MSH NEWS

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Kathy Merkle, Dr. John Maxted, Cathy Teolis and Brenda Wilson

OUR FAMILY MEDICINE TEACHING UNIT TURNS 10!

It all started in a little white trailer.

That was where a team of four physicians and 10 staff began caring for patients and training the next generation of family physicians when MSH opened its Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU) in 2010.

“For our first two months, we were in a trailer in the parking lot of the Health Services Building next to the hospital, waiting for our offices to be ready,” says

Patients and families are benefiting from the launch of a new Kids Health Alliance (KHA) virtual care project that allows the care team at MSH’s Neonatal

Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to consult experts at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) with the added used of video.

The introduction of video will provide the SickKids team with Dr. John Maxted, one of the original physicians who is still a member of the FMTU. “It was a very interesting way to start practicing.”

Also called Health for All Family Health Team, the FMTU was approved by the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto to train new physicians during their postgraduate residency in family medicine. The FMTU also has the distinction of being MSH’s first the ability to see the baby in real time and determine if the baby needs to be transferred. Currently in Ontario, 49 NICUs access the province’s Neonatal Consult, Transfer and Transport program to seek input from paediatric and neonatal medical specialists. Up until now, this program has been available exclusively over the phone. academic teaching program.

Over the last 10 years, the FMTU has grown to a team of 60 that serves 11,000 patients and trains 18 to 20 residents each year.

“I’m so proud of how our FMTU has evolved and the exceptional primary care we provide to our community,” says Dr. Caroline Geenen, Chief of Staff at MSH.

Dr. Maxted adds that “it’s especially rewarding to witness the many residents who graduate through our program and continue to practice right here in Markham, including in our own

USING TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

hospital and FMTU.”

Dr. Navneet Sharma and NICU nurse

This project will improve health outcomes at MSH and allow for enhanced quality care close to home.

A PROPOSAL TO REMEMBER

COVID-19 ASSESSMENT CENTRE

In response to the increase in COVID-19 cases in our region, MSH opened a COVID-19 Assessment Centre on March 18, 2020. And in just over eight months, the dedicated team of interprofessional staff has performed a staggering amount of tests – over 40,000 swabs!

The team in the Assessment Centre comprised of nurses, registered practical nurses, allied health professionals, physicians (primary and emergency), registration clerks and support services staff , is focused on

Avery Atkinson with Javad Movasseli, senior orthopaedic technologist

OUR FRACTURE CLINIC MOVES TO A NEW, LARGER HOME

In an exciting step toward ensuring an extraordinary patient experience at MSH, one of the busiest clinics in the hospital has moved into a brighter and bigger space. The new, larger Fracture Clinic is now located in the lower

COVID-19 swab

delivering safe, high quality care to each and every person who comes to the Assessment Centre. What makes the Assessment Centre so successful is the staff ’s courage and ability to adjust to meet the changing needs of our patients, community and hospital. What started as a walk-in for symptomatic patients and changed to an appointment model to minimize wait time and crowding, has most recently grown with the addition of more registration staff to manage the signifi cant upswing in volumes.

Using this same agile approach the team has planned for even more increased volumes during cold and fl u season – with an expansion of the COVID-19 Assessment Centre.

level of building A in Clinic #5 as part of the Canadians of Pakistani Origin Orthopaedic Centre.

Nearly double the size of the previous space, the new Fracture Clinic has been designed to include enhanced COVID-19 safety precautions including plexiglass screens and physically distanced seating, to maintain the health and safety of our patients.

Some of the new clinic upgrades include: • Six private treatment bays • Four spacious casting bays • Larger treatment and assessment spaces • Two x-ray machines

The new Fracture Clinic was funded, in part, by the generosity of our donors and the important work of the MSH Foundation.

Anthony Zambri, baby Ava and Athena Efstratiou

When Athena Efstratiou came to MSH to give birth to her fi rst baby, little did she know that a second surprise awaited her. With the help of the team of nurses in labour and delivery, and just hours after the birth of baby Ava, her partner Anthony Zambri proposed.

Anthony had wanted to propose for a while, but with a new baby on the way he never found the perfect time, until now. Anthony approached the nurses on duty and told them what he was planning. The nurses were excited to help.

While Anthony got Athena’s best friend on FaceTime, a nurse attached a new ID band to her wrist with the important question on it. The nurses wanted to do more, and crafted a very special onesie for baby Ava which said “Will you marry dad?”. It took Athena a few seconds to understand what was going on and then, with baby Ava in her arms, Athena said Yes!

“I didn’t expect it at all. All the nurses were in the room and my best friend was on the phone. It was perfect. There were a lot of tears,” Athena said with a laugh.

The nurses were honoured to help make Anthony and Athena’s childbirth story even more memorable. Going above and beyond is just part of what the team does to ensure an extraordinary experience for every patient.