vital2014signs - rvh.on.ca 2014.pdf · “Knowing that our patients can be connected to their families, even from a great distance, is a powerful thing, says DoDee Walsh, coordinator,

vitalsigns2014

ROYAL VICTORIA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE’S ANNUAL REPORT

201 Georgian Drive | Barrie ON | L4M 6M2 | www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

What’s Inside:

Patient Sherry learns to trust her heart againPage 13

When dreams and reality blur

Page 10

The heart of the matter

Page 14

Meet our donors

Page 30

Patients - our top priority

Page 9

Vitalsigns 2014 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH2


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COVER PHOTO: RVH Cardiac patient Sherry Delaney (in purple); Dr. Mitchell Whyne, Emergency physician; Lily Taguden, Environmental Services; James Silva, Volunteer Resources; Michelle Hanna, Security Services; Kathlene Hennings, RN; Helen Hajgato, dietitian


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PublisherIan Proudfoot

Regional General ManagerSimcoe - Muskoka

Shaun Sauvé

General ManagerElise Allain

Editorial and Photography RVH Corporate Communications

Suzanne LegueJane Cocking

Donna DanylukJennifer MooreDenise Philpott

Kaylee MacMillan

Special Photography Nat Caron Photography

Graphic DesignDenise Philpott

Barrie’s Award-Winning

Community Newspaper

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5 Message from RVH6 By the numbers7 Message from the RVH Foundation 8 RVH’s regional role9 Patients - our top priority10 When dreams and reality blur12 New docs on the block13 Learning to trust her heart again14 The heart of the matter16 The future of healthcare is now17 Keeping patients and their families connected18 Safety is RVH’s promise19 Advocating for our patients20 Volunteering... it’s a way of life21 Taking care of business22 There is no place like home24 Bridging the distance25 Rotary House: A place cancer patients call home 26 Supporting First Nations people through their cancer journey27 Minimally invasive “surgery” - maximum impact28 Leaving a legacy of hope29 Forward thinking donors30 Meet our donors32 Inside RVH34 Improving women’s access to cancer care

Contents



When you come to RVH, you expect the safest, most compassionate, advanced care possible. And that is an expectation we take seriously. Our recipe for success is simple:

• A newly-expanded facility which off ers specialized services not available elsewhere in our region

• $70 million in advanced equipment and technology

• Almost 4,000 highly-skilled employees, physicians and volunteers

• An unwavering focus on patients and their families

That winning combination is already netting positive results. Patient satisfaction rates are up, key safety indicators are above target, and wait times are decreasing. Despite tough economic times, RVH has achieved its fourth consecutive balanced budget, ensuring we are able to focus our attention on continuing to provide you with safe, high quality care.

Our focus on excellence has not gone unnoticed.

• RVH was awarded a Gold level Quality Healthcare Workplace Award by the Ontario Hospital Association

• Dr. Jim Shaver, RVH chief of staff , was named Regional Family Physician of the Year by the Ontario College of Family Physicians

• RVH’s Family Medicine Teaching Unit, in partnership with the University of Toronto, has become a sought-after community training site in the country with its outstanding physician faculty being recognized for teaching excellence

• The national Healthcare Public Relations Association (HCPRA) recognized RVH for communication excellence

As RVH continues along its exciting journey of innovation and change, we continue to grow and expand. Women’s cancer services, advanced cardiac care, and child and youth mental health are all areas of focus for the future. Those were priorities identifi ed in RVH’s new MY CARE strategic plan which says every patient has a right to expect the best possible experience in our health centre. Always. Everyday. And without exception.

The stories contained in this year’s Vitalsigns describe just some of the ways RVH is striving to live its vision to Make each life better. Together.

A message from

Respectfully,

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH)

Kirsten ParkerchairRVH Board of Directors

Janice M. Skot, MHSc,CHEpresident and CEORVH

Janice Skot (left), and Kirsten Parker

RVH Board of Directors

Kirsten Parker, chair

Rick Horst, past chair

Rob Hall, vice chair

Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO (secretary)

Directors:

Jake Arnold

Shawn Binns

Dr. Don DuVall, president medical staff association

Doug Frost

Michael Gleason

Harry Hughes

Barbara Love

Treva McCumber, chief nursing offi cer

Michael O’Keefe

Dr. Jaco Scheeres, vice president medical staff association

Jeff Scott

Dr. Jim Shaver, chief of staff

Charlotte Wallis

Janice Williams, RVH Auxiliary





365Physicians

$290 millionAnnual Budget

416,000Patient visits

354,000Patient meals per year

2013 - 2014 By the numbers

4,200RVH Foundation supporters


100,000Cancer centre visits

170,000Imaging tests

12,000Surgeries

2,000 Babies born

80,000Emergencyvisits

4 millionLaboratory tests

2,600Staff

900Volunteers

TEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVHTEAM RVH

$70 millionNew equipment and technology



As the Chair of the RVH Foundation I have the honour of continuing a proud tradition of rallying community donations in support of patient care at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.

Since RVH’s earliest beginnings, community donations have been essential to its operation and growth. It was back in 1891 when a group of women banded together raising $1,100 through donations and a bazaar to fund the building of the fi rst four-bed cottage hospital on Duckworth Street in Barrie.

That sense of pride and support for the local hospital hasn’t waned since. And the impact of philanthropy has never been more evident.

The lives of thousands of people in our region have been changed thanks to your help.

But the challenging reality is, with growth comes new issues to address, new services needed closer to home and more people requiring our support.

In fact, did you know the purchase of ALL new medical equipment relies entirely on community giving?

You – the loyal RVH donors - are the key to putting great tools in the great hands of caregivers. From high-tech operating rooms to state-of-the-art imaging equipment, community support has equipped the health centre with the latest and greatest in technology. And this equipment helps RVH attract and retain wonderful health professionals.

As RVH looks to the future and works hard to bring highly-specialized women’s cancer services, an advanced cardiac program and mental health services for children and youth for residents throughout Central and Northern Ontario, we hope that you will once again join us for that journey of support.

As you turn these pages, I hope you will feel a great sense of pride in what our community has achieved and what healthcare successes the future holds as we work together to bring safe, high quality care closer to home.

Inspiring care... thanks to your support.

A message from RVH Foundation

Arlette Uttonchair, RVH FoundationBoard of Directors

Arlette Utton, chair;

RVH Foundation Board of Directors

Arlette Utton, chair

David McCullough, vice chair

Kirsten Parker, chair, RVH Board

Hilary Rodrigues, RVH VP and CFO (treasurer)

Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO (secretary)

Directors:

David Blenkarn

John Byles

Scott Elliott

Barry Green

Cesia Green

Wayne Hubbard, RVH Auxiliary

Lloyd Lawrence

Jeff Lehman, Barrie Mayor

Dr. George Lougheed

Peter Moore

Cal Patterson, Simcoe County Warden

Dale Pickard

Dan Revell

Eric Dean, RVH Foundation CEO




Vitalsigns 2014 | Royal Victoria Regional Health CentreVitalsigns 2014 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre


RVH's regional role

As a regional health centre, the residents of Simcoe Muskoka have come to rely on RVH for exceptional care and specialty services. RVH’s team of more than 350 physicians, 2,500 employees and 850 volunteers provides patient-centred care to almost half a million

residents, including comprehensive cancer care, stroke services, orthopaedics, intensive care, mental health and interventional radiology.

