CONNECTIOOctober 2007N Volume S7 Issue 6 St. Joseph’s Healthcare participates in pilot project for Colorectal Cancer Screening St. Joseph's Healthcare has treatment of colorectal cancer for patients 50 to 70 years of been chosen as one of only in our community. This pilot age with or without a family six healthcare sites across project will also enable St. history of rectal or bowel Kevin’s Ontario to participate in a pilot Joseph's to reduce wait times cancer, polyps, inflammatory project that will use nursing for colorectal cancer screening." bowel disease or rectal bleeding. Column skills to improve patient access Patients receive sedation during Flexible Sigmoidoscopy is a to colorectal cancer screening. this procedure. minimally invasive medical I am pleased to report back on As part of colorectal cancer examination of the large In 2007, an estimated 7,800 the recent success of the screening project, Registered intestine. This screening test Ontarians were diagnosed with Accreditation pilot survey that Nurses will be performing is suitable for anyone 50 to colorectal cancer and 3,250 will took place October 14-17. Flexible Sigmoidoscopy 70 years of age with no personal die from the disease. Both men procedures on patients. Recently, the Canadian or family history of rectal and women are affected. The Council on Health Services St. Joseph's Healthcare has or bowel cancer, polyps, province of Ontario has one of Accreditation [CCHSA] under- three Registered Nurses inflammatory bowel diseases the highest rates of colorectal took a major revision of its involved in this project: or rectal bleeding. Patients cancer in the world. At present, Accreditation process. This Shannon Bowery, Brenda are kept awake during this only one out of five people pilot Accreditation process Hillier and Terri Smith who will procedure. living in Ontario over the age was designed to be more rele- be attending a comprehensive of 50 are screened for colorectal This pilot project will vant and inclusive to frontline Flexible Sigmoidoscopy training cancer. However, 90 per cent of supplement the ongoing use staff. We are proud to be one program this month. Dr. Ved colorectal cancers found early of colonoscopy screening of only 13 healthcare sites Tandan and Dr. David Morgan are cured. procedures which are suitable across Canada that participated are the lead physicians/ in this pilot program. supervisors for this pilot The onsite survey was project. This innovative conducted by six CCHSA approach will use nursing skills representatives and involved to expand access for colorectal observing and engaging with cancer screening in Ontario. frontline staff and patients in On the heels of this project, each of these critical areas. St. Joseph's Healthcare will be It also included a thorough expanding its Endoscopy Unit review of documentation and to anticipate the demand of processes in each area. incoming patients. Nine programs/services within "We are extremely excited our organization were about undertaking this pilot involved in this process project," says Dr. David including Emergency, OR, Morgan, physician for the Diagnostic Imaging, Maternal Gastroenterology Department Child, Mental Health & at St. Joseph's Healthcare Addictions, Nephrology and Hamilton. "By answering the Infection Control. need for colorectal cancer screening, there will be an From L to R: Terri Smith, Shannon Bowery, Brenda Hillier, Dr. Ved Tandan, Cont’d on Page 4 increase in earlier detection and Donna McEachern and Dr. David Morgan St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton is a teaching facility affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University Mission on the Move A regular update on recent achievements and progess to date in our Corporate and Clinical Attention Areas Clinical Quality - SURGICAL EXCELLENCE St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton is a leading surgical centre within the Province and our LHIN. We will build on our current success by creating state-of-the-art operating facilities, providing our patients with the best care and cutting edge technologies. We will invest in new operating suites at our Charlton and Stoney Creek Campuses to accommodate larger, emerging minimal access technologies. We will implement the latest breakthroughs in advanced nursing practices, especially those recognized as industry best practice. SJHH will also work with our partners to develop a regional, academic, state-of-the-art program for patients suffering from obesity and related issues. Specifically, we will: equip Operating Rooms with state-of-the-art technology, invest in new ORs at the Charlton Campus, expand Day Surgery Suites at the Stoney Creek Campus, implement a peri-operative information system. Clinical Quality - OPHTHAMOLOGY As our population