Inside this edition of the Insider:
- Spaces at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital are undergoing a refresh!
- Planning for the fall cold, flu and COVID-19 season is underway to ensure our hospitals are prepared to support the residents who come to us for care.
- How early detection of her breast cancer led to a positive outcome for Felicia.
- Mackenzie Health Foundation Signature Events returned in person, in a big way.
Refreshing parts of Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital
Construction is underway to refresh parts of the A-wing at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.
Now that Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital is open to provide increased access to care for our community, we’re turning our sights to Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital to ensure both of our hospitals continue to be a welcoming and inviting space for all staff, physicians, volunteers, patients and their families. We’ve begun to make some aesthetic improvements to give Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital a refresh!
The first space was the former home of our Woman and Child program at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital. When the program moved over to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, the space was transformed to become the Orlando Corporation Ambulatory Surgical and Procedures Centre which increased our capacity for endoscopy, urology and minor procedures, meaning we can get procedures done faster, in a renewed space.
Work is currently underway to refresh parts of the A-wing, home to our Complex Continuing Care and Palliative Care programs. As construction progresses, parts of the A-wing, including the entrance and the atrium, may need to close for periods of time. Please check our website regularly and the signage on site for updates and directions.
We’re excited to expand the services we provide our growing community in a refreshed space at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.
Supporting our community through a potentially tough fall season
Our Emergency Departments at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital (above) and Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital are experiencing close to 600 visits per day resulting in longer than normal wait times.
High volumes and staffing challenges
While hospitals may not have experienced a heavy COVID-19 burden this summer, they have been experiencing significant capacity and staffing pressures. At Mackenzie Health, we are facing many of the same challenges, but we’ve been able to keep our beds open and provide our full complement of services to our community without needing to suspend services or close units or departments at this time.
On most days, both of our Emergency Departments are operating at or over capacity caring for close to 600 patients per day across both of our sites, well above the 375 visits per day as initially projected. At our Urgent Care Centre, visits have doubled from an average of 40 patients per day to 80.
This increase, added to the staffing challenges we’re facing, is unfortunately resulting in longer wait times. While the wait time to be admitted is longer than we would like, the average wait time to be seen by a physician in our Emergency Departments is under two hours.
As we approach the fall and winter, we anticipate COVID-19 cases in the community may rise again. Planning is underway for what could be a very difficult cold, flu and COVID-19 season to ensure our Mackenzie Health team is equipped to serve residents’ needs.
How Mackenzie Health is addressing the challenges
We are doing everything we can to take care of our staff and have ramped up our efforts to recruit new staff to fill vacancies across both of our hospitals. We appreciate our community’s patience and kindness as we do our best to provide the care and support you need.
We are also launching a new regional program by gradually opening a 12-bed long-stay critical care patient unit at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital to ease pressures in ICUs across the region. With government funding for a three-year pilot program, Mackenzie Health is one of only two hospitals in the GTA that will receive patient referrals from other hospitals across the region. We’ll be able to support patients from across the region who are expected to recover once they have passed the most critical phase of their care, but still need help breathing on their own. As home to the York Region Chronic Kidney Disease Program, Mackenzie Health is also uniquely suited to care for patients who also require renal dialysis support. As we continue to recruit, train and educate staff, we will gradually implement this innovative model of care that will allow Mackenzie Health to provide additional support to hospitals across our region when they need it.
Early detection can lead to positive outcomes for patients with breast cancer
Dr. Steven Jackson, Mackenzie Health’s Chief of Staff and a general surgeon specializing in surgical oncology, is just one of the talented surgeons supporting patients who have been diagnosed with cancer at Mackenzie Health.
Family physicians play a crucial role in ensuring their patients are screened regularly for breast cancer. A timely referral can lead to early detection and better health outcomes.
Felicia Prokopetz was 56 when her new family physician, Dr. Small, flagged that she had not yet had her first mammogram. Given her age, it was time to make a referral.
Felicia recalls the process was seamless. The referral was sent to Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital where a mammogram ultimately revealed a lump in her right breast.
Fortunately, Mackenzie Health’s Breast Health Centre treats a wide range of breast conditions using an integrated model of care that includes ultrasound, mammography and surgery. Felicia underwent a series of tests including a Radioactive Seed Localization (RSL) procedure which helps the surgeon find an implanted seed and the surrounding abnormal tissue in order to take out the mass.
“Dr. Jackson performed my breast surgery to remove the cancerous tumour on Oct. 8, 2021,” says Felicia. “I had a lump in my right breast that I would never have detected on my own. If it wasn’t for Dr. Small sending the referral to Mackenzie Health, and Dr. Jackson and his team performing the surgery, I know that if I waited, my cancer could have been worse than just stage 1.”
Dr. Steven Jackson, Mackenzie Health’s Chief of Staff, is a general surgeon by training, specializing in surgical oncology, and is one of many talented surgeons at Mackenzie Health providing the ultimate in care, close to home.
“By sharing my story, I want women to know that early detection makes a difference and having the conversation with your family physician about routine mammogram appointments are necessary,” says Felicia. “It can mean the difference between life and death.”
To read more about Felicia’s health care journey, visit the Patient Stories page on our website.
Thank you for participating in our Signature Events!
This spring, Mackenzie Health Foundation Signature Events returned in a big way! From Strides for Mackenzie Health presented by Lexus of Vaughan in May, to the eighth annual Ride for Mackenzie Health presented by CIBC in June and Tee Off for Mackenzie Health presented by Sodexo held this month, our Signature Events were a huge success. Thank you to everyone who came out – your contributions make a world of difference in supporting the programs and services the Mackenzie Health team is able to provide to our community. Next up is the Ultimate Gala on November 5. For tickets, sponsorships or to learn more, visit mhfgala.ca.