Unity Health Toronto Magazine
March 2021
How the pandemic revealed the creativity, strength and resilience of our network
A message from our CEO Resilience and transformation. Those
cases. We can be proud of our major role in the historic vaccination
to mind when I consider the year it has
devastating tunnel.
are two words that immediately come been since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
The strength of Unity Health Toronto
is our people who excel by bringing together their knowledge,
experience, compassion and creativity to reimagine the future of health care. Along with innovative uses of technologies, our people and our
teams have made all the difference as we have faced the significant challenges posed by COVID-19.
Screeners at the doors, masks and face shields on our people and
visitors, bustling COVID-19 assessment centres at our sites – those early adaptations were just the beginning of countless ways we have
transformed and harnessed the collective power of our network to battle this virus.
Our research teams pivoted their work to study COVID-19 to
discover how it damages the body, how best to treat it and who is the
most vulnerable. Our artificial intelligence teams partnered with our clinical leaders to find new ways to make us more efficient. Nurses and
other health professionals on the frontline care teams cared for the sickest of our patients and remained committed to providing families
with updates through phones and screens. Through two waves, our
clinical teams have adapted to streamline services and adopted new methods in order to offer excellent and wholistic care to our patients,
residents and clients – whether in person or by harnessing the potential of virtual tools.
COVID-19 has also highlighted the important role we play in our
province’s and our country’s health-care system. Our ability to safely
manage long-term care homes was acknowledged by the provincial
Through all of this, we stayed true to who we are at our core. We
have leveraged the collective expertise across our network to provide
high quality and compassionate care to all – particularly those who
experience marginalization or disadvantage who have always been at the forefront of our planning and outreach.
We have remained a network where patients can move seamlessly
from one site to another, feeling comforted, connected and confident – with our shared values wrapping around the care they receive from our teams.
Those themes can be traced back through the history of all three
of our hospitals to where it all started – in the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph – the bedrock of Unity Health Toronto today. The Sisters continually changed and transformed in response to the evolving needs of the people they served.
This has been a difficult year for our people who have been
working under stressful conditions on the front lines of this battle. Long
hours, uncertainty and changing conditions all take a toll. We remain fully committed to supporting our people and their wellness as they take care of others.
While the challenge is not over yet, we can look to the future
knowing that we are a resilient and adaptable health care organization whose people are constantly evolving to provide the best care for our patients, our communities and each other.
At this one year milestone, I’d like to express my sincere thanks
to everyone on “Team Unity Health” for your heroic efforts and many important contributions to the fight against COVID-19.
at long-term care and retirement homes across the city. Our ability to our laboratory teams have made in rapidly ramping up our capacity
to do large volumes of highly specialized testing to identify COVID-19
COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS
DONATED TO COVID-19 FUNDS
2
Tim Rutledge
President and CEO
Unity Health Toronto
Thank you to our communities for supporting us in incredible ways over the past year
$16.5 Million UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
5,000+
HOTEL NIGHTS FOR STAFF DONATED
VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS
effort now underway in Ontario, offering a light at the end of a long and
government when we were asked to help support the COVID response
quickly and effectively mobilize is reflected in the astronomical efforts
421,504
THE CARE EXPERIENCE
12,000
MEALS FOR STAFF DONATED
A doctor in the house
How our primary care teams are reaching out to isolated patients In Toronto’s west end, homebound
and co-lead of the Home Visiting Program.
in those settings.
residents are receiving special care
“They’re coping with social isolation and
packages to help keep them safe during
loneliness and the significant impact these
improving quality of life at home and in
the pandemic – part of an initiative by The
problems have on physical and mental
meeting the wishes and goals of the patient.
St. Joseph’s Urban Family Health Team to
health.”
“Patients weren’t receiving care for their
support elderly patients and others with
The pandemic has made this outreach
chronic diseases. Many ended up running
limited mobility.
essential. Dr. Freedman says that patients
out of their medications, or becoming
Further east, physicians with the
often have multiple illnesses, significant
weaker, having a fall and getting admitted
St. Michael’s Academic Family Health
limitations in their mobility and many
to hospital,” Dr. Freedman said.
Team are also making house calls. Team
have dementia. Some patients have limited
members with the Home Visiting Program
access to technology for video visits and
us and their personal support workers,”
heads out to the homes of some patients to
others don’t have a telephone. The number
added Lorna McDougall, Nurse Practitioner
meet the increased demand for home-based
of people being admitted into long-term care
for the program. “Some of our patients have
primary care due to the pandemic.
homes has decreased during the pandemic,
no one in the world. It’s heartbreaking.”