ages, the number of Ontarians requiring eye surgery has more than doubled over the past decade. As the regional lead within our LHIN for eye medicine and eye surgery, SJHH will have a strong focus on eye diseases. Recently our Ophthalmology program has reached important milestones, including: the establishment of a regional eye centre at the Stoney Creek Campus, the establishment of the eye medicine & eye surgery residency program, a reduction of wait times for cataract surgery. Clinical Quality - CARDIAC CARE SJHH will partner with Hamilton Health Sciences in the development and establishment of an optimal care model for patients with cardiac disease. The model will integrate services for city hospitals and coordinate care with community cardiology and family practice. SJHH will provide diagnostic and inpatient cardiology services to meet the needs of patients arriving in our Emergency Department - the region's busiest. Moving forward, SJHH will: become part of both an evidence-based care system and an academic learning environment, in partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University. pursue an integrated model of care for our community. Clinical Quality - CANCER SURGERY Our successful surgical program currently performs a significant share of Hamilton's cancer surgeries. We will build on this strength and increase the number of cancer-related procedures while ensuring access to high quality cancer care that meets or exceeds provincial wait time targets. In addition, we will provide regional leadership in quality care and research for tertiary cancer surgical services in Head, Neck, ENT, Thoracic, Urologic, Breast, Colorectal and Hepatobilary cancer. Looking ahead, we aim to: increase hip and knee related surgeries, meet MOHLTC wait time targets, enhance clinical research programs. 2 St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton employee Living the selected for national fellowship Mission Congratulations to Mary The Executive Training for A spotlight on staff, Puntillo, Operational Service Research Application physicians and Manager, Schizophrenia (EXTRA) program develops volunteers who Service, at St. Joseph's capacity and leadership to demonstrate the Healthcare's Mountain Campus, optimize the use of research St. Joseph’s Healthcare who has been selected as evidence in managing Canadian Mission in Action one of 24 participants in a healthcare organizations. prestigious national healthcare The EXTRA/FORCES Everyone at St. Joseph's Healthcare fellowship program - fellowship is designed to train Executive Training for health system managers from It is very hard to keep this short and Research Application (EXTRA). across Canada to become to the point given the extent all those EXTRA/FORCES was better decision makers by involved have done for us. To everyone, established in 2003 with a using and applying evidence on behalf of the Ross family, we $25 million grant from Health from research in their day- thank you to the fullest. Through all Canada. The first cohort of 24 to-day work. The two-year Mary Puntillo the hardship, sadness, sorrow and fellows was selected in May program combines residency tears our family has dealt with, relevance/application); the 2004. This is the fourth year of seminars, e-learning, mentor- please all know that your warmth, capacity to draw on "system the program, and Mary is part ship and networking compo- understanding, compassion and thinking;" development of of the fourth cohort who nents with intervention projects generous donations have gone to the collaborative professional began their first residency undertaken in fellows' home sole of our hearts. We were blown relationships; and the ability to session in August. institutions. The program gives away with the amount of donations, introduce and manage evidence fellows the opportunity to gifts and support. Your actions, love The focus of Mary's project is informed change. network with other healthcare and warmth have clearly reinforced to focus on increasing patient leaders who face similar EXTRA/FORCES is a that there are some very kind and and staff safety by reducing challenges in their day-to-day partnership program, special people out there. We feel so risk related to aggressive professions. This program administered by the Canadian blessed, lucky and humbled with all patient behaviour. allows them to share thoughts, Health Services Research you have done. It is so easy to take "In an inpatient mental health challenges and ideas, but to Foundation and supported by things for granted but please know, setting, it is often the case that ultimately discuss possible the Canadian College of our family will never forget all that responses to issues arising solutions. Health Service Executives was done for us. from unpredictable situations