Dr. Mathias Kalina

Volume 3 • Issue 8 • September 2012 SPECIAL EDITION PROFILE of the Lachine enBref Dr. Mathias Kalina: Ready to listen and on stands now! committed to the success of the Lachine Hospital at the MUHC Redevelopment project and CAPS update b y first priority is listening to people and he says. He has also been able to keep up Mfacilitating communication between his interest for international consultation, staff at Lachine and at the McGill University which for many years has led him to travel Health Centre (MUHC).” all over the globe. This is the tone that has been set by Dr. Kalina’s intimate knowledge of the Dr. Mathias Kalina, associate director of Lachine Hospital, and particularly with the Professional Services at the MUHC, who is doctors who work there, is an essential asset temporarily assuming the new role of Interim when it comes to his new responsibilities. Associate Director of Professional Services at He also played a key role during the 2008 the Lachine Hospital. integration of the Lachine Hospital with After getting his degree in medicine the MUHC. in 1972, Dr. Kalina practised in a rural area, where he Dr. Kalina has high regard for the Lachine Hospital appreciated the interaction with patients— a closeness and its staff and he is confident that the integration of he has upheld throughout his career. He then went on to the hospital with the MUHC, along with the $66-million study epidemiology at McGill and following this worked Redevelopment Project promised by the government, will in emergency medicine while serving in various medical- allow the hospital to rise to future challenges to both administrative positions starting in 1981—first in Saudi integrate new doctors and maintain its community focus. Arabia and then at Urgences-santé for 13 years—before “Thanks to all staff and physicians for your continued leaving for France in 1997. work to develop a hospital that we can all be proud of, When he arrived at the MUHC in 2004, he devoted especially in two or three years when the development himself to medical-administrative duties, but he never process starts and is well on its way. forgot his first calling: “I never stopped being a doctor,” OTHER ICU and ED nursing staff merge for the benefit of the Lachine Hospital ursing staff at the Lachine the units directly affected but also will be many highly positive changes NHospital’s Intensive Care Unit our entire organization, including our for the hospital in the next few years, (ICU) and Emergency Department (ED) patients and our employees,” explains and we need to get ready.” will be merging this fall in an effort to Jasmine Boyer, associate director of In the years to come, the hospital improve patient care. Nursing at Lachine. “Our decision to will become home to more specialties “This new structure will lead to combine nursing staff in the ICU and (such as dialysis) and will see increased many positive changes for not only the ED was not taken lightly. There » continued on page 2 LACHINE EN BREF 1 EnBref Lachine - august2012_v2.indd 1 12-09-11 18:18 continued from page 1 ICU... “I am confident that, in both the » medium and long term, this merger will give us the stability we need in numbers of bariatric surgeries and By merging the nursing staff of these terms of nursing staff—a stability patients suffering from respiratory units, we will provide our clients with: we haven’t had in close to ten years,” conditions and other health issues. says Boyer. These changes represent a real • Better follow-up for those “All nurses from these two units advantage for the community, who requiring specialized care have the ability to meet this challenge, will benefit from direct access to • More versatile nursing staff and we understand what we are more types of specialized care. “We • A stable care team whose asking of them,” adds Latendresse. therefore need permanent nurses who members have all been trained “Their commitment to this project will are versatile and trained in various in the highest standards in ensure our hospital can successfully types of critical care, since patient specialized care rise to the challenges laid in our path.” acuity will increase,” says Manon Starting September 12, members Latendresse, head nurse of Emergency from both teams will help develop and Intensive Care. This merger will provide nursing staff the transition toward a single Critical Reducing independent staff and with: Care Unit. Starting on October 21, the training employees are the two change will be implemented over a initiatives we have chosen to meet • An increased recognition of number of months so that all nurses these new challenges. “Closing beds their role can develop and consolidate their new was another option, but this is not the • Access to training and skills and required competencies. policy favoured by the MUHC,” explains knowledge transfer “Nurses with expertise in both Boyer. “We needed