In fact, almost half of RVH’s patients come from outside the City of Barrie. Patients like Huntsville’s Valerie Kenny benefi t from such expanded services. Kenny receives cancer care at the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre and often meets with RVH cancer specialists through a teleconferencing system.

“The collaboration between my hospital and RVH is what is keeping me so healthy. The care I’m receiving is absolutely amazing and a huge factor in keeping me so positive and my quality of life so wonderful,” says Kenny, 71.

To ensure residents of Simcoe Muskoka, have the care they need close to home RVH has formed innovative partnerships such as the North Simcoe Muskoka Arthroplasty Intake Clinic; the Thoracic Clinic with Toronto East General Hospital, Home First with the North Simcoe Muskoka Community Care Access Centre (NSM CCAC) and numerous other programs aimed at seniors such as RVH’s Nurse Practitioner Long Term Care Outreach Program and the new Regional Integrated Falls Program.

RVH is focused on delivering safe, high quality care that puts patients and their families fi rst. Looking to the near future RVH is working on bringing advanced cardiac care, women’s cancer services and mental heath inpatient services for children and youth close to home.



Patients - our top priority

Bob Haley, 66, was quietly recovering from colon surgery at his home in Tiny Township, near Midland, when he saw the number for Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre fl ash on his phone display.

“This can’t be good,” he thought. “Why would the hospital be calling me unless it was bad news?” Well, Bob couldn’t have been more wrong. It was not a bad news phone call. It was a standard post-care call that all patients receive after discharge from RVH. Phone calls within 48 hours of discharge are standard practice at RVH. It allows hospital staff to speak with the patient, answer any questions they have, make sure they are taking any necessary medications and if follow-up appointments have been booked. These calls are just one of the many ways RVH is improving the patient experience. It’s part of the health centre’s MY CARE philosophy which puts patients and their families fi rst. There are many other ways RVH demonstrates that commitment. Every employee, physician and volunteer you encounter will introduce themselves by name

and ease your anxiety by telling you a bit about their experience, what they will be doing and how long it will take. When a shift ends and care for the patient is transferred, the care team gathers at the patient’s bedside to verbally share important information about treatment, medication and condition. Patients and family members are encouraged to be involved in the conversation. Large white boards are also posted in every patient room, ensuring patients, family members and all caregivers can see, at-a-glance, important care information, including the estimated date of discharge, pain levels and any upcoming tests or procedures. Nurses check in on patients frequently and proactively to see if there is anything they need and patients can also expect a visit from the unit manager to answer any other questions, share compliments or concerns. Even RVH’s senior leaders visit patients and ask for their feedback on the care they are receiving. This information is all shared with the teams providing your care. “I’m so committed to RVH providing the safest, most positive patient experience that I’ve established a patient hotline directly into my offi ce,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “If a patient or family member has concerns they haven’t been able to resolve, I want to know about it and they can call me directly. Their experience is that important to us.”

As the shift ends and care for the patient is transferred from one nurse to another, Dawn Mattinson, RN, and Heather Pople, RN, gather at the patient’s bedside to share important information about treatment, medication and condition




Tyler lived in a dream world.

It was a place fi lled with terror, suspicion, paranoia and voices.

The voices told him of a conspiracy only he was to know about and his super powers protected him from danger. He had the ability to tell who was a friend or foe just by the colour of their eyes.

Welcome to the world of schizophrenia.

“I was so paranoid,” says Tyler*, now 19, but 17 when his episodes began. “I thought everyone with brown eyes was out to get me. My dreams were so real, so vivid.

I actually thought my dreams were the real world, and the real world was a dream.”

While Tyler struggled with reality, his parents Dave and Sonya*, struggled to fi nd answers.

“There was really no help for us,” says Dave. “Frankly, we were left to our own devices. We were helpless and literally didn’t know what to do.”

Currently, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre has no specialized inpatient mental health services for children and youth. In fact, there are none available anywhere in North Simcoe Muskoka. That means these troubled kids are often referred to facilities in the Toronto area or admitted – inappropriately – to inpatient adult psychiatric units. RVH wants to change all that.

The health centre is developing plans for an inpatient unit for children and youth with outpatient and crisis support. It is a plan fully aligned with the provincial government’s mental health strategy to provide fast access to high quality services, early identifi cation and support for vulnerable children with unique needs.

Tyler understood the need for services when he had a paranoid incident that required both police assistance and hospitalization on RVH’s adult inpatient mental health unit.

His father’s eyes well up with tears as he recounts having to leave his son at RVH.

“As a parent I just didn’t want to leave him there. The whole thing was scary for me,” says Dave. “I would have been so much better if there was a unit that was not so sterile and more comfortable for young people.”

Although their son received excellent care, Sonya agrees.

The couple were successful in accessing some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health services at RVH for children and youth is the reason this family has come forward

to share their story. They are passionate supporters of RVH’s plan to off er

specialized inpatient mental health services for children and youth.

“The burden on families is enormous and heartbreaking, so developing a child and youth inpatient unit with complimentary outpatient services is one of RVH’s highest clinical priorities,” says Dr. Roger McIntyre, mental health clinical director.

“What our young people need is seamless mental health care services – in essence we need ‘one-stop shopping.’ It is what our patients and families deserve. Severe and persistent mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, often begin in the teenage years. It is important to realize that 70 per cent of adults with a mental illness developed their symptoms as children. Providing appropriate treatments early on has been scientifi cally proven to have a major impact on the course of the illness.”

10

Developing mental health services for children and teens is one of RVH’s highest priorities

Developing mental health services for children and teens is one of


Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health

the real world, and the real world

While Tyler struggled with reality, While Tyler struggled with reality,

The couple were successful in accessing some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA),

Sonya agrees.Although their son received excellent care, Although their son received excellent care,

“I was so paranoid,” says Tyler*, now 19, but 17 when his episodes began. “I thought everyone with brown eyes was out to get me. My dreams were so real,

I actually thought my dreams were the real world, and the real world

been so much better if there was a unit that was not so sterile and more comfortable for young people.”

Although their son received excellent care,

The couple were successful in accessing some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health

The couple were successful in accessing some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health services at RVH for children and youth is

The couple were successful in accessing some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA),

his parents Dave and Sonya*,

“There was really no help for us,” says Dave. “Frankly, we were left to our own devices. We were helpless and literally

Currently, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre has no

some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health services at RVH for children and youth is the reason this family has come forward

to share their story. They are passionate supporters of RVH’s plan to off er

specialized inpatient mental health services for children and youth.

“The burden on families is enormous and heartbreaking, so developing a child and youth inpatient unit with

“The burden on families is enormous and heartbreaking,”

says Dr. Roger McIntyre, RVH mental health

clinical director

“The burden on families is enormous and heartbreaking,

clinical directorclinical director


his parents Dave and Sonya*, and heartbreaking,”and heartbreaking,”While Tyler struggled with reality, While Tyler struggled with reality, his parents Dave and Sonya*,

While Tyler struggled with reality, While Tyler struggled with reality, his parents Dave and Sonya*, his parents Dave and Sonya*, his parents Dave and Sonya*, his parents Dave and Sonya*,

Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health services at RVH for children and youth is

The couple were successful in accessing “The burden on “The burden on

families is enormous families is enormous


The couple were successful in accessing some support through the Canadian

While Tyler struggled with reality, his parents Dave and Sonya*,

I actually thought my dreams were the real world, and the real world

While Tyler struggled with reality,


The couple were successful in accessing some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health services at RVH for children and youth is


some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health

some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), however, the lack of mental health services at RVH for children and youth is the reason this family has come forward


“The burden on “The burden on families is enormous families is enormous and heartbreaking,”and heartbreaking,”

cIntyre, cIntyre, RVH mental health RVH mental health



Although their son received excellent care, Sonya agrees.Sonya agrees.Sonya agrees.