“A high proportion of our patients live
and some individuals have changed their
alone,” said Dr. Amy Freedman, a family
minds about entering long-term care due to
limited access to primary care are often
physician at St. James Town Health Centre
the high prevalence of COVID-19 outbreaks
continued on pg. 4
The St. Michael’s team focuses on
“Often, nobody visits them, except for
Patients without a family physician or
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C O N N E C T I N G PAT I E N T S A N D FA M I L I E S When COVID-19 led to visitor restrictions, our staff found creative ways to connect patients to their loved ones, from virtual visits to window sessions.
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SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
BIRTHS AT UNITY HEALTH DURING PANDEMIC
Sam Minassie, an e-visit coordinator at Providence Healthcare, shares what that’s been like:
One of my biggest takeaways from the pandemic is that socialization
plays a significant role in physical and mental health. I think a lot of the time
with elderly patients, it can be easy to forget just how much of an impact it
What to expect when you’re expecting (in a pandemic)
has on them.
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VIRTUAL FAMILY AND FRIENDS VISITS
The patients now associate me with seeing their families. As I enter
the room to start setting up the iPad for their calls, you can see right away
how their demeanor changes. It feels amazing, and sometimes staff from
the unit will come to the patient’s room during the calls to see the change, because they know the patient is very different when they see their family.
referred to the program by acute care hospitals or by the Toronto
Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). Mikey Lamy
the residents to place outside their home to indicate how caregivers
joined the home visiting program over a year ago after it was
and others can step in safely to their home, information on how to
recommended to him and his wife Penny by the St. Michael’s
safely quarantine, donated cloth masks and a letter from the FHT
Emergency Department.
team on how to care for the masks.
Like many patients in the program, Mikey suffers from mobility
In the west end, the Patient Care Packages include a poster for
“We organized these packages to provide the elderly a way
and memory issues. Penny is legally blind and uses a wheelchair.
to protect themselves. It’s been very rewarding to hear how it’s
They were unable to visit their family doctor when Mikey began
empowered them to state their rules and requirements of their
having extreme difficulty walking outside the home.
visitors and care providers before they enter their homes,” said
“It just wasn’t working for us, it was too far away,” Penny said.
Home-Visit Lead Physician Dr. Judy Thompson, who is leading
“We were panicked about what to do, so having their help is such a
this initiative with the Home Visit Academy network of family
relief.”
physicians and nurse practitioners across the Greater Toronto Area.
The home visiting program gives the couple their preferred
“Organized outreach to protect the elderly who are more
option to remain at home with the right supports, and Mikey has
vulnerable during the pandemic is extremely important,” said Dr.
felt healthier since he enrolled in the program.
Thompson. “They rely on essential services coming to their homes
like visits from personal support workers and other health care
“The visits have cheered me up,” he said. “I have a really great
relationship with all the doctors and nurses.”
professionals, or grocery and pharmacy delivery services, so it’s
important that they know how to keep themselves safe.”
In addition to support from Dr. Freedman and McDougall,
Mikey is cared for at home by Dr. Maggie Hess, a Family Medicine
Resident; and Jennifer Bugera, a Nurse. He also has support from
include all the elderly patients in the community, including those
nurses, coordinators and personal support workers from the
living in boarding homes and rooming houses in the west-end.
LHIN. They collaborate to help Mikey manage his diabetes, heart
Dr. Thompson also received donated homemade masks from
condition, memory issues and painful calluses on his feet. They
patients and members of Sistering’s Spun Studio, which is a drop-
also monitor his heart, since he underwent a surgery to have a stent
in in the west-end for women experiencing homelessness or
inserted several months ago.
marginalization. Dr. Thompson works at Sistering once a week,
which is the Women’s hub site of the Inner City Health Associates
Visiting patients in their homes is Dr. Freedman’s favourite part
The FHT’s Mental Health Team has expanded the program to
of being a family doctor.
(ICHA).
“We love taking care of our patients,” she said. “Going into
someone’s home, you get to know them in a way you never would
Babies don’t stop for a pandemic, nor does
among a small team of medical students
to their parents. That’s the driving force
Eliane Shore and Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe,
the need to get good health information
behind the Pandemic Pregnancy Guide,
a web-based resource that provides free, evidence-based prenatal, pediatric
and maternal health information at a time
when classes, support groups and other avenues for sharing knowledge are more difficult to access.
Run by physicians at St. Michael’s
Hospital, the project launched in April of 2020 and has grown to include more than
17,000 followers on Instagram. There,
parents can access live information sessions and Q&As with physicians
and other health experts, as well as the
guide, which shares quality, web-based resources on a wide range of topics including sleep and nutrition, pelvic floor
health and COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant and breastfeeding individuals.
Dr. Tali Bogler, Chair of Family
Medicine Obstetrics at St. Michael’s, was
and physicians, including St. Michael’s Dr. who rallied to launch the project in the
early days of the pandemic when it
became apparent there was a need to ease patients’ fears and overcome obstacles of lockdown.
