2016 ANNUAL REPORT
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Meet some of the experts on RVH’s cardiac team Advanced cardiac care at RVH is just around the corner. Key to delivering such exceptional heart care are the experts on our healthcare team - professionals such as Connie Prior (left), registered echocardiography sonographer, Dr. Stephen Pizzale, cardiologist, and Kaitlin Braiden, a registered nurse on RVH’s Cardiac Renal unit. RVH donors are ensuring the right tools - such as the echocardiogram machine (left) and automatic blood pressure machine (right) - are in the right hands through their support of the Hearts & Minds campaign.
Make each life better. Together.
THE REALTOR WHO UNDERSTANDS CHANGE... IN YOUR HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
Anna Small
, B.A.
Sales Representative
Direct:
705.790.9898 Office:
705.720.2200 www.annasmalladams.ca anna@yourbarrierealty.ca Serving the Residents of Simcoe County for over 19 Years
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ANNA SMALL-ADAMS OF KELLER WILLIAMS EXPERIENCE REALTY, BROKERAGE HAS BEEN SERVING THE BARRIE AND SIMCOE COUNTY AREA FOR MORE THAN 19 YEARS. Anna’s expertise, experience and market knowledge makes her the ideal choice as a sales representative, but it is her focus on the client that truly sets her apart. “For me, in 19-plus years, the client is number one. It’s not about me, it’s about the service that I can bring to my client,” Anna explained, noting she particularly enjoys working with first-time homebuyers and those nearing, or in retirement. With a focus on selling single-family residential, condominiums and Lifestyle properties, Anna is a sales representative and realtor who pays attention to detail and truly listens to the client. Making sure a home inspection is done, even on a relatively new home, ensuring information from the mortgage provider is complete and won’t bring surprises, and using a trusted network of trades for landscaping, plumbing, electrical and interior work, are just some of the ways in which Anna improves the home buying process. Lifestyle properties are designed for those
nearing retirement or in retirement, and may include high-rise condominiums, townhouse condominiums or independent retirement lifestyle communities with purchase and life lease options. At a complementary planning meeting, Anna goes over a life plan with clients, to help them positively and effectively plan for the future. “We sit down and we go through what their plans are for the next five, 10, 15 years,” Anna said. “Are they where they want to be at this point and do they know where they want to go? Really it’s a conversation at the kitchen table asking what are they looking for and how can I help? In the process we can sell their home and then give them a good idea what is out there, whether it’s in the immediate area here, somewhere else in the province, in Canada or in the United States.” Through a company that she participates in for ongoing professional development, Anna has a global realtor network of colleagues to whom she can refer local clients who may wish to settle down outside of Simcoe County, Ontario, or even Canada. “I have my network that I can access and be able to refer them to someone that’s not just a name on a piece of paper,” Anna
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explained. “These are people that over the last seven to eight years I’ve gotten to know quite well and we’ve done business together.” When moving to locations with different real estate legislation the process can be quite difficult, but Anna’s knowledgeable real estate connections educate clients and make sure they understand everything necessary to purchase in a new jurisdiction. “It does take planning, it doesn’t happen overnight,” Anna said, emphasizing she always takes the time to really let a client’s vision emerge. “I’m not the kind of realtor who tries to put a square peg in a round hole.” Anna is a sponsor and patron of several community organizations including Theatre by the Bay, Talk is Free Theatre and the Barrie Music Festival Association. She also gives to various local charities including Royal Victoria Cancer Clinic in Barrie and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Barrie. “I hope everyone has a safe and lovely summer and I am available anytime.” TO CONTACTANNA CALL 705-790-9898 OR E-MAIL HER AT: ANNA@YOURBARRIEREALTY.CA.
Vi
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Our Commitment Relaxing to you... Calming Reassuring Dental Care
Dr. M. Yan Dental Care and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre Improving Community Health Care Together.
Our dental family is always growing. We warmly welcome new patients.
Dr. M. Yan
DENTAL CARE Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
Good Dentistry
is more than just exceptional clinical skills and state of the art equipment. We believe in meticulous, one-on-one dentistry in an environment that is relaxed, calming, reassuring. Your health and comfort is always our first priority.
Our Commitment
is to provide dental excellence in helping you achieve and maintain a lifetime of optimum oral wellness. We hope to make a difference in how you feel, how you look, and how you go about life. Dental health is that important.
Royal Court Medical Centre 1 Quarry Ridge, Suite 308 • Barrie Evening & Saturday Hours Available Free Parking
705-726-2352
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
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From fighting infections on the front lines to keeping the health centre floors spic and span, our Environmental Services team (EVS) does it all. Showing the many roles played by EVS members are (from left) Mandy Belinger, Tricia Wines, Michel Fortier, Karen Pattinson, Monique Piper, Nigussie Nigussie, Kristy Hunter, Rosalyn Rowe and Sam Stevenson.
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General Manager Elise Allain Advertising Manager Kim Harrison Advertising Representatives Angelika Crisp Shannon Dunlop Debbie Halikas Mary March Christine Murray Editorial and Photography RVH Corporate Communications Suzanne Legue Jane Cocking Donna Danyluk Jennifer Moore Denise Philpott Kaylee MacMillan Cover Photography Nat Caron Photography
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What's inside 5
Message from RVH
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By the Numbers
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Message from the RVH Foundation
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Our success stories
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Hearts & Minds campaign update
10 Green light for advanced cardiac care 12 Heart patient ‘lucky to be alive’ 14 Reclaiming their health 15 Furry-friends bring cheer 16 Breaking down barriers 18 He’s still on active duty 20 Visiting now 24/7 at RVH 22 Meet inspirational Alex Massie 24 Mind, body and spirit 25 In-hospital dialysis now here 26 Young people need our help 28 Your voice matters 29 Couple help improve access to care 30 Our donors ‘Think Big’ 32 Power of Team – meet our staff 34 Cancer was not on her bucket list
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
A message from Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) At RVH we are on a journey of transformation. We are led by our unwavering commitment to safety and quality and by our laser-like focus on putting patients and families at the centre of everything we do. We continue to push ourselves to the next level – raising the bar to bridge the gap in much-needed services and bring exceptional care close to home for the residents of Simcoe Muskoka. Advanced Cardiac program - RVH is developing an Advanced Cardiac program which will provide diagnostics and interventions such as angiograms and angioplasty, giving patients access to faster treatment, a shorter hospital stay and less travel time. RVH will begin providing these lifesaving services in 2017.
Janice Skot (left), and Kirsten Parker
RVH Board of Directors Kirsten Parker (chair) Michael O’Keefe (1st vice chair) Charlotte Wallis (2nd vice chair) Janice Skot (secretary) Directors: Jake Arnold Shawn Binns Doug Frost Michael Gleason Rob Hall Harry Hughes Douglas Jure Barbara Love Treva McCumber, Chief Nursing Executive Janice Williams, President, RVH Auxiliary As of September 1, 2016: Dr. Kerstin Mossman, President, RVH Medical Staff Dr. Rob El-Maraghi, Vice President, RVH Medical Staff
Women’s Cancer Services - RVH is a designated gynecologic Centre of Excellence, only one of eight in the province, and is now able to provide the full range of services for women with gynecological cancer, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Child and Youth Mental Health Services - RVH will open an eightbed inpatient unit for children and youth facing mental health issues, as well as providing outpatient and crisis support and a day hospital program in 2017. RVH currently provides assessment and referral in its regional Urgent Consult Clinic for youth in crisis. Dialysis at RVH - RVH recently opened an in-hospital dialysis clinic as part of the Regional Kidney Care Program - Simcoe Muskoka. It means patients who are admitted to hospital in Barrie or Alliston no longer have to travel to Orillia for dialysis. Visitors are welcome 24/7 - One more way RVH is improving the patient and family experience is 24/7 visiting hours, an initiative driven by the health centre’s Patient Family Advisory Council. The stories contained in this year’s Vitalsigns describe just some of the ways RVH is improving your healthcare to Make each life better. Together. As we continue to grow and expand one thing remains steadfast, and that is our promise to deliver safe, quality patient-centred care. It is a promise we take seriously. Respectfully,
Dr. Jeffrey Tyberg, Chief of Staff, RVH Thank you to outgoing RVH Board Director, Jeff Scott; outgoing President, RVH Medical Staff, Dr. Sandy McDonald; and interim Chief of Staff, RVH, Dr. Paul Voorheis for sharing their time and expertise with us.
