in mind that some items are one of a kind and cannot be reordered. «

Take Our Kids to Work Day a big success

It was a full day for Grade 9 students when Take Our Kids to Work Day was held on Nov. 3 with 134 students participating. During the morning program, students were given a brief overview of Niagara Health and took in a variety of presentations on health and safety, infection control and career planning. The students then had the opportunity to go on a hospital tour and ask healthcare professionals questions about various professions. Parents and students were treated to a pizza lunch and then spent the afternoon together in the parents’ work area. Congratulations to Volunteer Resources staff for organizing yet another excellent day. «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• Better safety in joint surgery
• Congratulations to…
• News Briefs
• Early Bird winners win big

Better safety in joint surgery

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Song, second from left, and his team perform a total hip replacement surgery at Welland Site.

Hats off to the Surgical Program for a patient safety initiative that has made it into the Ontario Hospital Association’s 2010 Guidebook to Patient Safety Leading Practices.

The submission was titled Reducing Surgical Site Infection Rates by Monitoring Antibiotic Administration. There were 141 submissions, with only 31 making the final cut in the guidebook.

“Our new procedure before joint replacement surgery is for OR staff to give an antibiotic one hour before the first surgical incision, so we can reduce the chance of surgical site infections,” says Patty Welychka, Health Program Director with the Perioperative Program. “We have had no surgical site infections reported for joint replacement surgery in the last six months since this process change has occurred.”

The Patient Safety Guidebook is printed for hospitals and healthcare partners to share experiences with improvement in patient safety, as well as being online on the OHA’s patient safety website «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• Better safety in joint surgery
• Congratulations to…
• News Briefs
• Early Bird winners win big

Congratulations to…

Margaret Vos

Way to go Margaret Vos for recently passing the Canadian Nurses Association demanding certification in Gastroenterology. The certification tests nurses on the anatomy and physiology of the gastroenterological system, as well as on the various diagnostic tests, therapeutic procedures used to treat gastroenterological patients, and on patient care.

Margaret, the Permanent Charge Nurse at the Welland Site’s Endoscopy Suite, is the third Niagara Health System Registered Nurse to earn the certification. «

Geriatric Assessment Program staffers Carol Colangelo and Christine Lam-Au, who ran in the Nov. 7 New York City marathon. The 26-mile/42-kilometre race is one of the largest in the world with 45,000 participants, and attracts professional and amateur runners. After training for 16 weeks, Carol and Christine were pleased to finish the race near each other in just over 4 ½ hours. Congratulations Carol and Christine. «

With the opportunity to set up his practice anywhere, Dr. Ramzy Abdel-Malik chose Niagara.

With the opportunity to set up his practice anywhere, Dr. Ramzy Abdel-Malik chose Niagara. Setting up in Niagara and obtaining privileges to the Niagara Health System made perfect sense to the general surgeon. He has family living close by. There is also the Niagara region’s natural beauty.

But most importantly the hospital had the first-class facilities he needs.

In particular, the Welland Site, where Dr. Malik performs his surgeries, has the available operating room time, the equipment and the highly trained staff to deliver his services. “It’s crucial to have an up-to-date forum to deliver life-saving and quality of life procedures to our population,” he says.

Dr. Malik isn’t the only newcomer to Niagara Health. Not by a long shot. In just the past few months, the hospital has added psychiatrist Dr. Janice Van Kampen and Dr. Nick Marchi, a family physician also trained in emergency medicine.

Over the past decade, Niagara Health has recruited more than 170 specialists to help deliver high-quality healthcare to our residents. For the most part, the new physicians have replaced those that have retired or moved to other hospitals. So there is an ongoing need to bring in new physicians. Getting those physicians here is the result of a lot of work.

A complex and competitive process

You may not give much thought to how the doctor treating you arrived at the Niagara Health System. You are probably more concerned about your diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. But getting the doctor here is something the hospital has to consider, and a major component of providing you quality care close to home is recruiting motivated and qualified physicians.

“…we have to ensure we have the hospital resources, such as sufficient operating room time and good technology, to retain them.”

Dr. Joanna Hope
Interim Chief of Staff

There is a stiff competition for physician services due to a shortage throughout the country. In fact, the competition for physicians is international.

Niagara Health has successfully recruited foreign-trained physicians, but the nature of recruitment is changing. When Niagara Health started recruiting in 2001, the priority was replacing doctors who were leaving Canada for the United States. In the early part of the decade, close to half of the physicians who joined Niagara Health were foreign-trained. Now, one-third of the new recruits are Canadian-trained physicians returning home. “It’s evolved over the decade,” says Joan Hatcher, Manager of Medical Affairs.

There is too much competition for physicians for the Niagara Health System to simply wait for physicians to walk through our doors. To bolster our efforts, Niagara Health has formed a partnership, says Interim Chief of Staff Dr. Joanna Hope. “Because of the international competition for a fixed resource, we are now working with Hamilton to do a combined recruiting drive for psychiatrists and also cardiologists,” she explains.

The hospital conducts an impact analysis to determine such things as the specialty the doctor brings to the hospital, the additional operating room time he or she requires and any equipment required. This analysis is vital to ensuring a long-lasting relationship. “These days, there is great difficulty in recruiting physicians from both inside and outside our borders, and once they’re here, we have to ensure we have the hospital resources, such as sufficient operating room time and good technology, to retain them,” Dr. Hope says.

Recruiting physicians that fit is also an important consideration. “Because we are a complex hospital system in a period of change, it’s doubly important that there be a good fit between the new specialists and our current doctors,” Dr. Hope says. “That collegiality is a key component to our selection process.”

Psychiatrist Dr. Janice Van Kampen opened her office in St. Catharines General in August after moving from Mississauga.

Two of our new specialists

When Dr. Janice Van Kampen moved from the Greater Toronto Area to Niagara in the summer to join her husband, Niagara Health was a beneficiary. She opened her practice, where she specializes in adult psychiatry, at St. Catharines General in mid-August.

Dr. Van Kampen had practised for eight years at the Humber River Regional Hospital. It was important for her to remain practising in a hospital setting rather than a private practice. “I feel a hospital setting gives you more collegiality with other professionals. You have a team of social workers and nurses to work with and that appeals to me … The work is more challenging because you typically have sicker patients, but you also have more resources,” she says.

Dr. Van Kampen is busy treating patients and acclimatizing to her new surroundings. “I think Niagara Region is a beautiful area. I’m looking forward to things. It’s a change but it’s a good change,” she says.

Dr. Malik was also attracted by Niagara’s picturesque beauty and climate. He opened his practice in Welland in August after several years working in Regina, Saskatchewan. But he stresses it wasn’t the surroundings that made him choose Niagara: it was the quality of the hospital. Niagara Health had the resources he needs to practice his surgical specialties.

While he is excited for the opportunity to bring his specialty to the area, he says things could always improve. Dr. Malik would like to see more endoscopic resources in the system so he can detect certain cancers earlier. He would also like to see patients become more active participants in their care. That means making healthier lifestyle choices and following through with advice they receive from their doctors.

“I see a lot of hard-working professionals in the hospital and a lot of money being spent to advance the current services we have. We have the ability to conduct all possible services that are conducted anywhere else. But success is everybody’s responsibility,” he says.

Also recruit hospitalists

Physician recruitment is a shared responsibility in the Niagara region, with the hospital focusing its efforts on recruiting specialists and municipalities concentrating on recruiting family physicians.

This split makes sense since only about 100 of Niagara’s approximately 600 family physicians care for their patients when they are in hospital. But the Niagara Health System has been hard at work helping to ease the shortage of family physicians too, recruiting 10 hospitalist physicians since 2005. Hospitalists are specialists that care for hospital patients who either don’t have a family doctor or whose doctor does not have hospital privileges.

Recruitment is an ongoing process. Our efforts—for hospitalists and other specialists—have been very successful to date. Joan believes greater success lies ahead because of both the contacts her office has developed over the years and the positive word of mouth the hospital has gained with physicians.

These efforts are an important component of delivering quality care close to home. «

The number of women getting regular breast screening continues to increase in Niagara, but there are still more than 15,000 women in the region who should be – but aren’t – getting screened.

“We know that regular breast screening saves lives, and our healthcare team has made tremendous progress in increasing the number of patients getting screened,” says Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, Medical Director of Oncology at Niagara Health System. “We continue to work very hard to reach women in the 50-69 years target age group to encourage them to take advantage of the services provided by the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) and get a mammogram every two years at one of our five clinics.”

Working with partner Cancer Care Ontario, Niagara Health began in 2008 to more aggressively promote breast health in the target age group. The number of breast screening patients in Niagara jumped by more than 2,000 patients in six months. The numbers continue to increase. Niagara Health screened 15,217 patients between April 2009 and March 2010. Between April and June of this year, 4,567 women were screened, a 20 per cent increase over the same period in 2009, when 3,809 patients were screened.

Despite these successes, there are still 15,131 women in Niagara in the target age group who are not protecting themselves against breast cancer by getting regular mammograms (breast X-rays) through OBSP, says Dr. Giesbrecht, who spearheaded the opening of the first OBSP Niagara clinic and served as the Regional Medical Co-ordinator for the program’s first
10 years.

Since the OBSP began 20 years ago, it has provided more than 3.6 million screens to over 1.1 million women and has detected more than 19,000 cancers, the majority in early cancer stages.

The number of Ontario women aged 50-69 dying from breast cancer decreased 35 per cent between 1990 and 2007. This decrease, credited to improved treatments and increased participation in mammography, is a tribute to the progress made by the breast screening program.

“Routine mammograms are the most important step a woman between the ages of 50 and 69 can take to detect breast cancer early,” says Dr. Verna Mai, Provincial Lead, Public Health, Cancer Care Ontario. “Mammography continues to be the gold standard for the early detection of breast cancer, but in order to save more lives from this disease, more women need to get screened.”

The five Niagara OBSP centres are located at the Douglas Memorial (Fort Erie), Greater Niagara General (Niagara Falls), Port Colborne, St. Catharines General (which has new digital mammography technology) and Welland sites. Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Welland OBSP centres offer full screening services as well as follow-up diagnostics and treatment services. Satellite OBSP clinics in Port Colborne and Fort Erie offer nurse examination and screening mammography with follow-up care provided either at Greater Niagara or Welland sites.

All screening centres are accredited through the Canadian Association of Radiologists.

“I would like to thank all of our foundations and auxiliaries for their hard work in raising funds to support the equipment needed to provide breast screening services across our region,” says Niagara Health System President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer.

Women aged 50 to 69 can make an appointment at their local OBSP site. A doctor’s referral is not needed.  «

Debbie Sevenpifer,
President and Chief Executive Officer

Seeing care we provide ‘through our patients’ eyes’

Seeing the world through someone else’s lens can give us a whole different perspective on how we view and experience the world around us. This couldn’t be truer than in the case of the patients we serve.

Our hospital’s No. 1 goal is to consistently deliver a great experience to our patients and their families and to deliver on this we are re-examining the way we do our work.

We’re starting by taking direct aim at wait times at our St. Catharines General Site to dramatically improve the time it takes to be admitted from the Emergency Department into an in-patient bed through to discharge. Every step in the patient’s journey is being examined, and we’re adopting proven techniques like LEAN production management processes to help us improve the service we provide.

Everything done adds value

LEAN management principles have been used effectively in manufacturing companies for decades and in recent years have been applied to the delivery of healthcare. LEAN thinking started in the automotive sector by eliminating waste so that everything being done adds value and directly serves the customer’s needs. Although healthcare is completely different from the manufacturing sector, when it comes to complex processes, there are in fact many similarities. There is much evidence that LEAN can be successfully applied in healthcare, and we are learning from other healthcare corporations who have been on the LEAN journey for a number of years.

While our hospital’s LEAN journey begins at the St. Catharines General Site, that’s not where it will end. Over the course of the next year, we will be working with our Niagara Health System-trained LEAN facilitators to spread this learning throughout all of our sites.

60 staff members involved

More than 60 staff members are currently participating on LEAN teams who are taking on two major initiatives involving the ER and Medical Unit in St. Catharines. Staff members from across the site are actively taking part on these LEAN teams from unit nurses to ward clerks, environmental services staff to switchboard and allied health to members of the senior management team.

Many of the team members have shared with me and each other their personal excitement and renewed enthusiasm about being able to work as a team to deal with the barriers and frustrations they have long faced in consistently providing excellent care for all of their patients. By using simple process redesign tools like “visual controls” and “waste walks,” LEAN team members are identifying meaningful ways to reduce the waste, improve turnaround times and enhance job satisfaction.

The more team members are becoming immersed in the LEAN approach, the more opportunities they are finding to “create a better way” in the work that they do.  «

Our hospital is extremely fortunate to have more than 600 doctors practising with us. While it’s commonly believed that doctors work for the hospital, they are not hospital employees. Doctors are independent practitioners who apply to the hospital for “privileges” – the privilege to treat and care for patients in the hospital. Only a handful of doctors are actually employees, like our pathologists, who examine and interpret laboratory results or specimens so that their physician colleagues can make accurate and timely diagnoses for patients.

Our success in drawing physician specialists to the region is due largely to the hospital having its own in-house physician recruitment service. Since it was established nine years ago, more than 170 specialists have joined the hospital – truly an amazing achievement.

Here’s another little known fact about our doctors: they are dedicated teachers and mentors. Every year across our hospital sites, medical students, residents and interns are learning and developing their skills under the mentorship of our hospital’s physicians who are not only taking care of patients today but are grooming the next generation of doctors.

Recruiting physicians is a major challenge for hospitals in Ontario and across North America. There just aren’t enough of them to meet the demand. Our partnership with McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and Brock University provides us with a valuable new recruitment opportunity. The program gives the students a taste of working at Niagara Health, and we have an opportunity to attract and recruit these new graduates every year directly from the program. «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer

Lindsay Smith, left, a Registered Practical Nurse at the Douglas Memorial Site, gets her blood typed by Mark Malinowski of Canadian Blood Services, during a recent awareness event.

Niagara Health is on a lifesaving mission to provide 100 blood donations to Canadian Blood Services by the end of the year.

As part of the Partners for Life initiative, What’s Your Type? booths were held at all seven of our sites in October as a first step toward increasing our blood donations.

“Our hospital relies on the availability of blood on a daily basis,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “At the Niagara Health System, we transfuse more than 10,000 units of red cells each year. Blood and blood products have a limited shelf life so donations must be made regularly to ensure an adequate supply is available at all times.”

The need for blood donors is growing because the demand for blood is growing. Generally, a single donation can help three people. But it takes an average of 50 donors to provide the blood needed to care for a single accident victim.

Blood and blood products are also used to treat our patients with bleeding disorders, those who are undergoing cancer treatment and our general surgery patients among others.

Many of our employees already donate regularly. For example, Joe Seliske, the Pharmacy Manager at the Welland Site, has donated 115 times, and Melissa Keep, an ECG Technician at Greater Niagara General, recently passed the 125 mark.

While our goal is 100 donations this year, we hope to increase that figure next year.

Even though the booths have been taken down, eligible blood donors can still book an appointment by calling 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283.) For more information, please contact Rosanne Frassetto, Manager of Laboratory Quality Improvement at Niagara Health, at 905-378-4647, ext. 46572, or Joanne Guzda, Manager of the Medical Laboratory Service at the Greater Niagara and Douglas Memorial sites, at
ext. 33324.

Information is also available for staff on Niagara Health’s source•net home page.  «

The Board of Trustees approved the transfer of a 1.5-acre parcel of land beside the Welland Site to the City of Welland. The property includes the now vacant Public Health building, which will be demolished to make way for a 20,450 square-foot Life Sciences Centre.

“This partnership is a classic win-win situation,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “Patients will benefit by having timely access to primary care with the Family Health Team. Those additional healthcare resources also help to ensure patients receive the appropriate level of care in the Emergency Department.”

Currently, many patients have no option but to go to the ED when they require medical assistance. It is estimated the new Health Care Team could provide primary healthcare for up to 7,500 patients in the area.

The partnership also creates synergies between the hospital and the city in areas such as physician recruitment and retention, medical training and healthcare services.

In addition to the clinic, the centre will house other medical professionals, diagnostic services as well as a classroom and teaching labs for McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine’s Niagara Campus.

Health Care Teams typically combine the skills of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and other professionals to provide comprehensive primary healthcare. Welland’s Family Health Team will also include mental health services.

The next step in the process is approval from the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. «

Members of the Oncology team at Niagara Health lend their support at the 2010 Rankin Cancer Run. From left are: Carol Potvin, Director of the Oncology Program; Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, Oncologist and Medical Director of the Oncology Program; Oncologist Dr. Martin Samosh; and Registered Nurses Dorothy Wallace and Margaret Klassen.

Thanks to the organizers and the thousands of participants and donors to the 2010 Rankin Cancer Run, $520,000 is being invested this year directly into cancer care in Niagara to help patients and their families, more than half of it to the Niagara Health System.

“This money is being invested in various areas of cancer treatment across Niagara to help local patients and their loved ones at a time when they need it most,” says Carol Potvin, Director of the hospital’s oncology program.

“On behalf of our cancer patients and their families, we are extremely grateful for this generous donation and thank everyone who has been involved for making an important difference in our community,” says Carol.

$200,000 was donated to the oncology program. Most of this donation is being used to expand and renovate the oncology space at the St. Catharines General Site to enhance and increase our treatment capabilities. Specifically, the money is being used to create three additional exam rooms as well as to renovate the chemotherapy suite to increase the number of patients who can be treated. The balance of the $200,000 donation will be used to purchase patient care equipment in the oncology department.

$50,000 was donated to the Diagnostic Imaging Department at St. Catharines General. Greater Niagara General Site received $50,000 for palliative care; Welland Site received $20,000 for colorectal and urological care; Douglas Memorial Site received $35,000 for palliative care.

“It is because of our incredible community that the run happens,” says Run Director Mary Ann Edwards. “We are deeply grateful to all, and the support means everything to us. The more we can raise, the more we can return to just Niagara.” «

Niagara Health has entered into a contract with Ecosystem Ontario to make energy-saving retrofits, that, when fully implemented, will have the same greenhouse gas reduction effect as taking nearly 1,000 vehicles off the road. This project will also save the hospital $1.2 million annually.

The retrofit projects include the replacement of boilers that heat the Port Colborne and Niagara-on-the-Lake sites, ventilation system improvements, heating plant optimization and heat recovery systems at several sites as well as site-specific projects throughout the seven sites.

The value of investments by site are as follows:

A total of 25 energy-saving measures should be completed by August 2012.

“These improvements will save substantial amounts of natural gas, electricity and water for years to come,” says Chief Operating Officer Bala Kathiresan. “They reduce our ecological footprint and save money in our operations.”

Patients will also notice improved comfort and lighting in Niagara Health sites when the project is complete. The sites will benefit from better regulated temperature control and improved fresh air flow. Six of the seven sites will be retrofitted with energy efficient lighting, and all seven will have an energy resource awareness program.

The environmental benefits are substantial. When completed, these retrofits will save 1.4 million cubic metres of natural gas, 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 215 million litres of water annually. The estimated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is 3,190 tons, which has the same effect as taking 1,000 vehicles off the road.

Not only will the project save resources, but it also addresses $1.3 million in immediate existing infrastructure issues that need correction, and a further $8 million that would need to be dealt with in the future.  «

Dr. Nick Marchi was introduced to Niagara during his residency.

There have been a lot of stops on Dr. Nick Marchi’s way to Douglas Memorial Urgent Care Centre: British Columbia, Poland and Toronto. Fort Erie just had the right feel for him.

“Quality of life is very important as a new doctor setting up a family practice and Niagara is a perfect fit,” said Dr. Marchi.

The newest physician at the Urgent Care Centre joined the Niagara Health System in late September following his residency at the St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto. It was there where he met and studied under Dr. Maynard Luterman, the site chief for emergency medicine for the southern tier of Niagara, which includes the Douglas Memorial Site.

Dr. Marchi, who was born and raised in Vancouver, got to know more about Fort Erie and the Niagara region during his residency. “I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to complete my residency here. My wife fell in love with the area and together we decided that there was no better place than Niagara to set up a family practice and put down roots to start our family.”

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia in 1996 before leaving for Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland. When he completed his studies in Poland in 2001, he returned to the Lower Mainland and from 2003 to 2007 completed two clinical placements in Emergency Medicine: at Peace Arch Hospital in the border city of White Rock, B.C., and at Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey.

Starting in 2007 Dr. Marchi performed his residency with the University of Toronto at the St. Joseph’s Health Centre, specializing in Family Medicine. He completed his residency earlier this year.

In addition to treating patients at the Urgent Care Centre, Dr. Marchi also is accepting patients at his family practice office at 238 Bertie Street,
Fort Erie. «

In this issue of Roundup…

Clinical Connect improving patient safety, care
Dr. Mark Jany, the Chief of Internal Medicine at the St. Catharines General Site, is part of a pilot project of physicians using Clinical Connect, a secure portal for accessing electronic medical records. Physicians at the Niagara Health System and… » cont’d

News Briefs
Annual staff appreciation barbecue, Last call to submit award nominations, Applying online for NHS postings, It’s nomination time for Awards of Excellence, Buy in bulk from our cafeterias, Earn your nursing degree where you work… » cont’d

Help United Way ‘Bring it Home’
Our annual fundraising campaign for the United Way kicked off October 28 with a pizza lunch at all seven Niagara Health System sites. The goal this year is to raise $80,000. Our slogan this year is Bring it Home… » cont’d

Congratulations to…
Kevin Traynor, Justin Kelly, Leanne Hammond, Barbara Sawatsky, Rachel Bayley, Dan Belford, Joanna Mataya, Norma Medulun and Margaret Vos… » cont’d

‘The committee has been wonderfully cooperative, working hand-in-hand with us to develop concepts to shape this property to help build a vibrant and thriving future for this neighbourhood.’

Debbie Sevenpifer
President and CEO

Learn about our new healthcare complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre by visiting the projects website at nhs.plenaryprojects.com

While construction of our new health complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre is one-third complete, work is also underway to build a vibrant and thriving future for the neighbourhoods surrounded by the two existing St. Catharines sites.

When the new facility opens its doors in west St. Catharines in the spring of 2013, the current St. Catharines General and Ontario Street sites will no longer serve as sites of the Niagara Health System.

To ensure redevelopment of the lands, representatives of Niagara Health have participated on a community advisory group which has met regularly since 2004 about different options for the St. Catharines General Site (SCG) on Queenston Street. The Queenston Community Advisory Committee is made up of property owners and business people from the area as well as neighbourhood residents.

