Recently we featured the work of three emergency room physicians – Dr. Matthew Carere, Dr. Ross Hooker, and Dr. Donovan MacDonald – in spearheading an interdisciplinary in situ simulation project. The simulation exercises have continued over the past year and have yielded valuable insights into practice changes, equipment overhauls, and […]
Read morePatients diagnosed with serious illness who also have substance use issues in the past or present make up a very complex patient population to care for adequately – for the patient and practitioner alike. Patients experiencing substance use challenges, mental health issues, and a high burden of chronic and terminal […]
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Monday evening’s Working Group meeting brought together 12 members of our Working Group, partners from Island Health, and support from Doctors of BC to vet and approve 8 physician-led Engagement Projects. Check out some of the work that will be going on over the next year: VIHA Genomics testing medical […]
Read moreThere are few opportunities in the course of providing ongoing patient care to step back, identify successes as well as areas for improvement, and develop strategies to meet new challenges with colleagues. The South Island gastroenterologists, led by Dr. Andrew Singh, identified the need for an organized forum, separate from […]
Read moreWhen Dr. Gus Chan was asked to join the Pain Management and Opiate Safety Working Group, he was excited to be able to provide input into promoting regional anesthesia as an alternative to opioids and better pain management procedures. He applied to the South Island Medical Staff Association’s Facility Engagement […]
Read moreHuge thanks to Dr. Shauna Tierney and Dr. Elizabeth Crisci for initiating the Hospital at Home work! It is now a cornerstone of the Fall 2020 Provincial Plan moving forward and, more importantly, will be able to support ailing patients where they’re most comfortable. To read more: South Island MSA […]
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When children present to their family doctor or at the emergency room with a rash on the heels of antibiotic use, they are sometimes labelled as ‘penicillin allergic’. This label, once imposed, is kept for life. Studies estimate that 80% of those labelled as ‘penicillin allergic’ are actually not, yet […]
Read moreWhen a staff survey of nurses working in the Cardiovascular Unit (CVU) at Royal Jubilee Hospital revealed that many felt frustrated by the lack of opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge to improve patient care, Dr. Brian Gregson decided to do something about it. He knew that the group […]
Read moreDr. Jeanine Marshall knew that elderly and frail populations with substance use and/or mental health issues were sometimes falling between the gaps of adult mental health services and geriatric psychiatry. As a result, these patients were being seen disproportionately by the Emergency Room teams and in the inpatient setting, rather […]
Read moreWhen patients’ lives are in the balance, requiring quick action from Emergency Department staff and physicians, there isn’t time to step back and troubleshoot a particular procedure or protocol. Simulations provide an opportunity for this type of reflection and evaluation. Several physicians from the Emergency Department at Victoria General Hospital […]
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