Kirsten Parker, MSc. EdD Chair RVH Board of Directors
Janice M. Skot, MHSc,CHE President and CEO RVH
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
A message from the RVH Foundation Residents of this region have given RVH millions of reasons to be grateful. In May 2015 we launched the $25 million Hearts & Minds campaign with $12.5 million already pledged. Today, with more than $17 million raised, we are well on the way to reaching our goal. But more exciting is how your donations are already making a difference to patients! You’ve made a lot happen. RVH is using your donations to buy equipment for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac patients. New echocardiogram machines and cardiac stress treadmills are making an immediate impact, providing our specialized and growing heart team with the equipment they need to help their patients. Equipment is vital for diagnosing and treating disease and is also 100 per cent the responsibility of the community. Just as your cell phone or car must be replaced, so too must medical equipment. The average lifespan for major equipment is seven to 10 years. This year donor dollars funded the purchase of a pivotal piece in diagnostics – a new state-of-the-art CT scanner which provides advanced diagnostics for more than 20,000 patients each year. So the next time you or a loved one is receiving a diagnosis using this technology, reflect on the fact that without donors, RVH would not have this piece of equipment. And the CT is only one example. Across the hospital new equipment funded by donors is making a difference. Items such as pool lifts in Rehabilitation, glucose monitors in Dialysis and bladder scanners in surgery equipment that is used to treat patients every day. I personally can’t go past the cancer centre without reflecting on the thousands of people who are treated there every year and, thanks to your support, RVH has even more cancer services to offer. We now provide gynecological services for women throughout this region and as far away as Sudbury and Peterborough.
Dave McCullough Chair, RVH Foundation Board of Directors
RVH Foundation Board of Directors David McCullough (chair) John Byles (vice chair) Janice Skot, President & CEO, RVH (secretary) Ben Petersen, Vice President, Corporate Services & CFO, RVH (treasurer) Kirsten Parker, chair, Board of Directors, RVH Directors: Scott Elliott Dan Faber Dr. Matthew Follwell Jimmy Furlano Cesia Green Wayne Hubbard, Past President, RVH Auxiliary Paul Larche Mayor Jeff Lehman, City of Barrie Warden Gerry Marshall, County of Simcoe Doug Moody
Our $25 million goal is a significant undertaking, but I am inspired by what we will achieve together.
Dale Pickard
So please, the next time you’re at RVH or passing by, take a moment to be proud of yourself and your community – knowing your support has touched the lives of thousands of patients and families.
CEO, RVH Foundation:
Make no mistake - your donations do change lives. Dave McCullough Chair, RVH Foundation Board of Directors
Dan Revell
Eric Dean Thank you to the following outgoing RVH Foundation Board of Directors for sharing their time and expertise with us - David Blenkarn, Barry Green, Lloyd Lawrence and Peter Moore.
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
“I go to your home or office, set up a fitness program based on YOUR goals and work with you to reach them.”
Building on our success
General Fitness Spor Sport and Event Training FitForeGolf Rehabilitation Weight Loss Contact: Andre Gordon, fitnessonthego.ca • 1-888-808-2348
Barrie: 705-321-5628
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Awarded Accreditation with Exemplary Standing in 2015 by Accreditation Canada – the highest level of recognition and only achieved by 20 per cent of Canadian healthcare organizations.
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RVH was awarded Stroke Distinction, receiving the Award of Excellence from Accreditation Canada - one of only 10 hospitals in Canada to receive this designation.
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For the seventh consecutive year RVH has been recognized with a healthy workplace award having received a Gold Quality Healthcare Workplace Award from the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA).
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RVH’s Laboratory achieved the highest accreditation status possible with a four-year accreditation rating.
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The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario has recognized RVH for achieving 10 years as a Best Practice Spotlight Organization for excellence in evidence-based nursing practice.
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Established academic affiliations with 22 universities and colleges including formal partnership with the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine.
BE
Interactive WITH YOUR COMMUNITY SITE
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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
New! Services in advanced cardiac care RVH now has nine cardiology specialists who provide 24/7 oncall cardiac care for heart patients throughout Simcoe Muskoka. The purchase of echo machines and the IntelliSpace Cardiovascular reporting solution brings a new era of non-invasive cardiology technology to RVH.
New! Equipment In 2015 $2.5 million in donations enabled us to purchase new equipment, such as a state-ofthe-art CT scanner, a cardiac elliptical machine, a colposcope and stretcher equipment for the Gynecology ambulatory clinic and a wide range of items supporting in-hospital dialysis.
For more information about Hearts & Minds please contact Rebbeca Truax at truaxr@rvh.on.ca or at 705-728-9090 x41525
Your Donations at Work
Hearts and Minds Goal: $25 Million Funds raised $17 Million Already your donations are purchasing equipment and assisting new programs that are changing care.
New! Women’s cancer services Thanks to the support of the community, women from across Central and northern Ontario no longer have to travel to Toronto for surgery. More than 800 women have used RVH’s gynecological oncology services since the program started in September 2014.
New! Teaching and research
New! Child and youth mental health services
RVH now has two simulation robots - iStan, an adult simulator, and a pediatric clinical simulator. Since opening the Simulation Lab, RVH has trained more than 100 healthcare professionals in a risk-free, realistic learning environment.
The Urgent Consult Clinic, a riskassessment service for youth 12 to 17, who are in need of urgent mental health care, but do not require admission to a hospital opened October 5, 2015. Health professionals have already seen 166 children and youth.
are H e l p b r in g c
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EA RVH H
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Advanced cardiac care: Now only a heartbeat away RVH will begin construction on the Advanced Cardiac Centre in the fall of 2016 and begin providing services in 2017 - the time is NOW for community support.
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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
RVH’s Advanced Cardiac program got an important boost recently when Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care approved the capital funding for the project. Dr. Eric Hoskins visited RVH and shared the great news, following through on Premier Kathleen Wynne’s ‘green light’ announcement last July. The approval for the $9.1 million will allow RVH to begin construction on the Advanced Cardiac Centre, located in the space designated for cardiac care in the expansion. The centre will house catheterization labs where cardiac specialists will provide diagnostics and interventions such
as angiograms and angioplasties, giving patients access to faster treatment, a shorter hospital stay and less travel time. Slated to open in 2017, the Advanced Cardiac program will be developed in partnership with Newmarket’s Southlake Regional Health Centre (SRHC) and the Cardiac Care Network. An Advanced Cardiac Centre at RVH will not only be a game changer for heart patients in our region, it will save lives. And none of this would be possible without the support and belief of the provincial government, the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network (NSM LHIN), our donors and TEAM RVH.
Together, we’re going to do great things for our region’s cardiac patients.