Working with the public

With assistance from the committee, planning experts, the City of St. Catharines, the Regional Municipality of Niagara and a few other agencies, Niagara Health has conducted numerous studies.Highlights of planning have included:

• Reviewing the physical growth of the hospital over the years;
• Studying the possibilities for retrofitting the entire structure and consideration of tearing down all or part of the building;
• Looking at the infrastructure and weight bearing ability of the Queenston Street land;
• Environmental assessments, traffic studies, and bylaw review;
• Researching what other cities have done with their old hospitals.

“The committee has been wonderfully cooperative, working hand-in-hand with us to develop concepts to shape this property to help build a vibrant and thriving future for this neighbourhood,” says Niagara Health System President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer.

Recently, St. Catharines City Council approved rezoning of a 12-acre parcel of land between Queenston Street, Oakdale Avenue and Eastchester Avenue for medium density residential development. This land includes the SCG Site, a staff parking lot on Prince Street and about 30 privately owned properties in the triangular block. The rezoning of this area was an important achievement for this initiative, prior to issuing a Request for Expressions of Interest to potential interested land developers later this year.

Based on preliminary planning, the future development would include a mix of dwelling types with a maximum building height of six storeys. The buildings would include a varied use of materials, textures and colours. Other features proposed include bus shelters, seating at bus stops, landscaping, a pedestrian walkway and views to Centennial Gardens.

Preserving the history

“We have expressed the desire to preserve some of the historical aspects of the site and hope that the revitalization effort will bring a mix of people to the area,” says committee chair Robbie Craine Davidson. “Some of the residential lots would attract seniors, some young singles or newlyweds, and others would attract families with children.”

Feedback has shown the desire to incorporate a healthcare component in the area and a community centre.

The Ontario Street Site (OSS) property was sold in 2006 to joint venture partners Walker Industries and Mountainview Homes and was structured to allow for two separate closings. This enables Niagara Health to continue occupying the OSS building until 2013.

The first parcel of land, a former parking lot across the street from the main building, is now townhomes. The sale of the second parcel of land includes the hospital buildings on the west side of Ontario Street and the adjacent parking lot. Plans for the second parcel are being developed.

“It is important to note that redevelopment will not happen until we have vacated both sites and are satisfied that we have met the needs of our patients and staff,” says Debbie.

The sale of the SCG and OSS properties helps to fund the local share of the new hospital. «

St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation’s Tree of Lights at St. Catharines City Hall in December 2009.

If you struggle each year to find that perfect holiday gift for someone special, consider giving the gift of light by making a donation to your local hospital foundation.

As the holiday season approaches, the foundations and auxiliaries supporting the Niagara Health System are busy organizing an event that truly captures the spirit of the season by offering donors an opportunity to honour a loved one through a shining light, while raising funds for medical equipment at their local hospital site.

The Douglas Memorial Hospital Auxiliary engages the Fort Erie community in the holiday spirit of giving by organizing the Tree of Lights at the Douglas Memorial Site. Each year, the auxiliary raises funds for a piece of equipment to enhance services at this site. The tree is lit from mid-November to mid-January with each sparkling light representing a donation in honour or in memory of a loved one.

With the generous support of 91.7 GIANT FM, Welland Hospital Foundation’s GIANT Tree of Giving offers donors an opportunity to remember or honour a loved one while raising money for medical equipment for the Welland Site. This year, Welland Hydro has donated strings of LED lights for the tree, allowing the foundation to do its part in being mindful of the environment.

The Port Colborne Hospital Foundation’s Ribbon of Lights – located on the outer stairs of the hospital – inspires the community to donate to equipment purchases for the Port Colborne Site, in honour or memory of someone special. The ribbon is lit at the annual kick-off celebration, including carolling, hot cider, treats and a visit from Santa, to be held Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

In both communities, if requested by the donor, a gift acknowledgment is sent to the person being honoured or to the family of those being remembered. What better way to let a special person know that you are thinking about them over the holidays?

In Niagara Falls, the Greater Niagara General Hospital Foundation will illuminate its Tree of Life on historic Stamford Green at the annual Festival of Life and Memory Tree Celebration, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. Turn on a light for someone who has made a difference in your life by donating to new and replacement equipment, and make a difference in the lives of those seeking care at the GNG Site.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation hosts its annual Tree of Lights with this year’s proceeds directed to the purchase of electric beds. The festivities kick off with much-loved community gatherings at the Thorold Fire Hall on Nov. 10 at 5 p.m. and at Market Square in St. Catharines on Nov. 12 at 5 p.m.

This has been one of the most successful fundraising initiatives for the SCGH Foundation, raising over $1.2 million in 24 years. “The Tree of Lights embodies the spirit of giving of the holiday season,” says Sandra Sabo, SCGH Foundation Chief Operating Officer. “Year after year, we are humbled by the generosity of our donors who not only make a difference in the lives of those being honoured on our trees, but also in the lives of patients and their families.” «

Betty-Lou Souter has devoted much of her life to giving to her community.

Anyone who has sat down with Betty-Lou Souter knows she is focused, driven and steadfast in her desire to make sure everyone has access to the services they need.

Those attributes have served her well over the past three decades as she has fought to make sure the economically disadvantaged in Niagara have food to eat, a warm bed and access to healthcare services and educational opportunities. She has been instrumental in bringing projects like the Health Bus into being and has played a key role in expanding cancer care in Niagara.

The determined demeanour isn’t a façade. But it isn’t the complete picture of the Chair of the Niagara Health System’s Board of Trustees either.

“Those who know me know I’m a big softy. I have a real soft spot for people who have difficulty helping themselves,” she admits.

Betty-Lou has devoted much of her life to giving to her community. It’s a life lesson she absorbed from her parents when she was growing up in Montreal. At a young age, she was volunteering to sort books at the local library.

When she moved to St. Catharines in 1977 with her husband Ken she got involved in the community. She volunteered to feed stroke victims. Before long she was fighting child poverty and homelessness.

Helping people in need get better access

In her “real job” Betty-Lou is the Chief Executive Officer of Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold. The agency helps people access emergency food bank services, clothing and health and dental services. She recognized that people in economic need often needed access to healthcare, but didn’t always know where to turn. So in 1997 Betty-Lou joined the then-St. Catharines General Hospital Board of Directors. With hospital amalgamation in 2000, she joined the Niagara Health System board as a member. She became Vice Chair in 2002 and Chair in 2006.

Over the past decade, the Niagara Health System has grown. It brought together seven independent sites and created a hospital system. It developed a “Centres of Excellence” model in order to deliver the greatest possible care to the greatest number of people. This pioneering work in hospital services restructuring has given Niagara Health a reputation for leadership in the province.

Betty-Lou acknowledges the changes have not always been well-received. “Change is difficult, especially when it comes to healthcare. We need to keep working with the community to understand their concerns and explain why change is necessary to ensure our patients get the care they need and deserve,” she says.

She is fiercely proud of the work the board and the hospital staff have done to improve access and care. She can’t help but look ahead optimistically. The new healthcare complex in west St. Catharines will provide Niagara residents with a host of new and expanded services — cancer care at the Walker Family Cancer Centre, cardiac catheterization and a longer-term mental health unit. Niagara residents have had to go to Hamilton, Toronto or even as far off as London, to receive this care. She calls the new complex an outward, visible sign of what can happen when everyone works together.

‘A million square feet of caring’

The world-class design will also attract world-class talented personnel, she believes. But it isn’t terms like world-class that matter to Betty-Lou. Terms like care and access mean more. She shares a story told to her by a colleague working on the new healthcare complex. The colleague was telling his mother about the progress being made on the construction. “She told him, ‘You’ve built a million square feet of space, now you’ve got to fill it with a million square feet of caring.’ That’s what it is all about. I think that should be our motto.”

The Niagara Health System is not the only beneficiary of Betty-Lou’s time and expertise. She has sat on more than a dozen boards, agencies and task forces. Currently, she is on the boards for Cancer Care Ontario, Brock University and the YMCA of Niagara. Those appointments, like the Niagara Health System Board appointment, are completely voluntary.

“I think one of the greatest misconceptions out there is that we get paid. We do what we do as volunteers, without remuneration because we have a desire to have great healthcare for all,” she says.

The reward in Betty-Lou’s life isn’t the paycheque, but the satisfaction of helping someone else be a little better off than they were before she met them. “In the work I do, if you leave the platrce seeing someone walk a little taller, sleep a little sounder or live a little longer then you’ve done your job. You can’t change the world but you sure can assist a few people along the way.” «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Clinical Connect improving patient safety, care
• Help United Way ‘Bring it Home’
• Congratulations to…

News Briefs

Annual staff appreciation barbecue

Some 300 staff members converged on Auberge Richelieu on September 15 to enjoy a barbecue and music by Sukkapunch. Organizers of the annual barbecue include, from left: Nancy Dillon, Organizational Development Consultant; Sue Nenadovic, Regional Director of Material Management; and Liz Meehan, Regional Director of Health Records and Patient Registration. «

Last call to submit award nominations

The deadline to submit nominations for the annual Awards of Excellence is Nov. 12. Individuals may nominate anyone in our hospital family for their extraordinary performance, reflecting our values of compassion, professionalism and respect and the five success factors.
CEO Debbie Sevenpifer will present seven awards to the winners at a special celebration in March 2011. The nomination form is on our website at http://www.niagarahealth.on.ca/awards-of-excellence-nomination/. For a paper copy of the nomination form, please contact Organizational Development at ext. 32268 or 32263. ««

Applying online for NHS postings

Internal and external job candidates will soon be able to apply online for NHS positions, thanks to a new application system the recruitment department is introducing this fall. This system will allow staff to apply online from home or work. You will also be able to create your own profile, making it easier to apply and also to be notified via email when a new posting matches your criteria. This new applicant tracking system is being powered by Monster and is key to creating a more streamlined application process. All employees will be given an access code to review postings from home. Stay tuned for updates. «

It’s nomination time for Awards of Excellence

It’s time to submit your nomination for the annual Awards of Excellence, recognizing outstanding efforts of NHS staff, physicians, volunteers and students. Individuals may nominate anyone in our hospital family for their extraordinary performance, reflecting our values of compassion, professionalism and respect and the five success factors. CEO Debbie Sevenpifer will present seven awards to the winners at a special celebration in March 2011. The nomination form is located on our website at www.niagarahealth.on.ca/awards-of-excellence-nomination. For a paper copy of the nomination form, please contact Organizational Development at ext. 32268 or 32263. Deadline for nominations is Nov. 12.«

Buy in bulk from our cafeterias

Beginning in October, NHS staff can take home some of their favourite cafeteria offerings in bulk for dinner or on their way home from work.

Food Services has selected the most popular items that staff ask to purchase regularly – burgers, sausages, chicken fingers, dessert, and more – and is making them available to staff.

For those who don’t see what they want on the list, the Site Food Services Manager can check if it is available for takeout and can add it to the menu.

Items will be available for pickup at the following sites: St. Catharines General, Welland, Port Colborne, Douglas Memorial and Greater Niagara General.

Order forms are available in the cafeterias and on source•net (under forms). Orders are due Mondays at 1 p.m. for Friday pickup. More details on ordering and pickup can be found on the order form. «

Earn your nursing degree where you work

If you are a diploma-prepared Registered Nurse interested in completing your Nursing degree, plan to attend an information session to learn more about Ryerson University’s Post Diploma Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. By completing a combination of on-site, video-conference and online courses, you can earn your degree through flexible part-time study. Information sessions will be held at the following dates and locations, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m.:

• Thursday, November 4
  Greater Niagara General Site in Board Room
  Douglas Memorial Site in Conference Room
• Monday, November 8
  Welland Site in Board Room
  Port Colborne Site in Board Room
• Tuesday, November 9
  St. Catharines General Site in Community Ground
  Ontario Street Site in 6th Floor Board Room
  Niagara-on-the-Lake in Wooll Room

Please contact Sandy Lindsay for details: ext. 43106 or by email «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Clinical Connect improving patient safety, care
• Help United Way ‘Bring it Home’
• Congratulations to…

Help United Way ‘Bring it Home’

Our annual fundraising campaign for the United Way kicked off October 28 with a pizza lunch at all seven Niagara Health System sites. The goal this year is to raise $80,000.

Our slogan this year is Bring it Home … Your Community Matters. We feel that a safe, supportive community is everyone’s responsibility and that everyone has something to contribute.

Donations made to the United Way support a multitude of programs in the community that benefit the less fortunate, programs that provide after-school direction for youth, or that teach literacy or that help people continue to live independently. Giving to the United Way helps strengthen families and communities.

Please take a moment to consider making a donation. Most of the donations will be raised through payroll deductions. Pledge forms will be available at each of the lunches and can also be accessed on source•net. One of the new initiatives this year will be an added incentive draw for signing up your colleagues.

Over the next few months, several events and raffles will take place. Check out source•net as we announce the details. «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Clinical Connect improving patient safety, care
• Help United Way ‘Bring it Home’
• Congratulations to…

Clinical Connect improving patient safety, care

Dr. Mark Jany takes a look at patient files available through the Clinical Connect.

Dr. Mark Jany, the Chief of Internal Medicine at the St. Catharines General Site, is part of a pilot project of physicians using Clinical Connect, a secure portal for accessing electronic medical records. Physicians at the Niagara Health System and the Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre have been able to access patient files electronically through Meditech. With Clinical Connect, they can access test results, diagnoses and patient records from hospitals in the Hamilton area and beyond, which will result in quicker diagnosis and treatment of patients who have been treated at other hospitals in the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network. «

November 1 to 5 is Patient Safety Week

Our community members are invited to participate in Patient Safety Week with us.

Throughout this week, Cindy Ko, Patient Safety Specialist, will set up a booth at each of our sites to answer any questions that you may have about patient safety. Check out source•net for details.

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Clinical Connect improving patient safety, care
• Help United Way ‘Bring it Home’
• Congratulations to…

Congratulations to…

Congratulations to Kevin Traynor and Justin Kelly who have been selected to participate in the 2010 Leadership Niagara program.

Leadership Niagara is a community-owned initiative that assists emerging leaders in private, public and not-for-profit organizations to learn and develop practical leadership skills, and to participate in community projects during 11 learning days over 10 months.

Kevin is Manager of Hospitality and Linen Services at the Welland Site. Justin is a Procurement Specialist and is based at the Greater Niagara General Site. We are pleased to be able to support these two employees. Kevin and Justin will enhance their knowledge of the community, their networks and their leadership competencies by participating in this program.

Thanks to all employees who applied for the program this year. This is the fourth year for Leadership Niagara. Previous participants include Leanne Hammond, Barbara Sawatsky, Rachel Bayley, Dan Belford and Joanna Mataya.

Way to go Norma Medulun who will help develop new best practice guidelines for caring for people with addictions. Norma has been invited to sit on the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario’s International Affairs and Best Practices Guideline Program.

Norma is our Regional Director of Addictions Services and is based at the Ontario Street Site.

The RNAO’s panel started its work earlier this month and is expected to wrap up in December 2011 with a report outlining best practice guidelines to be used throughout the province.

Congratulations to Margaret Vos. Margaret recently passed the Canadian Nurses Association demanding certification in gastroenterology. The certification tests nurses on the anatomy and physiology of the gastroenterological system, as well as on the various diagnostic tests, therapeutic procedures used to treat gastroenterological patients, and on patient care.

Margaret, Permanent Charge Nurse at the Welland Site’s Endoscopy Suite, is the third Niagara Health Registered Nurse to earn the certification. «

A surgical safety checklist must be completed before every surgery, a safety procedure Niagara Health implemented before new provincial regulations came into effect. The hospital recently earned full accreditation from Accreditation Canada, a designation that fewer than one in three healthcare organizations in Canada receive. Among the patient safety initiatives examined during this process were patient chart reviews and surgical safety checklists.

The quality of programs and services across the Niagara Health System has been evaluated against national standards of excellence and based on the independent review met all of these standards.

Following the exhaustive examination by five healthcare experts earlier this year, Niagara Health is among the top 30% of hospitals in Canada that has been awarded full accreditation by Accreditation Canada.

Similar to ISO 9000 for industry, every few years a team of experts conducts a comprehensive review of hospital programs, processes and documentation, measuring performance against 1,712 different criteria.

“The survey process tells us what we are doing well and where we could improve,” says Frank Demizio, Vice President Patient Services and lead for the accreditation process. “This accreditation award is a result of the hard work and dedication that staff and physicians contribute daily in their roles, as well as in preparing for the survey.”

All aspects of Niagara Health System were reviewed as part of the survey, including programs and services, patient safety, quality improvement, risk management, leadership, plant services and maintenance, infection prevention and control, and medication management. Niagara Health was compliant in more than 95% of the standards and criteria and submitted action plans to address the remaining areas that needed improvement. Shortly after that submission, Accreditation Canada notified the hospital that it met all standards and criteria and is fully accredited until the next review in late 2012.

Accreditation Canada is a not-for-profit, independent organization providing national and international healthcare organizations with an external peer review to assess and improve the services they provide based on standards of excellence.

“Accreditation Canada has approximately 1,060 Canadian clients and only 30% of those clients receive an award of accreditation, so we’re very pleased to have received this award,” Demizio says.

Some of the achievements the surveyors noted include the new hospital and cancer centre development, the framework in which quality measurements are reported, enhanced medication management processes, enhanced infection prevention/control processes and policies, patient safety leadership walkabouts (where leaders meet with front-line staff in their units and discuss patient safety) and strong leadership engagement in financial recovery. Some opportunities for improvement identified include the physical age of Niagara Health infrastructure, implementation of professional staff bylaws, workforce plans and enhancing the patient’s role in patient safety.

“I congratulate our board of trustees, staff and physicians who actively and freely participated in the accreditation process,” says Debbie Sevenpifer, President and CEO. “The value of accreditation is both showcasing the things we do well, and also learning from others as to what we can improve upon. We are firmly committed to continuously improving on quality to ensure our programs and services meet the standards.”

Accreditation Q&A

What does an accreditation award mean for the patients we serve?

Pictured with the accreditation award certificate are, from left, Frank Demizio, Vice President Patient Services; Janice Lesniewski, Charge Nurse, Ontario Street Site Day Surgery and Endoscopy; and Debbie Sevenpifer, President and CEO.

Patients and their families have an expectation that they will receive the best quality care for their condition and one way of providing them with that assurance is having an external peer review. That is Accreditation Canada’s role.

The award validates a wide range of quality and safety components, such as quality, risk management and infection control, just to name a few. The accreditation award verifies that the Niagara Health System has in place an infrastructure and process which provides quality and safe care.

What is the accreditation process?

The accreditation process is a continuous cycle that most hospitals in Canada take part in with Accreditation Canada, a non-profit independent reviewing body. Long before the actual accreditation visit, which occurs every three years, our clinical programs and support services conduct an assessment of their area of focus, getting input from frontline staff, physicians, patients/families and healthcare partners.

The assessment results are then inputted into the Accreditation Canada software, which measures our performance against 1,712 established criteria. The results of the comparison are provided to the programs and services, which then develop action plans for any areas that are flagged as not meeting the requirements of the criteria. Then, evidence is collected and collated, in preparation for the arrival of five expert surveyors on site.

The surveyors are healthcare professionals from across Canada and they tour our sites for several days, examining our patient care processes, as well as Human Resources policies and procedures, information technology systems, governance procedures and a whole host of required organizational practices. These experts then compile their findings, and Accreditation Canada determines whether accreditation will be awarded. A Niagara Health System accreditation steering committee ensures that action plans are implemented for continuous quality improvement.

What were some main findings in the final report?

We have a lot of success stories that the surveyors noted, including the development of the new hospital and cancer centre and an integrated quality reporting framework. One of the main areas where we’ve improved is in better hand hygiene among our staff and physicians. Over the last few years, we’ve struggled with outbreaks on our inpatient units, so we brought in some experts from other hospitals and worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to roll out the Just Clean Your Hands campaign for staff and physicians. This initiative has really made a difference in preventing the transmission of harmful bacteria. We’ve also increased signage and wall-mounted hand sanitizers so the public has more awareness.

We know we still have a lot to do, particularly in maintaining our aging hospital buildings.

How did Niagara Health earn accreditation in such challenging times?

We engaged as many staff, physicians and volunteers as possible in the process. This engagement included a thorough review and evaluation by our staff and physicians of how the NHS measured up against the standards. The teams and programs received education and support to assist them in the evaluation against the standards and criteria. It is that engagement and a team approach that has allowed us to build on the successes from our last survey.  «

Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, Medical Director of Oncology, reviews a patient’s diagnostic image in new, expanded clinic space on the third floor of Moore Wing at St. Catharines General Site.

The outpatient oncology program at St. Catharines General Site is growing. Most of the Moore Three wing was made available for oncology patients and staff in the summer.

“Our cancer program has increased about 30% in the last five years, and it is ideal that we were able to grow on the same floor,” says Carol Potvin, director of the oncology program.

“Last year, there were 31,400 patient visits to outpatient oncology for chemotherapy, consultation with specialists, and follow-up care,” Carol says.

“This expansion means we now have more clinic space and the meeting room now has videoconferencing, so our clinicians can take part in multidisciplinary case conferences (i.e. specialists from different disciplines such as pathology, diagnostic imaging, radiation, surgery and medicine discuss patient cases) with our medical colleagues at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton. And, we’ll be adding four more much-needed chemotherapy chairs in the McSloy wing soon.”

The oncology program is also pleased with the appointment of a sixth medical oncologist in Niagara, Dr. Radhika Yelamanchili, who started seeing patients in May. Medical oncologists provide consultation, diagnosis and treatment plans for a wide range of cancers requiring chemotherapy, targeted therapies and biologic therapies.

New prostate cancer clinic

The new space is now home to a prostate cancer clinic for men newly diagnosed with the disease. The clinic is part of a shift to better integrate Niagara Health’s oncology program with Hamilton’s Juravinski Cancer Centre to co-ordinate patient care and reduce wait times. Since late July, Hamilton radiation oncologist Dr. Ian Dayes and four other specialists have travelled to Niagara to see prostate cancer patients on a rotating basis in St. Catharines.

“Until now, prostate cancer patients would travel to Hamilton for consultation with a radiation oncologist before their surgery or radiation appointments were booked,” says Carol. “Now, patients can have that consultation in St. Catharines. A prostate cancer clinic was offered several years ago in Niagara, but the specialist moved away and couldn’t be replaced.”

Each year, about 450 Niagara men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. The clinic expects to see up to 180 patients each year. If there are more, the schedule will change as needed.

“When patients come to the clinic, we will review their test results,” Dr. Dayes explains. “With more advanced cancers, the options are surgery and/or radiation. We will talk about the pros and cons of radiation.”

