In this edition of the Insider:
- A newly-refreshed A-wing and the launch of smart bedside tablets at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital
- Updates on COVID-19 operations, emergency department pressures and surgical backlog progress
- Announcing the Mackenzie Health Foundation’s new President and CEO and more than $220,000 raised at Strides for Mackenzie Health
- Celebrating staff and physicians on Doctors’ Day and Nursing Week
Palliative Care unit gets a refresh at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital
The newly-refreshed nursing station in the A-wing at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital where staff and families can connect in a brighter and more functional space.
For families of palliative care patients nearing end of life, a comfortable space to spend time with their loved ones and an updated family lounge to rest and reflect make the worst moments just a little less difficult.
“Grief, pain, stress and anxiety are some of the many emotions our families experience when a loved one is with us,” said Jennifer Haynes, Patient Care Manager in the Palliative Care unit. “Giving them a space that brings a sense of calm, comfort and peace helps to make their journey a bit brighter.”
Improvements to the first floor of the A-wing, home to the Palliative Care unit which is part of the Centre of Excellence for Continuing Supportive Care at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital supporting seniors and other individuals with complex needs, are now complete. New floors, furniture, doors, handrails and hardware, a new nursing station, updated washrooms and family lounge areas as well as fresh and updated paint and signage make the space a brighter and more welcoming space for staff, patients and their families.
The work to refresh the Palliative Care unit is part of a larger effort to refresh the hospital so that we can continue to meet the growing needs of our community and improve the experience for everyone who comes through our doors. The next space to be refreshed in the coming weeks will be the second level of the A-wing.
New bedside tablets at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital put patients in control of their own health care
MyCare bedside tablets are available to support patients on inpatient units at both Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital.
Did you know patients at Mackenzie Health can order their food, watch TV, stream a virtual spiritual service, look up their medications and see their appointments right on tablets in their rooms?
The bedside tablets at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital have been upgraded to offer patients a more personalized health experience. The tablet connects with a patient’s electronic medical record to provide information tailored to meet patients’ health needs, including access to educational videos on upcoming procedures, medical information, treatment and more.
Since patients have had access to these tablets, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
“This is a great communication platform! It is innovative and yet practical,” said one medicine patient. The tablet is “very user friendly,” said another.
The solution is just one of the many technological innovations that support the care we provide at Mackenzie Health. Another is Vocera, a communication platform integrated with our electronic medical record, medical equipment and building systems that enables calls, texts and real-time alerts to help staff and physicians make better and faster decisions as they deliver responsive care to their patients.
So, the next time you see your nurse or physician using a smartphone while you’re in the hospital, know that they’re likely entering information into a patient’s chart or responding to a request related to their patient’s care – they’re not scrolling social media!
To learn more about how the investments we’re making in technology are providing better outcomes for patients, read the front-page feature in the May edition of Canadian Healthcare Technology magazine.
Reducing the surgical backlog, closing the Assessment Centre and more...
At Mackenzie Health, we’re making progress on easing the surgical backlog, but we’re still managing high volumes and longer wait times in our Emergency Departments, which we know isn’t ideal for our patients. We also recently closed the Assessment Centre at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. It’s important to note that masks are still required in all common areas of the hospital and areas where patient care is delivered.
Emergency Department volumes and capacity pressures
At Mackenzie Health, our Emergency Department volumes are still high – we’re seeing between 600 and 700 visits per day across both of our Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centre. These volumes are higher than the volumes that were initially projected for both of our hospitals but have become our normal.
Our health care workers continue to do everything they can to provide safe, quality care to residents in the communities we serve and we appreciate our community’s patience and understanding when we are experiencing high volumes and long wait times.
Easing the surgical backlog
At our peak in January 2022, we had nearly 4,000 surgical procedures on our waitlist and as of April 1, we’re down to 2,700 procedures on our waitlist. While we still have a long way to go, we’re doing our best to work through the backlog and are ensuring that the most urgent surgeries, like cancer surgeries, are prioritized. Each day we average close to 40 surgical procedures in our main operating rooms at both hospitals.