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
When it comes to real estate and advanced cardiac care – location is everything. Just ask Don Gordon. He’s pretty sure that if he had his heart attack at home, he might not be planning his next trip. In fact, he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t be planning anything. The 70-year-old lives on a rural property between Midland and Barrie and while there’s a hospital in each town, neither one currently offers advanced cardiac care. “So, basically when I had my heart attack, it wouldn’t have mattered which hospital I went to. All either one could have done is stabilize me and send me south,” says Gordon. “The chances of me making it would have been low.” As luck would have it, Gordon did not have his heart attack at home, but instead in Toronto, a mere five minutes from a cardiac centre. Gordon will never forget that day. He was Mark Thompson in the attending a conference and allQueens of a sudden he began to sweat - profusely! Hotel Kitchen
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“I looked around the room to see if anyone else was uncomfortably hot, but no one seemed to be. Within minutes my shirt was completely soaked and then I felt a strong pain in the middle of my chest that radiated out all over my chest.” Gordon knew exactly what was going on. He was having a heart attack. In fact, his left main artery was completely blocked, a condition known as the “Widow Maker.” “I didn’t know why, but I really wasn’t afraid. I knew I would get care quickly,” said Gordon. “If this was at home it would be a different story. First I’m still alive, which I’m pretty sure would not have been the case.” Less than two hours from onset, Gordon was recuperating in an Intensive Care Unit thinking how lucky he was to have his heart attack where he did, instead of at home. “I know our area is grossly underserviced when it comes to advanced cardiac care. Sometimes you get a little warning and you can get to a centre within the 90 minute window, but that is not always the case,” says Gordon. “My heart attack was completely unexpected. I didn’t see it coming.” The reality is, if you have a heart attack in Muskoka, Collingwood, Midland, or Orillia – basically anywhere north of
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Don Gordon in the mountains near Evolène, Switzerland
NOW is the time to support advanced cardiac care at RVH Barrie - you will be stabilized and given “clot-busting” medication in your home hospital and then transported to a cardiac centre, a standard of care referred to as “drip and ship”. Currently, North Simcoe Muskoka is the only region in the province without an Advanced Cardiac Centre. That means every year more than 3,600 heart patients must travel to centres outside the region for life-saving heart procedures. But that’s going to change. RVH has provincial government approval and funding to develop an Advanced Cardiac program, scheduled to open in 2017. RVH’s program will provide heart diagnostics and interventions such as angiograms and angioplasty, giving patients access to faster treatment, a shorter hospital stay and less travel time. “Soon patients here will be able to call 911 and if paramedics determine they are having a heart attack, patients will come directly to RVH’s Advanced Cardiac Centre. They’ll receive the treatment they need and then can recover right down the hall in our Cardiac Care Unit, surrounded by family,” says Dr. Stephen Pizzale, RVH cardiologist. “The playing field is being levelled and make no mistake, it will save lives.”
RVH now boasts a team of nine cardiology specialists who provide 24/7 cardiology coverage for the entire region; an Urgent Cardiology Clinic providing speedy assessment and testing for patients who come to RVH’s Emergency department; the region’s only Cardiac (intensive) Care Unit, along with a dedicated 32-bed Cardiac Renal unit. “Our Advanced Cardiac program will be a game changer for heart patients in our region,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “Soon North Simcoe Muskoka residents will have the same gold standard of heart care as those in the rest of the province - treatment within 90 minutes of a heart attack. That’s critically important because when it comes to the heart, time is muscle.” And what does Don Gordon think about that news? “This program will give the people of Simcoe Muskoka great peace of mind. I would guess most people don’t realize advanced cardiac care is not available here – until they need it.”
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
A time for healing RVH creates an environment sensitive to the needs of Aboriginal patients Cancer is not an equal opportunity disease. Some populations are at greater risk for developing cancer and suffer poorer outcomes than others. First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples are among those populations. However, social and economic inequality, lack of trust in a system that has historically failed them and geographical barriers are preventing indigenous cancer patients from accessing the healthcare they need. To bridge this gap, RVH’s cancer program introduced the Regional Aboriginal Cancer Plan in 2013. The regional plan strategically aligns with Cancer Care Ontario’s Provincial Aboriginal Cancer Strategy. Together, these initiatives
work to ensure equitable access and culturally sensitive care for Aboriginal patients and their families in North Simcoe Muskoka. “Creating an environment that is sensitive to the needs of Aboriginal patients is a priority,” says Lindsey Crawford, vice president, Patient Programs at RVH and regional vice president, Cancer Care Ontario. “Staff participation in cultural safety training has helped to cultivate an atmosphere of deeper understanding and increased respect for the people, their history and world view. We also encourage culturally specific healing ceremonies, such as on-site smudging ceremonies.” Smudging (see photos left), in traditional Aboriginal medicine, is the ritual of purifying the location, patient, healer, helpers, and ritual objects by using the smoke obtained from burning sacred plants, such as ceremonial tobacco (not commercial), sage, sweet grass and cedar. Cleansing often initiates healing sessions, provides comfort and relief during times of stress, facilitates the decision making process and is used in offering prayer. Smudging can take place in safe and specially designated areas at the cancer centre including a “Healing Circle” developed by Tim Laurin, a local Métis artist.
John Rice, Aboriginal healer, Wasauksing First Nation, performs a ceremonial smudging with Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO
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“The Aboriginal people have experienced 500 years of oppression which has created a culture of fear. To come to a government institution – like a hospital - is to face that fear which often prevents them from seeking the help they need,” says RVH Aboriginal patient navigator Leah Bergstrome, who is a member of the Métis nation. “However, when we are able to provide education regarding the importance of early cancer detection, people begin to understand why ignoring the issue isn’t in their best interest and by providing a space for smudging ceremonies and using traditional tools like the teachings of the Medicine Wheel, we create an atmosphere of respect and help to alleviate those fears.”
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Pet therapy improves the patient experience They just can't help but smile when a four-legged friend enters the room Colin Lomax spends some time with canine volunteer Forrest.
Colin Lomax’s aging eyes suddenly sparkle like those of a child. That’s because “Forrest” has just padded into the Specialized Seniors’ Care Inpatient unit’s activity room at RVH. Lomax is a patient on the unit and today Forrest – a 160-pound, bear-like Leonberger - is paying him a visit. Without hesitation Lomax coaxes Forrest to the side of his wheelchair so he can bury his hands in the thick fur around the dog’s neck. What happens next is magical. A huge grin starts to form on Lomax’s face and it gets bigger and bigger as Forrest leans his large head against his arm. It’s a contagious smile because soon other patients are smiling and eager to pat the dog. Kristy Boyes is smiling too. As the recreational therapist on the unit, she knows this moment is all part of the healing process at RVH, where the mind, body and spirit of patients are treated. RVH’s patient-centred MY CARE philosophy states every patient has the right to expect the best possible experience while at the health centre. Today, helping to deliver on that promise is a furry, four-legged friend. “For many of our patients, their stay with us is long and they have pets back at home. When the therapy dogs arrive you can feel the excitement,” says Boyes. “Some of our patients may have behavioural issues. They can be confused or non-verbal, but when the dogs show up on the floor their demeanor immediately changes.” Often, says Boyes, patients who were snoozing in their chairs or who seem disengaged will become alert once the dogs arrive. On this day, Irene Bergeron just couldn’t wait to be helped out of her chair to see the dog. But she wanted to do it right and had Boyes fix her hair before the encounter.