Most prostate surgery and chemotherapy is carried out in Niagara, with patients travelling to Hamilton for radiation therapy until 2013, when the Walker Family Cancer Centre will open.

New Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program

Another new service is coming to Niagara in September – a new assessment program for patients with a suspicion of lung cancer to help reduce their wait time for diagnosis and treatment. Called Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program, or LDAP, the program is a partnership with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. The assessment clinics will be held at St. Catharines General and St. Joseph’s and will serve the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN population.

Key to the program is the position of nurse navigator. This new position is filled by Registered Nurse Colleen Stang, who will divide her time between Hamilton and St. Catharines to assist in the clinic with local physicians. One of Colleen’s primary roles will be to fast track diagnostic tests and procedures for patients referred to the program. Colleen will be the first contact for the patient as he/she navigates the health system. If a diagnosis of lung cancer is confirmed, Colleen will ensure the patient is  referred quickly to an oncologist, surgeon or other medical specialist to
develop their treatment plan.

“We are one of seven pilot programs sponsored by Cancer Care Ontario and the Nursing Secretariat,” says Registered Nurse Jane Schouten, project lead in establishing the program in Niagara. “Cancer Care Ontario is focused on reducing wait times for diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and to improve the patient’s overall experience. Different versions of this model have shown good results.”

Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, Oncology Medical Director, says she is very pleased to see these additions and others coming on stream in Niagara’s oncology program. “We look forward to working with Dr. Dayes, Colleen and other new colleagues as part of an integrated cancer program.”  «

Debbie Sevenpifer,
President and Chief Executive Officer

A day in the frontlines

From time to time, I have the privilege of experiencing a “day in the life” of the people who work in the frontlines of our hospital. I recently was invited to spend a day in the Operating Rooms (OR) at our St. Catharines General Site (SCG), and I accepted the offer without hesitation. It was an amazing opportunity for me to experience first-hand the incredible work that goes on across our hospital system.

I would like to share with you some of the key observations and learnings I gained as a result of my experience that day.

Everyone was very patient and gracious in answering all of my questions, and they were all clearly very proud to showcase the great patient care they provide. The doctors, nurses and staff also spoke candidly to me about the challenges and opportunities they face on a daily basis. I was truly impressed by the tremendous team spirit, collegiality and pride of the people who work in the SCG OR.

The doctors and nurses in the SCG OR told me and I saw for myself that the new hospital cannot come soon enough based on the small size of the existing operating rooms and lack of storage space. There is amazing care being provided in very cramped quarters with every effort made to ensure best practice standards are met and exceeded.

Focus on patient safety

I observed first-hand a tremendous focus on patient safety. This was demonstrated consistently as I travelled between rooms – team members going over surgical checklists, reviews of surgical consents, time outs, surgical site markings, surgical supply counts, checking of antibiotic administration time within targets, wearing proper personal protective equipment and, last but not least, handwashing. It was very reassuring to witness the importance of and the adherence to safety practices in the delivery of patient care by our healthcare professionals and support staff.

I was also very impressed with the calibre and amount of teaching that went on in the OR. I observed great patience and skilful instruction on the part of a number of the surgeons with residents and medical students along with myself.

Having my own loved ones have surgery, and having been a patient myself, I could not help but notice the efforts made and compassion to ensure patients were as comfortable as possible – reassurance, explaining the procedure, holding hands, wiping tears, and warm blankets to name but a few.

The work and commitment to care that I witnessed the day I spent in the SCG OR are a snapshot of the tremendous efforts being made every day at every site and in every department of our hospital.

Niagara residents should be reassured knowing that they have such dedicated healthcare professionals to rely upon to provide them with quality patient care. «

Our cancer program has been working hard to expand and advance services to our patients and families. This September, we welcome Dr. Radhika Yelamanchili, our sixth medical oncologist in Niagara. Also new in September is a clinic for men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. In addition, an assessment program is now available for patients with a suspicion of lung cancer to help reduce their wait time for diagnosis and treatment.

Later this fall, the cranes in the sky in west St. Catharines will come down as we reach a milestone at the new healthcare complex with the major work on the exterior of the buildings wrapping up. The work will soon shift indoors as construction on the interior spaces of the facility ramps up.

It’s hard to believe but right on the heels of our 2010 accreditation award, work is starting this fall to prepare for the 2012 survey which will once again evaluate our hospital’s performance against national standards of excellence. Niagara Health’s commitment to excellence in patient safety practices continues with a new round of WalkArounds this fall as senior leaders visit departments and units to learn about safety issues at the unit level and discuss possible solutions with front-line staff.

A new round of community information sessions also start up this fall led by our own care experts. Check out our event listings on page 12 and be sure to pass on the information to friends and family looking to learn more about stroke and transitional care.

Three fresh faces join our Board of Trustees meetings in September, and I invite you to read more about these dedicated community leaders in this issue of Niagara Health Now.

This is just a snapshot of the achievements and progress being made across our multi-site hospital. There is plenty more to read about in the pages of Niagara Health Now, and our paper looks forward to bringing more stories and insights to our readers in future issues. «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer

Wade Stayzer is one busy guy.

He is President of the Board of Directors of Family and Children’s Services Niagara, Treasurer of the Niagara Community Foundation and a member of the St. Catharines Rotary Club.

In addition to these volunteer community contributions, as of June of this year, he is also a new volunteer member of the Niagara Health System Board of Trustees. While Wade is a new trustee, he participated last year as a community member on the Resources and Audit Committee of the board, which oversees the hospital’s human and financial resources. Wade proved to be a valuable asset to this committee with his extensive business background, a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

All of this is on top of his job as Vice President, Retail, with Meridian Credit Union.

“I grew up in Wainfleet, live in Beamsville and work across Niagara, which I believe provides me with a well-rounded perspective on our region,” says Wade. “It is exciting to work with the board and the Niagara Health System team as the hospital continues to change and evolve as a system of care. I am looking forward to making a meaningful contribution to the Niagara community in this role.”

A second new face on the board is Robert Cary, a professional engineer who operates a management consulting business from his base in St. Catharines, specializing in commercial and regulatory services in the electricity industry.

Robert has served for several years on the boards of St. Catharines Hydro and Horizon Utilities, and, on a volunteer basis, at the Association of Power Producers of Ontario.

He also volunteered for a period on the board of the Niagara Youth Orchestra.

Robert has two Master’s degrees, one in Business Administration and the other in Physics and Engineering. He is certified by the Institute of Corporate Directors, which is dedicated to enhancing the governance expertise that its members provide to the corporations they serve.

“I am pleased to be able to contribute this way to the enhancement of the Niagara Health System and the services it provides; I look forward to dealing with the challenges,” says Robert.

Joining Robert and Wade on the board is Port Colborne resident and lawyer Paul Leon, who brings 32 years of varied hospital trustee experience to the board, including four years as its Chair. Paul’s appointment provides continuity to the board, bringing quality, legal and governance experience to the board table. Paul will once again chair the board’s Quality Committee.

“I am 100 per cent committed to the success of the Niagara Health System and to moving the NHS forward as a true leader in healthcare excellence, patient safety and quality,” says Paul.

The well-known community leader is currently co-chair of the Niagara Immigrant Employment Council. He also sits on the board of the South Niagara United Way and is its campaign chair.

The Niagara Health System Board of Trustees is made up of volunteers who live and work in Niagara. Each board member brings unique skills and expertise to this leadership role. The board is responsible for governing the NHS and providing strategic direction to the hospital to ensure it meets the healthcare needs of the community within the resources that are available.

These trustee appointments took effect in June.

“We had 35 applications from Niagara residents expressing interest in positions on the board,” says NHS Board Chair Betty-Lou Souter. “Wade, Robert and Paul bring an impressive mix of skills to the board table, and I am confident they will provide strong leadership to the board as we work to meet the key challenges and priorities for Niagara Health.”

The board also appointed three members to the Port Colborne and Fort Erie standing committees. Standing committees ensure the perspectives, service requirements, unique needs and community interests of Niagara Health’s smaller sites have an effective voice at the board level.

Appointed to the Port Colborne Standing Committee was Steven Rivers. Steven is the former Manager of Planning and Development Services for the City of Port Colborne and current Program Support Officer (Planning) for the multimillion dollar redevelopment of Canadian Forces Base Borden.

Art Flood, a retired motel owner/operator who moved to Fort Erie six years ago, was appointed to the Fort Erie Standing Committee, as was Doreen Angles, a long-serving community volunteer in Fort Erie and founding member of the standing committee.  «

Customers check out some gently used golf clubs at a giant garage sale organized by Niagara Health System nurses and held in August at the Royal LePage Plaza in Welland.

The rainy weather didn’t co-operate, but Niagara Health System nurses and their volunteers still managed to raise about $1,000 at a recent giant garage sale and barbecue in Welland.

2010 is the International Year of the Nurse, and our nurses are stepping up to help support and fund the building of a community health clinic in the east African nation of Kenya.

The nurses and volunteers organized the garage sale which relied on donations from people who work at the hospital as well as members of the public. Donations included furniture, bedding and linens, baby items and toys, small appliances, garden tools, sports and camping equipment, clothing, jewelry and more.

Partnering with international child rights and relief agency Free the Children, NHS nurses are organizing a number of fundraising events over the next year to send a contingent of youth from Niagara to a Kenyan village to help build the facility. Organizers of the effort hope to raise approximately $20,000, enough funds to send five or six young people to Kenya.

Please see page 12 for details of the next fundraising event, a Pasta Dinner Dance to be held Sept. 30.

You can also get the latest information by checking out the Facebook site for the NHS International Year of the Nurse Association, or by emailing niahealsys@live.com «

In this issue of Roundup…

Leadership WalkArounds
Patient Safety Leadership WalkArounds are proving to be effective, according to feedback from front-line staff and senior leaders, who say they appreciate the opportunity to discuss safety issues within departments/units as well as possible solutions… » cont’d

News Briefs
Shopping at GNG, Respectful workplace education, Applying online for NHS postings, It’s nomination time for Awards of Excellence, Loyalty Recognition Evenings in November… » cont’d

All-star game raises funds for Walker Family Cancer Centre
A hospital slo-pitch league made up predominantly of NHS staff, friends and family held its first annual All-Star Game and Cancer Fundraiser in July. Two teams were formed with all-star players from the league’s 10 teams, with the blue team winning 7-6 in an exciting game. … » cont’d

Garden makeovers at our sites
Pleasant outdoor surroundings are good for the spirit and this summer a few garden makeovers made for colourful displays at our sites. At Niagara-on-the-Lake Site, the NOTL Hospital Auxiliary dedicated time and money… » cont’d

Congratulations to…
Stephen Andres, Nalini Agnihotri, Debbie Demizio, Sandy Dunnett, Katie Hauer, Jonas Regier, Donna Rothwell… » cont’d

The concrete structure is near completion at the time this aerial photo was taken at the end of August. It won’t be long before the tower cranes start to come down and the landscape in St. Catharines changes again.

The concrete that has flowed steadily over the past year to create the structure of our new healthcare complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre comes to an end in September with the last roof being poured on one of the inpatient towers.

“The entire design and construction team worked tirelessly since the first concrete pour in August 2009 to ensure that this major phase of the project moved along without delay,” says Mike Marasco, CEO of Plenary Health, which is overseeing the project.

“As the concrete-related trades begin to demobilize on site,  work will ramp up on the interior of the facility, including placement of masonry walls and select mechanical piping and duct work,” adds Mike.

This is also a time when the workforce is expected to rise to more than 800 workers, which will be a continued economic boost for the Niagara region.

Construction continued at an aggressive pace over the summer months. One of the most visible signs of progress was the placement of pre-cast concrete panels which began in May to enclose the building exterior. Work also began on structural steel components and curtain walls which are areas of sealed aluminum-framed glass that allow natural light into the building.

All design details finalized

The final building permit was received from the City of St. Catharines at the end of July. This milestone marked the completion of the design development phase of construction, in which all details of the design are finalized between Plenary Health and the hospital.

The design development phase spanned the past several years and included input from more than 300 front-line staff, managers, physicians and volunteers as well as consultation from community partners and the public.

“The primary role of the people who served on our user groups was to review the design from their clinical points of view. They were amazing in their commitment, responding to tight timelines and detailed reviews, the outcome of which will be a functional, patient-friendly hospital,” says clinical project manager Marilyn Bellows.

“Despite these onerous demands outside of regular working hours, we have been continually impressed by the vigour and excitement shown by all involved in this process. Their dedication is truly inspiring,” adds Marilyn.

The building will become weather tight over the winter months. It won’t be long before the tower cranes start to come down and the landscape in St. Catharines changes again. «

Please visit nhs.plenaryprojects.com to learn more about the construction and development of our new healthcare complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre and to view photos and web cameras.

Runners in the 2009 Niagara Falls International Marathon – the only marathon in the world that starts in one country and finishes in another.

On Oct. 24, runners from 40 countries and every continent (except Antarctica) will converge on Niagara to participate in the Niagara Falls International Marathon. Runners are asked to make a donation or raise pledges to support a number of charities, with the Niagara Health System’s It’s Our Time Campaign being the primary charity of choice. Funds raised will be directed to equipment needs for the new Walker Family Cancer Centre under construction in St. Catharines.

The event includes a two-person relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K and 5K team challenge, and a Schools Challenge designed for elementary students. All events have wheelchair divisions. It is also a Boston Marathon qualifier, and stands alone as the only marathon in the world that starts in one country and finishes in another. The marathon ends at the brink of the falls – one of the seven wonders of the world, providing participants with an experience of a lifetime.

Cancer survivor / race director Jim Ralston

For race director and Fort Erie resident Jim Ralston, 61, the decision to support Niagara’s new cancer centre was an easy one. On a 22-year running streak, Jim laced up his sneakers and took to the pavement daily. However, this came to a halt in June 2006 when he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous prostate.

Determined to stay active, Jim recalls: “The day after the operation I was up walking around with my IV pole. I was desperately trying to maintain some sort of movement.”

With such a passionate love for the sport, Jim even tried running within two weeks of surgery, his stitches out only days earlier, a move that he now acknowledges was “silly.” With regret, Jim Ralston had to hang up his running sneakers, after a running career that spanned more than 35 years, included 19 marathons, countless shorter races, and his 22-year streak.

Through his experience with cancer, Jim gained a deep appreciation of the importance of having comprehensive treatment close to home. In September 2006, he began commuting to Hamilton for radiation therapy, a drive that took 50 minutes each way for a procedure that required all of 10 minutes.

“It’s a long way to go,” says Jim. “I was lucky, I could do it by myself, but there are a lot of patients that require someone to drive them.”

Many Niagarans are faced with this challenge.

When the Walker Family Cancer Centre opens in 2013, the current oncology program will evolve to provide the full spectrum of care – including radiation – right here in Niagara. The cancer centre is being developed in collaboration with Cancer Care Ontario and the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton, and will be the hub of a coordinated regional cancer treatment network for Niagara. Once operational, 95% of Niagara cancer patients will be able to receive both chemotherapy and radiation treatment here in the region; a welcome change for the 1,200 Niagara cancer patients who now travel to Hamilton or Toronto for life-saving radiation treatment.

With construction of the Walker Family Cancer Centre underway and Jim’s recent bout with cancer, the connection to the Niagara Falls International Marathon seemed relevant. “It was a natural fit,” explains Jim. “I think cancer has affected everyone one way or the other.”

Jim has been cancer-free nearly four years and has become an avid walker along with his wife Ruth, logging a minimum five kilometres daily. With an everlasting passion for the sport, Jim hopes to resume running on a regular basis in the future.

Register for the Niagara Falls International Marathon today and support the Walker Family Cancer Centre!

For more information, or to register online, visit www.niagarafallsmarathon.com «

Welland Hospital Foundation Executive Director and Campaign Director South Niagara Heather J. Scott, right, gratefully accepts a $100,000

The It’s Our Time Campaign is helping to transform healthcare for the more than 430,000 people who make Niagara region their home. Our campaign is helping build and equip the new Walker Family Cancer Centre, regional mental health centre and the heart investigation unit at the new healthcare complex under construction in west St. Catharines.

The new healthcare complex and cancer centre will bring new regional services for the treatment of cancer, cardiac disease and mental illness, and will create a necessary part of the infrastructure for the region’s future healthcare needs. Creating the infrastructure to support today’s modern technologies will help overcome challenges in service delivery, broaden the scope of services, and help attract new physicians and healthcare workers, while providing better access to healthcare services for patients close to home and family.

Our campaign also helps to purchase new and replacement equipment for the St. Catharines General Site, equipment that will be relocated to the new hospital when it opens. Funds raised support new equipment for Greater Niagara General and development of a satellite dialysis centre for the Niagara Falls community; equipment to support the Urgent Care Centre and renovations to the Complex Continuing Care Centre at Douglas Memorial; the new 12,500 sq. ft. 24-station Welland Hospital Auxiliary Dialysis Centre and a 128-slice CT scanner for the Welland Site.  At the Port Colborne Site, funds are helping with renovations to the Urgent Care Centre and upgrades and new diagnostic equipment for the Complex
Continuing Care Centre.

While the provincial government pays for 90% of construction costs, we need the support of our entire community to fund the remaining 10% of costs, plus 100% of all new equipment. Initiatives of this scale cannot be accomplished without the support of community, business and philanthropic leaders who share in our vision for the great potential this campaign offers to advance healthcare in the Niagara region.  Many have joined us as part of our campaign fundraising teams and as donors. Together, we are well on our way to reaching the $40-million fundraising goal.  Thanks to the generosity of individuals and organizations, we have already raised $30 million!

Through our campaign, generous people and organizations in our Niagara communities have come together to help support one of life’s most fundamental needs — healthcare. Today, we are inviting you to join in the effort to close the gap by supporting equipment purchases, the development of new construction and renovations to existing Niagara Health System  facilities.

Your support is essential. Please make your donation today to advance healthcare through our Niagara region communities.

Visit www.ItsOurTimeCampaign.ca or call 905-378-4647 and ask for your local foundation office. «

– Jan R. Cook

The new Urgent Care Centre will benefit patient care in many ways, including improved privacy for patients with eight private treatment rooms and enhanced infection prevention and control capabilities. All spaces will be fully wheelchair accessible, and there will be a new dedicated entrance with a wheelchair ramp.

“With the functional program approved by the Ministry, the next stage in the approval process is to submit detailed costing and drawings for the Urgent Care Centre,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “The Ministry has been very helpful in helping us plan for this new space. They made a detailed visit in the spring and offered several suggestions to create a larger, better space for patients and staff. These recent improvements include all private treatment rooms and additional space for patient registration and triage.”

Under the revised plan, the size of the new Urgent Care Centre is 5,678 square feet, about 1,500 square feet more than the current space, providing nurses, medical staff and students with more spacious and accessible work space in which to provide care to patients.

Port Colborne Site nursing staff, allied health professionals, physicians and support staff were actively involved in developing the functional program for the new Urgent Care Centre. A functional program identifies what a hospital department is currently doing and what that department intends to do in the future. The plan includes a review of the patient population served as well as calculations of floor space required to carry out the service.

While this latest approval by the Ministry is a significant milestone and signals its commitment to the revised project scope, there are a number of further submissions and approvals required from the Ministry in the next few months. These key milestones include detailed drawings, tender and award of the contract.

“We will be working very diligently in partnership with the Ministry to obtain approvals of the remaining milestones,” says Debbie.

“I know that this is welcome news to the communities of south Niagara and to the staff and physicians who are caring for patients in less than ideal conditions,” Debbie adds. “We anticipate that construction could start in spring 2011, with completion targeted for the end of 2011. The actual dates will depend on the receipt of approvals and the successful contractor’s bid schedule.”

The project requires an estimated local contribution of $400,000 through a fundraising commitment by the It’s Our Time Campaign.

The final fundraising share will be known only when the final bids are received and actual construction costs known. To date, lead gifts from the Marsh family and Fraser Marine & Industrial, a Division of Algoma Central Corporation, total $305,000.

“We truly appreciate the support and leadership we have received from the Marsh family and from Fraser Marine & Industrial,” says Rob Neill, Chair of the South Niagara Cabinet for the It’s Our Time Campaign. “As we enter this new phase in the redevelopment process of the Urgent Care Centre, we are confident that we will reach our community fundraising goal and help to make this project happen.” «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Game raises funds for Cancer Centre
• Garden makeovers at our sites
• Congratulations to…
• Leadership WalkArounds

News Briefs

Shopping at GNG

The summer saw the set-up of Faces Cosmetics at Greater Niagara General Site, in the lobby between the Auxiliary Gift Shop and Tim Hortons. Faces Cosmetics is a Canadian cosmetics, skincare and accessories company. A grand opening sale is running until Sept. 30 and staff will receive a 15% discount after the opening sale. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekends.

Down the hall is Golden Care Pharmacy, which opened in March and offers a full prescription-filling service open to staff and the public. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Free delivery in Ontario and all insurance and drug plans are accepted. Diabetes supplies, crutches, walkers and more are available. For more information, call ext. 53184. «

Respectful workplace education

The NHS is committed to a safe, healthy and respectful workplace and has policies, a Code of Conduct and a comprehensive violence prevention program to support this. A new e-learning Respectful Workplace Training module is available so all staff can learn about:

• What a respectful workplace looks and feels like
• What inappropriate / disruptive behaviour is
• What to do when disruptive behaviour occurs, and
• What policies, processes and support exist for dealing with disruptive behaviour.

Completion of this training is a requirement for all staff and takes about 15 minutes.