to achieve greater • More varied work schedules to emergency and intensive care will be flexibility in both of these units, while help them trade shifts more easily a great asset for a small hospital such creating a stimulating and appealing • The opportunity to develop new as ours,” says Boyer. “And they will be a workplace for a new generation of and up-to-date expertise model for other hospital centres.” nurses.” EVENTS Hot fun in the summer — Residents of the Camille-Lefebvre Pavilion busy fishing, gardening, and partying he summer season brought a wide range of activities of the Pavilion enjoyed sitting in the peaceful shade of Tfor the residents of the Camille-Lefebvre Pavilion, with their terrace and participated in favourite activities like outings such as trout fishing, picnics on the waterfront and bingo and gardening. They also enjoyed going for walks pontoon rides on the river, as well as a pilgrimage to the in the shelter of ancient trees the beautiful neighbouring “Chapelle de la reparation” and participation in the MUHC Lasalle Park. Olympics at Angrignon Park. With the help of Joannie, the animator, the proactive Lively summer activities were held at the centre, recreational planners Judith and Valérie, and a ubiquitous including musical cocktail parties with jazz and Mexican team of volunteers, residents enjoyed their summer to fiesta themes, a beach party and a corn roast. The residents its fullest. Training session helps volunteers help others he Leisure-Animation services held a one-day training confidentiality and security issues in the institution, and Tsession to help volunteers facilitate their daily work. the different textures of food served to the residents. The training touched upon practical topics, including This full day of training included a BBQ lunch. the issues of mobilization of people in wheelchairs, the The volunteers appreciated the opportunity to learn approach to take with clients with cognitive deficits, new ways to enhance the comfort and safety of the Camille-Lefebvre residents. LACHINE EN BREF 2 EnBref Lachine - august2012_v2.indd 2 12-09-11 18:18 7PMVNFt*TTVFt4FQUFNCFS ADMINISTRATIVE NEWS Message from the Chair of the Board of Directors he Board of Directors is Having worked at the MUHC in of both the Montreal General Tpleased to announce that it increasingly senior positions for and Lachine hospitals. Under his has unanimously accepted the more than three decades and for guidance we will continue to unanimous recommendation of the past nine months as Interim IXOˉOORXUPLVVLRQRISHUSHWXDWLQJ the Selection Committee and Director General, Normand has and growing excellence in patient appointed Normand Rinfret demonstrated that he has an care, research, teaching and health as Director General and Chief in-depth understanding of our technology assessment while being ([HFXWLYH 2IˉFHU RI WKH 0F*LOO academic healthcare centre, as well ˉVFDOO\UHVSRQVLEOH University Health Centre (MUHC) as the Quebec healthcare network. We look forward to working for a four-year mandate, effective :H DUH FRQˉGHQW WKDW KH KDV with Normand in the years ahead. immediately. the leadership and management Please join me in congratulating The nomination of Normand skills to lead us through the him on his appointment. by the Selection Committee was ongoing transformation of the based on an extensive international MUHC, including the move to the Claudio F. Bussandri search. Glen site and the renovations Smoking, head injury and pesticide MUHC NEWS linked to rare sleep disorder Risk factors also associated with neurodegenerative diseases moking, head injury, pesticide exposure and farming Sare risk factors for a rare sleep disorder that causes people to act out their dreams, occasionally causing bodily harm, according to new research. The disorder, known as Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behaviour (RBD) disorder, is often a precursor to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia. The new study, led by Dr. Ronald Postuma of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), is published in the online issue of Neurology®. EN BREF 1 EnBref - English - September, 2012_v2.indd 1 12-09-11 18:13 am deeply honoured to have been substantive issues to address together responsibilities. The aim is to ensure I selected to lead the MUHC for the LQFOXGLQJ ˉQDOL]LQJ SODQV IRU WKH that decision making is effective and next four years and look forward to redevelopment of both the Montreal transparent. With this in mind, I will working with all of you to ensure General and Lachine hospitals, the soon be launching a search for a chief that we continue to be a centre of future of the MNH and MNI on the RSHUDWLQJRIˉFHU,ZLOODOVREHVHWWLQJ excellence and a leader in academic Glen Site and the development of the up task forces where appropriate to health care locally and internationally.

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