“You could see the worry, this genuine
concern and palpable anxiety when it
became apparent COVID-19 was going to be an issue in Toronto,” she told The Toronto Star.
Dr. Bogler and her team surveyed
followers about how the account can best support them as their pregnancies and
parenting lives progress along with the pandemic. Some 1,600 people responded, and the team is using the findings to guide their path forward.
“The pandemic isn’t ending anytime
soon. We need to find out what else our patients need to know,” she said.
@ pandemicpregnancyguide
“It has really taken off and it embodies the idea that we’re all in
this together,” said Dr. Thompson.
in the sterile environment of an office. It’s very rewarding.” 4
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SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
CLIENTS VACCINATED BY UNITY HEALTH AT SHELTERS
Unity Health Toronto staff and physicians vaccinate clients at Scarborough Village Residence, the first site to participate in the pilot
Dr. Carolyn Snider
Supporting people with AI How we are working to vaccinate shelter clients and staff
How an AI tool developed at St. Michael’s is serving as an early warning system for shelter outbreaks
St. Michael’s saw 1,500+ homeless patients in the emergency department (ED) between March 1 and Nov. 6 2020. Many cycled through repeatedly, with more than 11,000 individual visits from that
Unity Health launches pilot to vaccinate shelter clients and staff
population. Dr. Carolyn Snider, the chief of St.
Clients of a group of Toronto-area shelters
COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Many people experiencing homelessness
came from, to anticipate how many patients would
received the COVID-19 vaccine as part of
have also stopped using shelters due to a
arrive, or a streamlined method to alert community
a pilot project that is producing a playbook
has made a huge difference in being able
fear of contracting COVID-19.
partners that multiple patients from a shelter had
to help guide provincial efforts to protect
to immunize all of the eligible residents
symptoms – signaling a potential outbreak.
people experiencing homelessness.
and some of the shelter staff today,” said Dr.
administration and logistics, such as the
The pilot, launched in mid-January, has
Karen Weyman, Chief of the St. Michael’s
transportation of the Pfizer-BioNTech
CHART developed the ED Homeless Population
prioritized sites with the highest population
Hospital Department of Family and
vaccine, which was transported from St.
Dashboard.The computer-based dashboard creates
of seniors, given their significant risk of
Community Medicine. “When we arrived
Michael’s Hospital to be administered at
a history for each incoming patient, includes data
severe outcomes as a result of COVID-19.
the shelter team had done a lot of the work to
the Scarborough Village site. These lessons
points such as the shelters they have stayed at,
Unity Health is working in partnership
get the residents and staff prepared for their
learned will help system partners as
and important health information like encounters
with Ontario Health, Inner City Health
COVID-19 vaccine. Working as a team led to
Ontario’s vaccine roll out expands to shelter
with our hospital as well as the date and results of
Associates, Toronto Public Health, the City
the success of the day.”
and congregate living settings.
COVID-19 tests. The dashboard has allowed the ED
of Toronto’s Shelter, Support & Housing
Unity Health, Inner City Health
to predict an influx of visits to the ED from shelters
Administration (SSHA) and other partners.
particularly hard on people experiencing
Associates, Ontario Health, Toronto
and serves as a feedback loop so doctors can alert
The city-operated Scarborough Village
homelessness, with shelters having to
Public Health and SSHA are continuing to
shelters of a potential outbreak.
Residence was the first pilot site where more
cut back the number of beds they offer to
collaborate on identifying pilot sites and
than 80 individuals, including more than 50
facilitate physical distancing, as well as the
engaging with those shelter partners to plan
population, this is another way we are better able
senior residents, were vaccinated using the
challenges of outbreaks on staff and clients.
for administering vaccinations at their sites.
to meet their needs and support our community
“We’re all working together and that
The COVID-19 pandemic has been
The pilot will allow for learnings in
Michael’s ED, had no way to track which shelter they
The solution? Our team of data scientists at LKS-
As leaders in care for this vulnerable
partners in the shelter system. 6
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SUPPORTING OUR SENIORS
Teams from Unity Health Toronto have helped to support 17 long-term care and retirement homes
pandemic on Indigenous communities, and to ensure Indigenous
over the course of the pandemic. We worked to assess needs, provide COVID-19 vaccinations and
peoples are leading the governance, management, analysis and
continue improvements around infection, prevention and control and quality and safety processes.
dissemination of information about them.
Our goal has been to work alongside our partners at the homes to help create an environment that
meets the needs of all its residents, their families and staff.
Since the testing centre launched, it has expanded to also
provide COVID-19 vaccinations for Indigenous people. In its first month, the clinic has provided 400 vaccinations.