Go to source•net and click on the Violence Prevention button found on the top navigation bar (look for the peace sign). For assistance, please contact Human Resources at extension 44200 or Barb Dixon at extension 44231. «

Applying online for NHS postings

Internal and external job candidates will soon be able to apply online for NHS positions, thanks to a new application system the recruitment department is introducing this fall. This system will allow staff to apply online from home or work. You will also be able to create your own profile, making it easier to apply and also to be notified via email when a new posting matches your criteria. This new applicant tracking system is being powered by Monster and is key to creating a more streamlined application process. All employees will be given an access code to review postings from home. Stay tuned for updates. «

It’s nomination time for Awards of Excellence

It’s time to submit your nomination for the annual Awards of Excellence, recognizing outstanding efforts of NHS staff, physicians, volunteers and students. Individuals may nominate anyone in our hospital family for their extraordinary performance, reflecting our values of compassion, professionalism and respect and the five success factors. CEO Debbie Sevenpifer will present seven awards to the winners at a special celebration in March 2011. The nomination form is located on our website at
www.niagarahealth.on.ca/awards-of-excellence-nomination

For a paper copy of the nomination form, please contact Organizational Development at ext. 32268 or 32263. Deadline for nominations is Nov. 12.«

Loyalty Recognition Evenings in November

This November, we will celebrate the years of service of more than 700 of our employees at the annual Loyalty Recognition events at Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls.
You’ll be receiving an invitation if you are celebrating, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years of service this year. Please reserve the date for one of the following events:

• Thurs., Nov. 4 dinner for Corporate, SCG, NOTL & OSS employees.
• Thurs., Nov. 18 dinner for DMH, PCG, GNG, & WHS employees. «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Game raises funds for Cancer Centre
• Garden makeovers at our sites
• Congratulations to…
• Leadership WalkArounds

All-star game raises funds for Walker Family Cancer Centre

A hospital slo-pitch league made up predominantly of NHS staff, friends and family held its first annual All-Star Game and Cancer Fundraiser in July. Two teams were formed with all-star players from the league’s 10 teams, with the blue team winning 7-6 in an exciting game. A total of $249.50 was raised for the Walker Family Cancer Centre. Thanks go to Roy Dell from Greater Niagara General ER for the idea of having all-star teams and a fundraiser this year.
Special thanks go to Gary Gevaert from ICT for his ongoing co-ordination of the league. «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Game raises funds for Cancer Centre
• Garden makeovers at our sites
• Congratulations to…
• Leadership WalkArounds

Congratulations to…

Three Hospitality Services Aides from Greater Niagara General Site, who went on a one-week relief mission to Titanyen, Haiti, in August. As part of the Mission of Hope Haiti agency, Stephen Andres, Katie Hauer and Jonas Regier travelled to the beleaguered island nation to work in a clinic and help with reconstruction. GNG staff was generous in its support of the trio’s efforts, donating many infant and children’s items to take to Haiti.

Hats off to Donna Rothwell, Chief Nursing and Professional Practice Officer, who graduated in July from the Johnson & Johnson – Wharton Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives, an intensive three-week management education program held at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Donna was one of 38 senior nurse executives selected to participate in the program, which provides participants with critical business and management skills that enable them to be effective leaders in the ever-changing healthcare industry.

Congratulations to Infection Prevention & Control Practitioners Nalini Agnihotri, Debbie Demizio and Sandy Dunnett for passing the Certificate in Infection Control examination from the Certification Board for Infection Control and Epidemiology. This designation is internationally recognized and is becoming the standard for infection control professionals in Canada. Six of Niagara Health’s seven infection control practitioners now have this qualification. «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Game raises funds for Cancer Centre
• Garden makeovers at our sites
• Congratulations to…
• Leadership WalkArounds

Leadership WalkArounds

Patient Safety Leadership WalkArounds are proving to be effective, according to feedback from front-line staff and senior leaders, who say they appreciate the opportunity to discuss safety issues within departments/units as well as possible solutions.

In June, senior leaders visited 40 departments and units. The two themes for the latest round of WalkArounds were the Niagara Health disclosure policy and specimen labelling issues.

Overall, staff indicated that they are knowledgeable about the disclosure policy, which is prompt communication to patients when an adverse event occurs, such as an equipment malfunction. The discussions also focused on improving processes to reduce any errors when labelling lab specimens.

68 opportunities for improvement

Altogether, 68 opportunities for improvement were identified. Action plans have been developed and are being implemented.

Some improvements to help prevent adverse events can be made fairly quickly, such as:

• Ensuring proper signage is posted to indicate infection outbreaks,
• Removing articles that could potentially cause patient falls,
• Refilling hand sanitizers in a timely manner.

Others are in progress, signifying those items that require further followup and need to happen continuously.
Examples include:

• Purchasing or replacing equipment,
• Setting up education sessions for staff,
• Drafting or revising policies.

Some identified issues, such as lack of space in certain areas, are of concern to all levels of staff and difficult to correct completely due to the age/structure of our facilities. However, if space is an issue, the Lean quality improvement process to de-clutter and improve work flow may be an option to improve the patient environment.

Positive impressions

Staff and senior leaders expressed their positive impressions of the WalkArounds. Many frontline staff indicated that they liked the WalkArounds and looked forward to senior leaders returning in September.

Please do not hesitate to contact your manager, director, senior team member or Risk Management if you have any concerns or questions about patient safety or the WalkArounds.

Thank you to staff and leaders for participating in this important initiative. «

In this Roundup (browse links below)

• News Briefs
• Game raises funds for Cancer Centre
• Garden makeovers at our sites
• Congratulations to…
• Leadership WalkArounds

Garden makeovers at our sites

Pleasant outdoor surroundings are good for the spirit and this summer a few garden makeovers made for colourful displays at our sites. At Niagara-on-the-Lake Site, the NOTL Hospital Auxiliary dedicated time and money to freshen a number of plantings and furniture. Pictured above in the memorial garden are, from left, volunteer Bruce Buck with patient Duncan Pollack, and Auxilian Donna Clemens with patient Christina DeMill. At St. Catharines General Site, a gift from PCL (builders of the new healthcare complex) meant that new sod was installed in the back garden, along with shrubs and a newly shingled roof on the gazebo. Thanks go to these funders and others who work so hard to make our properties attractive for patients, visitors and staff. «

Board of Trustees

The Niagara Health System Board of Trustees is made up of volunteers who live and work in Niagara. The board is responsible for governing the NHS and providing strategic direction to meet the healthcare needs of the community within available resources.

• Jean Armitage
• Dr. Andrei Arvinte, VP, Medical Staff Association
• Stephen Butz
• Bruce Caughill
• Trevor Cooper
• Carman Dix
• Helen Eggleton
• Mike Henry
• Dr. Joanna Hope, Interim Chief of Staff
• Steve Hudson
• Dragan Matovic
• Joe McCollum
• Flo Paladino
• Jennifer Patrick
• Steven Pillar
• Dr. Ken Reddy, President, Medical Staff Association
• David Schram
• Mark Sherk
• Debbie Sevenpifer, President & CEO, Secretary to Board
• Alan Simpson
• Betty-Lou Souter, Board Chair
• Mary Turner

This past year, our hospital provided care to more than 475,000 admitted patients and outpatients. Along with providing ongoing patient care, our dedicated hospital team also:

• responded effectively to last fall’s H1N1 influenza pandemic;
• underwent a rigorous accreditation survey with success;
• made steady progress on the regional and local services for the healthcare complex under construction in west St. Catharines;
• made great strides in preventing the spread of infectious disease through good hand hygiene practice and compliance;
• completed the first year of the changes outlined in the five-year Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP) including: the conversion of Emergency Rooms (ERs) to Urgent Care Centres at Douglas Memorial and Port Colborne sites; consolidation of some surgical services (day surgery, dental, ophthalmology and plastic surgery); conversion of acute care beds to complex continuing care; and opening of the Diabetes Centre of Excellence at Welland Site.

ONGOING CHANGE: Hospital care continues to change and transform in Niagara. A number of big changes were made in 2009-10 under the HIP, with more work to be done over the next three years.
This upcoming year, we will complete plans for the centres of excellence in ophthalmology (eye surgery) at our Welland Site and complex continuing care across five sites. We are also working hard to improve quality of care and our patients’ experience, with a particular focus on reducing patient wait and treatment times in our ERs.

While there is much to do, there are great opportunities before us. The healthcare care complex being built in west St. Catharines will have a positive impact on hospital care in Niagara into the future. We also recognize and will build upon the important role all of our sites will play in the future as the hospital continues to evolve as a system.

REINVESTING: We are extremely grateful to the Province of Ontario for the $14-million annual base funding increase announced in February by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and our Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). This additional $14 million enables the hospital to free up funds to reinvest in patient care equipment and medical technology. With this investment in place, we are in a much better position to deliver on our goal to improve our patients’ experience.

LOOKING AHEAD: Rebuilding relationships with our stakeholders within the hospital and with communities across Niagara will continue to be a key priority in the coming year. We will also be reaching out to the community in the coming year as we develop our 2014 vision for input and feedback as we continue to transform patient care delivery in Niagara to meet our population healthcare needs.

OUR GRATITUDE: We recognize and appreciate the tremendous amount of change that has occurred in recent years – bringing the most significant reconfiguration of patient care services ever experienced in Niagara, affecting the patients we serve, local communities and the members of our hospital family who provide care and service.

As we reflect on the past year and look to the future, we extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to everyone on our healthcare team – our staff, physicians, volunteers, our foundations and their donors, our auxiliaries, and all residents of Niagara who we serve. «

Condensed Statement of Financial Position as at March 31

Condensed Statement of Operations year ended March 31

Financial Report 2009-10

The Niagara Health System publishes its audited financial statements every year as part of our financial accountability and responsibility to the community.  The complete set of financial statements for fiscal 2009-10 (April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010) is posted on the NHS  website.

The NHS received $25 million in one-time funding to assist with expenses that occurred with the 2008/09 implementation of early opportunities in the Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP) and also to address financial expenditures arising from previous years’ restructuring activities.

The NHS also received an additional $14 million in base funding for the year.  The annual base funding increase is in recognition and support of the ongoing implementation of the HIP and addresses the acknowledged base funding shortfalls.

The NHS ended the year with a deficit from operations of $3.4 million, or a negative operating margin of 0.85%, on an annual budget of $400 million.

Our staff’s commitment to managing within available resources, plus a combination of cost savings, debt repayment, and new funding support, has made this improvement in our financial position possible.

The auditors expressed no major issues or concerns during the course of the audit. «

Revenue sources for 2009-10

Approximately 85% of our revenue, in base and one-time funding, was received from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant (HNHB) Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) during the fiscal year.

Average emergency visit: $233

Eighty per cent of expenses are related to direct patient care like nursing, pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, laboratory and therapies. An additional 10% is related to support services like housekeeping, food and maintenance. The remaining 10% is for administrative costs like administration, human resources, finance, material management, information and communication services.

Expense breakdown for 2009-10

The majority of funds are directed towards direct patient care, 78% in 2009/10 compared to 77.9% in 2008/09.
The NHS continues to benchmark its financial performance to that of comparable hospitals and uses this peer-to-peer comparison data during its budget and planning cycle to ensure that we provide services to the community in a cost effective and efficient manner.

Average inpatient cost per day: $1,040

Approximately 78% of expenses are related to direct patient care like nursing, pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, laboratory and therapies. An additional 12% is related to support services like housekeeping, food and maintenance. The remaining 10% is for administrative costs like administration, human resources, finance, material management, information and communication services.

Equipment

In 2009/10, the hospital invested $16.7 million in equipment and building infrastructure upgrades. The majority of capital spending is financed through the provincial and federal governments and local Foundations and Auxiliaries. In the absence of positive working capital and cash, the NHS must rely solely on donations from foundations and auxiliaries to fund necessary new and replacement medical equipment. Annually, the NHS’s capital needs exceed funding by approximately $8 million. The NHS is committed to addressing and stabilizing our capital equipment deficiency.

Hospital Accountability Agreement

The NHS has signed the Hospital Service Accountability Agreement with the HNHB LHIN for the 2008/09 to 2010/11 fiscal years. This agreement sets out the roles and responsibilities of both parties with respect to funding, performance and service. Together, NHS and the HNHB LHIN will monitor progress under this agreement, posted on the NHS website.

Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP)

In July 2008, the NHS developed the five-year HIP. This plan is a framework for the NHS to enhance quality of hospital care across Niagara over the long term while at the same time balance financial pressures, the needs of Niagara’s aging population and the challenges of the ongoing shortage of doctors, nurses and other health professionals. The plan was endorsed by the LHIN in December 2008.

As has been our priority over the last number of years, we have been rebuilding our financial health. The HIP includes more than $28 million of savings over the five-year period through the creation of centres of excellence, improved quality and efficiency initiatives and by working collaboratively with the HNHB LHIN and other community agencies to ensure our patients are cared for in the most appropriate setting. Approximately $16 million in savings have been achieved since the 2008/09 fiscal year.

Community healthcare supports allowed Doris Bourque, above, to return home a week after having surgery to remove a tumour the size of a grapefruit growing from her bowel.

At 92 years of age, having surgery wasn’t something Doris Bourque would ever have considered — until she didn’t have much choice.

After quietly ringing in 2010 by sharing a fondue dinner with family and watching television highlights of New Year’s Eve activities, the St. Catharines woman went to bed well before midnight but later than usual.

When a nurse at Tufford Manor Retirement Home checked in on Doris the morning of January 1 as part of their usual routine, she discovered Doris was experiencing severe abdominal pain and could not get out of bed.

An ambulance was called, and Doris was taken to the St. Catharines General Site Emergency Department to be checked out.

Numerous tests were ordered by ER physician Dr. Tim St. Amand, including blood work and a CT Scan. Consultation followed with the on-call surgeon, Dr. Chris Blewett, and Internist Dr. Juan Velasquez. The diagnosis: Doris had a tumour the size of a grapefruit growing from her bowel and pushing on her organs.

Doris was admitted to the 4th floor surgical unit, and Dr. Blewett performed bowel surgery on Doris several days later, removing the cancerous tumour.

“I lived most of my life in Montreal and only moved to St. Catharines last year to be near my family,” says Doris. “I found being in the hospital scary and confusing at times. I wasn’t familiar with the surroundings, and I was really worried about having surgery. I don’t see very well, which makes it difficult to make out faces or find my way around.”

Doris was admitted to the Telemetry Unit at St. Catharines General Site after her surgery so her heart and overall condition could be closely monitored.

Over the course of the next week, she was cared for by surgeons, nurses, internists, cardiologists, physiotherapists, and finally discharge planners when it came time for Doris to go home.

The hospital’s discharge planners and Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) played a key role in Doris’s discharge. Working together, they identified and arranged the supports Doris would need in order to leave the hospital.

When she arrived home to her room at the retirement home, a special bed rail was already installed to help her get in and out of bed. Arrangements were also made for a personal support worker to come to the home twice a day to help Doris – in the mornings to get dressed and in the evenings to get ready for bed – as she continued to recover from her surgery. This was in addition to the extra attention she received from the staff at Tufford.

“I was afraid to go home because I didn’t think I would be able to cope, but the staff here at Tufford, in the hospital and with CCAC were all so kind and so helpful,” says Doris.  “I am so grateful to everyone and can’t thank them enough for helping me get through my surgery. I am so happy to be back home.”

From left, Regional Director of Utilization Jane Cornelius works closely with Sandra DeLazzer, a Discharge Planner at St. Catharines General Site, and Medical Unit Charge Nurse Christena Watterson, to ensure patients’ care needs can be met in an appropriate and safe environment when they leave the hospital.

Like Doris’s journey, a patient’s journey can be long, complex and at times very intimidating.

“In healthcare today, a hospital patient will interact with multiple caregivers as their journey unfolds,” says Interim Chief of Staff Dr. Joanna Hope. “Increasingly, patient needs are complicated. They often come to hospital with more than one condition.”

Being in hospital is just one step along the journey. More and more, healthcare providers of all kinds are working as part of a bigger system of care.

In the past, patients would stay in the hospital until they fully recovered from an acute condition. Today, hospitals across the province, including Niagara Health, are becoming more clearly defined as the key providers of acute care. At the same time, community healthcare providers, like CCAC, are becoming clearly defined as the key providers of care that can be delivered in the community while a patient recovers from an acute event.

“Care providers in hospital and in the community are working together to ensure patients get the hospital care they need and return to their homes to receive care from community providers,” says Jane Cornelius, Regional Director of Utilization.

“The concept of hospitals being the provider of the majority of healthcare needs is indeed a thing of the past,” says Jane. “It just isn’t possible anymore given the increasing demand for care and associated costs; medical advances in the way care is provided; changes in technology; a persistent global shortage of doctors and nurses; and other trends in healthcare.”

Among many new initiatives, Niagara Health is doing things differently by  creating centres of excellence in which specialists work more closely together with the best technology. There is greater focus on health promotion and investments in management of chronic diseases like diabetes and stroke.

“Every hospital has to take all of these realities into consideration in order to provide people with the best possible care,” says Dr. Hope, “not only today in 2010 but in the future.” «

Focus on those we serve

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Hospital Improvement Plan – A number of services were consolidated last year to improve efficiency and quality care, including surgeries such as ophthalmology, plastics and day surgery. Thirty beds were closed across a number of sites. Two Emergency Departments were converted to Urgent Care Centres, and statistics show that 95% of patients in Port Colborne and Fort Erie continue to receive the care they need at those two Urgent Care locations.
• Opening CSI Units – New rapid assessment areas, called Clinical Systems Investigation or CSI units, have opened in Welland and Niagara Falls ERs, following the model piloted at St. Catharines General Site to reduce wait times. The goal of the unit is to speed up diagnostic and lab tests and start treatment sooner for urgent patients. Other initiatives to reduce wait times – which are a key priority for the hospital this year – include providing nurses with the responsibilty to order tests that previously would have to wait for the physician to order. Already, the data is showing a reduction in wait / treatment times, from 18.6 hours for high-acuity patients to 16.9 hours, and from 6.4 hours for low-acuity patients to 6 hours. There’s more work to be done, but these and other initiatives are setting us on the right track.
• New CT Scanners – Two 128-slice Siemens CT scanners were purchased and installed at Welland and St. Catharines General sites, replacing aging equipment. The new scanners allow routine tests to be done faster, more specialized types of exams, and lower radiation exposure. Purchase of the equipment and renovations were made possible by the fundraising efforts of Welland Hospital Foundation and St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation.
• More Community Engagement – To help the public understand the changing hospital environment, a concerted effort was made to expand community engagement activities. More than 50 information sessions, open houses and speaking engagements took place to inform the public of services during the last fiscal year. A new Speakers Bureau, where healthcare professionals are booked to present to service clubs and community groups, also started up in 2009, with several different healthcare topics offered.

This past year has seen some major improvements in both patient safety and quality care initiatives, including the introduction of Patient Safety WalkArounds. These are mini-tours of clinical areas by leaders and front-line staff during which staff bring forward patient safety issues they’ve identified, the team brainstorms, and follow-up discussion occurs to make improvements. Various themes are identified for each round, such as patient identification and falls prevention.

In addition, increased awareness of new practices in hand hygiene has led to a significant shift in culture in which Niagara Health clinical and support staff wash their hands much more frequently at key times during interactions with patients.

Education sessions, more hand cleanser dispensers, increased signage and more staff discussions have all made a difference. A hand hygiene audit in March 2009 at all sites during various shifts was repeated earlier this year, and shows an impressive improvement in hand hygiene compliance. By the end of the fiscal year, there was a 90% overall compliance rate across all sites. In addition, the number of infection outbreaks on clinical units decreased by 55%, compared to 2008-09. «

During Patient Safety WalkArounds, leaders connect with front-line staff to discuss issues and solutions. Pictured at the Welland Site ER nursing station are, from left, CEO Debbie Sevenpifer, Dr. Maynard Luterman, RN Vicky Walters, Vice President Patient Services Sue Matthews, RN Nathan Anger, and Patient Safety Specialist Cindo Ko.

Bring out the best in each other

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• NHS Awards of Excellence – A number of different award presentations are organized each year that stem from nominations by staff for their peers and colleagues. Interprofessional Awards are the newest group, awarded to clinical team members who exhibit a patient-focused mindset. Nursing Awards are given to RNs and RPNs who go above and beyond the call of duty. Awards of Excellence are given to staff in all job areas and are selected for their embodiment of our success factors and CPR – compassion, professionalism and respect.
• Pioneer in Nephrology leaves lasting impact – Dr. Art Shimizu retired at the end of 2009 after a distinguished career serving kidney disease patients in Niagara and Hamilton. One of his greatest achievements was the creation of the Canadian Renal Failure Registry in 1972, still used today. The Dr. Art Shimizu Award will be given each year to a medical student who displays a commitment to excellence and an interest in Nephrology.
• Raising awareness for organ donations – In partnership with the Trillium Gift of Life Network, last year the number of eye donations at Niagara Health climbed to 132 eyes recovered. In addition, there were eight multiple organ donors, resulting in the recovery and transplant of 23 life-saving organs, and five multiple tissue donations (such as skin, bone and heart valves), enhancing the lives of over 300 individuals.
• NHS winner of gold award – For the fourth year, Niagara Health was honoured with a Gold Award from Healthy Living Niagara, which celebrates workplaces that encourage healthy eating, physical activity and smoke-free living. This is the fifth year the NHS has received an award from the regional initiative led by Niagara Region Public Health.

Niagara was among the first in the province to experience an outbreak of H1N1 last fall. Patient volumes across Niagara rose alarmingly. An average number of total daily visits to our six ERs and Urgent Care Centres in the fall is 526 patients. However, on Oct. 28, that number rose to an overwhelming 756 patients, and more than half of those patients had flu symptoms.

To manage this incredible volume, Niagara Health opened a dedicated Flu Assessment Centre in St. Catharines, where the highest number of patients were presenting with flu symptoms. In a short five days, the old ER space at Ontario Street Site was cleaned, equipped, stocked, staffed and taking patients, thanks to people from myriad departments all working together.

Daily routines were interrupted, hospital entrances were restricted and monitored, and the hospital had to deal with a high number of our own staff off sick with the flu by postponing patient procedures and clinics and redeploying staff to vital areas.

“This was an extremely difficult period, but as in any emergency, our staff and physicians rose to the occasion,” says CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “I am immensely proud of the effort we put forth to serve the Niagara community with partners such as Niagara Region Public Health and Community Care Access Centre. Our pre-planning for a pandemic was enormously helpful, and we have integrated learnings from H1N1 to ensure an even better response next time.” «

Addiction treatment leaders, from left, Abby Smith, Norma Medulun and David Barry stepped up to open and co-ordinate staffing of a Flu Assessment Centre. Niagara Health operated the centre for the first half of November to manage the increased volume of patients at the height of the H1N1 outbreak.

Build strong and successful relationships

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Niagara Health Now – Finding a way to communicate to many different audiences is a challenge that has been ably met with Niagara Health Now, a new 12-page monthly newspaper offering a range of information to appeal to members of the hospital family, community partners and the general public. It is available online and in more than 70 locations, including libraries and long-term care homes throughout Niagara.
• New family physician office at Port Colborne Site – A new family physician is now serving Port Colborne. Dr. Haibo Xu began his family practice at Port Colborne Site in December. This was a collaborative effort between the City of Port Colborne and Niagara Health to bring more primary healthcare to the area.
• Helping in Haiti – Niagara Health Lab Technologist Donna Thiessen and RN Else Marie Regier answered the call for healthcare professionals during the devastating February earthquake, spending several days helping out. Back home, Engineering Manager Bill Lewis helped arrange the delivery of out-of-service NHS equipment, including anesthetic machines and an X-ray fluoroscopy machine, for use in the medical relief effort.
• Take CARE of Your Future Camp – Take CARE (Career Awareness and Resource Exploration) of Your Future Camp was once again a great success during March break, when 24 Grade 11 and 12 students from across Niagara participated in workshops and met peers with similar interests. This educational and potential recruitment opportunity is fairly unique in Ontario and is made possible through an extensive partnership of Niagara agencies.

