PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION
WITH THE HELP OF CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY, THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO OFFER THEIR FIRST SIMULATION TRAINING REMOTELY. sary. Éric supported the instructors by controlling the computers to manage these applications. The other technician, Gonzalo Blanco, was on site for the day and among his many responsibilities was the preparation of the mannequins and some impromptu Oscar-worthy acting performances during the simulation scenarios. “We are very proud of the success achieved by our telesimulation,” explain Éric and Gonzalo. This success allows us to foresee several possibilities for future training sessions.” The development of innovative training activities now includes a concept
that was rarely considered before March 2020: can a version of the activity be offered to remote locations while still providing a similarly rich learning experience as the in-person version? One thing is clear: even once the pandemic is over and we return to a certain normality, the ISM intends to keep this type of training accessible in a virtual format. This option will allow the ISM to achieve its mandate of providing distance training to partners in other regions, including to Francophone partners in regions across Ontario and Canada who cannot travel to H Montfort. ■
Gonzalo Blanco and Éric Tassé are simulation technicians and Dr. Richard Waldolf, MD MMEd CCFP (FPA), is the Simulation Program Director at the Institut du savoir Montfort.
• CCHFM Program developed by CHES • Intended to ensure that Canadian healthcare facilities are managed by competent individuals.
Ensuring Effective Healthcare Facilities Management Leaders Effective leadership of the healthcare facilities management department can be achieved by ensuring certification of all leadership staff. “It’s important our facilities management leadership understand the importance of working in healthcare and all the associated codes and standards that go with it,” says Chuck Donohue, director of facilities management at Hamilton Health Sciences. “Certification ensures the knowledge and experience is available to the organization on a daily basis.” According to CSA standard Z8002-19, Operations and Maintenance of Health Care Facilities, Organizations should make sure healthcare facilities are managed by competent, qualified individuals who have acquired knowledge, skill and judgment through experience and education. The standard also states healthcare facility managers should obtain recognized industry certification in Canadian healthcare facilities management. The Canadian Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CCHFM) program is designed to test a well-defined body of knowledge representative of professional practice in healthcare facilities management. Developed by the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society (CHES), the goal now is to make the CCHFM program the standard for healthcare facilities leadership in Canada. I was one of the original recipients of the CCHFM designation and have since encouraged my supervisory team at Hamilton General Hospital to become certified along with all facilities managers with Hamilton Health Sciences. It is an important step in establishing a level of competency across the health network, which is comprised of five hospitals and a cancer centre. “Since we are a multi-site organization, we rely on our facilities management leadership to be independent critical thinkers who can resolve problems at their site quickly and efficiently,” says Kelly Campbell, vice-president of corporate services and capital planning at Hamilton Health Sciences. “Having certified facilities managers would only enhance these qualities.” George Pankiw, P. Eng., is a holder of the CCHFM. He is presently the Facilities Manager at the Hamilton General Site of Hamilton Health Sciences.
• Designed to test a well-defined body of knowledge, representative of professional practice in the discipline of healthcare facilities management.
• Successful completion of a certification examination is an indicator of broad-based knowledge in this field.
HANDBOOK CCHFMHandbook_3DEC2019.pdf (ches.org)
www.hospitalnews.com
JANUARY 2021 HOSPITAL NEWS 37
