Page 12 - Sharpening the Focus at UHN

PURPOSE, VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
CLINICAL OPTIMIZATION
Apr/16 May/16 Jun/16 Jul/16 Aug/16 Sept/16 Oct/16 Nov/16 Dec/16 Jan/17 Feb/17 Mar/17
CARING SAFELY
Heart function day unit open for business
in new space
PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Tucked away at one end of the long
hallway in the fifth floor Ambulatory
TEAM ENGAGEMENT
Cardiac Clinics area of the Peter
Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC), a
bright new space is now open. And
Carlos Gaspar, along with Registered Nurse Suzanne
IT TRANSFORMATION
Hemeon, was the first to occupy it.
Gaspar had aortic valve surgery at PMCC in January
2016 and while recovering at a rehabilitation centre,
contracted a virus that left him with Congestive Heart
Failure. As a result, he requires regular treatment,
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
which is where the room fills a void.
“The treatment room is for short-term out-patient
therapy, interventions and infusions,” says Suzanne.
“These are treatments which could take up to
three or four hours and do not require continuous
MICHENER INTEGRATION
monitoring.”
Among the treatments patients receive in the large,
airy space: intravenous Lasix, iron infusions, first
Suzanne Hemeon, RN Coordinator, Ambulatory Cardiac Clinics,
provides care to 77-year-old Carlos Gaspar, a congestive heart failure
patient, inside the newly-opened Richard A.G. Robinson Heart
Function Day Unit at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. (Photo: UHN)
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dose antibiotics for patients going home on homecare,
dressing changes, intravenous (IV) fluid replacement
for dehydrated patients, blood transfusions, and IV
medication administration.
The Richard A. G. Robinson Heart Function Day
Unit was made possible through philanthropy via the
Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, and is seen as
beneficial for both patients and staff for a variety of
reasons, including:
• Appointments can be scheduled to coincide with
clinic visits if needed
• Appointments can be ordered upon assessment of
the patient (in the moment) to manage symptoms
• Patients remain ambulatory in the clinic for
monitoring and further decision-making
• Instills confidence in the patient and decreases
wait time
Link to full story: click here.
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Discharge Summary
Mom dances again: Stroke patient to
dance at son’s wedding
UHN volunteers provide HELP for
patients
Sharpening the Focus at UHN
Apr/15 May/15 Jun/15 Jul/15
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Aug/16 Sept/16 Oct/16 Nov/16 Dec/16 Jan/17 Feb/17 Mar/17
Sealing babies’ vessels and a lasting
legacy: Dr. Karel terBrugge retires from
Medical Imaging
Etched in one man’s legacy are the This rare, life-threatening condition, which has been
words Founding Father, President, described as “Niagara Falls of the brain” due to the rush
PURPOSE, VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
Editor-in-Chief, Chair, Head and Site of blood to the brain, usually develops in utero during
Chief. A collection of prestigious titles the embryonic stage of development, and is a result of
decorate the long and lustrous career abnormal connections between the arteries and veins in
of Dr. Karel terBrugge, who, after 40 years of clinical the brain.
CLINICAL OPTIMIZATION
service and leadership with the Joint Department of
Medical Imaging (JDMI), has retired from his role With little time to save Audrey’s life, she was
as Head of the Division of Neuroradiology and Site immediately transferred to SickKids Hospital. She
Chief of Medical Imaging at Toronto Western Hospital. weighed just four pounds. The healthcare team wanted
Audrey to gain more weight before they performed
(TWH) CARING SAFELY
surgery but within 24 hours, they realized they couldn’t
But for 12-year old Audrey Fennell, he is simply her control the heart failure any longer.
hero. “We were told to prepare for the worst,” recalls Sheila.
It was back in January 2004. Sheila Fennell had just “Dr. terBrugge informed us of the seriousness of
PATIENT EXPERIENCE
given birth to beautiful twin girls, Audrey and Hannah. Audrey’s condition and the high risk associated with
Two days later, she received the discouraging news: the procedure, but we had very little choice.”
Audrey had been diagnosed with Vein of Galen
Malformation (VGM). Link to full story: click here.
TEAM ENGAGEMENT
Also Making News
IT TRANSFORMATION
Caring Safely patient story: ‘I was all
that mattered to her.’
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION New Michener blog post launches with
simulation education
Epilepsy diet clinic offers hope for
patients with hard to control seizures
MICHENER INTEGRATION
Dr. Karel terBrugge achieved many prestigious titles during 40 years of
clinical service, but to one young patient and her family, he is a hero.
(Photo: UHN)
Year in Review 2016 – 2017 13