Paula Podolski, Senior Clinical Program Director
standing outside of Copernicus Lodge in Toronto’s
“It is inspiring to work together in a good way to create
west end. “I’ve developed such respect for staff
something that will benefit the broader Indigenous community.
working on the front lines in so many different
Evidence supports the effectiveness of by community for
areas of healthcare,” she says. “It’s quite humbling,
community Indigenous health solutions,” said Dr. Janet Smylie,
it really brings you back to your roots of why you
director of Well Living House, the Indigenous health research unit
decided to get into healthcare. And it really is all
at St. Michael’s Hospital and principal investigator of We Count
about protecting those who are most vulnerable.
COVID-19.
Those who don’t have a voice, we’re the voice for them.”
Dr. Janet Smylie
By community for community
A COVID-19 testing centre opens for Indigenous people in Toronto
Antonio Choi, Patient Care Manager at Unity Health, huddles with Copernicus Lodge staff to ensure all the key indicators of
Indigenous peoples can now receive integrated COVID-19 testing,
quality of care are in place.“The impact (of COVID) is very dramatic
including case management, contract tracing, outreach supports,
because of the number of residents involved and staff affected,”
and referrals at a testing centre led by Indigenous people.
says Choi. “In terms of the hospital support, we don’t come to the
home and change everything, but we find that the resources the
Indigenous peoples can be disproportionately impacted by
infectious diseases such as COVID-19, and are likelier to experience
hospital provides is very significant to support in terms of IPAC, HR, Occupational Health. So we centralize resources that really
barriers in accessing services, including systemic racism in
help the home get through this difficult time. Now is the time to
healthcare. The Auduzhe Mino Nesewinong Indigenous COVID-19
build up the team and make them stronger.”
testing centre is an Indigenous led public health response to these disparities.
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In the Anishinaabe language, Auduzhe Mino Nesewinong
means, “Place of Healthy Breathing.” The centre is a collaboration
LONG-TERM CARE AND RETIREMENT RESIDENTS VACCINATED
between Na-Me-Res, Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto (SGMT), Well Living House at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health at Women’s College
IN-PERSON VISITS
Hospital. The facility is housed in a Na-Me-Res building and
In June, the Houses of Providence welcomed back family members to
Associates, and Women’s College Hospital. Tests will be processed
the site for outdoor visiting with residents. This was part of phase one of visiting in long-term care homes which allowed for at least one visit per resident a week in an outdoor setting.
staffed by Na-Me-Res, SGMT, Well Living House, Inner City Health by the labs at St. Michael’s and Mount Sinai Hospitals.
The testing site launched in tandem with the We Count
COVID-19 Indigenous database research project, an Indigenous
Pictured here is Frank Kovrig, one of our residents in the Houses, seeing
community owned database about First Nations, Inuit and Métis
worked tirelessly behind-the-scenes to implement processes to safely
developed to bridge the data gap about the impact of the COVID-19
his daughter for the first time in months. The Houses of Providence team
COVID-19 spread. The project, led by Well Living House, was
Dr. Suzanne Shoush
Vaccinating Indigenous peoples in remote communities
Unity Health staff and physicians were among the crews who
flew across Northern Ontario to provide COVID-19 vaccines to remote First Nations communities. They included Dr. Suzanne Shoush, Family Physician at St. Michael’s Hospital.
“As a First Nations woman, protecting and serving
Indigenous communities is absolutely critical to me,” she sa ys. “I want to do all I can during this pandemic to reduce health inequities and directly work for improved health outcomes for Indigenous peoples and their families.”
Ornge has been working with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation
(NAN), which represents 49 First Nations in the north, other provincial and federal organizations and local community leaders to plan the vaccination strategy for this priority group.
resume visiting for residents and families. 8
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FACE TO FACE
THE CARE EXPERIENCE
When the pandemic began in early 2020, safety guidelines limited visitors to hospitals and long-term care homes, including those who live at the Cardinal Ambrozic Houses of Providence. As the colder months began, the large ceiling to floor windows at the entrance became a regular meeting space.
Marie Duke greets her brother Joseph on her weekly
visit. David James, an Activation Assistant helping with the
visits, says he sees a more positive reaction as compared to
Skype calls “because you can look into each other’s eyes.
For some residents with cognitive impairments, it can be
confusing on a screen and they can get agitated. If it’s a window visit, I’ve never had that problem.”