I actually thought my dreams were

While Tyler struggled with reality,



Sonya agrees.


and heartbreaking,”and heartbreaking,”cIntyre, cIntyre,

RVH mental health RVH mental health

his parents Dave and Sonya*,

families is enormous families is enormous and heartbreaking,”and heartbreaking,”

Sonya agrees.


“The burden on “The burden on families is enormous families is enormous and heartbreaking,”and heartbreaking,”

some support through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA),

“The burden on “The burden on “The burden on “The burden on


While Tyler struggled with reality, While Tyler struggled with reality,

“The burden on “The burden on families is enormous families is enormous




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11

All the while, this was happening his mother’s heart was breaking.

“As a Mom there were days I cried every hour for him, not knowing how to help. Imagine your child looking at you, the one person who he is supposed to feel utterly safe with, and seeing in his eyes fear, mistrust and pain. It was so horrible to see.”

The RVH Foundation has committed to raising funds in support of a child and youth inpatient mental health unit.

And that’s good news for Tyler, and young people like him, who struggle with mental illness.

Now with medication and abstaining from marijuana, Tyler has stepped back into reality. A reality where sharing his story will help bring services to RVH for others like him.

In Simcoe Muskoka there is a critical need for child and youth mental health services given that as many as 16,000 local youth experience a mental illness, but only one in fi ve is receiving the help they need. Since 2007, the number of days that area children and youth have spent in the region’s hospitals suff ering from mental health issues has tripled. In fact, suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in Simcoe Muskoka.

“Substance abuse among youth in this region is also quite excessive and recent studies indicate that many youth have limited coping skills,” says Dr. McIntyre.

Tyler can be counted among those statistics. As a former heavy user of marijuana, he feels his addiction may have compounded his paranoia, which eventually led him to attempt suicide.

* Names changed for privacy reasons

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Build it and they will come – and stay.

At least that’s been the case for family medicine residents studying in RVH’s Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU) - a partnership with the

University of Toronto (U of T) and the Barrie Community Family Health Team.

Launched in 2009, the program has graduated 19 family medicine residents, with 13 of them staying in the area to set up their own practices, or work in the health centre’s Emergency and Hospitalist departments. Out of the ten graduating this year, fi ve have committed to staying in the area. In July, three recent graduates will swing open the doors to their new medical clinic on Barrie’s waterfront.

Dr. Devon Turner, Dr. Jessie Weaver and Dr. Christa Kozanczyn have joined forces, and in doing so, will bring much needed relief to some of the more then 40,000 area residents who do not have a family doctor.

“We talked a lot about it being the opportunity for us to ‘grow our own doctors’, and now we are reaping what we have sown,” says Dr. Stuart Murdoch, FMTU program director and RVH’s chief of Family Medicine. “Our clinic enables the residents to learn and practice in a patient-friendly environment alongside family physicians and specialists.”

In fact, Dr. Kozanczyn says the strong bond between those in the local medical community and their support of the FMTU was the deciding factor when it came time to choose where to set up shop.

“Having a residency in a community health centre allows the residents to meet and work with almost all the staff in the diff erent departments. This was not only an invaluable experience, but has been critical in my decision to stay in Barrie,” says Dr. Kozanczyn. “Knowing the specialists, the allied staff , and the lay of the land, as it were, is a huge comfort when going into your own private practice. I already feel part of the healthcare community.”

Many of the FMTU teachers have won U of T postgraduate achievement awards for excellence.

“Working with the young, bright doctors of today, really keeps you on your toes,” says Dr. Murdoch. “We knew the program would be a success because of our faculty and the new clinic. But we had no idea just how successful it would

be and that is because of the quality of residents. In teaching them, we have become better doctors ourselves.”

The FMTU program directly aligns with one of RVH’s new strategic directions to accelerate teaching and research.

“For RVH to become a teaching hospital means a merging of education and healthcare excellence that has a signifi cant, positive impact on our community,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO.

And for many people in Barrie that positive impact will mean fi nally having a family doctor to call their own.

New docs on the block

Dr. Christa Kozanczyn and Dr. Devon Turner, recent graduates from RVH’s Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU), and Dr. Melissa Evans will open their own family practice in Barrie this summer

Did you Know?Each year more than 1,000 students gather knowledge and experience at RVH. • X-ray technologist students from The Michener

Institute for Applied Health Sciences and Cambrian College

• Nursing, paramedic and pharmacy technician students from Georgian College

• Medical students or residents with the Rural Ontario Medical Program (ROMP) or the FMTU

• Co-op students from fi ve local high schools




Fear had a strong hold on Sherry Delaney.

The 53-year-old Barrie woman had survived a sudden heart attack. Her left main artery was 99 per cent blocked - a condition commonly known as ‘the

widow maker’.

Yet, she beat the odds.

She was admitted to RVH’s Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), and like the other 3,500 heart patients each year who travel for treatment, she too had to leave this region for a procedure. She then returned home to recover at RVH.

But that brush with death is not what scared her. It was living with a heart she couldn’t trust anymore that frightened her. The experience transformed the fi ercely-independent woman into a couch potato afraid to even go for a short walk.

“Before I was so independent and would go wherever and do whatever, but because this heart attack came out of the blue, I became afraid to do anything,” says Delaney.

That shock was followed by anxiety that it could happen again and at any time.

“I didn’t know how hard I could push myself. I would just become overwhelmed that something was going to happen to me again,” says Delaney.

Then she met Susan Carlisle and the team at RVH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and in just three months, Delaney got her confi dence back and kicked the fear out of her life.

In the fi ve years the program has been operating, more than 750 people have taken control of their lives and learned to live a quality life after a heart episode.

The program off ers two streams of cardiac rehab, home-based and hospital-based. Both programs off er orientation and education for the clients, individualized treatment and exercise programs and follow-up care from the cardiac rehabilitation team. Participants are referred to the program by a cardiac specialist and pay a program fee for either program.

“The purpose of the program is to help people who have had a heart-related incident or who have received a cardiac procedure in the last three months get back to where they were prior to the episode or to establish a new normal and

change any behaviours that place their heart health at risk,” says Carlisle, RVH physiotherapist.

During the 12-week hospital-based program, participants meet twice a week in RVH’s rehabilitation gym where they go through a personalized fi tness program.

Today Delaney is on the treadmill and while she walks, her vital signs are carefully monitored and new targets set for her.

“Exercise is one of the easiest ways to reduce the risk factors for heart disease and for a secondary occurrence,” says Carlisle. “However, each person’s ability to exercise after a heart episode is diff erent and we want them to be able to do it safely and that is one of the things they learn from this program.”

Lifestyle changes are also stressed, with participants attending seminars on the importance of quitting smoking, eating healthy and reducing stress, coping with having a heart attack and setting goals.

“Since I began this program everything has changed. Now, I’m back to the way I was before. In fact, I’m better because I exercise more and watch what I eat more closely,” says Delaney. “Now, everyday is a good day to be alive.”

