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in
Issue 21
Fall 2008
Dr. Nicolae Molotiu has
focus
A Newsletter for the Staff of the MHA
New Chief
of Anesthesia
retired as the chief of
anesthesia at Strathroy
Middlesex General Hospital
(SMGH), but he is still
Dr. Richard H. Tilsworth, MD, FRCPC, is
the new chief of anesthesia at SMGH. The
former acting director of the Pain Clinic at
Victoria Hospital in London, Ont.,
Dr. Tilsworth also heads the
Middlesex Hospital Alliance Pain
Clinic at SMGH.
practicing and remains
active at the
hospital.
Aboriginal Diabetes Conference Well Attended
see story on page 4
New Chief
of Emergency
at SMGH
Dr. Julie Copeland
became the chief of emergency services at Strathroy Middlesex
General Hospital (SMGH) on June 1, 2008 and did a tremendous job of managing the busy summer months with no
disruption of emergency services. The SMGH Emergency
Department is a busy place – last year there were 28,000 visits.
Dr. Copeland practices out of her office at the Southwest
Middlesex Health Centre in nearby Mount Brydges.
X-tended
X-ray
Times at
FCHS
The Diagnostic Imaging Department at Four
Counties Health Services (FCHS) is now pleased
to offer general x-ray appointments (this does
not include ultrasound tests or cardiac tests) to
outpatients on Saturdays.
Appointments are available at half-hour intervals
each Saturday, beginning at 1300 hours and ending
at 1600 hours.
Emergency requests will take precedence over booked
appointments.
NEW
Mini Bus
gets a
demo at
its new home at FCHS.
MHA Reaches
Goal for
CT Scanner !
By Danielle Bruce,
SMGH Foundation
The $2.5 million goal
of the It’s About
Time! CT-scanner
campaign was
achieved in August
2008, thanks to the
remarkable support
of our community’s
residents, businesses,
service clubs, and the
Middlesex Hospital
Alliance staff and
volunteers.
“It was a team effort,”
says Don Weekes, the
campaign co-chair,
Four Counties Health
Clockwise from top left: Roy Armas, Maria Azevedo’s nephew; Continuing Care Staff: Arlene Forsythe,
Services (FCHS)
Lois Gill, Donna Carruthers, Linda Anderson, Liz Hayward, Jane Vanderelst, and Christine Ioannis
Foundation. “I am an
(absent: Pam Brown and Marguerite Walker, clinical leader); and Teresa Ferreira, Angelo Brum and
enormous admirer
Zelia Armas, family members.
of what has been
accomplished in just over a year and a half,
and I am very proud of our success.”
Maria L. Azevedo, who suffered the debilitating
effects of multiple sclerosis for nearly 35 years, is
“Our goal was surpassed,” says George Sinker,
remembered by family, friends and the nursing staff
campaign co-chair, Strathroy Middlesex General
at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital (SMGH) for
Hospital (SMGH) Foundation. “Both foundations
her spirit and grace.
thank all the volunteers, physicians, staff members
A Memorial Donation
and the campaign teams for their efforts.”
Each year during the next few years, the FCHS
Foundation must raise $250,000 and the SMGH
Foundation must raise more than $1 million to fully
fund the new equipment that’s required.
Lorna Campbell, the newly elected chair of the
SMGH Foundation says, “Technology changes at
such a rapid pace that it will take all of us working
together to ensure that every medical advantage is
available close to home.”
Smoke
Free!
2
Our Team Confirms
Compliance
A Smoke-Free Environment Issues team at the
Middlesex Hospital Alliance (MHA) is reviewing the
existing smoke-free policy to ensure compliance with
the current legislative requirements of the Tobacco
Control Act as well as the municipal bylaw.
Our current Smoke-Free Environment
Policy states:
in
focus
“In accordance with provincial legislation and
municipal bylaw, the Hospital does not permit
smoking or holding lighted tobacco in the Hospital
In memory of Maria Azevedo and in thanks for the
care provided to her, the Azevedo family has donated
$18,000 to the SMGH Foundation. “A sincere thankyou to each of you for your kindness and the superb
care given to my aunt Maria,” says Roy Armas,
an employee of SMGH. “Our family especially
appreciates the wonderful nurses for their loving care
and gentle manner when handling her daily needs.”
The family’s generous donation will support the
purchase of new wheelchairs and the CT scanner.
or within nine metres of Hospital entrances. Every
person on Hospital premises is required to comply
with this policy.”
The team comprises one member, each, from the
Joint Health Safety and Environmental Committee,
the Patient Safety Committee and the Human
Resources Department, plus one representative,
each, from Nursing, Clinical Services and Four
Counties Health Services.
The team’s work will include a review of our existing
signage, smoking areas and security related to the
protection of staff and patients while outdoors.
If you have any questions or comments about the team
or this review, please contact Andrew King at ext. 5935.
FCHS Foundation buys New Cardiac Monitors
The Four Counties Health Services (FCHS) Foundation
has purchased six new cardiac monitors for improved
patient care. Almost half of the $225,000 price tag was
provided by the $100,000 donated last year by retiring
physician Dr. Earl Russell.