The road to recovery
Bob waves at his mom through the glass and tells her
Providence pioneers rehab and recovery services for COVID-19 patients
some jokes over the phone. “It’s important to make face contact, let them know that we’re here,” he says. “The
girls look lively and I had a great conversation. Providence
Patients can face a long and complex road to
board, and there was so much support
different — the result, perhaps, of damage
recovery from COVID-19. Some have spent
from our colleagues at St. Michael’s and St.
to the larynx, caused when the tube is
weeks immobilized, while others have
Joseph’s.”
removed. Laura Conway, a speech therapist
received support from ventilators. Others
The unit’s multidisciplinary approach
at Providence, says that the muscles in the
struggle with loss of memory and cognition,
has been an important benefit for patients,
throat can become deconditioned, making
pressure injuries and/or neuropathies.
says Dr. Ashley Verduyn, chief and director
it difficult to co-ordinate swallowing and
Knowing this, Providence Healthcare
of medical affairs at Providence. The
breathing. To rebuild that strength, she
was one of the first hospitals in Canada
COVID rehab program includes a variety
said she asks patients to pretend they’re
to open a rehab and recovery program
of clinicians to support recovery including
swallowing a ping pong ball, among other
designed to care for COVID-19 positive
physio and occupational therapists, speech
exercises.
patients and those in recovery. Known for
and language pathologists, dieticians,
its excellent rehabilitation services, the
nurses, social workers, pharmacists and
was Joe Kotelniski, 83, who arrived in late
hospital adapted quickly to get the unit
physicians specializing in rehabilitation.
May, weak and delirious after several weeks
up and running by April, weeks into the
Emotional and cognitive supports are also
in hospital battling COVID-19. He wasn’t
pandemic.
an essential part of care.
intubated, but still couldn’t get anything
down besides purées.
“When we were first approached
“We’ve had patients who have lost their
One of the patients helped at Providence
about this COVID-19 unit, a lot of things
partner to COVID,” Dr. Verduyn said in an
ran through my mind, but the first thought
interview with the Toronto Star. “So not only
out of the quagmire and brought me back
was this is an emergency situation and we
are there physical challenges — like muscle
to my senses,” he said of Providence in an
need to prepare,” said Caroline Monteiro, the
weakness and deconditioning … They need
interview with the Star, the day before he
Patient Care Manager for the Orthopaedic
a lot of psychological support as well.”
went home. “My appetite is back. I could eat
and Amputee Rehabilitation unit of those
In some cases, patients who were intubated
a horse if they put one up here.”
early days. “The team was completely on
in hospital find that their voices sound
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UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
“It was this place here that pulled me
is absolutely outstanding, they accommodate every visit request. Speaking of that, can I book next Wednesday?”
Constance is joined by her daughter Marcia,
an essential care partner, and via the window by granddaughter Antoinette. “With the lockdown and
everything, this is a treat for her granddaughters to come see her,” says Marcia. “Her birthday is in May, and she’ll be 100! Longevity obviously is in her genes.”
“I’m happy we are doing the window visits,” says David,
“It’s so much better for families to see them in person.
There’s no substitute for that.” Debasish Pal, Manager of Activation and Programs says “The smile on the residents’
faces after seeing the family is invaluable.”
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3,344+
OUR PEOPLE
STUDENT PLACEMENTS
BEHIND THE MASK
From ‘food doctor’ to barber Marlon Manuba steps up to the plate
An education ‘second to none’
Nursing students sign in for their new placements in July
Teaching the next generation of health care workers in an unprecedented time
You can usually see me wearing a lab coat
first few days I only had a hair comb and
While I was giving them a haircut, the
and hair net in the servery area, dining
scissors. Then I was able to get in touch
residents would talk about their families.
room and hallway. Some residents would
with a vendor and during my break I
For some, family members used to come
call me the ‘food doctor’ because of what I
picked up more equipment.
over to give them a haircut or curl their
was wearing. Now staff and residents call
hair, so they were missing that. I wasn’t
me the barber.
just cutting hair. I was talking to them and
making them feel good. It also made me
I taught myself how to cut my own
Unity Health has a proud history of
had to pivot to more virtual care and
working at Unity Health.”
hair and I’ve been cutting friends’ hair for
happy.
teaching and education at all three sites.
education to support students during this
• “I am grateful to have my placement at
more than 15 years. I started because I was
Our physicians and staff are teaching the
unprecedented time. Our learners brought
St. Josephs. The staff are very welcoming
a student. I had loans and it was a way to
residents so far. Each one of them has
next generation of health care workers, and
enthusiasm, ideas and a work ethic that has
and I gained more knowledge in
make money.
a different impact on me. I was cutting
having our learners at our sites challenges
helped us provide the best possible care for
performing nursing skills, collaborating
During a shift at the Houses back in
the hair of a female resident who doesn’t
us to stay on top of new ideas, emerging
our patients.
with other health care members and
April, I was at a management meeting and
speak much English anymore because
trends and best practices.
Here is what some students said in
enhancing my communication skills. As an
one of the leaders said that our long-term
of dementia. She still communicates in
an experience survey about what the
Internationally educated nurse I had a great
care residents were in need of haircuts
her language, so I had a member of the
placement has meant for them:
opportunity to be oriented in the Canadian
since the salon that normally operates
activation team translate for us. While
health system.”
closed because of COVID-19.
cutting her hair, she told me she felt like a princess. I was blown away.
