Success Story: South Island MSA Award for Collaborative Leadership

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be recognizing those who received South Island MSA Recognition Awards at this year’s Annual General Meeting.

From a Facility Engagement perspective, we are delighted to recognize two separate examples of Collaborative Leadership, where members of the medical staff have partnered with the Health Authority and other organizations to lead change

Dr. Kevin Yee provided a heartfelt nomination for Dr. Gus Chan and Dr. Jacques Smit.

The uptake and success of the Victoria Enhanced Recovery Arthroplasty process developed by Dr. Duncan Jacks and Dr. Smit has been transformational for patients over the past year.  As mentioned by Dr. Yee, “this program is only feasible because of Dr. Gus Chan’s years of working with the Health Authority to get the resources in place to run a block room daily.”

Thanks to Dr. Chan and Dr. Smit, up to four patients are simultaneously seen and assessed by another anesthesiologist in a separate holding area.  They then get the appropriate nerve block or have their neuraxial anesthetic placed in advance in order to achieve decreased OR turnover time and to allow “soak time” for their local anaesthetics to work so that less sedation is required in the actual surgery.

A significant number of patients are now leaving the hospital the same day of their joint replacement because of reduced drowsiness, confusion, hypotension, urinary retention and other side effects.

We are pleased to present the Award for Collaborative Leadership to Dr. Gus Chan and Dr. Jacques Smit.