Ten great things that happened this week

Each week we share a list of 10 great things that have happened at our locations. Do you have a story you would like to share? Send it to [email protected].

1. dr Alun Ackery is taking on the role of Provincial Medical Director of CritiCall Ontario

Congratulations to dr. Alun Ackery, Associate Chief of Emergency Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital, who has accepted the role of Provincial Medical Director of CritiCall Ontario, a provincially funded organization dedicated to supporting the access to and delivery of urgent and emergency medical care has the province. The announcement comes as leading Ontario health officials look at ways to improve the system.

since dr Ackery, who became Associate Director of Emergency Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital in 2019, has shown tremendous leadership and made invaluable contributions to Unity Health. dr Ackery will step down as deputy chief of emergency medicine in January 2023 but will continue to serve as an active physician in the emergency department. Please join us to bring Dr. Ackery for his contributions and congratulations on his new role.

2. dr Anna Banerji and Dr. Shazeen Suleman Awarded for Outstanding Achievement in Pediatrics

dr Anna Banerji and Dr. Shazeen Suleman were recognized for their achievements in the field of pediatrics. dr Banerji was selected to receive the American Academy of Pediatrics Special Achievement Award. The award recognizes her many years of commitment and work with indigenous people and immigrants/refugees. The prize will be presented to her virtually on September 15th.

dr Suleman was honored with the Our Shared Values ​​Award, which honors employees, physicians, teams, patients and family members, and volunteers who exemplify the values ​​of Unity Health Toronto. She is the recipient of the Compassion Award, which recognizes an individual or team that enables health and healing by understanding each person’s needs and caring for them with kindness and sensitivity. The award will be presented virtually at the Our Shared Values ​​Awards ceremony in St. Michael on September 29. Congratulations to both!

3. Unity Health scientists were elected to the Royal Society of Canada

Congratulations to the scientists at Unity Health Toronto who were elected to the Class of 2022 at the Royal Society of Canada! dr Laurent Brochard and Dr. Janet Smylie are now Fellows. dr Yvonne Bombard, Dr. Sharmistha Mishra and Dr. Duminda Wijeysundera are members of the College of New Scholars. The Royal Society of Canada is an organization dedicated to serving Canadians by recognizing the country’s leading intellectuals, scholars, researchers and artists and mobilizing them for open discussion and debate. Well done everyone!

4th Unity Health Toronto Job Fair on September 17th

Unity Health Toronto will be at the Healthcare Job Fair on September 17th! Register for the show and learn about exciting career opportunities at Unity Health, where excellence in healthcare is driven by world-class education, research and innovation. The fair will be held at the Sheraton Center Toronto and will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. See you on September 17th!

5. Work with us! Unity Health Toronto is recruiting physicians for many positions

Unity Health Toronto is recruiting for many positions across our hospital network including Nursing, Medical Imaging and Occupational Therapy. We also recruit physicians in a range of specialties including neonatology, pediatrics, general internal medicine, hematology, oncology, gastroenterology, neurology and nephrology. Find out more about why we are a Top 100 Employer in GTA and work with us!

6. Study co-led by a St. Michael’s scientist and published in the New England Journal of Medicine

one of dr Subodh Verma’s co-led study examining the effects of an SGLT2 inhibitor on heart failure was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. dr Verma, a scientist at the Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science, was one of the national lead investigators on the fifth Special Heart Failure Study, which examined the effects of the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin in people with heart failure and persistent ejection failure (a condition where the lower left ventricle of the heart is located). cannot fill properly with blood). This type of heart failure accounts for about 50 percent of the global heart failure burden. SGLT2 inhibitors are a type of medication that lower blood sugar. Before SGLT2 inhibitors, there were no approved medical treatments for this condition. The study found that when the drug was given to this population, it resulted in about a 20 percent reduction in heart failure hospitalizations and cardiovascular death rates. The study provides evidence that the drug can be used to improve heart failure outcomes. dr Verma says the study team expects the study to change the guidelines of clinical practice around the world.

7. dr Subodh Verma speaks on the podium about SGLT2 inhibitors and HFpEF

dr Subodh Verma will participate in an upcoming panel looking at SGLT2 inhibitors – a type of blood sugar lowering drug – and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Verma is accompanied by a panel of experts from Canada, Asia, Scotland and America. The virtual webinar will take place on September 17 from 10:00am to 12:05pm ET.

8. Spotlight on St. Michael’s research team investigating plasma alternatives

A research team from St. Michael’s Hospital was highlighted in Hospital News for their role in researching a powder alternative to plasma. The team that Dr. Katerina Pavenski, Dr. Andrew Beckett and Dr. Andrew Petrsoniak is participating in a study to determine if the powder could be a more accessible, efficient, and safer option for trauma patients.

9. How can emergency rooms mitigate potentially violent episodes? dr David Kodama talks about a possible tool

Violent incidents in hospital emergency rooms have increased during the pandemic. dr David Kodama spoke to City News Toronto about a safety dashboard used at St. Michael’s Hospital that helps identify patients at risk of becoming violent. “The goal is really twofold,” he said. “It’s about preventing these events and protecting our staff, but also making sure each and every one of our patients is receiving the appropriate care they deserve.”

10.Dr. Joel Ray speaks to the Toronto Sun about a study examining ED use and maternal and newborn health outcomes

A new study found that Ontario’s ED use prior to pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of serious maternal and neonatal health outcomes, including maternal and neonatal morbidity, neonatal death and stillbirth. The co-author of the study, Dr. Joel Ray told the Toronto Sun that physicians should consider a proactive approach to dealing with women in the emergency room and “empathetically” talk to a patient about pregnancy planning and prenatal care.

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