Many of our regular student
placements were paused in the early days of the pandemic, and July 1, 2020 marked the return of students to a very
•
Unity Health Toronto is a great
• “I have never had such a good learning
different learning environment. Since
foundation. In speaking with my unit
environment and staff in my previous
know and what I can do because my role
then, collaboration between education and
manager, I realized how fully committed
clinical experience. It was amazing how
has always been in food and nutrition. But
key stakeholders in medicine, professional
to diversity and inclusion this hospital
not only my preceptor but everyone in the
because I wanted to help the residents, I
practice, and program leadership has
is. The resources available to students is
inter-professional team was dedicated to
mentioned I could cut hair and they were
were missing going to the salon. They
enabled strong processes to support the
second-to-none. I have never been treated
teaching.”
all supportive of starting a mobile hair
want to look good and feel confident and
students.
like I mattered or had a right to attend my
salon.
that doesn’t change just because they’re in
clinical placement as much as I did when
a long-term care home.
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Our preceptors and faculty have
UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
Usually, I’m hesitant to voice what I
All the stores were closed, so in the
I have cut the hair of about 150
Marlon Manuba is a operations leader, I learned that many of the residents
Food and Nutrition Services at Providence
Healthcare. As told to Danielle Pereira. This interview has been edited and condensed.
Share your story at communications@ unityhealth.to.
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BEHIND THE MASK
“I think at first it was a lot of different
updates from management and policy
We asked our staff and physicians to share how the pandemic has impacted them. This is what they told us.
changes, but once that got a little settled
Visit features.unityhealth.to/behind-the-mask/ for more stories
there was less panic and we were able to
integrate into the role. It’s important to be
“I pray before I enter each room. It
adaptable. We’ve been trying to roll with the
gives me comfort and I feel protected.
punches, and change our programs up. But
God is my support and keeps my mind
we’ve been really more present on the unit
positive. My Mother died 9 years ago,
and I feel more integrated into the team.”
and I carry around her picture with me.
- Charissa Chow Recreational Therapist Providence Healthcare
So every time I pray, I see my mom’s picture and it helps me stay calm.”
“During the pandemic,
- Elizabeth Rosario Light Duty Cleaner Providence Healthcare
I forget that I’m just a Unit Clerk. For me there’s no,
‘It’s my patient, it’s not my
patient, it’s my job, it’s not my job.’ I always try to be helpful.”
- Sania Kim Unit Clerk St. Joseph’s Health Centre
“A lot of people look to me to have the answers.
“I’ve worked at St. Mike’s for 20 years, and I’ve never seen
anything like COVID-19. It has brought to the forefront how blessed we all are, and the shared fear we all live with, of being – or dying – alone. My instinct is to save. It’s what I do.” - Amily Griffin ICU Nurse St. Michael’s Hospital 14
UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
“During COVID, you need to find an avenue
to help de-stress and find a way to lessen your anxiety. My avenue is my garden. I love my garden and when I’m there, I feel good.” - Paul David Dietary Aide St. Joseph’s Health Centre
“At first I wondered, how will we survive? But now I think
it will be normal. We wash our hands, sanitize all the time. Sometimes we have people coming from dialysis, and we help them with their tables. I’m more grateful for what I do.” - Abebech (Abby) Kasaye Retail Food Services team member St. Michael’s Hospital
That’s one of the biggest challenges right now,
particularly with an emerging infectious disease: We don’t have all the answers. My impulse is to
want to say something to reassure everyone, or give them a black and white answer.” - Dr. Mark Downing Infectious Disease Physician St. Joseph’s Health Centre UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
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O U R I N N O V AT I O N
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COVID-19 RELATED RESEARCH PROJECTS
HOW OUR SCIENTISTS TACKLED A NEW AND PRESENT THREAT
PUBLICATIONS ON COVID-19
Unity Health scientists earned more federal funding for COVID-19 research last year than any Toronto research hospital or network, offering critical new insights in the global race to understand and contain the virus. More than 135 articles on COVID-19 have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Meanwhile, scientists who have kept up their non-COVID-19 research continue to advance their work. Natural collaborations between the three hospital sites have taken advantage of our strength as a network.
How did our scientists adapt to the pandemic reality? Here’s a closer look at four projects that have flourished since the shut-down:
Can precision medicine help target the most at-risk of
How do we support people experiencing marginalization
The lead: Dr. Claudia dos Santos
The leads: Dr. Michelle Firestone and Dr. Ahmed Bayoumi, MAP
deadly disease?
March 2020 caused changes to many community agencies
to in the last year. Dr. Dos Santos hopes to peer into a person’s
are experiencing homelessness, poverty, incarceration and
molecular make-up to understand if there is a signal - called a
biomarker - that will warn us of which patients will fare better than Can we help cells defend themselves from the SARS-
How can existing research shed new light on the
others.