People are our greatest resource, and the larger Niagara Health family includes auxiliaries, foundations and volunteers who are key supports we simply couldn’t do without.

Our Auxiliary members combine their support for our sites in two ways – services for patients and fundraising. The St. Catharines General Hospital Auxiliary, celebrating 145 years of continuous service in 2010, is the oldest hospital auxiliary in Canada. Gift shops, fundraising events, sewing circles and bedside support are a few of the functions these volunteers provide.

Another key support comes from our seven hospital foundations, working actively to raise much-needed funds for new medical equipment. The government does not fund replacement medical equipment, so the money for these important purchases must come from our communities. Even in these challenging economic times, our foundations have been able to meet – and in some cases exceed – their respective fundraising goals, raising $7,665,844 last year to purchase new or replacement equipment for our seven sites, and for equipment for the future healthcare complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre, now under construction in west St. Catharines.

Our group of volunteers are more than 1,000 strong. They come from all walks of life and are all ages, some bringing a special interest or hobby to brighten patients’ days, such as pet therapy or playing the piano. Others assist with greeting patients or serving on the Board of Trustees and Standing Committees. Quite simply, our volunteers are an integral part of the care team, and they do their volunteer work with warmth, kindness and professionalism.

To our auxiliaries, foundations and volunteers, thank you for the difference you make in our community! «

Greater Niagara General Hospital Auxilians, from left, Margaret Hein, Clara Garritano and President Isabelle Muracco make a difference in the lives of people around them by working in the gift shop at the site, among their many volunteer efforts.

Create a better way

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• GNG Site surgeons launch new training program – An innovative way for surgeons to learn new ways to perform laparoscopic or keyhole surgery began in 2009. The Ontario Telemedicine Network is a high-tech fibre-optic system that connects healthcare partners, and through the audio/video feed, surgeons at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton linked directly with the OR at Greater Niagara General Site during a bowel resection surgery to advise and mentor on new surgical techniques.
• New Laboratory technology – Niagara Health was the first hospital system in Canada to install the Vitros 5600, new laboratory equipment that allows lab staff to speed up the testing process. It holds over 100 samples at a time and eliminates the need to split or move samples manually between instruments. Another benefit is that smaller blood samples can be used. The new equipment performs 90% of tests typically needed in a hospital laboratory, is twice as fast as its predecessor, and is in service at Greater Niagara, St. Catharines General and Welland sites. The three instruments were a no-cost upgrade to existing equipment.
• New technology for breast exams – Installed in fall 2009, a new digital mammography unit at St. Catharines General Site replaces traditional film mammograms, and provides breast images with outstanding clarity and contrast. The technology is integrated into the regional image archive system so radiologists, surgeons and other specialists can access it from hospital or physician office computers. The $800,000 diagnostic equipment was made possible by a number of fundraising events by the St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation.
• Timely care in new Urgent Care Centres – Improving treatment time for patients in ERs and Urgent Care Centres is a province-wide struggle. In Niagara, the new Urgent Care Centres in Port Colborne and Douglas Memorial sites have been in operation since 2009 and are averaging treatment times of under three hours for patients with minor ailments, similar to the treatment time at the Urgent Care Centre in St. Catharines’ Ontario Street Site. Compared to six to eight hours for minor ailments in an ER, Urgent Care Centres are the place to go for timely care.

An expanding partnership with McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote Medical School means a new way to encourage physicians to live and practice in Niagara.

The Niagara Regional Campus, centred at St. Catharines General Site, opened in 2008, and last year, family medicine post-graduate training expanded for the first time. It now includes residents who have their three-year medical degree and are moving into two years of residency in family medicine. For these students, classroom study is minimal, and they work and study in the hospital environment and in physician offices. The residency period varies, from two years for family medicine to six years for a sub-specialty such as vascular surgery.

This is a win-win for everyone – a teaching environment is of benefit not only to patients, but to hospital staff, medical colleagues, students, and ultimately the community, says Dr. Karl Stobbe, Regional Assistant Dean for the Niagara Campus. “When hospitals become teaching campuses for medical students, the calibre of healthcare increases.” The students’ training experiences at every NHS site should prove fertile ground when they graduate and decide where to set up practice. «

NHS Registered Orthopedic Technician Ron French and Registered Practical Nurse Patti Abbott demonstrate a casting procedure for second-year medical students, in background, from left, David Heywood, Jeff Bacher, Robin Visser and Jorin Lukings. Photo by Chris Henderson, McMaster University

Use our resources wisely

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Better bed utilization – All hospitals have to compare how they use their patient beds and meet targets or goals to ensure the highest number of patients are getting the care they need. In many areas, Niagara Health is meeting and exceeding these benchmarks, and in areas where we need to do better, we are liaising with Hamilton and other partners to get our patients access to timely care for specialty procedures and services such as angioplasty. This usually results in faster discharge home for patients.
• Reducing our Alternate Level of Care (ALC) rate – By working closely with Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) and Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre, we have improved patient flow for ALC patients, who no longer need acute hospital care but cannot safely be discharged home. A new communications board on our nursing units identifies predicted discharge dates for these patients, allowing hospital and CCAC staff to better plan for patient discharges or transfers. There are still more improvements to be made in this area for patients and their families, but our ALC efforts are moving in the right direction, meaning more patients are getting the care they need by the appropriate care providers.
• Reducing energy costs – Finding ways to save on an annual utility budget of more than $6 million means constant forecasting and review of current market conditions. A move to procure electricity and natural gas on the open market, rather than through advance bulk purchasing, has made a noticeable difference. More than $1 million has been saved in the last few years, allowing much-needed operational dollars to be used for direct patient care.
• Virtualized computer servers – More than 100 traditional computer servers to store and power a wide range of clinical software applications have been reduced to just eight servers. The electricity load, cooling cost, and space required was a budget concern so last summer the move was made to eight virtual servers feeding all seven NHS sites and Hotel Dieu Shaver. This new technology has saved more than $200,000, costs less to run and cool, takes up much less space and allows a number of software applications to reside on the same server.

By going green, the new healthcare complex being built in St. Catharines will be a healthy environment when it opens in 2013 – literally. The entire project is being developed to comply with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED certification. This is an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings and homes. As a LEED-certified building, we will reduce water and energy use, source building materials in an environmentally responsible manner, and minimize the hospital’s overall ecological footprint, not only during construction, but for the life of the building.

The LEED system recognizes performance in five key areas of human and environmental health – sustainable site planning, safeguarding water and water efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable energy, conservation of materials and resources, and indoor environmental air quality.

Examples include the creation of a conservation-based storm water management system, and the use of energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling fixtures to meet energy performance standards. «

Patient rooms in the new healthcare complex, like the one depicted here, are being designed to be energy efficient and patient friendly. For example, each room will have water-efficient showerheads, taps and toilets.

Dr. Kamal Mattar, Dr. Hagop Mazmanian, Dr. Tom Song, and OR Technician Pauline Stoop carry out the surgical procedure using one-centimetre incisions which allow microscopic surgical tools, fibre-optic cameras and lights attached to scopes into the patient’s body.

Each year in Niagara, approximately 450 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Starting in the early 1950s, various treatment options have been available, including chemotherapy or drug therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery to remove the prostate gland.

Surgical advancements have come a long way in 60 years, and Welland Urologist Dr. Tom Song is mastering a new type of procedure for prostate cancer – a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. A radical prostatectomy is removal of the entire prostate gland to prevent the spread of cancer to lymph nodes and then to bones. Since he started practicing 16 years ago, Dr. Song and his urology colleagues have been performing radical prostatectomies using a scalpel incision.

Over the last year, he’s been training with experts from Hamilton to carry out radical prostatectomies in Niagara using a laparoscopic approach.

“What we’re now doing in Welland is an evolution from other types of laparoscopic surgery,” Dr. Song says. “Surgeons across the NHS have been leaders in their fields with advanced minimally invasive procedures such as thorascopic lung resection, endoscopic sinus surgery, arthroscopic joint reconstruction and laparoscopic bowel resection.”

In laparoscopic surgery, four or five tiny keyhole incisions are made. Miniature cameras, lights and surgical tools are attached to flexible scopes, and surgeons and OR staff view the bones, organs and tissues on a video monitor. The advantages of this minimally invasive surgery include low recovery time and blood loss.

Reducing erectile nerve damage

Radical prostatectomies may cause erectile nerve damage, impacting sexual function. “The main benefit to prostate removal this way is that there is potentially better nerve sparing for men under 70 who wish to remain sexually active after surgery. The surgery is about 50% successful for preserving erectile function.”

This type of prostate gland removal is not for all patients, Dr. Song points out, and the conventional type of surgery will always be in demand.

“There are situations where minimally invasive surgery is appropriate, and there are other situations where a larger incision is required. Patient safety is the foremost consideration in selecting the surgical approach.”

Dr. Kamal Mattar, with a practice in Niagara Falls, is also doing the new surgery and is one of seven urologists in Niagara. Based on the number of patients who would be appropriate for a laparoscopic prostatectomy, Dr. Song expects he and Dr. Mattar will do about 25 of the keyhole surgeries a year.

Best technology

“It costs upwards of $50,000 to outfit an operating room to perform laparoscopic prostatectomy procedures, not counting staff salaries, so we are offering the procedure at one site and our urology physicians are committed to going where the best technology and best practices can be implemented,” explains Patty Welychka, Director of the NHS Surgical Program.

“From a surgical program perspective, what this means is that we are co-ordinating and consolidating surgical services to improve patient care and to offer the best technology in our system without duplication,” Patty says. “The urologists are leaders in this type of regional initiative, not only in improved patient care, but in technology advancements and best practices within the Niagara Health System.”

“Our Urology Department works very well together, and our colleagues will continue to treat prostate cancers in the most effective manner. They will assess the situation, and if appropriate for laparoscopic surgery, patients will be referred to Dr. Mattar or myself,” Dr. Song says. “At the end of the day, the NHS and the people we serve can be confident that they are receiving the best and most appropriate care in terms of technology and safety. Our mandate is to adopt only those new technologies that have been thoroughly evaluated and introduce them in a safe and responsible way.” «

From left, Karen Chesler, Charge Nurse, Greater Niagara General, and Al Vanden Boogaard, Staff Chaplain.

A young man is brought to the Emergency Department with traumatic injuries following a car crash. Medical tests determine that an elderly patient experiencing abdominal pain requires surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from her colon. A child is admitted to the paediatric unit with a respiratory illness.

Spiritual and religious care are important components of the healthcare experience, and patients and their families can require assistance at any time in order to cope with difficult life experiences. Doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers can also find themselves in need of support for the stresses they face on the job and in their personal lives.

Niagara Health’s Spiritual and Religious Care Program provides a valuable multi-faith and inter-denominational service to all members of the Niagara community.

“We are seeing a steady increase in the number of requests we receive for chaplains, which demonstrates how integrated spiritual and religious care has become in the overall patient experience at the NHS,” says NHS Chaplain Doug Jones.

The Spiritual and Religious Care program consists of four chaplains (three full-time and one part-time staff member) who provide services across all sites of the NHS, as well as volunteer on-call emergency chaplains who are available after hours and on weekends at most NHS sites.

“The on-call chaplains touch people’s lives at times of crisis and pain in the often stressful and demanding hospital environment, and we are truly grateful to them for the important contributions they make to patient care at the NHS,” says Chaplain Bob Bond. “These committed volunteers are dedicated to motivating healthy, meaningful use of a patient’s and family’s spirituality and their traditions, beliefs and practices, in order to cope with the difficult medical and life situations they face.”

The 47 chaplains volunteer their time on an on-call basis, providing multi-faith spiritual and religious care and general support to patients and their families, in emergency situations. May marked the launch of the on-call chaplain team at the Greater Niagara General Site.

“The volunteer chaplains tell us that contributing to the emergency on-call service is one of the most valuable and rewarding elements of their ministry,” says Bob. “We truly appreciate the dozens of faith communities in Niagara for their ongoing support of their faith group leaders to provide this service to NHS patients and their families.”

24 hours a day / seven days a week

Under the Spiritual and Religious Care Program, multi-faith spiritual and religious care giving is available to patients and their families 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Also important is the support the two spiritual care co-ordinators (Chaplains Doug and Bob) and two staff chaplains (Al Vanden Boogaard and Donna Hollands-Hurst) provide NHS healthcare workers in their professional and personal lives. In addition, the chaplains provide leadership and support in a variety of other areas, including ethics, organ donation and educational programs.

Faith leaders from the community who attend at NHS to care for patients who are members of their congregations do so under the Spiritual and Religious Care Program. In addition, the Roman Catholic Diocese provides a rotation of parishes on call for sacraments for Catholic patients.

The Spiritual and Religious Care Program also boasts an educational component in which Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) students use NHS as their training ground for an 11-week full-time program. The CPE program recently received its 10-year accreditation, and the latest group of CPE students began their studies at St. Catharines General Site at the beginning of May.

The students come from the Golden Horseshoe area and have completed or are in the midst of completing their master’s studies in theology. Approximately 50% of the students’ time is spent as the chaplain assigned to clinical areas, where they work as members of the healthcare team, providing spiritual care to patients, families and staff. The other 50% of time is spent in classroom activities.

“Student evaluations in the past have revealed a rich life and professional experience here at the Niagara Health System,” says Doug. “Our staff are to be commended for being such wonderful mentors and contributors to these students’ learning and growth.”

The Spiritual and Religious Care program can be contacted through the hospital’s main switchboard at 905-378-4647.  «

One thing I ought not to forget is the opportunity to donate blood before the family heads north. As healthcare providers, we have a great track record in giving blood. Giving blood almost comes with the territory when you work in a hospital – and that’s a good thing.

While the need for blood never stops, blood donation is absolutely critical during the summer months to ensure that the national blood inventory remains at acceptable levels. Approximately every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood. And as a blood donor, in less than one hour you can make a blood donation that could save up to three lives.

Niagara Health System is linking up with Canadian Blood Services to become a Partner for Life. The goal of this program is to encourage blood donation and to create greater awareness of the ongoing need. If you have questions or want to learn more, please contact Joanne Guzda, Regional Laboratory Manager, by email at Joanne.Guzda@niagarahealth.on.ca, or call Canadian Blood Services at 1 888 2 DONATE  (1-888-236-6283). «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer

Debbie Sevenpifer,
President and Chief Executive Officer

Good for your health, good for local healthcare

Run, jog or walk. Ride a bike or a motorcycle – the weather is great and getting outdoors in Niagara is not only good for your personal health, it can help improve local healthcare as well.

Local community members and our fundraisers are already off running and riding. Last month, runners and walkers in the Run for the General in St. Catharines raised more than $10,000 for cardiac care. Niagara’s Rankin Family Cancer Run is a tremendous event for all ages and benefits the needs of our oncology patients. The first Niagara chapter Motorcycle Ride for Dad – to fund prostate cancer treatment at the new Walker Family Cancer Centre – was a huge success.

Through the next few months, a number of other race events will take place with the common cause of raising funds for medical equipment and facilities across the Niagara Health System. The second Big Move Cancer Ride is a non-competitive bicycle ride taking place on Sunday, Sept. 12, to raise money in support of the Walker Family Cancer Centre. The Ride includes a 50K and 100K cycle through Niagara region.

Raising money for the Walker Family Cancer Centre in Niagara will also be front and centre when more than 6,000 participants from 32 countries descend on Niagara Falls Oct. 24 for the 13th Niagara Falls International Marathon.

Fore for healthcare

If golf is more your swing, then shine up your clubs and take your pick of all the golf tournaments in support of Niagara healthcare. Here are some of them:

Hats off to donors, fundraisers, community supporters

It certainly will be a busy season thanks to the incredible work of our volunteer fundraisers, foundations and auxiliaries. A round of thanks also goes out to all the community supporters backing these events including all of the local sponsors and donors.

I am looking forward to attending as many of these as I can to say thank you to all who make them happen and to the great people who come out and show their support.  «

Increased awareness of new practices in hand hygiene has led to a significant shift in culture in which healthcare providers and support staff at the Niagara Health System wash their hands much more frequently at key times in their interactions with patients.

“Good hand hygiene results in better, safer care, and it is a necessity for anyone in the hospital environment, particularly for those who come into contact with patients,” says Niagara Health Vice President Frank Demizio. “Our increased efforts in promoting proper hand washing have resulted in a significant rise in the number of healthcare providers and support staff cleaning their hands before and after every contact with patients.”

Over the last year, Niagara Health has held educational sessions, increased hand-washing signage containing tips, and encouraged discussions among staff on how to improve hand hygiene. Additional alcohol hand dispensers for use by staff and the public were installed across all sites that are within an arm’s reach of patient beds and in key areas in hallways, meeting rooms and other high-traffic areas.

“Niagara Health takes hand washing seriously and the results speak for themselves,” says Frank. “We are very pleased that our healthcare professionals and support staff are leaders in the province with respect to hand hygiene practices.”

The first hand hygiene audit was conducted in March 2009 at all sites and on all units during various shifts. All healthcare professionals and support staff who came into contact with patients were audited. These audits were conducted again over the past year, leading to a 90% overall compliance rate across all sites for the 2009-2010 fiscal year (April 2009 to March 2010). The increased focus on hand hygiene will continue to be a priority to sustain this success.

In addition, during the last fiscal year, the number of infection outbreaks at Niagara Health has decreased by 55% as compared to the previous fiscal year.

Healthcare providers generally clean their hands when they are visibly soiled, sticky or gritty, or for personal hygiene purposes. Usually these indications require hand washing with soap and water. This ‘habit’ is frequently learned in early childhood.

Other hand hygiene indications unique to healthcare settings are not triggered by the ‘habit’ to clean the hands. Highlighting these indications in healthcare are needed to create new ‘habits’. Examples of actions in healthcare that do not naturally trigger a need to clean hands include touching a patient, taking a pulse or blood pressure, or touching the environment.

“Good hand hygiene is an important practice for everyone, including patients and visitors,” says Frank. “Hand cleaning is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of many infections.”   «

Illness prevented the Niagara Falls woman from attending the ceremony in the community, so Citizenship and Immigration Canada brought the ceremony to her in the ICU.

The Niagara Falls resident, originally from Scotland, is pictured here in the ICU with Citizenship and Immigration Officer Mary McKinnon, left, and husband Ronald Savoie.

A number of the couple’s family members and hospital staff attended the ceremony held in one of the patient rooms.  «

Dr. Nambizi Beyani, a mother of three, began working at Niagara Health’s Welland Site in September 2009. She provides an array of services ranging from mature women’s health and menopausal counselling to hysterectomy and minimally invasive surgery for urinary incontinence.

“I am pleased to be able to offer the residents of Port Colborne and surrounding area specialty services closer to home,” she says.

Dr. Beyani graduated from medical school at the University of Zambia before starting her residency in the United Kingdom.

“I wanted to be home with my children so I took some time before heading back to complete my residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Saskatchewan,” she said.

Her family did a lot of camping when they first moved to Canada. While visiting friends in the Niagara region, they took a tour of Niagara Falls and rode the Maid of the Mist.

“It was so beautiful, my family decided then that if we were ever given the opportunity to come back we would. When the offer arose to come back to Niagara, it felt like the chance of a lifetime. We aren’t big city people and love the beauty that Niagara has to offer.”

Dr. Beyani will offer gynecological services one Friday per month at her Port Colborne Site satellite office. Patients will continue to visit her in Welland for obstetrical services. Appointments to see Dr. Beyani can be made by referral through patients’ family doctors. «

In this issue of Roundup…

Feedback is positive for Incident Reporting System
It is a pleasure to report that the roll-out of the Incident Reporting System (IRS) is proceeding well. This new online reporting software is used to track any and all incidents, defined as events that occur which are not part of the usual operation of the hospital. Current live sites are… » cont’d

Improving our work relationships
Niagara Health is introducing a new Code of Conduct as part of a revised workplace relations policy. You may have noticed the new plaques going up across our sites with the word ‘respect’ running down the left side… » cont’d

Celebrating our physicians’ dedication and years of service
Congratulations to the 62 physicians who were honoured at a recognition dinner recently for reaching a milestone year of affiliation with the NHS… » cont’d

News Briefs / Congratulations to…
You can be a Partner For Life… Summer Fundraisers… Congratulations To… » cont’d

Regional Director Norma Medulun oversees the Addiction Services programs at NHS: “We know that patients are challenged by the smoking ban, and we have various supports in place to help them with their tobacco addiction.”

Most of Sue-Ellen Merritt’s patients need help quitting smoking.

The Addictions Counsellor at New Port Centre helps patients quit smoking while at the centre, located at the Port Colborne Site, or helps them manage their nicotine withdrawal while they are in the care of the Niagara Health System for addiction treatment of alcohol, drugs or other substances.

“The residential centre for addictions treatment is sought after across the province for patients wanting to go somewhere where smoking is not permitted,” says Sue-Ellen. “It is the only residential addictions treatment centre in Ontario that is smoke-free and prohibits residents from smoking while in the program, even off the property. It is proven that failure to treat tobacco use is associated with worsened substance abuse treatment outcomes, while treatment of tobacco dependence supports long-term sobriety.”

These are just some of the Niagara Health patients – and staff – who require help with tobacco addictions. Especially since the NHS went smoke-free.

All NHS properties, except for the Addiction Services program, have been 100% smoke-free since May 2007. In April 2009, the ban spread to NHS Addiction Services programs, which includes New Port, the buildings adjacent to the Ontario Street Site and Withdrawal Management Services (men’s and women’s detoxification units).

Regional Director Norma Medulun, who oversees the Addiction Services programs, knows how hard it is for a cigarette smoker to kick the habit, let alone quit while feeling the stress of addictions treatment, illness or upcoming surgery that requires hospitalization.

“We know that patients are challenged by the smoking ban, and we have various supports in place to help them with their tobacco addiction,” says Norma. “The best thing a patient can do before surgery is quit, but even a decrease in smoking is better than nothing. A smoker’s success with quitting increases with the use of other therapies, which could include nicotine replacement therapy, support and counselling.”

Physician-ordered nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which offers no side effects or cravings, is available through NHS pharmacies for inpatients who find it difficult to refrain from smoking. NHS also has two Smoking Cessation Co-ordinators who are excellent resources and support this initiative.

A safe and healthy environment

“Going smoke-free sends a clear message to our community that prevention is as important as treatment of illness,” says Vice President Linda Boich. “Niagara Health is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for patients, staff, physicians, visitors and volunteers at all of our sites.”