Learning to trust her heart again

Sherry Delaney, shares a joke with Jean Beauchesne during their time at

RVH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program




THE HEART OF THE

MATTERRVH is bringing

advanced cardiac care to the region



15 www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH 151515151515 www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @@@@@@TeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVHTeamRVH

Pastor Lisa Goldsworthy is checked by Kim Glas, a registered cardiology technologist at RVH


Sweat. And lots of it.

That was the only warning sign Lisa Goldsworthy had that her young heart could stop working.

The 44-year-old pastor was blissfully unaware when she took to the church platform early Sunday morning that by nightfall she would be admitted to RVH’s Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), the only unit of its kind in the region.

Goldsworthy was in good health, besides a few heart fl utters in the morning. There was no other indication something was wrong, so she simply brushed it off as nerves.

Unfortunately, the symptoms were not so easily dismissed and progressed to extreme fatigue and lightheadedness.

At the urging of her husband, Jim, the couple headed to RVH where it was discovered Goldsworthy had third degree heart blockage.

“The whole thing was a little surreal. I had no idea the severity of the moment,” says Goldsworthy. “I remember asking them what a fourth degree blockage was and I was told that there is no fourth degree. You are pretty much six feet under at that point.”

Goldsworthy had to leave the area for treatment because North Simcoe Muskoka is the only region in the province without advanced cardiac services. Every year approximately 3,500 heart patients must travel to health centres outside the area for lifesaving cardiac care.

RVH plans to change that and is working closely with the provincial government and Newmarket’s Southlake Regional Health Centre, to bring heart diagnostics and interventions, such as coronary angioplasty, to Simcoe Muskoka.

With four cardiologists now on staff , including the health centre’s fi rst interventional cardiologist, and a fi fth cardiologist

arriving in the fall, RVH is well-positioned to develop an advanced cardiac program.

As part of the $450 million expansion, RVH included space to accommodate the future needs for advanced cardiac services adjacent to the specialized 32-bed Cardiac & Renal inpatient unit and a seven-bed CCU, which provides intensive care for cardiac patients.

“Developing an advanced cardiac program at RVH would ensure the majority of the region’s residents who suffer a heart attack will have access to treatment within 90 minutes of a heart episode,” says Dr. Brad Dibble, clinical director of RVH’s Cardiovascular Program. “Many Simcoe Muskoka residents do not currently have access to this ‘gold standard’ of care. And when it comes to the heart, ‘time is muscle.’”

Although Goldsworthy did not need rehabilitation, she is carefully monitored by RVH cardiologists who work in the cardiac outpatient clinics.

In keeping with RVH’s commitment to safe, high quality care closer to home, the health centre has developed a new Urgent Cardiology Clinic to care for patients arriving in RVH’s Emergency department with symptoms of heart disease.

“Patients with cardiac-like symptoms arrive in our Emergency department daily,” says Tracy Houghton, manager of Cardio, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Cardiac Care Unit. “The Urgent Cardiology Clinic provides care to those patients who need to be seen by a cardiologist immediately. Those patients will be leaving our Emergency department with an appointment to see a cardiologist in our new clinic.”

For patients like Goldsworthy, there is a sense of relief she is being monitored by experts at RVH.

“I always look at the outcome of this situation and I think ‘Wow, what would have happened if I hadn’t gone to RVH?”

Thankfully, she did.




The future of healthcare is now

As Dr. Russell Price walks through Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s laboratory, he can’t help but smile as he watches hundreds of specimens whiz by on a 65-foot-long, L-shaped,

dual-track conveyor.

“Although I see this everyday, it’s always an amazing sight to watch as specimens are automatically routed to analyzers, tests performed and then verifi ed - all without samples being touched after loading. This is the laboratory of the future and RVH is leading the way with one of the fi rst automated laboratory systems in Canada,” says Dr. Price, clinical director of laboratory medicine.

Not only does a fully-automated laboratory improve the quality and accuracy of results, but it enables more tests to be performed and quicker results, especially important now that RVH’s expansion is complete and the health centre has doubled in size.

The laboratory is just one example of the $70 million invested to equip RVH with the most advanced, innovative technology – all with one ultimate goal - to ensure patients receive safe, high quality care.

Down the hall from the laboratory, Dr. Peter Dauphinee, clinical director of RVH’s Surgical Program, is also marveling at the new technology to which he and his fellow surgeons now have access.

As part of RVH’s expansion, two new operating suites were built, and existing suites renovated, bringing the total to 10, enabling RVH’s surgical team to perform an additional 200 cases each month. Four of the operating rooms feature the very latest technology and are digitally integrated so patient information is right at the surgeons’ fi ngertips. Patient images can be accessed during surgery or transmitted from the operating room to other specialists for real-time consultation or into classrooms for education purposes.

Called ‘Smart’ ORs, they provide high-defi nition imagery, which enhances the surgeon’s vision of the surgical site.

“These suites truly are the gold standard,” says Dr. Dauphinee. “All of our surgeons are already highly skilled and these ORs ensure they have the most advanced technology at their fi ngertips which allows us to deliver on our promise of high quality patient care.”

RVH’s Imaging department also received a technology boost with nearly $20 million in new equipment, resulting in the most advanced Imaging department in the region. Some of the equipment is typically found only in teaching hospitals, including two interventional radiology suites.

In almost every corner of the health centre there is some new innovation or technology that is improving patient care.

RVH was one of the fi rst hospitals in the country to implement the Robotic Intravenous Automation System (RIVA) in the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre. This robot, which resembles a miniature Canadarm, ensures each of the very complex, patient-specifi c chemotherapy doses is prepared safely and accurately in a sterile, controlled environment. Last year the cancer centre experience 100,000 patient visits and thanks to this robotic technology, that demand can be met safely and accurately.

RIVA (top left), ‘Smart’ OR (top right), and Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO and Dr. Russell Price in the laboratory (above)




Judy Cairns eagerly opens the little greeting card and almost instantly there’s a twinkle in her eye.

“Oh, it’s from the Ladies of the Loft,” says Cairns, with a huge grin on her face.

Cairns is a patient at RVH recovering from knee replacement surgery and today she received a get well wish from the women in her art group through the health centre’s Best Wishes service.

“This is such a neat service,” says Cairns, who readily admits that simple connection has made her day.

For some patients, a hospital experience can be fi lled with anxiety. Keeping connected with family and friends during a hospital stay is important and can alleviate some of those feelings.

RVH’s patient-centred MY CARE philosophy is to provide the best patient experience possible. And that’s why we’re working hard to provide our patients, and their families, with the tools they need to stay connected which can improve their experience. Whether a family member is living in another country or just around the corner, RVH has implemented new measures to keep those lines of communication open.

Through RVH’s Best Wishes service, family and friends can send well wishes to a patient simply by fi lling out a form on the RVH website. The health centre’s Volunteer Resources department prints the messages on greeting cards and delivers them to patients. Each year RVH volunteers deliver more than 1,000 messages from as far away as England, Mexico, and even Australia.

“Knowing that our patients can be connected to their families, even from a great distance, is a powerful thing, says DoDee Walsh, coordinator, Volunteer Resources.”

To further enhance the patient experience free guest Wi-Fi is also available throughout the health centre.

“This is especially good news for RVH patients, their families and other visitors to the health centre who can now access the internet on their own devices,” says Janice Skot, president and CEO, RVH. “We have had many requests particularly from patients, their families and visitors for free Wi-Fi access. Making it possible to increase access is another way we put our patients and their families fi rst.”

