This week, we celebrate Canada Day and I know many people at UHN are taking some summer vacation around this holiday or the August 1 long weekend. This year's Canada Day has special meaning for me as it marks the first time that Canada Day will be celebrated following my family's decision to come home. Here's the
Government of Canada's site for activities coast, to coast to coast. I will be watching the celebrations on Parliament Hill with pride and wish all of you a happy and safe Canada Day with family and friends.
The PanAm and Parapan Games are fast approaching. Many people at UHN have contributed to a safe and happy Games for all participants. My thanks to
Marnie Weber, Executive Director, Strategic Developments and
Frank Tourneur, Senior Director Risk and Radiation Safety who have co-chair the group getting us ready which has meant a mock Code Orange practice and the SIMS team –
Nancy Ng,
Matthew Kelsey,
Lila Young, and
Andrew Tin -- which developed the Emergency Management Communications (EMC) tool that now has 87 hospitals signed on to and a total of 117 community agencies will have access to starting with the Games. As part of our involvement in the Games, we have held a
mock Code Orange, which will serve us well for any mass casualty incident. The EMC tool is a legacy of the Games which will eventually linking all hospitals in the Province of Ontario in real time – something that would be invaluable in any emergency. I thank our teams in the Emergency Departments at Toronto Western and Toronto General who have the systems in place to care for accredited participants in the Games and to the Joint Department of Medical Imaging team led by
Paul Cornacchione, Clinical Director and supported by
Danny Toubassy,
Dr. Bob Bleakney,
Shaun Dias &
Patricia North. Also my sincere thanks to everyone who has signed up to work in the polyclinic at the Athlete's Village and to the radiologists who have agreed to read any images that result from that clinic. It takes a city to host a Games, and we are very much part of that hosting activity.
I'll close by letting you know that last week, Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, made an announcement in Thunder Bay about the integrated program that has been developed between Thunder Bay and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at UHN. The release from the Ministry is posted
here, which gives some of the details. The Thunder Bay community is so grateful for the collaborative efforts over several years from
Dr. Barry Rubin, Program Medical Director of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre,
Scott McIntaggart, Senior Vice President responsible for TG and PMCC and
Linda Flockhart, Clinical Director responsible for PMCC. The model of one program on two sites is an example of creative thinking by two organizations so that the people of Thunder Bay can have more care close to home, while having access to the superb facilities and care at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.
Peter