“Leonberger’s are known as gentle giants,” says AnnaMarie Kristensen, a volunteer with Therapeutic Paws of Canada and owner of Forrest and Olie, both pet therapy dogs. “People just seem to connect with the dogs. It can be stressful being in a hospital and a visit with the dogs seems to reduce that stress. I am a part of this program because I know it makes a difference in the lives of the patients. For some it may be a fleeting moment, but definitely worth it.” Boyes believes having the pet therapy dogs visit patients is crucial. “The patients perk up and it seems to brighten their day. They may then be more energized and eager to attend an exercise class or participate in another activity which all serves to advance their care,” says Boyes. There are two organizations which provide pet therapy volunteers to RVH: Therapeutic Paws of Canada and St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs. Pet therapy has been welcomed at RVH for 20 years and is coordinated through RVH’s Volunteer Resources team. Currently there are 16 certified dogs in the RVH Pet Therapy program who visit patients on the Cancer & Palliative, Mental Health, Integrated Stroke and Rehabilitation, Obstetrics and Child & Youth, Specialized Seniors’ Care, Respiratory, and Surgery Inpatient units. Once Forrest completes his rounds and is ready to head home, his canine charisma spills out into the halls making it difficult to leave the health centre. Almost every few steps he stops and accept pats, snuggles and selfies, leaving everyone he meets with a smile on their face and dog hair on their clothes. For more information on how you and your canine companion can become volunteers at RVH please contact Volunteer Resources at 705-739-5650.
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Breaking down the barrier for care Sonya McEwen credits a 30-second test for saving her life. McEwen was diagnosed with cervical cancer, caught during a regular Pap test. “As soon as my doctor told me I had cancer I started to cry. The first thing I thought was, ‘I’m going to die and I’m only 27. I haven’t been married or had a family yet,’” says McEwen. “Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way and our family is no exception. However, everyone in our family who has been diagnosed with cancer has perished. That’s my experience with cancer.” Her own experience with cancer would prove to be unlike her relatives. “I was so impressed with the team at RVH. The traditional treatment for my type of cancer was a full hysterectomy but, since I was young and hadn’t had a family yet, my surgeon, Dr. Andy Browning, researched other options. We were able to
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get all the cancer by removing only a portion of my cervix,” says McEwen. “I have to say it was incredible to receive care in Barrie. It meant the world to me to be near my family during this time. It was so comforting not to have to travel for treatment.” McEwen was able to receive care close to home, but many women were not so lucky and had to travel to Toronto for treatment. That has all changed because in 2014 RVH was designated a gynecologic cancer Centre of Excellence – only one of eight in the province. The program provides the full range of services for women with gynecological cancer, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, colposcopy, with supports such as sexual health education, nutrition classes and help to stop smoking. The program’s team is led by Dr. Ball and Dr. Leah Jutzi - both gynecologic oncologists and two of only 25 in the province. “Women consistently tell us they are grateful to receive gynecologic cancer care closer to home,” says Dr. Allison Ball. “Many of these women would previously have travelled to Toronto to be seen, but we are learning that some, especially from farther north, would never have had the opportunity to be assessed or treated by a gynecologic oncologist.” Since the program’s inception in September 2014, the team has seen 820 patients. These women are seen in Barrie or in
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Sudbury, where the doctors travel for outreach clinics. In the first year-and-a-half of the program, almost 400 women had surgery, 200 underwent radiation therapy and another 400 received chemotherapy. Offering comprehensive women’s cancer services also requires specialized surgical equipment, supplies for colposcopy and a future brachytherapy treatment suite. The RVH Foundation, through the Hearts & Minds campaign, is raising $1 million to ensure RVH has this advanced equipment. “By providing these cancer services at RVH we have closed the distance gap for women in Central and northern Ontario, removing a barrier to treatment,” says Dr. Jutzi. “We are also now in a much better position to provide comprehensive care throughout the entire patient journey for cancers originating within a woman’s reproductive organs.” McEwen’s own cancer story ends with a new beginning. Newly married, she is now mom to 10-month-old Cameron Pearl. “It’s really a miracle,” says McEwen. “Here I am with a wonderful husband, a precious daughter and a beautiful life and to think I might not have any of this if I hadn’t had a 30-second swab done. I can’t tell you how many women I talk to who say they are just too busy to book their Pap test. I always tell them to take care of themselves and not to let life get in the way of something so simple as a test. It could save their life.” *Sonya’s story was featured in the RVH Foundation’s recent direct mail campaign.
Prevention and early detection is key: The number one cause of all cervical cancers is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which also contributes to other associated cancers and diseases. Getting the HPV vaccine, as well as regular Pap tests, will significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer in women. In Ontario, HPV immunization is offered free of charge to Grade 8 girls through schoolbased clinics, and also through Public Health Units to girls in Grades 9 – 12 who where not immunized in Grade 8.
Top: Cameron Pearl Middle: A family portrait - Sonya and Phil McEwen and their daughter. Above: Dr. Leah Jutzi and Dr. Allison Ball - Gynecologic oncologists – lead the RVH women’s cancer team.
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
To volunteer at RVH please call Volunteer Resources at 705 739-5650 or visit our website: www.rvh.on.ca
Marc is still on active duty Before Marc Vaillancourt retired from the Canadian military he already knew how he was going to spend his retirement. He would still be a member of a ‘Brigade’, but in a very different uniform. “I remember visiting RVH for various appointments before I retired,” says Vaillancourt. “And I’ll never forget this one time in particular, as I walked through the entrance, I saw a familiar face – my old army sergeant standing there with a blue vest on greeting patients and visitors as they entered the health centre.” From that encounter on, Vaillancourt knew exactly how he was going to spend his free time in retirement – as an RVH volunteer. Affectionately known as the ‘Blue Brigade’, RVH volunteers are the front-line ambassadors for RVH. Their acts of compassion and kindness touch patients and families so deeply and contribute to a positive patient experience every day. They’re at RVH seven days a week to provide a second set of hands - doing clerical work, providing directions, serving coffee or delivering a sandwich to a patient’s family member. “Just being there, knowing I can be of help, that’s the highlight of my day,” says Vaillancourt.
“I love that I can joke around too. When I’m out with a patient, taking them from the entrance to a department, I always point out when we get to the unit that this is where superheroes work. I usually get a smile out of them and I can see the stress come right off their faces.”
Marc Vaillancourt retired from the Canadian Forces (top photo) and simply switched from one uniform to another donning the blue vest of an RVH volunteer.
In addition to helping out with patient care, the RVH Auxiliary raises funds to help bring new and expanded services to patients. They’re out across Barrie on Tag Days, they coordinate the vendor sales table, run the Nevada lottery, organize the annual bazaar and manage the Auxiliary’s two businesses - Café Royale and Victoria’s Gift Shop. The RVH Auxiliary is currently working to fulfill a $2 million pledge in support of advanced cardiac care and child and youth mental health services at RVH.