“Dr. Russell served this community as an anesthetist
and pain clinic director for many years and now his
generosity has been invaluable in purchasing this
excellent new equipment,” says Dorothy Gilles,
coordinator of the FCHS Foundation. “He is greatly
appreciated.”
“The FCHS Foundation has done a splendid job of
fundraising,” says Lynda Robinson, director of patient
services at FCHS. “These new monitors are a huge
benefit to patient care.”
The new monitors are being used in the Acute Care
Nursing unit and in the Emergency Department.
The Safety Groups program,
which is administered by the
Workplace Safety and Insurance
Board (WSIB), promotes health
and safety in the workplace and rewards member
firms that incorporate prevention measures into their
daily business.
The program groups similar organizations so staff can
share their experiences in implementing injury-and-
“Our previous monitors were
hardwired to the walls in four of the
rooms,” Robinson explains. “We
can use these new wireless monitors
on portable stands so we don’t need
to have a ‘monitor room’ available for
patients. We simply wheel the cart to
where the patient is.”
Additionally, the new cardiac monitors have
more leads – 12 instead of five – which provide
expanded modality. “This technology is more accurate
and more sensitive than our previous monitors,”
Robinson says. “It allows us to monitor a patient
over time to determine how he or she is responding
to treatment, then we can highlight benchmarks and
print out a report. The clarity of picture is much better
– like HDTV over regular television – so it’s easier to
read and to see trends in movement.”
illness prevention programs. Each Safety Group
has a sponsor that guides the process by organizing
workshops and assisting with the development
of action plans. The Ontario Hospital Association
is the sponsor of the Middlesex Hospital Alliance
(MHA).
In addition to maintaining previously implemented
initiatives, the MHA selects five new initiatives,
each year, to add to our current practices.
New Safety
Initiatives
By Andrew King
MHA Safety Officer
Here are the 2008 MHA Safety Group initiatives which must be completed by the end
of December 2008 in order to qualify for any possible rebate:
Lock Out/Tag Out A policy and procedure is currently in development to meet legislative requirements
and ensure the safety of employees who work with equipment that could become energized during
maintenance or service.
Health and Safety Policy As a result of the SARS Commission Report, this initiative is mandatory for all
Safety Groups. It requires the MHA to post its commitment to protect employees when there is reason to believe
a hazard exists although scientific certainty (through evidence such as lab results) is not yet available.
Return to Work Self-Assessment Guide The MHA Human Resources Department has employed the
WSIB Return to Work Self-Assessment Guide to identify gaps in our existing program.
Supervisor Competency A training session for all directors, managers and supervisors will review the duties
and responsibilities legislated under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to establish due diligence within
their areas of responsibility.
Records Review and Analysis A new written standard will regulate the periodic review of Occupational
Health and Safety documents such as hazards reports, incident investigations and near-miss reports. These
regular reviews will identify improvements or process changes that can be made to provide a safer work
environment or practices for MHA employees.
To make a comment or ask questions about these or other safety issues, please contact Andrew King at extension 5935.
3
in
focus
Diabetes
Conference
By Jammie
Bowman,
Diabetes
Education
There were more than 300
registrants last June for
the Aboriginal Diabetes
Conference organized by
the Diabetes Education
Centre (DEC) of the Middlesex Hospital Alliance
(MHA) in partnership with the First Nations of
Southwestern Ontario.
“The rate of diabetes is three to five times greater for
Aboriginal Peoples than for the general population,”
says Marilyn Tobias, community health representative,
Moravian of the Thames First Nation. “The goal of this
conference is to empower adult First Nations people to
take positive self-care action that will result in better
health outcomes for diabetes.”
The conference also demonstrated the unique
partnership between diabetes educators and
aboriginal communities, and their shared
commitment to long-term education and support.
“The conference featured inspirational and
entertaining speakers, the popular Southern
Ontario Diabetes Initiative (SOADI) foot-care
clinic, a Tai Chi break,
exhibits and door prizes,”
says Barbara Whiteye, a
member of the planning
committee and diabetes
prevention co-ordinator for
SOADI, Western Region.
“Diabetes can be managed to reduce the risk of serious
complications,” says Alison Lenny, program coordinator of the DEC. “Teaching how to manage the
disease is one of the major roles played by the DEC.
New
Dermatology
Clinic at FCHS
4
in
focus
Dr. Jon Dreyer, chief of staff at
Four Counties Health Services (FCHS),
welcomes Dr. Wei Loo to the team
of physicians at the
Middlesex Hospital Alliance.
“The new dermatology service at FCHS will
be a great benefit to our community,” says
Dr. Dreyer. “Until now the wait time for
a dermatology consultation has been
longer than 18 months, and patients
needed to travel to London. Now
patients will be able to access care
close to home and likely faster.”
Dr. Loo received her internal medicine training
at the University of New South Wales in
Sydney, Australia. In 2006 she went on to
complete a dermatology fellowship at
Women’s College Hospital in Toronto,
after which she was a dermatology
consultant at University Hospital
of North Durham in Durham,
England, before returning to
Canada with her family last
spring.
Dr. Loo will operate
a dermatology clinic
at FCHS on the first
Thursday of every month.