Good afternoon, TeamUHN!
It is a pleasure to connect with you across care, research, and education through this weekly CEO update – all in service of A Healthier World.
Reminders and updates
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Please join us for a staff Virtual Open Forum, co-hosted by University Health Network and West Park Healthcare Centre, on Wednesday, March 20, from noon to 1 p.m. West Park CEO Anne-Marie Malek and I will provide an update on our voluntary integration plans. The Forum will be recorded and posted online for those who may miss this event. We look forward to answering some of the most frequently asked questions that we've received through our online feedback form.
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Don't miss
this incredible story in the Ottawa Citizen on a UHN patient who underwent a rare five-organ transplant at Toronto General Hospital. Zach Colton lives with Hollow Visceral Myopathy, a rare genetic condition that, in his case, stopped the movement of food through the digestive tract. In a day-long operation at the Ajmera Transplant Centre last October, Zach received a new stomach, pancreas, liver, large intestine, and small intestine. “When we do a multi-visceral transplant, everything is contained as one unit. There's only a major artery and a major vein that we have to connect," UHN's Dr. Mark Cattrall explained. “In some ways, it's simpler than what we would do with a standard liver transplant." Zach, who is now able to eat instead of relying on an IV line for nourishment, was discharged last month. He told The Citizen that the transplant gave him “hope" – an important reminder of the life-changing work done across our organization each day. Read more.
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UHN pharmacists are seeing the positive impact of their expanded scope of practice and ability to prescribe medication for minor ailments. In January 2023, the Ontario government empowered pharmacists to prescribe for 13 minor conditions (since expanded to 19), such as acid reflux, tick bites, and cold sores, to ease burdens at Emergency Departments and walk-in clinics and provide timelier patient care. Christine Tse, Outpatient Pharmacy Manager at Toronto Western Hospital told UHN News this change allows pharmacists to "apply our training and clinical knowledge to take on a greater role in improving health outcomes." We thank UHN pharmacists for rising to the challenge. We are pleased that there is now more public awareness about the vital role these professionals play in our system. Read more in UHN News.
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The Walrus magazine has showcased UHN's Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) Innovation Centre and the positive changes felt in our community. The article – "You Don't Have to Move into a Nursing Home. There's a Better Way" – captures the innovative work to bring health and social services to places where older adults are already living, including condo and apartment buildings. "The question was: How do you make a model of an aging community? And the answer was: Start with where they are," Jen Recknagel, director of innovation and design at UHN's NORC Innovation Centre, told the magazine. Considering Canada's aging population and projections that one in four Canadians will be 65 years or older by 2043, this project seeks to give older adults options for aging in place with the dignity they deserve. This shows how UHN is thinking differently and working with the community to deliver models of integrated care delivery. Visit the NORC Innovation Centre website and contact
Melissa Chang, (Sr. Director, Integrated Care) to learn more.
Video of the Week
And now… our video of the week. In
this clip, TeamUHN members share how they forge women's equality.
Feedback?
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leave anonymous feedback here.
Have a good week,
Kevin