RVH also wants patients to stay in touch with us. An online survey is available on the bedside entertainment system in our inpatient units. The survey, which can be completed in just a few minutes, provides timely information to the manager in that department. RVH leaders can then make any necessary changes to improve the patient experience during a hospital stay.

You can also stay in touch with RVH via its social media channels. You can follow us on Twitter (@TeamRVH), like our Team RVH Facebook page or subscribe to our YouTube channel (RVHBarrieON) for updates on what’s happening in and around the health centre.

By utilizing many forms of communication, RVH hopes to make a signifi cant and positive diff erence in the experiences patients have at the health centre.

Keeping patients and their families connected

To Access free wifi at RVH select ‘RVH_Guest_Wifi ’

Daphne Laird delivers a Best Wishes card to Judy Cairns




At RVH we take our commitment to safety seriously. In fact, that unwavering focus on safe high quality care is our highest priority - guiding every decision and every action. One of RVH’s most

important initiatives is also one of the simplest – ensuring our staff , physicians and volunteers clean their hands thoroughly and frequently.

Reporting hand hygiene compliance is required in Ontario and visual audits of all clinical departments show over 93 per cent compliance at RVH.

“Our compliance rates are high, but we’re aiming for 100 per cent compliance,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “And since you have a right to know how we are doing, we very visibly post our hand hygiene compliance rates throughout the health centre.”

Properly managing medications is another important patient safety measure. Through a process called medication reconciliation, patients’ existing and new medications are checked and updated as necessary to ensure they are on the medications they are supposed to be on and that they are taking them in the way they need to get well.

RVH’s antibiotic stewardship program also adds another layer of safety by ensuring appropriate and monitored use of antibiotics. Each department is also equipped with automated dispensing cabinets which are a measured, controlled, locked dispensing system for medications. In addition, patient’s daily doses of medication come individually prepared and packaged specifi cally for them, in what is termed ‘unit-dose’. In the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre, chemotherapy medications are prepared using robotic technology. RVH’s focus on safety is defi nitely paying off .

During the health centre’s last accreditation – a process which measures the safety and quality of a hospital based on extremely stringent standards of excellence – RVH achieved the highest rating possible - “Exemplary Standing.” This is something achieved by only 20 per cent of healthcare organizations across the country.

“RVH continuously monitors and reports a wide range of safety indicators and those are all available on our website. Patients and their families should have great confi dence in the care provided in our health centre,” says Skot.

Safety is RVH’s promise

Watch the national award winning Bug Busters video! http://bit.ly/1hxi79h




Healthcare is very complex and can be challenging to navigate. At Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, patient representatives can help steer you through those sometimes murky waters,

ensuring you have as positive an experience as possible.

“At RVH, patients are at the centre of everything we do,” says Patient Representative, Tracey Taylor. “Our role is to provide transparent, impartial assistance and support to patients and families, helping them navigate their care and address any concerns that arise. We ensure they have a voice.”

In keeping with Ontario’s Excellent Care for All Act (ECFAA), introduced in 2010, RVH’s patient representatives manage patient and family feedback with the goal of improving both the patient experience and quality of care. They can assist with many elements of a patient’s care, including:

• Co-ordinating care team meetings

• Navigating the health system

• Managing concerns about their care

• Forwarding compliments to RVH staff , physicians and volunteers

• Reviewing medical records

Patient representatives do recommend that concerns or compliments are best communicated to the care team right at the time – whether it be the nurse, physiotherapist, unit manager or physician. This allows the care team to be aware of the issue and manage it right away.

Every situation is unique so representatives meet with the patient to obtain the appropriate consent to review their information and discuss next steps needed to resolve the issue.

“We want people to feel they can approach us with both their concerns and their compliments,” says Lynda Knight, patient representative. “Hearing from our patients and families allows us the opportunity to improve the service and care that RVH provides to our region every day.”

Advocating for our patients

Did you Know?In keeping with our commitment to provide the best, patient-centred care possible, RVH has introduced a new Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC). The council, comprised of patients and family members, along with health centre staff , physicians and volunteers, will provide direct input into policies, programs and practices that aff ect the patient experience at RVH. Through their fi rst-hand experiences, they will provide invaluable advice and perspectives on all aspects of care, including access to services, communication and patient information, design of patient programs and space, signage and navigation through the healthcare system.

Tracey Taylor and Lynda Knight RVH’s patient representatives

The RVH Patient Representative offi ce is located on Level 2 of the health centre near PureHealth Retail Pharmacy. A representative can be reached at [email protected] or 705-728-9090 x44510




Ruth Bulpit still remembers the day she caught the volunteering bug.

She was 10-years-old and baked a cake for a neighbour who was recently widowed.

To this day she’s not sure which was sweeter, the cake she baked, or the joy she felt from her act of kindness.

“All I know is it felt good to volunteer and I liked it,” says Bulpit, 79.

And from that moment she was hooked. She has volunteered her whole life, with 35 years of that time spent at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.

What’s even more impressive is that when she joins the eight volunteers on her Tuesday shift, there’s more than 211 years of service among them, with 130 of those years acquired by just three people.

Joyce Arnott, 89, is one of those dedicated volunteers.

She remembers many, many years ago sewing bandages and going to patient rooms with the Sunshine Cart fi lled with items to for sale such as magazines, snacks and - believe it not - cigarettes.

“We would sew bandages, have a cup of tea and get caught up on all the latest gossip,” chuckled Arnott, a

Volunteering... it’s a way of life

volunteer for 45 years. “Volunteering is a way for me to give back to my community. We should do the Sunshine Cart again – without the cigarettes of course.”

Volunteers have been the heart and soul of RVH since its beginning in 1891, when a group of women recognized the need for a community hospital, and set about to raise money to build it.

Last year RVH’s ‘Blue Brigade’, as they are aff ectionately known, contributed more than 120,000 hours in 75 diff erent areas of the health centre. Amongst RVH’s 850 volunteers, there are more than 6,000 years of combined service. Now that’s dedication!

“Our volunteers, with their selfl ess commitment to RVH and the people we serve here, ensure that we deliver patient-centred care,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “From their phenomenal fundraising activities to more simple acts, like directing visitors to their destination or giving a warm blanket to a chemotherapy patient, our volunteers make an extraordinary diff erence in the lives of our patients.”

“As valued members of Team RVH what our volunteers do everyday to improve the patient experience embodies RVH’s vision of Make each life better. Together,” says Valerie Bennett, director of Volunteer Resources.

To volunteer at RVH please call Volunteer Resources at 705 739-5650

or visit our website: www.rvh.on.ca

Together Joyce Arnott and Biddy Matthews have 95 years of volunteering at RVH




The RVH Auxiliary recently completed a $1.5 million pledge to the CCU. On hand for the celebration was (left) Margaret Tervit, past-president RVH Auxiliary; Arlette Utton, chair, RVH Foundation Board of Directors; Kirsten Parker, chair, RVH Board of Directors; Dr. Chris Tebbutt, vice-president Academic and Medical Aff airs; RVH president and CEO Janice Skot; and Wayne Hubbard, past-president, RVH Auxiliary

Craig Bemrose does much more than just serve coff ee at RVH.

He’s also helping to improve patient care - one cup of java

at a time.