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How to become a volunteer at RVH •
Minimum commitment of six months, one shift per week is required
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Must be entering Grade 11 or older
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Submit an online Volunteer Expression of Interest form or contact Volunteer Resources department directly
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Attend a scheduled interview
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Supporting our local hospitals The Simcoe County Hospital Funding Alliance was established in 2002 to anticipate and respond to our community needs and to ensure this health-care funding was distributed equitably across all of our local hospitals I contributed up to $3 Million annually to support the capital needs of our hospitals between 2002-2006 I renewed funding agreement in 2007 with a new term that provides $3 Million annually over the following decade, ending in 2016 I broadened the membership of this funding alliance in 2010 to include Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, and will include this hospital in considering future funding beyond 2016 Through this generous history of funding, the County has been an instrumental partner in many hospital projects, including: �• Orillia Hospital expansion OrilliaSoldiers’ Soldiers’Memorial Memorial Hospital expansion �• Southlake Cancer CareCare Centre SouthlakeRegional RegionalHealth HealthCentre Centre Cancer Centre �• Stevenson facilities renovation StevensonMemorial MemorialEmergency Emergency facilities renovation �• Collingwood Hospital redevelopment CollingwoodGeneral Generaland andMarine Marine Hospital redevelopment �• Georgian Bay General Hospital expansion Georgian Bay General Hospital expansion �• Royal Centre Cancer CareCare Centre Royal Victoria VictoriaRegional RegionalHealth Health Centre Cancer Centre
simcoe.ca www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
24 hour visiting: “Nobody knows a patient better than their family” Janey Green’s eyes light up when her cellphone chimes. It’s her grandchildren texting her from a cruise and they’re having fun. Janey was supposed to be on that cruise, but instead a cardiac episode brought her to RVH. For the Barrie woman, having family near during her stay at RVH meant she could relax, rest and recover. “We can only heal in a relaxed state of being and in a stressful time of not knowing what is wrong, my husband Barry, my family and friends held me in their love and strength and that most surely made a huge difference,” says Green. There can be no mistake, family and friends play an important role in the recovery of their loved ones. That’s why in February, RVH launched its Family Presence Policy, welcoming family and visitors 24/7. “Research shows having loved ones present and involved in patient care contributes to positive experiences, better care, fewer medication errors, less falls, as well as lower rates of readmission and Emergency department visits following discharge,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “But even more importantly, it just makes sense. After all, nobody knows a patient better than their loved ones. We believe
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patients and their families should have the freedom to decide when they want to visit based on their needs and schedules.” It was a group of former patients who championed this change. Ray Frank, co-chair of RVH’s Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC), says it best: “Eliminating traditional, set visiting hours is one of the most important things we could ever do to promote patient and family-centred care.” Patient-centred care means patients come first – always – and if they need the support of a family member or a friend during their time of illness, RVH wants to help it happen when possible. Visitation is still based on the condition and wishes of the patient, in collaboration with the care team and family. Ed Harper, is also a member of PFAC, and joined because he wanted to ensure set visiting hours were eliminated. That’s because Harper experienced firsthand how important it truly is to be by the side of a loved one in hospital – and not just between a set time frame. “A couple years ago my late wife Rosemary was a patient at RVH. I was here all the time - at her bedside during the final months of her life. It was a difficult time, but I needed to be here for her – and for me. That was one of the most remarkable things about my visits here - no one ever asked me to leave,” says Harper. “So, I rarely left Rosemary’s side
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Top 5 things to know 1. RVH opened its doors to families and visitors 24/7 because families are an important part of the care team. 2. Use the Level 2 Atrium entrance to enter and exit the building after hours (between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.). 3. Maps to each inpatient unit are available from Locating (inside Atrium entrance). 4. To respect the rest and recovery of all patients a “Quiet Time’ announcement is made at 10 p.m. 5. There may be exceptions to 24/7 visitation based on a patient’s treatment plan or location within the health centre. Please speak with a patient’s care team for more information.
Ribbon cutting ceremony announcing 24/7 visiting at RVH.
during the two months she was here and that meant we had more time together. I was grateful then and thankful for the memories now. I know other patients and families can benefit from the same support that comes with having your loved ones with you whenever you want them by your side. Because when you are a patient, there is nothing more important and reassuring than having your family at your side.’ Experience shows at the dozens of Canadian hospitals with flexible visiting hours, concerns about excessive noise, privacy and security have not been issues. Any visitors coming to RVH after 9 p.m. are to use the Level 2 Atrium entrance. Shelley Debison, manager of the Integrated Stroke and Rehabilitation Inpatient unit, has had nothing but positive reviews about the Family Presence Policy. “Our unit has been very flexible about visitation for some time now, and we’ve always received thanks from families for accommodating them after-hours even before it was our official RVH policy,” she says. “For us, 24/7 visitation hasn’t caused significant issues and we know it’s best for patients and their families to be together whenever they want to be.”
Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO, visits with Janey Green.
“A couple years ago my late wife Rosemary was a patient at RVH. I was here all the time - at her bedside during the final months of her life. It was a difficult time, but I needed to be here for her – and for me.” - Ed Harper
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
SHREDDING THE SLOPES WITH
TRUE GRIT
Almost five years ago, 21 year old Alex (Ali) Massie worried he would spend the rest of his life “sitting on the couch playing video games.” Not even close. On this day Ali is back in RVH’s physiotherapy gym proudly showing off the armful of medals he’s won as a Canadian and world para-snowboard champion. Fresh off competitions in Europe, he’s at RVH to thank the rehabilitation team and one of the surgeons that he credits for helping him, not just get his strength back, but believe in himself again. “Today I believe that anything is possible; that there is nothing I can’t do,” he says emphatically. He wasn’t quite so optimistic during the dark days of the summer of 2011. A storm was brewing on the horizon on that hot July day at his family’s Pointe au Baril cottage. Ali and his friends had enjoyed a perfect day of wakesurfing and he had just hopped onto the back of the boat for one more “pull” when it unexpectedly – and quickly – reversed. Ali slipped off the back of the boat and his leg was sucked into the spinning propeller. His foot was torn to shreds, slicing through the bone, leaving the young athlete bleeding-out in the cold water. His quick-thinking brother, Jamie, used a wakeboard rope as a tourniquet to staunch the bleeding and a paddle board as a stretcher and, along with mother Wendy, raced across Georgian Bay to the mainland where an ambulance was waiting to rush him to hospital in Parry Sound. 22
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Once stabilized he was quickly transported to RVH where vascular surgeon Dr. Sandy McDonald was standing by to operate. That night, Ali was transferred yet again, this time to Toronto for delicate micro-vascular surgery. But despite four surgeries over the course of a week, the damage to his foot was just too extensive and needed to be amputated. “It was basically dead and had to come off,” Ali explains matter-of-factly. Given the family’s strong connection to RVH and their confidence in the care provided, they opted to return to Barrie for the procedure which would amputate Ali’s leg at the shin. On a business trip at the time, Dr. Sandy McDonald had just landed in Washington D.C when he received the call and immediately turned around and flew back to Barrie. “There was no question that I would return to RVH that day,” says Dr. McDonald who was on-hand for Ali’s silver medal win in the Winter X Games in Colorado this winter. “He’s an inspiring young man and it was a privilege to care for him and see his success first-hand.” But Ali recalls waking up after the amputation thinking, “my life was over. I was a wreck. I thought I would never be able to do the things I loved again. Snowboarding, wakesurfing, football, I thought I was done. The first question I asked my Mom was ‘will I snowboard again?’” Ali spent more than three months at RVH, on the Surgery and Rehabilitation units, gradually gaining strength. Five months after his accident he took his first steps with a prosthetic limb. A week later, he fell and broke his knee in three places. Wendy, who spent every waking hour by her son’s side, remembers, “every single person we encountered at RVH was so caring. We live in Barrie so there were some familiar faces which was nice, but really, everyone was just so wonderful; so willing to help this young kid who just wanted to get better.” Physiotherapist Nina Martin, now retired from RVH, was one of the rehab team encouraging Ali every step of the way. Five years later she’s back at RVH holding one of his weighty medals in her hand and telling him, “You’re such an inspiration and I’m so impressed by what you’ve done. You had such drive when you were here. You were going to get better and that’s all there was to it. And you’ve done it!” Ali remembers Nina very well. “I know she thought I was crazy saying I wanted to snowboard and play football again, but she never told me I couldn’t do it. Not once. There were days I didn’t want to go to the gym but the team always pushed me.”
Nina Martin (front, centre) and Dr. Sandy McDonald (right) are joined by RVH’s Rehab team as Ali Massie shows his many medals.
world championship bronze medalist. “My disability has not held me back and it won’t. I run faster. I jump higher. It’s been a journey and there’ve been tough times, but there is so much joy in being able to do the things I love. I have a new appreciation for life and I’m not prepared to sit it out.” And that’s his message not just on the slopes, but in the schools where Ali often speaks to young people. “I believe everything happens for a reason. Sounds crazy, but in some ways my accident was a blessing. I’m doing what I love; living my dream. And I want to inspire others in the same situation.” And while this inspiring young man, who the International Paralympic Committee calls “an athlete to watch” has his eyes firmly set on the Olympics in Korea in 2018, his father Jamie, a well-known Barrie businessman and philanthropist, keeps his heart in hometown Barrie and, in particular Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre. “Our four sons and our grandson were born at RVH. Our kids have been cared for there and we’re extremely grateful,” he says. “But, you know, the hospital is just bricks and mortar. It’s the people who make it special. And they are amazing.”