For many years, smoking was banned within nine metres of any hospital entrance and, with 2006 provincial legislation, smoking was banned under any ambulance canopy.

“The NHS took the extra step of going smoke-free everywhere on our property,” says Linda. “Non-smokers, and more importantly, patients with respiratory problems were subjected to second-hand smoke as they entered or exited our buildings, and we were getting a lot of complaints from staff and visitors. Unfortunately, there continue to be people who smoke in non-designated areas of hospital property, and we are taking additional steps to enforce our smoke-free status for the health and well-being of everyone.”

Smokers are encouraged to contact their primary healthcare provider for options to assist in quitting smoking.

“We are advising patients who smoke to speak to their physician before coming to hospital for a booked procedure, to discuss whether they are a candidate for NRT before admission,” says Norma. “When NRT is administered in advance, there are far fewer stressful periods for patients during their hospital stay. For Withdrawal Management Services clients, NRT and other therapies will be offered upon arrival as appropriate.”

For staff, the NHS offers free auricular (ear) acupuncture treatments, smoking cessation counselling, as well as full NRT reimbursement for those who refrain from smoking at work or are ready to take the step of trying to quit. Staff who wish to quit smoking or cut back should contact Occupational Health.

Those who wish to continue to smoke – staff, patients and visitors – are asked to abide by the hospital’s smoke-free status, smoke only off property, and dispose of cigarette butts in the ash cans located at property boundaries. «

Engineer Peter Tsekouras: “The start of the building envelope is an important part of the construction process as it marks the beginning of the separation of the interior and exterior environments of the building, acting as an outer shell to protect the indoor and help with climate control.”

Now in its second year of construction, progress on the new health complex in west St. Catharines continues to advance at an aggressive pace.

If you have driven past the construction site located at First Street and Fourth Avenue, you have been witness to the outstanding progress; it’s very easy to get a feel for the entire outline of the building.

With elevations of poured concrete hitting the fourth and fifth levels, the month of May saw the start of the creation of the building envelope, which will eventually enclose the shell of the building.

“The start of the building envelope is an important part of the construction process as it marks the beginning of the separation of the interior and exterior environments of the building, acting as an outer shell to protect the indoor and help with climate control,” says Peter Tsekouras, an engineer on the project.

“Once the building envelope is complete and watertight early next year, we will be able to start work on the interior finishes, which is the most time-consuming part of any construction project,” says Peter. “This also protects the work environment from the outside elements, which is especially important for working conditions in the winter months and for inclement weather.”

The majority of the outer skin of the building is composed of pre-cast concrete panels which have been in production for months now. These have begun to be placed across the façade.

Materials native to Niagara

“We selected the materials based on building performance requirements and aesthetics and in the end decided on a few different colours and finishes destined for specific areas of the exterior,” says NHS Chief Planning and Development Officer Gloria Kain.

“The finishes we selected are in line with our premise to use materials native to Niagara to enhance the exterior and tie the architecture and imagery to other iconic buildings throughout the region,” says Gloria.

While work progresses on the building, plenty of work is always going on behind the scenes. Among other things over the summer months, the new health complex project management team is working on timelines to create tender documents for the equipment procurement phase to outfit the  new health complex.

“As has been the case with key aspects of the project to date, there will be various milestones during the equipment procurement process,” says NHS Co-ordinator of Redevelopment and Clinical Planning Maria Vuono. “Key milestones will involve the transparent process of tendering 17 major equipment packages up until December 2011.”

Installation of the 25,000-plus equipment items will take place between September 2011 and November 2012. Soon after, the facility will reach its substantial completion date of November 26, 2012.

“This date marks the formal end of construction when PCL will hand us the keys to the new facility,” says Gloria.

“Following this, there will be a transition period which builds in contingency for the holiday season, along with extensive staff training and moving of equipment to ensure that the health complex is fully operational and ready for patients on move day, which will be in the spring of 2013.”  «

Our Big Move heroes and others touched by cancer offer inspiration to us all as we learn of their immeasurable strength, courage and optimism.

“If you’ve never experienced the impact of this disease, you’ll never understand the tremendous difference healing at home can make,” says cancer survivor John Veeneman, one of this year’s Big Move Cancer Ride heroes. “When you’re sick, there’s no place like home.”

The Big Move, a non-competitive ride taking place on Sunday, Sept. 12, includes a 50K and 100K cycle through Niagara region which starts and ends at Club Roma, St. Catharines. All proceeds support the Walker Family Cancer Centre now under construction – bringing cancer treatment closer to home for the 2,500 Niagara residents diagnosed with this disease each year.

The new facility will provide the first-ever comprehensive cancer treatment program, including radiation therapy, right here at home for cancer patients who currently travel to Hamilton or Toronto for radiation treatment.

A dedicated oncology inpatient unit will encompass ambulatory (outpatient) programs in systemic therapy (chemotherapy), radiation therapy, surgical oncology, preventive oncology, and supportive care.

Determined to fight

When Lesley Osmond was diagnosed in October 2003, she was determined to fight this disease, and endured surgeries, chemotherapy and many trips out of the region for radiation.

“I thought I had it beat, I was doing all the right things,” says Lesley. “But in August 2007, I was told, ‘It’s back and it has spread.’

“The chemo has altered my physical appearance, but what I will not let it do is change who I am inside. I am first and foremost a wife and a mother.”

Lesley knows that she will need further treatment. She says: “My hope is that it can happen here in Niagara, allowing me more time with my family. I have a life to live, milestones to mark and, with the help of my oncologist and my determination, I hope to reach those goals and more.”

From the moment cancer fighter Rachel Ramsden found a lump in her left breast in April 2009, she refused to take ownership of the cancer or let anyone pity her.

“If you look hard enough you can find a silver lining somewhere. I lost my hair; I didn’t have to shave my legs all summer. When my eyelashes fell out, I saved on mascara. At the end of the day, I count myself fortunate. I have learned to live every day with purpose,” says Rachel.

“My three-year-old daughter is my inspiration. I have to be around for her, not just for her sake but for my own. I will feel great joy watching her grow, graduate and get married. I’d like to be a grandmother.”

On Sept. 12, ride or come out to cheer and celebrate these amazing heroes and honour all cancer survivors whose journeys are hard fought and  inspirational. Register or  make a pledge online today at www.bigmovecancerride.com.  For more information,  call 905-323-FUND (3863) or email info@bigmovecancerride.com «

Dr. Janice Giesbrecht

Welcome to the first in a series of profiles of Niagara Health System’s medical leaders. Niagara is fortunate to have a number of doctors with tremendous skill and talent. Read on and learn more about Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, the new Medical Director of Oncology.

Where were you born?

St. Catharines

Number of years living in Niagara:

Born and raised here.

Where did you go to medical school?

I graduated from the McMaster University medical program in 1983. I did my residency in internal medicine at McMaster and additional residency training in medical oncology at the Hamilton regional cancer centre. I also completed a graduate degree in cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Occupation:

I have been providing cancer care in Niagara for 20 years as a medical oncologist. In May, I assumed the new role of Medical Director of Oncology, responsible for leading cancer services into the next phase in Niagara.

What is your vision for integrated cancer care in Niagara?

I understand the complex demands of cancer care in our region. While this remains fundamentally about patient care and the relationship between the patient and the team of caregivers, it must also address the needs of families and the community, the ability to train and attract healthcare professionals, and our relationships with our partners in cancer care.

What are some of your achievements in cancer care?

I spearheaded the opening in 1992 of the first Ontario Breast Screening Program clinic in Niagara and served as the Regional Medical Co-ordinator for the program’s first 10 years. I also sit on the NHS Surgical Oncology Steering Committee, which oversees cancer surgeries in Niagara.

How does the new Walker Family Cancer Centre impact your new role?

The development of the Walker Family Cancer Centre marks the beginning of an exciting new era in providing comprehensive cancer care in Niagara. Medical oncology will continue to grow and radiation treatment will be provided, clinical trials and research opportunities will grow, and we will participate in the training of physicians on site through our involvement with McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. Effective leadership of this transition requires a strong sense of both the future and the accomplishments of the past. «

Front row, from left, are Brenda Breton, selection committee member Chief Nursing Executive Sue Matthews, and Heather Paterson. Back row, from left, selection committee member and winner of the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario Honourary Lifetime Achievement award Carol McDowell, Edna Fohkens, Brigitte O’Connor, Sue Gagne, selection committee members Loretta Tirabassi-Olinski and Chief Nursing Officer Donna Rothwell.

Nine Nursing Awards of Excellence were given out recently as the Niagara Health System celebrated the contributions and dedication of its nurses during its annual Nursing Week celebrations.

The following Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses are this year’s recipients of nursing awards:

Nursing Award for Excellence in Direct Care

• Brigitte O’Connor, RN, Greater Niagara General Site
• Cindy Duckett, RN, Ontario Street Site
• Brenda Breton, RN, Port Colborne Site
• Edna Fohkens, RPN, St. Catharines General Site
• Cindy Banner, RPN, Welland Site
• Susan Gagne, RN, Regional Blood Conservation Program

Baxter Corp. Education Awards – One RN and one RPN selected to receive $500 each to further their education:

• Brigitte O’Connor, RN, Greater Niagara General Site
• Edna Fohkens, RPN, St. Catharines General Site

Nursing Leadership Award

• Heather Paterson, Clinical Manager, Greater Niagara General Site

The one-page document details a range of checks that the whole surgical team discusses before anesthesia is administered, such as:

• Anesthesia equipment safety check
• Patient information confirmed – identity (two identifiers); consent(s); site and procedure; site, side and level marked; clinical documentation; history, physical, labs, biopsy and X-rays
• Review final test results
• Allergies and medications review
• Administration of antibiotic prophylaxis
• Monitoring – pulse oximetry, ECG, blood pressure, arterial line, temperature and urine catheter
• Blood loss
• Surgeon review – specific patient concerns, critical steps, and special instruments or implants
• Anesthesiologist review – specific patient concerns and critical resuscitation plans
• Nurses’ review - specific patient concerns, sterility indicator results and equipment/implant issues
• Patient positioning and support
• Expected procedure time, post-operative destination

“This checklist is a formalized process to ensure team collaboration before, during and after surgery so that patient safety and optimal care is provided,” says Patty Welychka, Director of the NHS Surgical Program. “We do over 40,000 surgical procedures a year, and we are 100% compliant on reviewing the checklist each time. Starting this July, it will be publicly reported, and our track record will be compared to other hospitals across the province by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.”

Proceeds from the annual marathon, to be held this year on Oct. 24, will support the future Walker Family Cancer Centre.

This event is comprised of a marathon, marathon relay (two-person), half marathon, 10K, 5K and 5K team challenge, a Schools Marathon Challenge designed for elementary students, and all events have wheelchair divisions. Participants will be asked to raise pledges or donate in support of our new cancer center. As a bonus, not only will participants play a vital role in supporting healthcare in our community, they will finish their journey at one of Niagara’s natural gems – the brink of the Falls.

For more information or to register for the event, visit www.niagarafallsmarathon.com.  «

In this Roundup…

• News Briefs
• Feedback is positive for Incident Reporting System
• Celebrating our physicians’ dedication and years of service
• Improving our work relationships

Improving our work relationships

Niagara Health is introducing a new Code of Conduct as part of a revised workplace relations policy. You may have noticed the new plaques going up across our sites with the word ‘respect’ running down the left side.

Thanks to all those who contributed to its development – in particular, the members of the Workplace Relations & Violence Prevention Committee and the Operating Room Nurses and Physicians who, a year ago, identified a need and led the process of establishing this code.

In this Roundup…

• News Briefs
• Feedback is positive for Incident Reporting System
• Celebrating our physicians’ dedication and years of service
• Improving our work relationships

Celebrating our physicians’ dedication and years of service

Congratulations to the 62 physicians who were honoured at a recognition dinner recently for reaching a milestone year of affiliation with the NHS.

Their combined years of service total an amazing 1,275 years!

In this Roundup…

• News Briefs
• Feedback is positive for Incident Reporting System
• Celebrating our physicians’ dedication and years of service
• Improving our work relationships

Feedback is positive for Incident Reporting System

It is a pleasure to report that the roll-out of the Incident Reporting System (IRS) is proceeding well. This new online reporting software is used to track any and all incidents, defined as events that occur which are not part of the usual operation of the hospital. Current live sites are Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Street, and Greater Niagara General. Staff at St. Catharines General Site are now receiving training and it will be live there in early July. Welland Site is up next for training and should be live by September, with Douglas and Port Colborne sites following. It is projected that the new system will be fully implemented by late autumn.

So far, there has been positive feedback from frontline staff and leaders. Some staff  members are noticing that a few fill-in fields are different from initial training screens. This is because we are constantly improving the system to make it as user friendly as possible. Please send your suggestions to the contacts below and we will continue to make changes where appropriate.

Since going live, there have been 50 reports filed at NOTL, 62 at OSS and 112 at GNG. Currently, the most frequently reported issues are falls and medication omissions. The Risk/Patient Safety team is happy to assist in analyzing occurrences in departments and both systemic and isolated causes will be identified and assessed. We encourage staff to work with leaders to develop solutions to the issues that are occurring in your area. As well, our Patient Safety Committee is committed to working on strategies to reduce these occurrences across our system.

The number of reports will increase as staff become more familiar with the new IRS software reporting process. We would like to remind everyone of the NHS Fair and Just Culture Philosophy. The reporting of incidents is non-punitive and is an effective way to improve patient safety and care. IRS will provide us with more accurate data than ever before for bench marking and root cause analysis. There will also be improved efficiency and efficacy in generating reports and follow-up documentation.

Thank you for your ongoing support with this important project. We would also like to remind you to train it forward to expedite the training and implementation process. Please do not hesitate to contact Cindy Ko, Patient Safety Specialist, and/or IRS Support Brenda Colbow
with any questions.  «

In this Roundup…

• News Briefs
• Feedback is positive for Incident Reporting System
• Celebrating our physicians’ dedication and years of service
• Improving our work relationships

News Briefs

You can be a Partner For Life

Talk about reaching a centennial milestone! Pictured is staffer Melissa Keep, ECG Tech, with Greater Niagara General Site blood transfusion patient Marion VanDyke. Melissa is gearing up to give her 125th donation of blood this July. You can join Melissa in this life-saving opportunity and, at the same time, help the NHS step up as a Partner For Life with Canadian Blood Services. Interim Regional Cardiorespiratory Manager Monica Hlywka and Regional Laboratory Quality Manager Rosanne Frassetto have volunteered to be Partner For Life NHS champions and are working to bring Canadian Blood Services to our sites to raise awareness, conduct tests for blood typing and sign staff up as NHS donors. Stay tuned for details on this
important initiative.  «

Summer Fundraisers

The Kidney Foundation of Canada ladies-only golf tournament is July 21 at Twenty Valley Golf and Country Club in Vineland. Cost is $150 per person or $550 per foursome. This includes 18 holes, golf cart, lunch and dinner, and prize table. Contact Lindsay at the Niagara branch of the Kidney Foundation, 1-800-387-4474, or Jocelyn Laing in the Dialysis Unit at Ontario Street Site, ext. 63712.

The 12th annual Pink Ladies Classic golf tourney takes place Aug. 4 at Rolling Meadows Golf and Country Club in Niagara Falls. Help the GNGH Auxiliary meet its fundraising goal at this great ladies-only event. Cost is $120 per person. This includes 18 holes, golf cart, prime rib and shrimp dinner, prize table and $20,000 hole-in-one opportunity. For more information, contact Bea Lindsay 905-374-1205. Registration forms available in GNG Gift Shop or Foundation office.

On Aug. 7, join your colleagues in the 8th Annual Keep the Spirit Co-ed Beach Volleyball tourney, once again raising funds for the Rankin Cancer Run, which has donated an amazing $655,000 to our Outpatient Oncology program. Registration deadline is July 30 and entry fee per team of four is $200. Register online at www.rankincancerrun.com or call Bret or Terry at 905-356-9362, bturner10@cogeco.ca. «

Congratulations To …

Tracey Davey, Regional Director of Quality, Education and Ethics who recently graduated with her Master’s of Nursing (MN) degree from Athabasca University. Tracey has worked diligently for several years to achieve this educational accomplishment while working in her current role and maintaining family responsibilities. This new knowledge will be an additional asset to the NHS. «

Nurses at Niagara Health’s Ontario Street Site care for a variety of outpatients, including Dialysis, Endoscopy, Ophthalmology and Urgent Care. Gathered here for a celebratory nursing week photo are, from left, front row, Teresa Kellett, Archna Parikh, Jocelyn Laing, Lisa Rempel; second row, Kathryn Tuck, Henriette Pruyn, Briar Campbell; third row, Lynn Coulombe-Kafal, Janice Pipher, Lisa Mansfield; fourth row, Muriel Stenhouse, Violet Sepettchiev, Michelle Swift, Jane Cornelius; back row, Laura McVeigh.

While the nursing profession continues to evolve, the desire to improve the lives of others remains at the heart of modern nursing today.

“Niagara Health System (NHS) is extremely fortunate to have more than 1,880 nurses on staff attending to the individual needs of tens of thousands of patients and their families every year,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer.

Nursing is amongst one of the most diverse and specialized professions, and this is evident across NHS. “Our nurses are truly professionals who are committed to their patients and to providing compassionate, high quality patient care,” says Chief Nursing Executive Sue Matthews.

To examine the varied nature of nursing and the incredible people in the profession, Niagara Health Now got up close and personal with a handful of nurses from across our sites. Read on and learn about the backgrounds of these dedicated professionals, their challenges and what matters most to them.

Lindsey Sneek, Registered Nurse

“I like science. I like people. The human body is so fascinating. I thought it would be a great profession to get into. Every day, it’s rewarding just to be able to help people that need help.”

Biography: Born in Welland; grew up in Port Colborne; getting married to Marty in Port Colborne this July; avid runner currently training for half marathon

Class of 2008 – Brock University and Loyalist College

Current role: RN, Greater Niagara General Emergency Department

Why nursing? “I like science. I like people. The human body is so fascinating. I thought it would be a great profession to get into.”

What’s been most rewarding? “Taking care of people. Every day, it’s rewarding just to be able to help people that need help.”

Why Emergency? “I like change. I like a fast-paced environment, something different every day. I love ER. There is so much to learn, and you learn a little bit about every aspect of nursing. Eventually, I would like to go back to school to learn more – maybe become a Nurse Practitioner. It is important to me to continue to learn and advance my skills.”

Advice? “I did the new grad initiative, and I would recommend any new grad to take part in the program. It was six months of mentorship, and I got to ease into the profession. That really helped me – with my skills, confidence and critical thinking. It broadened my knowledge about life. Even though you learn in school, it’s the real experience that helps your understanding as a nurse.”

Sue Battersby-Campbell, Nurse Practitioner

“As nurses we can do so much more to improve a patient’s health and well being by taking into account their home environment, their relationships, their economic situation.”

Biography: Born in St. Catharines; resident of Fenwick with husband, three children ages 12, 14 and 17, two horses, five cats and one stray, chickens on the way; former volunteer firefighter

Class of 1990, 1999 and 2005 – Niagara College, RN; Brock University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing; McMaster University, Nurse Practitioner

Current Role: Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner, Complex Continuing Care Unit, Port Colborne Site

What’s a Nurse Practitioner? “A Nurse Practitioner is a Registered Nurse with additional education and training who can diagnose and treat common illnesses, order diagnostic tests, prescribe medication and develop treatment plans with patients.

I started my career in long-term care then moved on to work in geriatric assessment. When I decided to take on the Nurse Practitioner role, I was advised to work a little in ER to gain experience with other populations. I spent a few years working in the ERs at Joseph Brant and St. Catharines General and had amazing mentors. That was a fabulous experience.”

The greatest lesson you have learned so far as a nurse? “Everyone has a story. Every patient faces different circumstances in their lives. As nurses we can do so much more to improve a patient’s health and well being by taking into account their home environment, their relationships, their economic situation. It’s not just about providing patients with treatments and medication. Nursing is about improving lives. Many people think nursing is just about tasks – it’s not. It is a much more cognitive profession.”

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job? “To be patient. I am a doer. Where I see a problem, I want to fix it and I want to fix it right away. I don’t want to wait. I have had to learn to be patient with process and this is a continual challenge for me.”

Sharon Leaney, Registered Practical Nurse

“I learned a long time ago that I wasn’t going to fix or cure the world. My reward comes through being kind and treating people humanely.”

Biography: Born in Dunnville; resident of Welland since childhood; proud mother of a son and daughter; very proud Nana of four grandchildren – including twins!

Class of 1972 – Registered Nursing Assistant, Welland County General Hospital

Current Role: Registered Practical Nurse, Mental Health Inpatient Unit, Welland Site

Why nursing? “I always thought I would be a teacher or a nurse. When I was growing up, there was a lady who lived down the street who was a nurse on the children’s floor. She loved her job and had a husband and four young children. She ended up with breast cancer. She left it too long, went from being healthy and vital to suddenly dying. She had a big impact on me – a profound impact, in fact. I knew then that I had to be a nurse.”

The most challenging aspect of your role? What’s most rewarding? “The role is constantly changing. It’s never fixed. In mental health nursing, there isn’t a lot of right or wrong. You have to work with the individual’s needs. You have to know your boundaries and at the same time recognize behaviours. There is an instinct that grows with you in this field. I learned a long time ago that I wasn’t going to fix or cure the world. My reward comes through being kind and treating people humanely.”

Any advice for a would-be nurse? “Have patience and try not to be judgmental. You get back what you give in nursing. I spent a lot of time in pediatrics early in my career, and I learned a lot of life lessons which were helpful with my own children when they were growing up. I learned early on in my career that life is not perfect for anyone – never lose sight of this.”

Glenn Wiffin, Registered Nurse

“I like to say that the nurse is like a conductor of an orchestra. The nurse is the one who spends time with the patient and makes sure everyone else who needs to come in does so at the right time.”

Biography: Born in Hamilton; married with three grown children; former Sergeant, Canadian Forces serving in Europe and Golan Heights, Middle East.

Class of 1996 – Georgian College, RN

Current Role: Project Lead, Process Improvement Program, St. Catharines General Site – provincial project aimed at improving patient flow; formerly staff RN Intensive Care Unit, St. Catharines Site and Manager of Greater Niagara General Site Emergency Department.

What matters to you as a nurse? “What matters to me – absolutely – no question – it’s caring for the patients.  This means looking at the big picture – what can I do not just for the person who is lying on the stretcher but for the person who takes care of them at home.