Bemrose, a volunteer at RVH for 11 years, spends every Thursday

afternoon in the Café Royale, one of two businesses owned and operated by the RVH Auxiliary.

Last year the Café Royale and Victoria’s Gift Shop netted nearly $180,000. Since the two businesses opened (Victoria’s Gift Shop in 1963 and the Café Royale in 1991) an estimated $7 million of profi ts has been poured back into patient care at RVH.

In fact, it was the RVH Auxiliary that raised an incredible $5 million

to help build the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre and more recently, another $1.5 million for the new Cardiac Care Unit (CCU).

“We can’t forget that our volunteers, who are also members of the RVH Auxiliary, are a huge part of Team RVH and they directly contribute to improved patient experiences at the health centre,” says Wayne Hubbard, president, RVH Auxiliary. “Our volunteers provide an added role in patient support, not only in clinical settings, but also by helping a family member fi nd just the right gift or comfort item in Victoria’s Gift Shop,

or serving coff ee and chatting with a patient at Café Royale.”

Each year, the Auxiliary also provides funding for capital equipment through its Nevada ticket sales and enhances patient care through its Care Fund (formerly known as the Wish List fund). Through the Care Fund items such as wheelchairs are purchased and patients enjoy the annual Patient Holiday Party. Funds from the Nevada tickets have been used to purchase beds for Cardiac Rehab and ECG machines.

“The volunteers in the Auxiliary businesses are sometimes the fi rst people that our patients and family speak to when they arrive at RVH,” says Sally Ranger, operations manager, RVH Auxiliary. “They off er a friendly face, a listening ear and are always ready and willing to help out in any way possible.”

And you don’t have to tell that to Bemrose, who knows he’s doing more than taking coff ee orders.

“It’s rewarding. Quite often a family member or even a patient comes in for a coff ee and they’ll end up telling you their whole life story,” laughs Bemrose. “Of course we’re also raising money here, but sometimes people are just looking for someone to talk to and if I can be that person - if I can help bring a brief moment of comfort to someone - then that’s just an added perk to the job.”

Taking care of business!

Victoria’s Gift Shop volunteer, Martha Dodaro




Allenby Boake just wants to go home.

The 95-year-old Barrie man has been a patient at RVH for about a week and today he’s fi nally being discharged home. Although the paperwork is not

quite ready, Allenby has his bags packed and his cap on.

“At my age you don’t get excited about much – but I’m excited to be going home.”

Stomach pains brought Boake to RVH where he was diagnosed with a blood infection. Now he’s well enough to go home with a little help from Home First.

Home First is a patient-centred philosophy embraced by RVH and the North Simcoe Muskoka Community Care Access Centre (NSM CCAC). It is based on the principle that once a patient’s acute health needs have been met in hospital, home is the best place for them to recover, with in-home support if needed. This is not only best for patients, but also for health centres like RVH which face ongoing pressure from Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients who are awaiting placement in another care setting.

Boake’s wife Ruth is glad for the support as she will be the primary caregiver at home. Thanks to the supports available in their home, every Monday afternoon Ruth will be able to take a much-needed break, while a personal support worker steps in to keep Allenby company. Ultimately, the couple just wants to be able to stay in their own home for as long as possible and Home First is making that happen for them.

Dana Naylor, RVH operations director knows this philosophy is working.

“It’s been a year since RVH re-launched its Home First philosophy and since then we’ve seen great success,” says Naylor. “In 2013 RVH hit a daily high of more than 80 ALC

patients. These patients no longer needed the specialized acute services of a hospital. Fast forward to spring 2014 and RVH has approximately 50 ALC patients. We’ve been able to discharge patients safely home, and frankly, home is where these patients want to be.”

In the past year, almost 200 patients have safely transitioned home with enhanced community services, arranged through the CCAC.

“When people are ill or injured RVH is here to provide excellent care for them. However, when they no longer need our specialized acute services, their ongoing healthcare and recovery needs are best met at home where they are more comfortable. They are close to family and friends, helping them recover more quickly,” says Dr. Jim Shaver, chief of staff , RVH. “In fact, from the moment a patient enters our health centre, the entire care team is asking, ‘what can we do to help this person go home safely? What supports do they need?’ ”

Dr. Shaver warns of the risks to patients who stay in hospital after their acute care needs have ended. Patients can be exposed to infectious disease and be at risk of falling or developing pressure ulcers. An extended hospital stay means they are isolated from their family and friends and their physical or mental condition may deteriorate.

Not only is home the best place for patients once they no longer need acute care, but keeping people longer than necessary in hospital often means hospitals are full and unable to meet the healthcare needs of their community.

One key reason why emergency departments get backed up is that hospital beds are often occupied by patients whose acute health episode is over, but they are waiting to be transferred to a diff erent care setting.

There is no place like home




“If RVH is going to meet the health needs of this region, we must continue to make Home First a priority and work with our partners to ensure our patients are being cared for safely, in the most appropriate setting, while doing

everything possible to provide the supports that make home an option,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “The Home First philosophy means we are all working together as a system to ensure patients with complex needs have access to care and supports in the community to live independently and safely at home as long as possible.”

Recently, Skot and Megan Allen-Lamb, CEO, North Simcoe Muskoka Community Care Access Centre followed the path of collaboration between RVH and CCAC through a day spent shadowing staff on the frontlines. They even paid a visit to Ruth and Allenby Boake in their home.

“This shadowing experience was a real eye-opener. It’s helped us understand what Home First means

to our staff and physicians on the frontlines, and to our patients and their families,” says Skot. “We know that being safe and comfortable at home with the support of family and caregivers helps patients stabilize and recover, so we need to get this right. Our focus on Home First must continue to be unwavering, so walking in the shoes of our teams was a great opportunity to learn.”

The Emergency department is often the fi rst point of entry for patients. Emergency staff quickly identify patients at-risk of becoming ALC and ensure their needs are assessed right away. If the patient is admitted, an Estimated Date of Discharge (EDD) is immediately established and the entire care team works together to meet that date. Knowing and anticipating what home supports may be required, and putting the wheels in motion early on in their hospitalization, results in safer discharges. And happier patients.

At the end of the day, what matters to Allenby and Ruth Boake is that they’re home - together.

Allenby Boake chats with Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO, in his Barrie home following his discharge from the health centre

Allenby Boake, 95, waits for his paperwork to be completed before he goes home




Bridging the distance

Above: RVH’s Dr. Bryn Pressnail chats with his patient, Huntsville resident Valerie Kenny, via teleconference


Dr. Carmine Simone still makes house calls. And sometimes he is even in his pyjamas.

That’s because Dr. Simone is using Ontario Teleconference Network (OTN) to virtually

connect with his patients in RVH’s Thoracic Clinic, a partnership with Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH)

“Telemedicine has allowed many health practitioners to provide more equitable and accessible healthcare – particularly to people who live far away from a health specialist,” says Dr. Carmine Simone, thoracic surgeon at TEGH.

“It has given me the ability to communicate ‘face-to-face’ with my patients between regular consultations, closer to their homes, saving them a drive to Toronto. As well, this technology has given me the freedom to practice from the hospital or even my home - in my pyjamas.”

A telemedicine appointment is just like a regular doctor’s appointment - only the physician specialist and patient each use a video camera, and television monitor to connect, reducing the need to travel for a consultation.