Through sheer courage and unwavering determination, Ali wakesurfed again less than one year after his devastating accident. That next fall he was a starter for the Eastview Secondary School football. He also plays basketball and skates. But it’s snowboarding where “Bubz”, as he’s called, is making a name for himself: two-time Canadian national champion gold medalist, X-Games silver and bronze medalist and three-time
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Mind, body and spirit ... we take care of it all The Oxford Dictionary defines care as, “the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.” Most often though, when we think of care, we immediately think ‘healthcare’. But there’s another kind of important care offered at RVH – spiritual care. Angela Schmidt, the health centre’s Spiritual Care leader, explains, “Spiritual care helps people connect with the things that matter deeply to them; that which strengthens them and gives them hope.” And when you’re unwell, strength and hope can greatly benefit the healing process. Spiritual care is available around-the-clock at RVH, whether in the multi-faith chapel or at a patient’s bedside. Schmidt, who joined RVH in the fall of 2015, is building a chaplain-on-call team so spiritual care is available to patients and families whenever it is needed.
Lori Scholten-Dallimore spends some time with patient, Grace Jones, 84. what they are thinking and feeling, and help them solve the puzzle in their head.” In keeping with RVH’s strategic direction to promote teaching and research, five students recently joined the Spiritual Care program for an 11-week Supervised Pastoral Education program. Rev. Lori Scholten-Dallimore is one of those students. Like most of the students in the program, Lori is already an ordained minister, but this program helps her enhance her skills. “I am very excited to be part of a program rich in its history within hospitals and care centres across Canada,” says Rev. Scholten-Dallimore. “It is a program which not only offers excellent education in patient care, but at the same time, will enhance patient care at RVH, by offering the spiritual and emotional support patients and staff deserve. It has been wonderful getting to meet the staff and patients, with hopes of becoming an important part of the RVH team in delivering excellent people care.”
According to Schmidt, she and the other chaplains are available for all patients and staff – regardless of whether they follow a formal religion or not. “We spend a great deal of time helping people find meaning,” she says. “People often wonder why they are sick and why this is happening to them. Part of my role is to help them articulate Rev. Angela Schmidt (centre), RVH’s Spiritual Care leader, joins the first members of RVH’s Supervised Pastoral Education program on a tour of the health centre. Students from left to right are: Guy Beausoleil, Emmanuel Baptist Church; Susan Stott-Hood, Spiritual Director at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church; Rev. Lori Scholten-Dallimore, Zion Presbyterian Church, Angus; Rev. Anthony Werunga, St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Major Maureen Bain, Salvation Army Church.
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Peter Case, a 67 year-old Alliston resident, chats with Dr. Murali Krishnan, medical director, medicine program
No more travelling for treatment Peter Case sits in a chair receiving dialysis for the first time. The 67 year-old Alliston man was just diagnosed with kidney failure a few days earlier in RVH’s Emergency department and was admitted to the Cardiac and Renal Inpatient unit. Nervous and uncertain about what to expect, he now sits for four hours at a time as a dialysis machine cleans his blood, doing the job his kidneys can’t. Although his newly diagnosed condition is a major concern for Case and his family, there is one less thing he has to worry about. And that’s travelling long distances to receive his dialysis treatment. Area kidney care patients can now receive kidney care closer to home thanks to the recent opening of an in-hospital dialysis clinic at RVH. This new service is part of an expansion of the Regional Kidney Care Program - Simcoe Muskoka. Prior to April 2016 when the RVH clinic opened, dialysis patients admitted to hospital in Barrie or Alliston had to be
transferred to Orillia to receive their dialysis. But that has all changed. “This service is unbelievable,” says Case. “This is all new to me, but I have no complaints. I’m so glad I don’t have to travel very far, especially when I don’t feel so great.” Kidney patients will continue to receive their primary dialysis in their Barrie and Alliston outpatient clinics – and at the regional centre at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) when required. But according to Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO, “now, if a kidney care patient has to be admitted to hospital – either at RVH or Alliston’s Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) – or if their condition becomes more complex, they can receive their dialysis at RVH in this new clinic, eliminating the need to travel to Orillia for care.” The clinic is a result of many months of planning and collaboration by the Regional Kidney Care Program, RVH, OSMH, SMH and the Ontario Renal Network. The six-chair clinic, located on the lower level of the health centre, is a welcome addition for area patients like Peter Tretter. “As a dialysis patient, I feel a great sense of relief knowing I can receive my treatment here at RVH if I am ever admitted to the health centre,” says Tretter. “I’ve received treatment in Orillia before and the care is exceptional, but it takes a weight off my shoulders to know I can receive the same level of awesome care here at RVH.”
Janice Skot celebrates the opening of the In-hospital dialysis clinic along with Peter Tretter, dialysis patient, who cut the ribbon. www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
The kids are not “alright” “We can do much better for children and youth in this region - and we need your help!” By Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO
Every time I hear about a child’s struggles with mental illness, my heart breaks. Not just because, as a mother of four, I can empathize with the pain and helplessness a parent feels as they watch their child struggle. But also because, as a hospital CEO, I must recognize that the healthcare system is failing those kids – and their families - miserably. Kids and moms like Cody and Kari Smith. 17-year-old Cody died by suicide in 2013, leaving his family with broken hearts and many unanswered questions. Questions about why it’s just so hard to get help when your child is facing thoughts of suicide, depression, anxiety, self-harm, anger, psychosis and substance abuse, even though we know one in five young people is affected by a mental health issue. Kari tried to get Cody help. She knew something was wrong; she didn’t realize just how wrong. She even took her son to our Emergency department where we failed him. At that time we did not have any formalized mental health crisis program for young people. The community failed Cody too. He was on a wait list for a counselling session and he did get a call for an appointment - two days after he died. The facts are very clear. Young people are suffering – some even dying because they may not have had timely access to the mental healthcare they need. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens in North Simcoe Muskoka.
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Last year about 1,700 young people facing a mental health crisis visited Emergency departments in North Simcoe Muskoka Last year about 1,700 young people facing a mental health crisis visited Emergency departments in North Simcoe Muskoka, a number that has doubled in the last five years. But those kids need very specialized, intense services that Emergency departments are not equipped to provide. In fact, we live in the only region in the entire province that doesn’t have a hospital inpatient unit for kids requiring acute mental health care. Early intervention is key since 70 per cent of mental illness takes root in the teen years. We can do much better for children and youth in this region. They deserve it. In 2017, RVH will open a new Child and Youth Mental Health program, including an eight-bed inpatient unit, as well as outpatient and crisis support and a day hospital program. As a first step RVH has opened an Urgent Consult Clinic (UCC) in our Emergency department. Here, youth from across the region are assessed for risk and referred to help in the community. In its first nine months, the UCC team helped almost 166 kids facing a mental health crisis, avoiding hospitalization in most cases. Once seen, they leave with an appointment to see a psychiatrist within 48 to 72 hours. Dr. Eric Mulder, one of the psychiatrists working in the UCC, says it is having a positive impact. “The goals of the UCC are preventing unnecessary hospital admissions, reducing wait times for consultation, increasing access to psychiatry, preventing suicides, linking to community services and providing early interventions,” says Dr. Mulder. “From what I’ve seen to-date, we are seeing fewer admissions to the hospital among children and
The Urgent Consult Clinic (UCC) team members include: Dr. Eric Mulder, psychiatrist; Crystal Bell, manager, Mental Health & Addictions program; Carole Dale, registered nurse and Michelle Harris, social worker. (absent from photo – Dr. Craig Livermore, psychiatrist)
youth since we’ve opened. I believe we will see longterm benefits including decreased suicides due to early intervention and reduced wait times to see a psychiatrist.” Meanwhile, people across our region are helping to ensure we get this desperately-needed program open as soon as possible by donating to the RVH Foundation’s Hearts & Minds campaign. The campaign is raising $5 million to rebuild, equip and furnish existing space to create a new youthfriendly, specially designed unit and program. As Kari Smith says, “You are not supposed to have your child die before you – especially like this. Cody isn’t here anymore. It’s final and I don’t get a second chance with him. There are other parents out there who might get a second chance with their teen, but only if they can get the help they need.” Together we can make sure these families get the help they so greatly need.