Helping the community understand how the healthcare system works, how we all need to work together as a healthcare team to get the most for patients – everyone – the doc, the community nurse, the housekeeper, the surgeon, the occupational therapist, the physiotherapist. I like to say that the nurse is like a conductor of an orchestra. The nurse is the one who spends time with the patient and makes sure everyone else who needs to come in does so at the right time.”

Advice on nursing? “Nursing isn’t about the tasks. You have to realize the uniqueness and individuality of everyone you come into contact with. As a nurse, you have the ability to make a real difference in your patient’s life. The caring aspect of nursing is the most important part of our role. If you truly care for someone, you will truly make a difference in people’s lives.”

Now 60, Cam Williams is enjoying life to its fullest after his acute stroke three years ago and works out often at the Fort Erie YMCA. “I really feel I had the best medical treatment anyone could hope for anywhere in the world.”

The first thing Fort Erie lawyer Cam Williams noticed as he was doing paperwork in his office was that his legs felt asleep. Because he hadn’t exercised yet that day, the then 57-year-old decided to go for a quick workout at the YMCA and headed for the car.

“The next thing I knew I was walking like Frankenstein, and my colleagues had to help me sit down,” Cam recalls about his life-changing experience three years ago. “My whole right side became numb, and I couldn’t speak. Then, one side of my mouth started to drop.”

A call to 911 brought an ambulance, and paramedics determined Cam had symptoms of an acute stroke. By the time Cam arrived at the ER at Greater Niagara General (GNG) Site – where ambulances bring all possible stroke patients in Niagara – the stroke team was in place. This specially trained team, led by Neurologist Dr. Don Chew, assessed Cam’s symptoms and ordered a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis. Cam was a candidate for tPA, the clot-busting drug that can minimize the damage of a stroke if injected within a few hours of the onset of symptoms.

“The tPA program was quite new for us in 2007,” says Dr. Chew. “Our tPA program is unique in Canada in that rather than calling in a specialist for each case, we have trained the ER staff on the tPA protocol.”

“About 40 minutes after the injection, I could move my toes, and this seemed to cause great excitement with the staff,” Cam recalls. Going through his mind was the experience his mother had 10 years earlier when she was struck down by a major stroke. “She was never able to speak again and spent several years in chronic care in hospital and a nursing home before she died. This was my knowledge of what a stroke can do, and it was terrifying.”

Once stabilized, Cam was moved to the Intensive Care Unit and closely monitored for signs of recovery.

“It’s wonderful to see such a great recovery so quickly as in Cam’s case, but typically recovery takes several months and indeed may be a life-long process,”
says Dr. Chew.

Cam had speech therapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, nurses and doctors seeing him during his five-day stay. “My hospital care was seamless and excellent. I spent a few more days in the ICU Stepdown Unit and then I was able to go home. After my discharge, because I had tPA, I was put in touch with the Stroke Prevention Clinic at GNG to make lifestyle modifications to help prevent a second stroke. If you told me 10 years ago you could come back from a stroke, I would have said, ‘No way.’ Today, I’m living proof that it works.”

The prevention clinic is part of the Niagara District Stroke Centre, formed in 2003 under Dr. Chew’s leadership to develop a comprehensive care plan for Niagara stroke patients.

Leanne Hammond, Stroke Centre Co-Ordinator, works with a number of provincial partners to ensure the care in Niagara is meeting best practice standards.
“Pre-hospital and ER treatment, diagnostic testing, inpatient care, rehabilitation and
follow-up counselling form a care continuum and need to be fully integrated so patients will have the best outcome possible,” Leanne says.

New Regional Acute Stroke Unit

Until now, acute stroke patients like Cam have not been clustered together – they have been treated in acute medical beds on different units and at different hospital sites in Niagara.

As of May 3, there is a new dedicated Regional Acute Stroke Unit at GNG, with 10 beds on Unit D for stroke patients needing acute hospital care for a week or so before they are transferred to Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre for rehabilitation or discharged home.

“We’ve known for years that delivering standardized care by the same group of people to stroke patients means good continuity of care,” says Dr. Chew. “Our goal is to stabilize stroke patients, identify and begin to address their risk factors and then get them into rehabilitation quickly. We have a good working relationship with Hotel Dieu to make that happen.”«

“I can safely say she is one of the best and kindest little nurses in the world. She has the true spirit of a nurse – self sacrificing, kind-hearted, good tempered and intelligent and anyone who secures her services will be well taken care of. I hope she will go on learning and improving every year.”

This note from a grateful patient was written more than 136 years ago about young nurse Annie Carline, one of the first five nursing graduates of the Mack Training School for Nurses which was founded alongside the
St. Catharines General nearly a century and a half ago. Mack was the first nursing school established in Canada and the first in North America to train nurses using the Florence Nightingale system.

The motto of the Mack Nursing School was “Video et taceo.” Translated, it means “I see and am silent” and is an enduring testament to the profession’s commitment to privacy, confidentiality and dignified treatment of patients.

Annie Carline became a head nurse at the General, and along with her Mack nursing colleagues, was called upon to train others to develop nursing schools in Detroit, Toronto and London.

It’s clear that a rich nursing history lives on in Niagara. I am proud to say that throughout our hospital system there have been and are many, many nurses like Annie and her fellow Mack nursing graduates.

Happy National Nursing Week 2010. «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer

Debbie Sevenpifer,
President and Chief Executive Officer

How we’re improving stroke care

The facts are surprising – every 10 minutes someone in Canada has a stroke. There are 50,000 strokes occurring each year, and more than 300,000 people are still feeling the effects.

A decade ago, a national strategy was developed, urging the provinces to develop comprehensive stroke management programs. Today, the Ontario Stroke Network has a simple mission statement – Fewer strokes. Better outcomes – and in Niagara, the District Stroke Centre at Greater Niagara General Site has been growing since 2003.

From public awareness to a co-ordinated stroke recovery support program, District Stroke Centre efforts are all geared to improving care for patients who have an acute stroke or mini-stroke (called transient ischemic attack or TIA). In 2009, Niagara Health treated 750 strokes and TIAs and on any given day, eight to 10 stroke patients, appropriate for an acute stroke unit, are in an acute care bed at our sites.

Delivering stroke care begins when a 911 call is made and continues long past the patient’s discharge from hospital. This stroke care continuum must be integrated for patients to have sustainable outcomes.

We’re thrilled to be opening in May the final piece of that continuum – an acute stroke unit with 10 beds in newly renovated space at Greater Niagara General Site. The inpatient stroke unit in Niagara Falls will serve the entire region, building on the excellent teamwork already in place.

The concept of clustering patients with similar conditions and having a specialized team deliver co-ordinated treatment is a cornerstone of our Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP). The opening of the Regional Acute Stroke Unit has been a key component of the HIP, now in the second year of its implementation. Staff members have taken extensive training, and renovations are complete. Patient rooms have fully accessible washrooms, separate sinks in each room for better infection control, ceiling-mounted patient lifts, and cabling for video consultation with regional and provincial partners.

The whole stroke team will work together to provide bedside care and improve the way we deliver stroke care:

Hospitalist (physician providing care to inpatients whose family doctor doesn’t have hospital privileges or inpatients without a family doctor)

• Clinical Nutrition
• Discharge Planning
• Occupational Therapy Neurologist (physician specialist in brain function)
• Physiotherapy
• Physiatrist (physician specialist in physical rehabilitation)
• Speech Language Pathology
• Nursing (includes Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse, Registered Practical Nurse)
• Pastoral Care
• Social Work

On a personal note, and on behalf of all Niagara residents, I extend a heartfelt thank you to those in our organization who embraced a vision for enhanced stroke care and have advocated and worked tirelessly to make the vision a reality. They are Dr. Don Chew, Su Bolibruck, Leanne Hammond and Marie Rusnak.

Congratulations on this achievement!  «

McMaster medical student Ashley Heaslip, left, and NHS dietitian Pat Forster discuss the dietary restrictions facing patients with chronic kidney disease.

As the prevalence of kidney disease continues to increase dramatically, so too does the need for students in medical school to learn about this chronic illness.

Patients with chronic kidney disease have complex dietary restrictions; too much sodium or protein can cause serious problems. Chronic kidney failure and dialysis bring on major lifestyle and personal challenges for patients and their families.

These are some of the many facts medical students took away with them recently when the McMaster University Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine Niagara Regional Campus held its first Kidney Fair at the Ontario Street Site of the Niagara Health System.

The Class of 2012 participated in a multidisciplinary health day that included NHS physicians, nurses, staff and patients, as well as Brock University nursing students. The medical students rotated through seven interactive stations related to
kidney disease.

“I am really enjoying the sessions,” says first-year medical student Ashley Heaslip, after a session with NHS dietitian Pat Forster. “Making the sessions interactive makes it easier to grasp the different concepts. It’s really helpful to have the different healthcare professionals providing information to us based on their specific roles and perspectives.”

This latest event is one of many McMaster medical students are participating in across the Niagara Health System.

The students participated for the first time this year in the Take CARE of Your Future (Career Awareness and Resource Exploration) March Break camp, which gives high school students serious about careers in healthcare a first-hand look at educational and work opportunities in Niagara. Students interact with healthcare professionals, participate in interactive presentations and workshops, and meet peers with similar interests and goals.

Positive feedback

McMaster medical students organized workshops for the week-long camp on suturing, surgical knot tying, doing medical assessments, and the academic steps to get into medical school.

“This year, our camp was tremendously enhanced by the enthusiasm of the McMaster medical students and the knowledge and skills they brought to the workshops they developed for this event,” says Nancy Dillon, NHS Volunteer Resources Coordinator and co-organizer of the event. “The positive feedback we received from the students as well as the NHS participants was overwhelming.”

There are currently 35 McMaster medical students – 20 in first year and 15 in second year – using all sites of Niagara Health as their training ground.

“The medical students love it here,” says Dr. Karl Stobbe, Regional Assistant Dean. “It’s a rich teaching environment. It’s real world and gives them a broad range of hands on, patient care experience.”

Training of medical students in Niagara provides the hospital with a valuable physician recruitment opportunity.

“The program gives the students a taste of working at Niagara Health, and we have a new opportunity to retain these new graduates every year directly from the program,” says NHS Chief Operating Officer Bala Kathiresan.

The Niagara campus is housed at the St. Catharines General Site and has full interconnectivity with classrooms and resources in Hamilton. Features are being incorporated in the new healthcare complex in St. Catharines, now under construction, for it to become a learning environment when it opens in 2013. While the campus will move to a new Brock University building in 2011, the new healthcare complex will house teaching spaces for medical students and residents, including classrooms, on-call rooms and student lounges.

Due to the regional nature of the campus, students and residents will continue to be educated at all NHS sites in 2013 and beyond. On-call rooms, classrooms, lockers and student lounges will be available at the Welland and Niagara Falls sites, and Fort Erie, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Port Colborne will each have a classroom.

“The Niagara campus is of benefit to hospital staff, medical colleagues and medical students,” says NHS President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “Ultimately, though, it is the residents of Niagara who will benefit the most from the presence of the medical school in our community since the quality of healthcare increases when hospitals become teaching campuses.”

Although Ashley doesn’t have definitive plans about where she will practice
medicine after she graduates, she says the experience in Niagara has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I just love it,” says Ashley, who lives in British Columbia but whose family is originally from Niagara. “I chose to come to Niagara because of the opportunity to be in a smaller community with a smaller number of students. There is so much more
one-on-one attention and learning. Everyone has been so welcoming, in the hospital and in the community.”  «

In this issue of Roundup… (Download PDF or browse links below)

WalkArounds Raising awareness of patient safety
In February, we provided a brief highlight from the second round of Patient Safety Leadership WalkArounds. The third round commenced in mid-April with senior team leaders returning to all the units from the first set of WalkArounds to ensure that we have followed through and resolved key items… » cont’dPromoting our Urgent Care Centres
This spring, information will flow in new ways for the NHS, as Corporate Communications and the Emergency program work together to get the word out on when to use our three Urgent Care Centres (UCC)…. » cont’dUse the ash cans for your cigarette butts
The snow is long gone but, unfortunately, what’s left behind is the litter people toss into drifts. By far, the biggest litter problem on our properties is cigarette butts. Although Niagara Health has had a property-wide smoking ban in place since 2007… » cont’dHonouring our 2009 retirees
An April celebration event took place to honour our employees who retired in 2009. Their length of service to their community is impressive as this year’s list shows. Congratulations to the 90 staff for a job well done… » cont’dCongratulations to…
Susan Cubelic, Regional Director of Pharmacy, on her successful completion of the Pharmacy Leadership Academy program… Helen Dawson, who recently celebrated 60 years of service to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Auxiliary… » cont’d

Health-Care Aide Donna Hunter, left, reviews a policy form on the Day Surgery Unit at Greater Niagara General Site with Volunteer Candi Murri.

For most of us, ER stands for Emergency Room. For Candi Murri, the E stands for Empathy and the R for Reassurance.

As a volunteer with the Niagara Health System, Candi says these are two key qualities she possesses that help her help patients and their families when they come to the ER at Greater Niagara General Site in need of medical attention.

“A lot of the people are frightened about being in the hospital, especially older people,” says Candi. “Sometimes if you just touch a person’s hand and give it a little squeeze, they know you are there for them. The touch of a shoulder or a warm blanket can make such a difference. Moments can be really intense, and they know there is someone there.”

Candi has volunteered at the Niagara Falls site since 2004, working closely with the nurses and other healthcare staff. She began volunteering with the day surgery program, taking patients to and from the OR, and over the last year added ER responsibilities to her role. She prides herself on being a good listener and helps patients and hospital staff in any way she can, whether that be finding answers to patients’ questions or helping a nurse stock up on surgical supplies.

“As a volunteer, I have the time to listen, and I think that’s really important for the patients,” Candi says. “Sometimes I just listen, and sometimes I just sit with them until they fall asleep. There are so many wonderful volunteers at the hospital, and I am really proud to be part of the healthcare team.”

The role of hospital volunteer is a good fit for this early-60s Port Robinson woman with a background in healthcare. For 20 years, she worked for Community Living Niagara Falls as a support worker to people with special needs. The last four years of her career saw her working at Greater Niagara General Site, helping patients with such conditions as head injuries and Multiple Sclerosis, and working closely with occupational and rehabilitation therapy staff.

Health reasons ended Candi’s working career early. She wasn’t looking to volunteer with the hospital, but others who knew her thought she would be just right for the role.

With a relative in hospital at Greater Niagara General, Candi could often be found playing piano for patients and families on the Trillium Unit. Now retired Volunteer

Co-ordinator Clara Garritano approached Candi and asked her if she would be interested in volunteering.
“I had wonderful care when I was in the hospital myself, and I wanted to give something back by helping others,” says Candi, who also saw volunteering as an excellent opportunity to maintain her work skills.

“It’s just a nice thing to do,” Candi says. “An act of kindness can go a long way. It’s like making soup. When everyone contributes to it, it just keeps getting better.”

Candi was one of 1,100 volunteers honoured recently by Niagara Health at an annual gala appreciation luncheon held to recognize the contributions of volunteers.

“Our volunteers generously give the gift of their time, skill, energy and kindness to patients and staff,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “They are a special group of people whose efforts make a positive difference in so many ways.”

NHS volunteers are all ages and come from all backgrounds. They comfort and support patients, raise millions of dollars to fund capital projects and critical medical equipment, and provide leadership and administrative support.

People interested in volunteering at the hospital are encouraged to go to the NHS website (niagarahealth.on.ca) and click on the About Volunteering link or call the main hospital number (905-378-4647) and ask for Volunteer Resources.

Mental Health Program Director Heather Scott, pointing, reviews design details for the new mental health centre as part of the NHS project team’s in-depth planning and development process for the new health complex. Directly behind Heather is Cindee Barrow, Clinical Manager at the Welland Site, and to her right Ilona Yungblut, Clinical Manager at Greater Niagara General Site. Partially hidden is Greater Niagara General Charge Nurse Erminia Sirianni.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, statistics show that one in every five Canadians will have a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Yet, in spite of the fact that every Canadian knows someone who has been, or will be, affected by mental illness, few people know very much about it.

Mental illnesses account for a large percentage of hospital stays every year.

“Currently, the Niagara Health System’s mental health services program offers acute mental health and ambulatory care programs at the St. Catharines General, Welland Hospital and Greater Niagara General sites,” says Regional Director Heather Scott.

Comprised of 60 inpatient mental health beds, the mental health services program sees approximately 2,000 inpatients and close to 18,000 outpatient visits each year.

At the current time, patients requiring specialized or longer-term inpatient mental healthcare must access programs based in Hamilton, London or Toronto.

To better care for the needs of patients requiring mental healthcare service in Niagara, a new longer-term program will be introduced at the healthcare complex under construction in St. Catharines.

“This means there will be opportunity for many patients to stay in Niagara if they require longer-term care, for example up to 90 days,” explains Heather. “Planning work is underway to determine the best way to organize and deliver these services.”

“The mental health centre being constructed at the new health complex is actually the largest department in the building, with 84 beds on the main level,” says Vice President of Patient Services Linda Boich. “This represents the consolidation of all current acute care mental health beds at one site, along with the new longer-term services.”

“The program has been developed with a focus on a holistic model of care, designed to be respectful and sensitive to the physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and social needs of patients,” adds Linda.

The acute care mental health services will include a new 10-bed Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, which will better serve the needs of patients who are more acutely ill and require higher levels of observation. The consolidation of the three large mental health units at one site will allow for a new way of caring for these patients by creating a designated unit specifically for them.

The new health complex will also include four mental health beds designated in the pediatric unit for children. Patients over 14 years of age will continue to be admitted to the adult unit.

Ambulatory children’s and adult services will continue to operate at the Greater Niagara and Welland sites, as well as at the new St. Catharines site. «

Speech Language Pathologist Julie Schoonings, right, assists patient Gerrit Vander Weide to recover from loss of speech after he suffered a stroke.

Our ability to speak and hear is such a fundamental part of our lives that we take it for granted – until we’re faced with its loss. Gerrit Vander Weide recalls a frightful experience with the inability to speak after suffering a stroke last February.

Unable to sleep, Gerrit got up in the middle of the night to watch TV. The next thing he knew, he was on the floor without the ability to speak or call out for help. Unable to walk, it was a lengthy ordeal to crawl to his wife asleep two floors above for assistance.

Rushed by ambulance to the Welland Hospital Emergency Department, Gerrit regained consciousness several hours later. Four days after his stroke, he began to regain balance and use of his limbs, but his speech and writing were heavily impaired.

Eventually Gerrit regained almost all of his abilities with the assistance of Niagara Health Speech Pathologists Tracy Fazzari and Julie Schoonings (at the time a student in the speech program), who worked with him three days a week.

The experience of temporarily losing his speech gave Gerrit a whole new appreciation of something most of us take for granted – the importance of being able to communicate. Gerrit commends the professionals at the NHS who helped him regain his speech and writing skills.

“The program is personal. They care about the people. I couldn’t have learned to read and write that fast without them,” says Gerrit.

May is Speech and Hearing Awareness Month, when professionals involved in the treatment of speech, language and hearing disorders participate in a public awareness campaign to encourage early detection and prevention of communication disorders and educate others on the challenges faced by people experiencing them – stroke patients like Gerrit, or others who have experienced a head injury or are coping with a disease such as Parkinson’s.

Niagara Health offers these services at the Welland, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines sites. Speech Language Pathologists assess and treat speech, language, voice and swallowing disorders in both children and adults.

Andrea Policella, an employee in the Speech Pathology program and a donor to the Welland Hospital Foundation, feels good about her personal financial support of this program and is thankful for the donations of others.

“Our Speech Pathology department has been fortunate to see firsthand what donations can do. With money raised by the Foundation, we were recently able to purchase some costly equipment for our department that we would not have been able to get without the foundation’s funding,” says Andrea.

Singing Saints and speech pathology staff at Greater Niagara General Site display some of the materials purchased through the donation of concert proceeds.

That’s the motto of the Singing Saints Barbershop Chorus of St. Catharines. This group of gentlemen uses its collective vocal talent to benefit speech and hearing-impaired people by fundraising for equipment for Speech Pathology services at the NHS. This choral group has a 59-year history of singing a capella, barbershop style harmony, using proceeds from concerts to support community initiatives such as Harmonize for Speech.

Their rewards come from helping to make life-altering changes for patients with speech and hearing challenges. In recent years, the Singing Saints have generously donated more than $27,000 toward the Speech Language Pathology department of the NHS. These funds are used for a wish list of equipment that includes retraining aids, therapy materials and assessment tests.

Patient Deborah Kuhn was given a voice through the use of a Passey-Muir Valve purchased from donations by the Singing Saints. She is now able to vocally express her gratitude to the group.

“This equipment gave me a voice when all other means of getting in touch with humanity failed, and it opened a whole new world. I cried with relief, and finally felt like my life was coming back to me.”

During Speech and Hearing Awareness Month, join the Singing Saints on Saturday, May 15, for their annual concert in support of Speech Pathology services at the St. Catharines General with special guests Solstice.

For tickets please contact George at 905-682-4663. «

Niagara Health System Board Member Helen Eggleton

The Niagara Health System Board of Trustees is made up of volunteers who live and work in Niagara. Each Board member brings unique skills and expertise to this leadership role. The Board is responsible for governing the NHS and providing strategic direction to the Hospital to ensure it meets the healthcare needs of the community within the resources that are available.

Niagara Health Now is publishing a series of question-and-answer profiles on individual members of the Board to help our readers get better acquainted with them.

This issue’s profile is of Helen Eggleton.

Where were you born?

Bailieboro, on the north shore of Rice Lake, south of Peterborough

Number of years living in Niagara:

51 years

Occupation:

Retired kindergarten teacher

What were the greatest rewards from your job?

Starting young minds off on the right road to education.

What influenced you to become a member of the NHS Board of Trustees?

Active in the hospital auxiliary at the Douglas Memorial Site for many years; becoming auxiliary representative on the Board gave me a new look at healthcare.

How many years have you served on the NHS Board?

Two

What is your greatest achievement or reward as a member of the Board?

Being part of a hard-working group of people who strive to oversee a complete healthcare system that accommodates a large geographic area.

What is the greatest opportunity for the NHS?

Developing centres such as stroke, heart and cancer; providing quality healthcare within our own area.

What is its greatest challenge?

Communicating a message of unity, working together, sharing healthcare services for the good of all across a large geographic area.

How would you describe yourself to someone who doesn’t know you?

I’m a Taurus. I don’t give up or give in when faced with a challenge. «

Drop by and see the new Regional Acute Stroke inpatient unit to serve Niagara residents. Learn about stroke care services from healthcare professionals during guided tours and see a video by stroke survivor Walter Gretzky.

May 3, 2010
Greater Niagara General Site
5546 Portage Rd., Niagara Falls
Acute Stroke Unit
Unit D, lower level
3 to 6 p.m.