Last year, RVH facilitated over 3,000 OTN sessions with most being clinical appointments for mental health, stroke, neurology, baby eye exams and thoracic (lung) follow ups. OTN is also being used for meetings and

educational sessions. However, by far the vast majority of the OTN sessions - almost 2,600 - were for cancer patients in the region. This technology enables doctors in different locations to discuss individual patient cases (Oncology Multidisciplinary rounds), and patients to have one-on-one appointments with RVH cancer specialists.

Valerie Kenny is one of those patients.

She has regular appointments with RVH oncologist Dr. Bryn Pressnail, without ever leaving her hometown of Huntsville.

“This technology saves me so much time and money as I’d have to make a three-hour round trip for a short appointment in Barrie. I’ve done it before and it’s not a fun drive – especially in the winter,” says Kenny, 71. “The care I’m receiving is absolutely amazing and a huge factor in keeping me so positive and my quality of life so wonderful.”

Bridging the distance and bringing care closer to home through technology is just one more way RVH is improving the patient experience and many departments are taking advantage of this high-tech method of reaching patients.

Most recently, RVH’s Surgery Program initiated the province’s first acute care Televascular Program.

“Through this pilot project we can virtually visit the region’s referring hospitals – whether they’re in Collingwood or Bracebridge - examine our patients there and decide on a care plan,” says Dr. Rob Gowing, RVH vascular surgeon.

“This has many benefits including improved access to vascular care, saving patient travel and providing greater support to our regional hospitals. This state-of-the-art pilot project has been very well-received by both the referring physicians and patients alike.”

Indeed, technology such as OTN is paving the way for a better patient experience. Just ask Kenny.

“I don’t cry very often, but one day during a teleconference I just had to tell Dr. Pressnail how incredible this whole process has been. I cried then!”



Rotary House: A place cancerpatients call home

At fi rst glance one would think Archie Kosynski, 75, and Dee Cameron, 60, have been lifelong friends.

That’s because their laughing and teasing is the kind one would expect from people who have known each other a long time, yet they only met a few weeks ago. They were brought together by a common battle – cancer - and met at the lodge they both call home.

Kosynski and Cameron are among the 300 patients who last year chose not to travel back and forth for treatment and instead stayed at Rotary House, a lodge for patients receiving care at the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre at RVH.

Instead of driving to and from Bracebridge everyday, Cameron simply walks through a warm, dry tunnel from the lodge to the cancer centre. In less than a half an hour she is back at the lodge, knitting and watching afternoon talk shows. It’s stress-free at a time when coping with breast cancer, and then lung cancer, has enough stress of its own.

“If I had to travel, especially with the weather we have had this past winter, there would be no guarantee I’d even be able to make those appointments,” says Cameron, as she sets her knitting down on her lap.

Rotary House, located on the second fl oor of Rotary Place, directly adjacent to RVH, features 20 rooms, a business centre, relaxation room, a kitchen, a private outdoor garden terrace and activity rooms.

“The majority of our guests are from the Muskoka area,” says Jennifer Montgomery, manager of Rotary House and Radiation Treatment.

“We do see people from as far away as Collingwood, Meaford, Haliburton, Owen Sound, Christian Island and we even had three guests from Barrie, who had transportation issues, stay at the lodge. Having a cancer lodge is an integral part of the patient-centred philosophy of RVH which states we will provide the best patient experience possible. For

many of our cancer patients that means providing them with a home away from home during their treatment and eliminating the anxiety of travel so they can concentrate on their health.”

Rotary House was named in recognition of a remarkable $1.5 million donation from Rotary Clubs throughout the region. Travel aside, these guests say the bonus to staying at the lodge is the companionship they fi nd among the other guests.

“Everyone here is in the same boat. We may have diff erent types of cancer and treatment paths, but basically we are all the same,” says Cameron,

“No one here is afraid to talk about the elephant in the room,” says Kosynski.

Dee Cameron knits while spending the afternoon in Rotary House. For more information about Rotary House call 705-739-5661




Social and economic inequality, lack of trust in a system that has historically failed them and geographical barriers are preventing First Nations people suff ering with cancer from accessing the healthcare they need.

When they do attempt to navigate the healthcare system it can be overwhelming and patients may experience culture shock leading to personal disorientation and increased anxiety.

But not anymore. At RVH, providing the best patient experience possible is our prime directive. And so, recognizing the unique and diverse needs of First Nations people in this region, the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Program has added an Aboriginal patient navigator.

The position is just one element in Cancer Care Ontario’s (CCO) Aboriginal Cancer Strategy which strives to improve health outcomes and the quality of life for Aboriginal people with cancer. Now when a First Nations patient walks through the doors of RVH, they are greeted by Leah Bergstrome, and walked through the system of care.

“The Aboriginal people have experienced 500 years of oppression which has created a culture of fear. To come to a government institution – like a hospital - is to face that fear which often prevents them from seeking the help they need,”

says Bergstrome, who is a member of the Métis nation.

It’s not just the process of navigating the cancer system that is important; it’s doing so with respect for the original people of these lands and their worldview.

Bergstrome provides and coordinates culturally and spiritually relevant support for Aboriginal patients and their families throughout their cancer journey. She uses narrative medicine, including history and stories, to support the patients she sees in their healing process, as well as the teachings of the Medicine Wheel.

Bergstrome off ers patients support to access healthcare services at home, coordinates traditional and non-traditional resources and healing, provides counseling before, during and after appointments, is an advocate for the patient, and is there to ensure patient wishes are respected for end-of-life care. But most importantly she is a friendly face when an Aboriginal person walks in the health centre.

“Knowing there is someone here for them can reduce anxiety. I’m a friend who can take their hand and walk with them along their path,” she says. “This is just part of the movement among Aboriginal people to reclaim their health and their access to healthcare. And RVH is there to help them along that journey.”

Supporting First Nations peoplethrough their cancer journey

Above: Leah Bergstrome is the Aboriginal patient navigator, with the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Program




They perform cutting-edge, and often life-saving, medical procedures without the ‘cut’ of surgery.

RVH’s fi ve interventional radiologists perform minimally invasive procedures that have maximum impact on their patients’ treatment and prognosis. Few of these physician teams exist outside of academic centres in Canada, yet RVH is fortunate to have these interventional radiologist under its own roof.

Their work has saved the lives of many cancer patients through procedures in which tiny particles are injected into the arteries supplying blood to a cancer, making it shrink. During another

procedure tiny particles with very high dose chemotherapy attached to them are injected into the arteries supplying cancerous cells. This helps stop the cancer from growing and hopefully shrinking it.

Other procedures include several types of ablation (radiofrequency, microwave, chemical), all intended to burn a cancer into remission. There are many other therapies that the team also off ers to treat pain from cancer, as well as implanting devices for administering chemotherapy, injection of chemotherapy into the spinal canal, and biopsies.

“I could talk for hours about the fascinating therapies the team is able to provide to cancer patients, but the bottom line is simple - these cancer-fi ghting therapies help patients live longer and more comfortable than they otherwise could, and in many cases provide a cure to their cancer,” says Dr. Mark Baerlocher, RVH interventional radiologist. “It is so rewarding that we can make such a signifi cant impact on our patient’s health within an afternoon and they still have the comfort of returning to their own bed that night.”

The treatments require only a tiny incision, making them less invasive than surgery and are performed as a day procedure, dramatically adding to the quality of life for patients.