The leads: Dr. Katalin Szaszi, Dr. Andras Kapus and Dr. Warren
The leads: Dr. Andrea Tricco, Director of the Knowledge
syndrome present to us simultaneously with this degree of
Lee, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science
COVID-19 response?
Synthesis Team, Knowledge Translation Program
“Never have we had so many patients with acute respiratory
injury,” she said. “The sheer volume of patients presenting to
the ICU, although tragic, provided us with a never-before-seen
Dr. Szaszi and Dr. Kapus had long been interested in cells under
When the world needs answers to a novel question, leaders and
opportunity to learn more about this devastating disease.”
disease. When COVID-19 arrived, they pivoted to study how a cell
Canadian COVID-19 Prospective Cohort Study (CANCOV). She
stress and the defenses they mobilize – particularly in kidney
recognizes a virus entering and how the virus prevents the cell
from fighting back. The long-term question is whether there’s a
way to boost the natural antiviral defenses of the cells, preventing widespread infection. “If you have all the tools and something
comes up that is exciting and interesting you can jump on it like we did,” Dr. Szaszi said.
Before the pandemic, Dr. Lee’s lab studied how flu and
coronaviruses impact the lung. He had created a coronavirus
lab model to replicate what happens when a virus hits the body.
Collaborating with him, Dr. Szaszi and Dr. Kapus have been able to expand their cellular exploration with a model of the virus.
Decoding how to stop a virus from interfering with a cell’s core
functions could help the team design an intervention, like a drug, that would boost the cell’s antiviral defenses. Dr. Szaszi said a
better understanding of the virus we’re working with now could lessen the blow of future pandemics.
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UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
decision makers turn to existing research.
inform global guidelines and responses to pressing health
will co-lead the genomic components of this Canadian study
Evidence Alliance that delivers rapid reviews to decision
of COVID-19 and create prediction models around the disease.
rapid reviews in three months.
mechanical ventilation is associated with often long lasting
Since the start of the pandemic, Dr. Tricco’s team has provided
Agency of Canada, and the Ministry of Health, which have led to
Dr. Valeria Di Giovanni, Biobank Manager, and Dr. Pamela Plant,
to treating, preventing and understanding COVID-19. They have
samples from patients with COVID-19 to shed new light into how
disease.
studies on previous pandemics like SARS and MERS to
Michael’s MSICU and hope to replicate it at St. Joseph’s.
knowledge.”
pandemic but also to prepare us for any future pandemic.”
Knowledge Synthesis teams conduct rapid reviews to
Dr. dos Santos is also one of the co-investigators for the
problems. Dr. Tricco leads a national body called the SPOR
that aims to determine risk factors associated with outcomes
makers. Dr. Tricco’s team normally has the ability to conduct
Recent studies have shown the need for life support and
impacts on survivors of ICU care.
During COVID-19, they have done it in 10 days or less.
Together, the PRecision meDICine in CriTical care (PREDICT)
reviews for the World Health Organization, the Public Health
team including Marlene Santos Senior Research Coordinator;
international, national and provincial changes to our approach
Genomics Specialist, is biobanking and analyzing donated
been at the forefront of helping world leaders understand this
specific individuals respond to the virus.
to the bedside by building a new research station inside the St.
“At the start we had nothing to go by so we were searching
inform the response to this one. Now there is so much more
Centre for Urban Health Solutions
Precision medicine based on genetic make-up is not new, but its
application to COVID-19 is something Dr. dos Santos has pivoted
CoV-2 virus?
during a public health crisis?
To fast-track the research, they have brought basic science
“New knowledge will not only be critical in the fight against this
and programs that provide essential support to those who substance use.
Understanding the toll this could take on people who
experience marginalization, the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions got to work. With 35 scientists, people living in
communities, and partners and providers from community
agencies like Lorie Steer from The Neighbourhood Group, Dr. Bayoumi and Dr. Firestone launched a multi-pronged study.
The study aims to describe how the public health response
has impacted people who are experiencing marginalization and develop and implement solutions that help mitigate risks and enhance access to health and social services. Their findings could change the way the health and social service system
responds to threats like COVID-19 to protect and support urban populations. With the most researchers ever listed on a MAP
Centre for Urban Health Solutions project, the team has created a web of committees and teams to address different aspects of
marginalization. Each team is co-led by a scientist and a provider
or someone with lived experience, ensuring accurate and relevant data capture.
Community-based research is what MAP does best, and with
this project they are looking past the pandemic to support the people who are impacted by their research.
“As a researcher I’ll never underestimate person-to-person
interactions,” Dr. Firestone said. “In community-based research,
there is value in sitting around the same table to laugh and visit,” Dr. Firestone said. “The pandemic has propelled us to find new ways to build connections for this project.”
UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
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ALL TOGETHER NOW
PROTECTING OUR SENIORS
Hospitals are central to Ontario’s fight against COVID-19, and our work stretches far beyond providing excellent care for our patients. With each
Unity Health is supporting many long-term care homes
look at those efforts.
challenge of keeping their residents safe. Our teams
challenge posed by the pandemic, our teams have mobilized quickly and stretched in new ways to keep our communities safe. Here’s a closer
and retirement homes as they face the immense
work with our partners at the home to assess needs, improve quality and safety processes and enhance
TESTING FO R COV I D -19
infection, prevention and control processes. Our COVID-19 vaccination teams are also administering
vaccines to long-term care residents and staff both
As the virus took hold in March of 2020, our staff raced to
at our hospital sites and in the homes
set up COVID-19 assessment centres at St. Michael’s and St. Joseph’s, a critical step in tracking the virus’s spread. Since then, our assessment centres have stayed open seven days
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a week and hundreds of people are tested daily.
SENIOR’S RESIDENCES SUPPORTED
177,537 ASSESSMENT CENTRE VISITS
In December, St. Michael’s Hospital was one of the sites selected by the Ontario government to
JOINING # T E A M VA C C I N E
kick off its vaccination effort. Since then, Unity
Health’s ‘team vaccine’ has played a key role in the historic campaign: Thousands of people
have been vaccinated so far at St. Michael’s and St. Joseph’s, our second vaccination site. At the
FIGHTING COMMUNITY SPREAD Our hardworking laboratory team at St. Michael’s Hospital processes
Cardinal Ambrozic Houses of Providence, 95 per
cent of the home’s 288 residents received their first dose on a single day.
an average of 1,000 COVID-19 nasal swabs per day to ensure that people receive their COVID-19 results as quickly as possible. Swabs are shipped from Unity Health assessment centres, long term care
homes and Toronto Public Health. Our teams work around the clock, seven days a week, to process the results.
21,000+
COVID-19 VACCINATION DOSES
203,669
COVID-19 SWABS TESTED IN OUR LABS
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UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
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960
OOUURR PPEEOOPPLLEE
STAFF SUPPORTED BY SPIRITUAL CARE’S CODE LAVENDER INITIATIVE
Helping the healers
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STAFF WELLNESS INITIATIVES
How a St. Michael’s Chaplain is supporting staff
Jeff Braff has a unique perspective on COVID-19. As a retired
epidemiologist, he understands pandemics can be devastating,
be there for those caring for and healing the sick. “To deal with the
cyclical events. As an ordained Buddhist monk, his spiritual beliefs
constant reality of illness and death… it takes its toll,” he says.
are rooted in the idea that death is nothing to fear.
Braff particularly enjoys overnight shifts, because it gives him the
time to meet and connect with staff throughout the hospital.
Now, as a spiritual care practitioner at St. Michael’s Hospital,
With the stress of the pandemic, Braff feels a responsibility to
he is using this dual perspective to help patients, their loved ones
“I love the commitment of the people who work here.
– and especially, his peers in health care – cope as they work and
Everybody is committed to providing excellent patient care,” he
live through this moment of extreme stress, fear and anxiety.
says. “People are tired, some are frustrated, some are scared – but
“There’s a lot of pain and suffering that happens on the part of staff
they do it anyway, because that’s what we are about.”
that needs to be dealt with,” says Braff.
Six years ago, Braff retired from epidemiology and research
and moved to India to devote his time to studying Buddhism, a practice he had studied as much as he could during his almost 40-
WELLNESS TIPS
year career in public health.
MOVEMENT
Buddhism is practiced by over 375 million people and focuses
Any type of movement can greatly
on personal spiritual development. For more than 2,500 years,
benefit your mental well-being such as walking, yoga, dancing, pilates,
Buddhists have followed the philosophy that we can all grow in
biking, etc.
wisdom and compassion, all things are impermanent, and that by releasing attachment and hatred you can be free of suffering.
Braff became an ordained Buddhist monk during his time in
India, and after three years there he returned to North America to provide support to people in hospitals. He studied at the University of Toronto to become a Chaplain and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry there, researching how Chaplains can provide better service to hospital staff.
“One of the things Buddhism teaches is that the most important
FUEL
Examine your current nutrients and habits for eating and avoid
skipping meals or cutting out entire food groups, and avoid refined
carbohydrates and processed foods.
TA L K TO S O M E O N E If you are looking for someone to
moment of life is death,” says Braff. “Anything that can be done to
talk to, please reach out to the
ease the fear, pain and suffering around the moment of death is
Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
critically important.” 20
UNITY HEALTH TORONTO
Unity Health Toronto’s Employee Compsych.