Page 19 - Sharpening the Focus at UHN

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First wheelchair accessible garden Re-imagining outpatient care to fit

blossoms at Bickle patient needs
PURPOSE, VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

Toronto Rehab is painting the hospital workshop led by Ayal Dinner, Executive Director at A patient with diabetes arrives at the It’s an inefficient way of getting patients to the
green this summer with UHN’s first Greenest City, and Arlene Hazzan Green, Co-Owner Toronto Western Hospital (TWH) specialist they need.
wheelchair accessible garden at Bickle & Operator, The Backyard Urban Farm Company. CLINICAL OPTIMIZATION That’s why the TWH GIM team has reimagined
Emergency Department feeling
Centre for Complex Continuing Care. “This has been a great team-building exercise,” says unwell. Something is wrong with the how they deliver care – setting up new clinics and

Toronto Rehab’s Bickle Green Team received funding Paula Cripps-McMartin, Clinical Director, Bickle person’s blood sugar levels and reorganizing current ones to fit patient needs, keeping
from TD Friends of the Environment to start a Centre. “We’re working together to create something kidney function. patients out of the hospital and, for those who do need
CARING SAFELY
collaborative effort involving staff, patients and the new, learn from each other, and have some fun while After being assessed by Emergency staff, the patient to be admitted, getting them discharged sooner.
Parkdale community organization Greenest City, to we’re doing it.” is stable and can probably go home safely after being “Over 90 per cent of patients who come to the
create a 1,200-square-foot community garden located According to a recent UHN survey, 98 per cent of staff given some medication, but will need a follow-up Emergency Department and are referred to GIM get
in the heart of Bickle Centre’s property. indicated environmental protection was important to appointment with a specialist within the next few days admitted, and we were also aware of a high number
PATIENT EXPERIENCE
The six plant beds are elevated, enabling a wheelchair them. – something that the Emergency Department isn’t of patients being admitted for only 24 hours,” says
accessible, inclusive gardening experience for all Bickle’s garden project aims to promote these values equipped to arrange. Dr. Tom MacMillan, Staff Physician, GIM.
patients and staff to enjoy. and increase environmental accountability through As a precaution, the patient gets admitted to hospital “Taken together this indicated to us that our team

A group of green thumbs at Bickle, including local food production, water conservation, waste and referred to the General Internal Medicine (GIM) needed to come up with a better system to assess and
TEAM ENGAGEMENT
staff from recreational therapy, speech language reduction, and educating the community on the role unit. On the one hand, this is a guaranteed way to follow up with these patients as well as keep them out
pathology, nursing, clinical nutrition, spiritual care, of urban gardens for environmental protection. ensure the patient will see a specialist, but on the other of the hospital.”
volunteer resources, maintenance, management and the person ends up staying overnight at the hospital.
administration, gathered in summer for a planting Link to full story: click here. Link to full story: click here.

IT TRANSFORMATION Also Making News
Also Making News

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Seventeen safety achievement
Peter Munk Cardiac Centre badges earned in program’s
aiming to understand the patient first year
experience in real time

MICHENER INTEGRATION Research team discovers
The ultimate assist: one hockey biomarkers that cause spine
parent donates liver to another osteoarthritis

Diversity initiative at UHN works to Early intervention in psychosis
promote awareness and inclusion program helps patients lead
Dr. Tom MacMillan (L) and GIM resident Dr. Kevin Venus go over patient
Over summer, the Bickle Gardening Group gathered for a planting workshop referrals before starting their day in the GIM clinics. TWH GIM has restructured full lives
led by Parkdale community organization, Greenest City. Richard Khoo, its outpatient care to ensure patients receive the care they need without being
Clinical Project Lead, Bickle Redevelopment (left) and Klara Siber-Simic, admitted to the hospital (Photo: UHN)
Spiritual Care Practitioner, enjoyed the sunshine and soil. (Photo: UHN)

18 Sharpening the Focus at UHN Year in Review 2016 – 2017 19 19