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
YOUR VOICE matters Ray Frank knows what it’s like to both give and receive healthcare. Frank spent 25 years as RVH’s administrative director of the Imaging department and was well-known for being hands-on with patients and families. But nothing helped him to better understand the patient experience than being a patient himself. “The first thing I realized was just how totally dependent my family and I were on my healthcare provider,” says Frank. It was this experience and his love for healthcare that motivated him to become one of the first members of RVH’s Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) and currently, the group’s co-chair.
Frank believes it is important for him to represent the voice of RVH’s patients and families by providing insights, expertise and perspectives on improving care.
“The most important voice in healthcare is that of the patient and their family,” Nancy Savage, executive vice president Patient and Family Experience and who, along with Ray Frank, co-chairs PFAC. “It is only when we see healthcare through their eyes that we can further improve their experience and ensure they are at the centre of all we do. Patient Family Advisors bring an important perspective to a broad range of discussions and issues and are invaluable to RVH.”
PFAC members Ray Frank (centre) co-chairs RVH’s Patient Family Advisory Council and counts it a privilege to work alongside a dedicated team of fellow Patient Family Advisors
have a battery charger available on-site in the event a visitor tries to leave the facility and finds their car battery dead. “It may seem like a small thing, but for patients, family members and visitors – who may already be stressed - to be able to get that battery boost quickly so they can get home, is a huge help,” says Frank. PFAC also played an integral role in developing RVH’s 24/7 Family Presence Policy, yet another accomplishment under its belt. PFAC will continue to provide valuable insights as it recruits more members and focuses on initiatives like endof-life strategy, seniors’ care strategy and communication with patients and families. “The fact is everyone will use the healthcare system at some point. If you have good thoughts and ideas to improve patient care, there is a forum to get involved and participate. Support comes from YOU and RVH’s arms - and ears - are wide open,” says Frank. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC), please call 705-728-9090 ext. 42319.
People who have had a recent experience (within two years) either as a patient or as a family member of a patient, are eligible to be a Patient Family Advisor, providing they are at least 18 years old. No special qualifications are required, but what is most important is their experience and the willingness to share it in a constructive way.
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Now two years old, the council is a close-knit team and everyone participates in health centre initiatives as partners by providing input to positively shape the patient experience.
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PFAC members are also called upon to provide input on how to improve the experience of patients and families. For instance, one advisor suggested how great it would be to
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Our donors are part of our team
Making access to care golden The sunsets might be golden as seen from the deck of Donna and Conrad Huber’s Port Severn home, but their access to advanced cardiac care sure isn’t. With no advanced cardiac services available within North Simcoe Muskoka, they don’t have access to the gold standard of cardiac care – treatment within 90 minutes of a heart attack.
As the largest health centre in the region, they made RVH one of their first stops and called the health centre’s Foundation for a tour. The tour included a walk through the health centre and a discussion about RVH’s future plans, among which is to bring advanced cardiac care close to home.
Donna and Conrad Huber from Port Severn have made their largest personal pledge to RVH’s Advanced Cardiac program.
The couple wants to change that picture, and not just for themselves, but for everyone in the region who currently lives outside that 90 minute window. The Hubers have made a $500,000 pledge, over five years, to RVH’s planned Advanced Cardiac program. The couple has always lived a life of philanthropy, however, this gift is the largest personal pledge the couple has ever made and they can’t wipe the smiles off their faces. “It feels wonderful to be able to do this,” says Donna. “Giving back to the community in which you live is so important and it doesn’t matter how much you give - the feeling is the same. We have given $3,000 all the way up to this $500,000 pledge and the feeling is the same. It just feels good to give back.” The Hubers have been spending their summers at the family home in Gloucester Pool in Severn Township. Now, after Conrad’s retirement as executive vice president and part-owner in Piller’s Sausages & Delicatessens Ltd., which was founded by his family in 1957, the couple decided to leave the Waterloo area and turn their seasonal retreat into a permanent home. And part of that move was to investigate the healthcare options.
The Hubers were impressed with the beauty of the building itself and with the state-of the art technology, but shocked there are no advanced cardiac services, a fact they first heard mentioned on their favourite radio station, The Dock 104.1. It was during the tour they learned there was a plan in place to rectify that situation and they both knew they wanted to be part of it. “We were so impressed that before I even left the building, I already had a dollar figure in my head. I didn’t tell Donna and then out in the parking lot she told me what she was thinking in terms of a donation and it was the exact figure I was thinking,” says Conrad. “So before we even got out of the parking lot we knew what we were going to do.”
“We are so happy to be able to support the Advanced Cardiac program – we just hope we never have to use it,” says Conrad.
Their generous gift will be used to support the Advanced Cardiac program, scheduled to open in 2017. www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Our Donors THINK BIG! RVH is grateful to the more than 5,000 donors who support patient care annually. Our leading-edge equipment is funded entirely by community support. Their generosity enables us to ensure medical equipment is kept current and new programs such as cardiac and child and youth mental health are available closer to home. Our donors are the key to ensuring our staff and physicians have the right tools in their hands - the tools they need to deliver the advanced care our community has come to expect from RVH. Our donors’ “Think Big” attitude ensures our health centre is ready when you, or a loved one, require care. In 2015 there were many special people who made a difference. It is our pleasure to introduce you to just a few!
A million reasons to say ‘Thank You’ David and Mary Crook of Barrie donated $1 million to the Hearts & Minds campaign - specifically toward an Advanced Cardiac program. “Barrie is my hometown and my family has roots in this community dating back to the 1800s. So as long as RVH has been in existence, it has been our hospital,” says David Crook. “Helping to ensure the residents of this incredible community and region receive top quality heart care here at RVH is so important to Mary and I. It’s the least we can do.” Below: RVH received a generous donation of $1 million from David and Mary Crook of Barrie. Celebrating this amazing donation along with the couple (centre) are Dr. Behzad Etemadi (left), Dr. Jaskaran Kang, Dr. Rajeev Rao, Dr. Stephen Pizzale and Dr. Farrukh Hussain.
Historic donation to RVH funds advanced operating room The Joyce Foundation, one of Canada’s most well-known and philanthropic charitable foundations, made a $2.6 million gift to RVH. This extraordinary gift is the largest donation by a single living individual in RVH’s history and has been used to fund one of the most technologically advanced operating suites available today. “RVH has provided excellent healthcare to myself and other members of my family over the years. It is an honour to give back in a way that will help improve patient care in the region for many years to come,” says Ron Joyce. Above: RVH celebrated the official opening of a new Endovascular Hybrid Surgical Suite. Pictured (from left) - Grant Joyce, The Joyce Foundation; Kirsten Parker, chair, RVH Board of Directors; Janice Skot, president and CEO, RVH; Ron Joyce, The Joyce Foundation; Dr. Sandy McDonald, vascular surgeon, RVH; and David McCullough, chair, RVH Foundation Board of Directors.