Free parking in Allied Health lot off North Street only.

ADVANCEMENTS IN LAPAROSCOPIC PROSTATE SURGERY

Learn about a new procedure offered in Niagara for prostate cancer at this free public awareness forum. Speakers are Urologists Dr. Tom Song, NHS, and Dr. Edward Matsumoto, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

May 13, 2010
Quality Hotel Parkway
327 Ontario St., St. Catharines
6 p.m. (presentations begin at 7 p.m., followed by panel discussion)

Sponsored by Canadian Cancer Society, Blue Ribbon Committee, Niagara Health System. For more information, call 905-684-6455.

STROKE EDUCATION EVENING

Learn about the signs and symptoms of stroke, healthcare services available for Niagara residents, and lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of mini-stroke or acute stroke.

June 24, 2010
Fort Erie Public Library
Gilmore Rd., Fort Erie
6:30 p.m.
Presentations by NHS District Stroke Program, Heart & Stroke Foundation

Sponsored by Niagara Health System, Douglas Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

A growing number of fundraising events are scheduled to benefit our hospital foundations. Go to www.niagarahealth.on.ca/foundations/

In this Roundup (View PDF or browse links below)

• WalkArounds Raising awareness of patient safety
• Promoting our Urgent Care Centres
• Use the ash cans for your cigarette butts
• Honouring our 2009 retirees
• Congratulations to…

WalkArounds raising awareness of patient safety

In February, we provided a brief highlight from the second round of Patient Safety Leadership WalkArounds. The third round commenced in mid-April with senior team leaders returning to all the units from the first set of WalkArounds to ensure that we have followed through and resolved key items.

NHS leaders are dedicated to demonstrating their commitment to safety and to learning about all safety issues. The WalkArounds have proven that there is an increased awareness of safety issues among all clinicians and staff, and that the NHS is committed to making safety a priority by spending dedicated time promoting a safety culture. The overall feedback from staff who have participated in the WalkArounds indicates that these rounds are effective in moving NHS toward a more positive culture regarding patient safety.
The themes for current rounds are Specimen Labelling and NHS Disclosure Policy & Procedure. Specific factors in clinical work environments were identified that contribute to specimen labelling errors. Our goal was also to reinforce staff awareness and education on our Disclosure Policy.

We would also like to take this opportunity to give you a quick update on the implementation of the new online Incident Reporting System. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Street and Greater Niagara General sites are live! St. Catharines General began training April 19.
If you are a multi-site staff member and have already been trained, please train-it-forward to your colleagues! We have received extremely positive feedback on the new system and look forward to full implementation.

Please do not hesitate to call or email Cindy Ko, Patient Safety Specialist, if you have any questions or concerns at ext. 44420, cindy.ko@niagarahealth.on.ca «

In this Roundup (View PDF or browse links below)

• WalkArounds Raising awareness of patient safety
• Promoting our Urgent Care Centres
• Use the ash cans for your cigarette butts
• Honouring our 2009 retirees
• Congratulations to…

Promoting our Urgent Care Centres

This spring, information will flow in new ways for the NHS, as Corporate Communications and the Emergency program work together to get the word out on when to use our three Urgent Care Centres (UCC).

Staffer Shari Michaud, RN at Douglas Memorial UCC, is the voice of Niagara Health in a radio ad now running 40 times a week until mid-June on Welland’s Giant FM at 91.7. Tune in to hear her explain the types of conditions UCCs treat. The audio file is also posted on our website at www.niagarahealth.on.ca.

Over the next month, elementary and secondary school students of both school boards will be bringing home a new ER/Urgent Care regional brochure, complete with map showing our locations. This brochure will be given out in doctors’ offices, at our sites, and through Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara ambulances. Also being given out at our sites are eye-catching fridge magnets, showing the different types of care ERs and UCCs provide.

How will we measure the effectiveness of this promotion? Mainly by tracking patient volumes at our ERs/UCCs for triage level 4/5 (non-urgent) patients. The primary goals are to increase patient volumes at our two Lake Erie UCCs and decrease the number of non-urgent patients coming to our busy ERs. These level 4 and 5 patients can receive faster treatment at the UCCs or walk-in clinics. «

In this Roundup (View PDF or browse links below)

• WalkArounds Raising awareness of patient safety
• Promoting our Urgent Care Centres
• Use the ash cans for your cigarette butts
• Honouring our 2009 retirees
• Congratulations to…

Don’t forget to use the ash cans for your cigarette butts

The snow is long gone but, unfortunately, what’s left behind is the litter people toss into drifts. By far, the biggest litter problem on our properties is cigarette butts. Although Niagara Health has had a property-wide smoking ban in place since 2007, there continue to be smokers who do not abide by the signage, and who also leave their cigarette butts on the property.
A cigarette filter takes 12 years to decompose, and the cigarette butts that litter the ground contain more than 4,000 environmentally harmful chemicals, causing toxins to seep into ground water and eventually into our drinking water.
To try and resolve this continuing litter problem, the NHS purchased more ash cans last year and placed them at property boundaries. Please use the ash cans – not the sidewalk or grass boulevard to butt out!
Remember, smoking within nine metres of any hospital entrance can lead to a fine of $305 by Niagara Region Tobacco Enforcement Officers. «

In this Roundup (View PDF or browse links below)

• WalkArounds Raising awareness of patient safety
• Promoting our Urgent Care Centres
• Use the ash cans for your cigarette butts
• Honouring our 2009 retirees
• Congratulations to…

Honouring our 2009 retirees

An April celebration event took place to honour our employees who retired in 2009. Their length of service to their community is impressive as this year’s list shows. Congratulations to the 90 staff for a job well done!

Spotlight on our 40-year veterans

Patricia Edgar
Health Records Technician
Greater Niagara General Site

Judith Brown (1965)
Registered Practical Nurse
Welland Site

Christine Sokoloski
Registered Practical Nurse
Port Colborne Site

]]> http://niagarahealthnow.com/2010-04-29/honouring-our-2009-retirees/feed/ 0 http://niagarahealthnow.com/2010-04-29/congratulations-to-2/ http://niagarahealthnow.com/2010-04-29/congratulations-to-2/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:01:05 +0000 Niagara Health System http://niagarahealthnow.com/2010-04-29/congratulations-to-2/

In this Roundup (View PDF or browse links below)

• WalkArounds Raising awareness of patient safety
• Promoting our Urgent Care Centres
• Use the ash cans for your cigarette butts
• Honouring our 2009 retirees
• Congratulations to…

Congratulations to…

Susan Cubelic, Regional Director of Pharmacy, on her successful completion of the Pharmacy Leadership Academy program through the American Society of Health – System Pharmacists. The mission of the centre is to enhance the effectiveness of pharmacy leaders in developing, managing and continuously improving the medication-use process to improve the health and well-being of patients and communities. This valuable knowledge will benefit our patients directly to improve medication safety, quality of care and better utilization of healthcare resources.

Helen Dawson, who recently celebrated 60 years of service to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Auxiliary. Helen is so busy with and committed to her community volunteer responsibilities that she is never home! Niagara Health System is truly blessed to have her at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Site. Helen’s reputation as a “worker” and fabulous cook and baker are well known, and she lends a helping and capable hand whenever she can. In addition to her Auxiliary contributions, Helen was also a member of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Board.«

Maria Bau Coote regularly speaks publicly about her double organ transplant.

Niagara donations, transplants

8	Niagara residents were deceased donors in 2009
84	Niagara families consented to organ and tissue donation in 2009
21	lives were saved in 2009 through Niagara resident donations of 14 Kidneys / 4 Liver / 3 pairs of Lungs / 2 Hearts A person may have received more than one organ, so lives saved does not equal the number of organs
56	Niagarans on current wait list for transplants: 34 Kidney 2 Kidney pancreas 12 Liver 1 Liver Bowel 2 Heart 5 Lung
22	per cent of Niagara residents with an OHIP card registered their consent by end of 2009

Dr. Neil Malcolm, the lead Intensivist in St. Catharines General Site Intensive Care Unit, says that increasingly more patients and families are aware of organ donation.

Niagara Health System has hosted two Living Green Ribbon events at Greater Niagara General Site to raise awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donations.

HOW TO DONATE

How do you register your consent to be an organ and tissue donor?

You can register your consent at an OHIP office when you renew or register for your health card. If you have the red and white card or have recently renewed your card and did not consent to donate, you can go to the Trillium Gift of Life Network website and download a Gift of Life Consent Form. Fill it out and mail it in to the address on the form.

If I have signed my donor card, why do I need to register with OHIP?

A donor card is a paper card carried by the prospective donor. Your decision to donate is only known to the extent that you share this decision with your family and friends.
When you register your consent to donate organs and tissue with OHIP, this information is stored in a database for the purpose of ensuring that your decision to donate is known and respected. By registering your consent to donate, your donation decision is recorded, is made available to the right people at the right time, and is shared with your loved ones.

Why me? Throughout her young life Maria Bau Coote has asked herself this question countless times. Known for her positive outlook and beaming smile, the past 10 years of Maria’s life have been packed full of amazing achievements. She married the love of her life Paul Coote in 2001 and brick by brick they built their home together in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In 2008, Maria became Executive Director of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Family Health Team. Ten years ago, Maria would never have believed that in 2010 her life would be where it is today.

Diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age nine at a time when the disease was less prevalent among children than it is today, Maria struggled with being different from the other kids. “I remember kids didn’t want to sit beside me in class because they were afraid they would catch it. I continually asked, ‘Why me? Why am I different?’ ”

Coping with her diabetes into adulthood wasn’t easy. “I was angry and I didn’t take care of myself. I had just finished university, I was a diabetic, I was going on dialysis and in my mind I was going to die.” For three years, three times a week, Maria would spend five to six hours hooked up to a hemodialysis machine to cleanse her blood from the toxins and poisons that her kidneys could no longer handle. Maria’s part-time job as a registration clerk in the Emergency Department at St. Catharines General Site of the Niagara Health System was her escape. “I kept working when I could to stay sane. It was the only way I could maintain any normalcy in my life.”

With every day that passed, Maria’s health deteriorated. “I felt absolutely horrible all the time. I was tired and full of fluid. I had no future, no hope, no joy.”

It was 1997 and Maria’s nephrologist Dr. Ryuta  Nagai, was up on the leading research. Dr. Nagai convinced Maria and her family that she was a candidate for a new double transplant technique for kidney and pancreas. At the time, only eight such transplant surgeries had been successfully completed in Canada.

Maria remained on a transplant waiting list for nearly two years. With one false alarm behind her, on the morning of November 3, 1999, her beeper went off for a second time notifying her to get to the Toronto General site of University Hospital Network. “It was my dad’s birthday. I was on dialysis in St. Catharines and on the phone wishing him a happy birthday. I hung up the phone and called Trillium. By dinner time that day, I was in Toronto, prepped and heading into the operating room.”

Nine days later, 30-year-old Maria was on her way back to Niagara beginning a new chapter in her life, again asking herself, “Why me? I couldn’t believe how good I felt. It was immediate. When I got back home, I was overwhelmed with guilt knowing someone my age would have died for me to have this chance at life.”

Maria says that there is not a day that goes by where she doesn’t look at the surgical scar on her stomach. “I remind myself every day of the opportunity at life I have received because of the selflessness of a total stranger. I can never forget that.”

As lead Intensivist in St. Catharines General Site Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Neil Malcolm says that increasingly more patients and families are aware of organ donation.

Dr. Malcolm credits the efforts of NHS healthcare professionals in the critical care areas – ERs and ICUs – in partnership with the Trillium Gift of Life Network Organ and Tissue Coordinator Nancy Glover for the growing donation rate here in Niagara. “Understandably any discussion about potential organ donation is a very difficult and sensitive conversation to have with family and loved ones of the patient. Nancy works hand in hand with our doctors and staff to help us do what we can do to respect donors’ wishes, support families at a very difficult time and increase organ and tissue donation to save lives.”

The NHS had the sixth highest number of eye donations in the province, climbing steadily from 18 eyes recovered in 2005 to 132 eyes recovered in 2009.  In addition, there were eight multiple organ donors, resulting in the recovery and transplant of 23 life-saving organs, and five multiple tissue donations (such as skin, bone and heart valves), enhancing the lives of over 300 individuals. Also of note, in 2009, the NHS had over 95% compliance rate in notifying Trillium Gift of Life Network of every potential donor in Niagara.

NHS Chief Communications Officer Christine Clark was appointed in 2008 by the Province of Ontario to the volunteer Board of Directors of Trillium Gift of Life Network, Ontario’s central organ and tissue donation agency. “Making sure Ontarians know and understand about organ donation is vital to saving lives,” says Christine. “I encourage everyone to talk to their families about their wishes regarding donation.”

More than 1,600 people are on the transplant waiting list in Ontario, 56 of them from Niagara. “One donor’s generosity can have a tremendous impact on improving the health of others who desperately need transplants,” says Christine. “One organ donor can save up to eight lives through their donation and enhance the lives of up to 75 others through tissue donation.”

DID YOU KNOW

• One donor can save up to eight lives.
• More than 1,600 Ontarians are on a wait list for life-saving organs.
• Last year 953 life-saving transplants took place in Ontario as a result of the gift of life from deceased donors; 45 living donors gave part of their livers and 231 living kidney donors gave one of their kidneys.
• 218 deceased Ontarians gave the gift of life in 2009.
• Everyone is a potential organ and tissue donor, regardless of their age. To date, the oldest Canadian organ donor was over 90 years of age while the oldest tissue donor was 102 years old.
• Ultimately the ability to become an organ and tissue donor depends on several factors, including the health of the organs and tissue at the time of death.
• Recovery of organs and tissue is carried out with respect and dignity. It does not interfere with funeral practices and no one will know about your gift of life unless your family tells them.
• Organs and tissue that can be donated after death include the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, small bowel, stomach, corneas, heart valves, bone and skin.
• Studies show that donating the organs and tissue of a loved one who has died can provide immediate comfort and long-lasting consolation to family members in their grieving. «

Donna Rothwell: “It is a privilege to be a nurse, and it is a privilege to be the recipient of such a prestigious award.”

She is a strong leader whose approach and style foster strong and successful relationships and whose hard work and dedication to nursing are an inspiration to others.

The recipient of the 2009 Niagara Health System President’s Award is Donna Rothwell. The St. Catharines resident is the Chief Nursing and Professional Practice Officer and Health Program Director responsible for the regional Maternal Child Program and the Welland Site.

“Donna is an inspiring leader with a special talent for building strong and vibrant relationships within the hospital and with external partners,” says President and CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. “She is down to earth and approachable, and she shows care, compassion and respect to all, which is evident when she interacts with patients, her colleagues and the public. The vision of nursing at the hospital has been developed and nurtured under Donna’s guidance and leadership, and it reflects her tireless commitment to nursing and quality patient care.”

Donna spent the majority of her hands-on nursing career in the area of maternal child care. She was a popular prenatal nurse instructor for many years, teaching soon-to-be parents about changing diapers and feeding their babies, among other important parenting skills. Donna has evolved her nursing skills to become a
thoughtful and caring leader. She is sought after across the province to share her knowledge in the fields of nursing and interprofessional practice, in which healthcare professionals of all disciplines learn and work together.

In addition to her work at Niagara Health, Donna is completing her Master’s degree in Nursing. She also teaches nursing students at Niagara College.

“It is so hard to believe that I would receive such recognition and acknowledgement for something I love so much and that is nursing!” says Donna. “I feel honoured and overwhelmed. This award is even more meaningful as I was nominated by my colleagues who are very special people. It is a privilege to be a nurse, and it is a privilege to be the recipient of such a prestigious award.”

Six additional awards were presented to NHS employees who were nominated by their peers for demonstrating exceptional behaviours related to NHS Success Factors or Core Values.

Celebrating excellence are, from left: Betty-Lou Souter, Board Chair; Jane Karner, Case Manager; Donna Rothwell, Chief Nursing and Professional Practice Officer and Recipient of 2009 President’s Award; Rev. Bob Bond, Coordinator, Spiritual Care; Betty Boutilier, Site Coordinator Materials Management; Carol Henderson, Ward Clerk; Debbie Sevenpifer, President and CEO; Linda Kisch, Ward Clerk; Sharron Steward, Ward Clerk; Sue Gerbes, Community Care Access Centre; Andy Naundorf, Business Systems Analyst; Christena Watterson, Charge Nurse; Jillian Tweedy, Occupational Therapist.

Focus on those we serve

Linda Kisch, Ward Clerk, Emergency Department, Welland Site. Linda is always professional, patient and conscientious amid the hustle and bustle at the Nurses Station, which is the hub of the ER. She keeps everything moving smoothly while responding to competing demands and requests coming at her from all directions. Linda is eager to help doctors, nurses, patients, and anyone else who could use her help, and she can be counted on to give 100% to every task she takes on.

Bring out the best in each other

Betty Boutilier, Site Coordinator, Materials Management at Niagara Falls, Welland, Port Colborne and Douglas Memorial sites. As Betty’s responsibilities have increased, so too have her enthusiasm and leadership skills. She can be found rolling up her sleeves and working alongside staff to better understand their roles and the challenges they face. She recently identified areas of improvement in work flow and implemented the necessary changes, earning the respect of staff. Betty continually demonstrates her commitment to staff development by empowering staff to enhance their skills.

Build strong and successful relationships

Carol Henderson, Ward Clerk, Emergency Department, Welland Site. For more than five years, Carol has taken the lead in the ER to coordinate a mock scenario for hospital employees’ children for the Take Your Kids to Work day. For the third year now, she is the lead in planning a mock scenario for the Take Care of Your Future program, geared for high school students considering a career in healthcare. Carol volunteers her time to bring together doctors, nurses, healthcare providers, paramedics and firefighters to showcase their skills and compassion by creating a scenario that offers students a realistic snapshot of a day in the life in the ER.

Create a better way

Andy Naundorf, Business Systems Analyst, Information and Communications Technology, all sites. Andy has been instrumental in supporting the technological aspects of setting up, growing and maintaining source•net, the hospital’s intranet, a primary communications tool. He is the resident expert when it comes to questions about computers, and staff routinely approach him to sort out glitches or help resolve problems with various software programs. Andy is always pleasant and loves to help, knowing that he makes life easier for his colleagues and for the Niagara Health System.

Use our resources wisely

Team award. Sue Gerbes from Community Care Access Centre, and from NHS Jane Karner, Case Manager; Sharron Steward, Ward Clerk; Jillian Tweedy, Occupational Therapist; and Christena Watterson, Charge Nurse, all from St. Catharines General Site. This team was established as part of the FLO Collaborative, a LHIN/provincial quality improvement program, and has made significant changes that improve patient flow in the Medical Unit at the St. Catharines site. Team members have developed and implemented several tools which promote improved patient communication and safety and better communication among healthcare disciplines. Lessons learned by this team are shared with their peers.

Compassion, Professionalism and Respect

Rev. Bob Bond, Spiritual Care Coordinator, Welland Site. Among Bob’s many responsibilities at the hospital is helping families and loved ones in the Emergency Department at times of crisis and pain. The nurses in the ER know they can call Bob at any time, and he will respond to their request to help those struggling with loss and grief. Bob is known for treating everyone with utmost compassion, professionalism and respect. He is willing to help in any situation. The challenges of working in an ER are well known to Bob, and he can often be heard providing words of support to the staff.

“All of the nominations are a terrific reflection of the outstanding contributions made by those working in our hospital system to ensure patients receive the best possible care,” says Rachel Bayley, Consultant, Organizational Development.“«

It’s a conversation you hope and pray you never have.

Yet every day in Ontario, families faced with the tragic or sudden death of a loved one look beyond their tragedies to save and improve the lives of others through organ and tissue donation. In the midst of profound personal loss, making the decision to donate is a life-changing act for families. Knowing that other lives were saved or enhanced becomes a core part of the healing process for the loved ones of an organ and tissue donor.

Have you told your spouse, siblings, children or friends about your wishes? What would you want if suddenly it was you who fell off a ladder or experienced a terrible motor vehicle accident and succumbed to your injuries? Would your voice be heard? Would the people you leave behind know your wishes and be able to be comforted by giving your gift of life?

More and more families and friends are making time to talk about organ donation and their wishes. I’ve told my husband if I die unexpectedly please respect my wish to donate my organs and tissue. I’ve also registered my consent to donate through the OHIP registry. It is vitally important, whether you decide to consent to donate or not, to discuss your wishes with your family. By doing so, you relieve your family of the burden to decide whether to donate on your behalf during their time of grief.

Despite increasing awareness around donation, there is more that can be done. To learn more, please visit www.giftoflife.on.ca.  «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer

Debbie Sevenpifer,
President and Chief Executive Officer

It never fails to bring a smile to my face when I see our volunteers busily going about their tasks with a warmth, kindness and professionalism that is obvious to all those around them.

I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the fine men and women who volunteer with the Niagara Health System. One of the things that strikes me about these dedicated people is their commitment to improving healthcare and the lives of others. Whether it is a family member or a stranger, their compassion and dedication to the community make a difference to all those they touch.

At Niagara Health, we are truly grateful for the 1,100 volunteers who give their time so generously. As a small token of our appreciation, the hospital organizes a special luncheon in April each year for this special group of people who don’t think twice about putting others first. They see a need in their communities and always go the extra mile to make sure that need is met.

Our volunteer ranks include auxiliary members, board members, standing committee members and individuals serving through our Volunteer Resources programs. All ages and from all backgrounds, our volunteers contribute to ensuring the highest quality care for patients in many ways.

These are just some of the many areas in which our volunteers share their skills, abilities, experience and talents:

Patient support, including palliative care, friendly visiting, pet and art therapy, entertainment and patient feeding.

Leadership, which can involve serving on the Board of Trustees, auxiliary executives and working committees.

Raising money, through gift shops, foundations, bazaars, craft sales, raffles and other initiatives.

Supporting staff, by helping with filing, photocopying, research and database management.

We simply couldn’t do the work that we do without the vitally important contributions of our volunteers. In these challenging times in healthcare, I have no doubt that we will continue to rely on our volunteers to help us provide our patients and their families with the quality care and compassion they deserve. I also have no doubt that our volunteers will continue to welcome the opportunity to help the people in Niagara who depend on their support and generosity.

We are always looking for more volunteers, and I would encourage anyone interested in volunteering at the hospital to go to the NHS website (niagarahealth.on.ca) and click on the About Volunteering link or call the main hospital number (905-378-4647) and ask for Volunteer Resources.

Our volunteers’ uncompromised loyalty and duty to patients and their families are gifts to be treasured, and we at the Niagara Health System are truly grateful for these extraordinary gifts.  «