The Orlando Corporation Ambulatory Surgical and Procedures Centre at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital has also been a gamechanger in helping us make progress. When our Woman and Child program moved to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, we were able to transform that space. The two c-section rooms were converted into two full operating rooms and the labour and delivery rooms were converted into 10 clinical spaces to increase our capacity for endoscopy, urology and minor procedures. Since opening this space in the fall of 2021, more than 50,000 minor procedures have been completed
COVID-19 operations wind down
As of April 1, we closed our Assessment Centre at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. We’re proud to have been able to provide close to 370,000 COVID-19 tests and thousands of clinical assessments to our community.
While COVID-19 isn’t as prevalent in our hospitals as it once was, COVID-19 is still in our community – we’ve recently experienced a few outbreaks. Mackenzie Health is taking a measured approach, along with other hospitals in the region, and we’re maintaining our masking requirements in all common areas and areas where patient care is delivered. We thank you for your cooperation as we do what we can to keep our patients and our staff safe.
Welcoming Mackenzie Health Foundation’s new President and CEO
Mackenzie Health and Mackenzie Health Foundation are pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole McCahon as the new President and CEO of Mackenzie Health Foundation. With more than 20 years of experience in the health care philanthropy sector, most recently as the Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at William Osler Health System Foundation, Nicole has demonstrated exceptional leadership, championing a vision of excellence, surpassing fundraising goals and building meaningful relationships to positively impact the community.
A proud resident of Vaughan, Nicole is no stranger to the Mackenzie Health community. We are excited for Nicole to further our vision to grow and innovate so that our community will always have compassionate and leading-edge care close to home. Together, we embrace this new chapter with enthusiasm, knowing our shared commitment to advancing health care will lead us to greater heights.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Nicole who will be joining us on June 19. To read more, visit the News page on our website.
Celebrate a nurse or a physician today!
Dr. Sull (centre) and nurses, (from left to right) Reiya, Margriet, Luciana, Kimberley, Shantelle, and Mairead, support patients in Magna Emergency at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital.
People all across the province celebrate Doctors’ Day on May 1 and National Nursing Week during the week of May 8 with fun activities to show appreciation for these vital members of the health care team.
Take some time to thank the nurses, physicians and all the staff and volunteers at Mackenzie Health who step up to care for residents in our community by sending them an On the Spot Kudos, or by making a donation in their name. They come to work to care for their patients, showing compassion and empathy every day – on the good days and the bad ones too.
Nurses like Suganthini, Jinu, Anita, Laber, Farahnaz and Egzona from our Hemodialysis team, and Olivia from Magna Emergency, go above and beyond to provide the best possible care to their patients – even saving someone’s life in their off-time while at the gym! Read more about these incredible nurses in the May edition of Hospital News.
Click on the videos below to see how we celebrated the doctors and nurses at Mackenzie Health.
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| Did you know the team at Mackenzie Health played a pivotal role in launching the recognition of Doctors’ Day? In 2011, the local Member of Provincial Parliament for Richmond Hill introduced a motion in the Ontario legislature to officially declare May 1 as Doctors’ Day in Ontario after witnessing the recognition events in years past at his local community hospital in Richmond Hill. |
We made huge Strides this year thanks to your support!
Mackenzie Health staff, physicians and volunteers join members of the community to walk or run a 5K route through Canada’s Wonderland in support of Mackenzie Health.
Strides for Mackenzie Health, presented by the newly-opened Lexus of Vaughan, raised more than $220,000 earlier this month! From the warm-up, to crossing the finish line and all the amazing booths and activities at our celebration ceremony, it was a memorable day at Canada's Wonderland. Thank you for your continued support and team spirit. We couldn't have done this without you! Every dollar raised will help us acquire the resources, equipment and technology to ensure we continue to provide the ultimate in care. Looking ahead, Mackenzie Health Foundation will be hosting Ride for Mackenzie Health on September 24. Mark your calendars and learn more at MFHRide.ca.
Stretch it out!
Physiotherapy plays a critical role in rehabilitation and better pain management for many of our patients.
As we celebrate National Physiotherapy Month, Kelcie, one our physiotherapists here at Mackenzie Health, shares a few simple stretches that can be done almost anywhere to help keep you limber and at your best. Check out the video on our YouTube channel.