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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Want to make a donation?
To donate Online: Foundation.rvh.on.ca
Donate in someone’s name as a tribute, remember a loved one with a memorial gift, plan a future gift, give a gift of stock, celebrate a new birth or set up a monthly donation.
Questions? Email: foundation@rvh.on.ca Phone: 705.739.5600
To donate by mail: RVH Foundation 201 Georgian Drive Barrie, Ontario L4M 6M2
Larche listeners care about access to care Larche Communications Inc. (LCI), parent company of KICX 106 and 104.1 The Dock, is on its third $500,000 pledge to RVH – known as Radio for Cardiology. It will help equip a cardiac catheterization lab as part of a future Advanced Cardiac Centre at RVH. “We have a phenomenal family of listeners, community groups, advertisers and partners who support our endeavours wholeheartedly. In under seven years, our listeners and clients have helped raise $1.2 million dollars – which is truly unbelievable and humbling,” says Paul Larche, president, LCI.
Rotary Clubs across the region bring care closer to home
Below: 104.1 The Dock on-air personalities Kyle Graham (left) and Josh Duncan with Andrew Robert, Director and Chief, County of Simcoe Paramedic Services, during Radio for Cardiology.
Presidents of the Rotary Clubs of Barrie, Huronia and Kempenfelt recently gathered at RVH to celebrate the latest collective pledge of $625,000 to the RVH Foundation’s Hearts & Minds campaign. Since the 1940s, Rotarians have supported RVH’s goal to bring care closer to home. Their latest pledge will help bring much-needed equipment to the health centre, ensuring patients receive, not only the best care from staff and physicians, but also have access to the latest technology. Above: Rotary Presidents Stephen Gage (Kempenfelt Rotary Club), Wendy Miller (Barrie Huronia Rotary Club), Sebastian Asselbergs, (Rotary Club of Barrie) celebrate their latest pledge with a photo taken in the space slated for RVH’s Advanced Cardiac Centre.
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Power of Team Power of Team is a video series featuring Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO, taking on the role of a roving reporter and interviewing members of TEAM RVH. These videos are important reminders that it’s the people within the organization that make it great. At RVH we have more than 2,500 staff, 385 physicians and 850 volunteers all working toward the same goal – the best and safest patient experience possible. It is our pleasure to introduce you to just a few of our team members. To view any of these videos please go to RVH’s Youtube channel – RVHBarrieON or http://bit.ly/powerteamRVH
Patient Food Services Casandra Durham, cook Factoid: Patient Food Services provides 352,000 patient meals a year. The weekly grocery order can weigh up to 4,500 lbs and that’s not surprising since we use 1.5 tons of ground beef per year. To put it into perspective every year we use 1,560 lbs of ground beef for our rotini and meat sauce recipe and another 2,340 lbs for our meatloaf recipe.
Janice Skot with Sherry Duchesne
Janice Skot with Casandra Durham in Patient Food Services
Environmental Services (EVS) Sherry Duchesne, housekeeping aide Factoid: During one shift in Surgery Recovery, Sherry can clean as many as 90 stretchers and spaces. To say the pace is hectic is an understatement.
Café Royale Sheila Mahoney, RVH volunteer Factoid: A volunteer since May 2014, Sheila has logged 325 hours. The Café Royale is one of two businesses run by the RVH Auxiliary with all proceeds going to patient care. Last year the volunteers in Café Royale sold 80,705 cups of coffee, 21,660 muffins and more than 20,000 sandwiches raising $150,000 (net profits) which all went back into patient care. Janice Skot with Sheila Mahoney at Café Royale
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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Barb Carswell holds a newborn with Janice Skot
Birthing Unit Barb Carswell, Registered Nurse Factoid: Every year RVH’s caring nurses on the Birthing Unit welcome more than 2,000 babies into the world. Their arrival is shared with the whole health centre with a sweet chime broadcast over the PA system. Carswell says after working in RVH’s Birthing Unit for more than 25 years there is no place in Barrie she can go without meeting at least one family whose baby she helped deliver. “It’s an awesome feeling!”
Simulation Laboratory- iStan Robot Dr. Chris Martin, Emergency Medicine and Critical Care; Director of Medical Simulation and Lesley Craig, Simulation Specialist and Respiratory Therapist Factoid: iStan is a high fidelity wireless patient simulator used as a teaching and training tool. With internal robotics that mimic human cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological systems, iStan can simulate any medical situation from a basic cough to a major trauma, all controlled by an instructor using a remote laptop. iStan has the capabilities to breathe, talk, blink, have a seizure, sweat and bleed. You name it - he can pretty much do it! This technology allows medical professionals to experience various medical situations in preparation for the ‘real thing.’
Samantha Howe in Specimen Recieving
Laboratory Services Samantha Howe, Team Lead, Specimen Receiving Factoid: Often called “Mission Control” Laboratory Services staff are the health centres very own detectives as they look for clues to help diagnose disease. Specimen Receiving processes more than 425,000 specimens a year.
Lesley Craig, Dr. Chris Martin and Janice Skot with iStan robot
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Our donors are part of the RVH Team Cancer was not on this woman’s bucket list but she’s crossed it off anyway
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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
Vitalsigns 2016 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
This is a love story. It’s also a tale of triumph over adversity, of fighting a disease, keeping positive and never giving up. But, it’s mostly a love story. It’s Arienne and John Cripps’ love story. The couple met in 1983 and as John puts it, “I fell in love with her in a big way. It’s been that way ever since.” They have been by each other’s side ever since – working together in John’s busy medical office in Bracebridge and playing together as they cycled, hiked and danced their way through life. Then there was a cough that wouldn’t go away. And then one morning Arienne woke up and had trouble breathing. That was followed by a trip to the local Emergency department, followed by a CT scan and bad news. “The doctor came in, and by the look on his face I knew it was cancer,” said John. Arienne’s chest was full of cancerous tumours. She had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “I didn’t have dying on my agenda, so I said, ‘Tell me what I have to do.’” To help Arienne through her treatment at RVH’s cancer centre, John closed his medical office. Seven months later – after biopsies and blood tests, CT scans, chest X-rays, and chemotherapy - Arienne’s cancer was in remission.
John and Arienne Cripps’ cycling trek around Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula was both a celebration of beating cancer and a fundraiser for RVH.
It was time for her to get back to crossing things off her bucket list, but this time she had something to prove. “I wanted to prove that I was strong enough to fight this demon called cancer and be there for my grandchildren,” says Arienne.
be used in the area of greatest need. A generous friend and her son and daughter-in-law rounded the dollar figure up to $10,000.
So, John and Arienne set out on a cycling trek that would take them almost 1,000 kilometres around Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula. And like everything else they do in life, they biked together – on a tandem bike.
When Arienne thinks back to the tough times sitting on the back of the bike, in the rain and through the bugs, as they cycled together, her eyes well up with tears. That’s not a common sight with this strong determined lady.
“We had talked about doing this trip, but got sidetracked with my cancer. So we went after and cycled 53 to 93 kms a day through rain, wind, sun, blackflies, horseflies, trucks and construction,” says Arienne. “When I got halfway and I realized I actually could make it to the end I decided to make it a fundraiser for RVH and especially my oncologist Dr. Derek Nay.”
“I’m tearing up now because I’m so grateful to have been able to make this trip,” says Arienne. “It is such a positive out of this negative. I want people to know that cancer is not a death sentence.”
Arienne and John decided to donate $10 for every kilometre they cycled. At the end of their journey she would cross the trip off her bucket list and hand Dr. Nay $9,780 to
www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH
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