“Studies have shown that interventional radiology treatments lead to greater patient satisfaction, lower complication rates, and have a high success rate,” says Heather Gillis, RVH operations director. “All of these factors make these procedures attractive options for patients. We are so lucky at RVH to have this range of therapies available to patients.”

And for patients, whose pain is eased, and cancer treated, and in some cases cured, they couldn’t agree more.

Minimally invasive "surgery"- maximum impact

RVH interventional radiology team – Dr. Chris

Guest (front), Dr. Robert Mason (back left), Dr.

Catherine Morrison, Dr. Drew Schemmer and

Dr. Mark Baerlocher




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When you’ve been to hell and back the fi rst thing you’d want to do is put up a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign preventing others from taking the same path.

And that’s exactly what Rayner McCullough and his family are doing.

McCullough, 84, has chosen to leave a fi nancial legacy to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre to establish a trust fund to support staff and family education in the area of child and youth mental health and addictions.

McCullough has made this commitment to RVH because he spent his entire 60 years of married life watching his wife Pauline struggle with mental illness and his family trying to cope with her erratic behaviour.

Help at an early age, McCullough believes, would have made a world of diff erence for his wife who passed away in 2011.

“I want to support both the healthcare workers and families of children with mental health and addictions. If we can help just one 10-year-old ‘Pauline’ it will be wonderful,” says McCullough, who also served on both the RVH Board of Directors and the Foundation Board of Directors, as well as participating in RVH’s last two capital campaigns. “I know Pauline always felt that if she had care when she was younger, it would have made a huge diff erence. It is my hope that others step up to support the creation of a child and youth mental health program at RVH so that these children don’t become adults with even bigger problems.”

His donation to RVH is to help other children and youth, as well as their families, avoid some of the pain and heartache experienced by his own family. It will be his way of putting up a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign for others.

“I’ve spent my life dealing with hell on earth and so have our two kids, but I have to think it was worse for my wife. She didn’t know what was going on or how to make it stop,” says McCullough.

Diagnosed at the age of 36 with schizophrenia, Pauline spent her whole childhood and young adult life dealing with a nameless demon, struggling through medications that didn’t work, and with her family always feeling isolated and alone.

McCullough’s generous gift is invaluable because currently there are no specialized inpatient mental health services available to children and youth in North Simcoe Muskoka.

The health centre is developing plans for an inpatient unit for children and youth with outpatient and crisis support. It is a plan fully aligned with the provincial government’s mental health strategy to provide fast access to high-quality services, early identifi cation and support for vulnerable children with unique needs.

The RVH Foundation has committed to raising funds in support of a child and youth inpatient mental health unit.

“It is people like Rayner, along with his family, who will rise to the occasion and provide the support needed to bring care closer to home. They know from experience that the lack of mental health services for children and youth is unacceptable,” says Eric Dean, CEO, RVH Foundation.

Dean says there are fi ve major reasons why people give to charity: to say thanks, to give back, to help others, to remember someone, or to honour someone. For Rayner McCullough it’s defi nitely all about helping others.

“I’ve left this endowment to RVH because my family and I want it to be diff erent for others.”

Leaving a legacy of hope

Rayner McCullough supports RVH’s plan to develop mental health services for children and teens because of the horrible struggle his wife Pauline, (shown in their wedding photo), had with mental illness



Donors with a vision are the foundation of RVH’s future.

They have the foresight to understand, not just the present, but the future healthcare

needs of this region, and through their generous support, they are bringing care closer to home.

The Schroeter family are such donors. Owners of the Napoleon Group of Companies in Barrie they are helping the health centre prepare for that future - today. Napoleon has pledged a generous $125,000 to future advanced cardiac care and child and youth mental health programs at RVH.

“It’s our duty as members of the community and as local business owners to help where we can,” says Ingrid Schroeter, chief fi nancial offi cer at Napoleon, which was founded in 1976 as a small steel fabrication business. “We live in the region, as do our employees, and we all rely on the health centre to provide us with comprehensive healthcare. We do this for our employees – for their families, for their children – and we do this for the community.”

The Schroeters have a long history of supporting RVH and now recognize their help is once again needed to bring advanced cardiac, as well as child and youth mental health services to Simcoe Muskoka.

Currently these important services are not available

anywhere in North Simcoe Muskoka, forcing thousands of people to travel outside the region for diagnosis and treatment. This has a signifi cant impact, particularly on cardiac patients, where the distance to care is critical to their outcome – 90 minutes is the gold standard. Currently, 60 per cent of Simcoe Muskoka residents have to travel more than 90 minutes for appropriate treatment.

In Simcoe Muskoka there is also a critical need for child and youth mental health services given that as many as 16,000 young people are impacted by mental illness, but only one in fi ve is receiving the help they need. Many youth from this area – approximately 700 – are admitted to an Ontario hospital with a diagnosis of mental health or addictions.

“We are always focused on Napoleon’s future - growing our business across Canada and internationally - but we will never forget the people of our community who have contributed to our success. If our donation to RVH can help even one heart attack patient continue to live a healthy, active life or provide therapy to a teen, then it’s the least we can do for the region that has given so much to Napoleon,” says Ingrid Schroeter.

Forward-thinking donors like Napoleon’s Schroeter family takes RVH one step closer to providing cardiac care, as well as child and youth mental health services.

(Left to right) Stephen and Shannon; Diana and Chris; Ingrid and Wolfgang Schroeter

Forward thinking donors



Meet our donors

Hedbern Homes“RVH is a very important part of our community, and for us, the decision to support RVH is an easy one. RVH supports LIFE, and there is no better reason than that to give back. We are fortunate enough to have children and grandchildren born at RVH. We cherish what RVH does for our family, and for our community.”

- Bernie and Heather Still, and children Shawn, Ryan, Keegan, and Kelley

Barrie Welding“Supporting RVH in bringing cardiac care closer to home just makes sense. We have lots of employees who rely on RVH to provide safe, quality care for them and their families. We really needed the cancer centre and now we need cardiac care.”

- Brian Smith, Ron Sheardown, Ross Higginson and Garry Greenside (Jim Sheardown - absent) owners of Barrie Welding and Machine Ltd.

For more information on establishing your own legacy, please contact Rebbeca Truax at [email protected] or at 705-728-9090 x41525

RBC“If we equip RVH with the latest in technology and the brightest professionals we are making a tremendous investment in our community. Healthcare needs never diminish so we must think big and long term!”

-Brian Roy (right), Vice President, RBC Wealth Management , RBC Dominion Securities

“We support RVH because strong local healthcare benefi ts our community. At some stage in our lives we will need RVH to be there for us.”

- Terry (left) and Anna Cheaney, Portfolio Manager, The Madison Group


The decision for Matt Beleskey to support Hockey Night in Barrie (HNIB), an annual celebrity-studded fundraiser for RVH, organized by Barrie MP Patrick Brown, was an easy one. The event has raised over $1 million for RVH.

Beleskey who grew up in nearby Midhurst, started his hockey career playing for the Barrie Icemen AAA which eventually led him to be drafted to the NHL in 2006 by the Anaheim Ducks. Even though Beleskey spends most of his year playing hockey in California, he’s never forgotten the importance of friends and family at home. He’s also never forgotten the importance of giving back to your community.

Beleskey has been an integral part of the success of HNIB helping to recruit many high profi le players including Corey Perry and Steve Downie. It’s not surprising that Beleskey is so committed to supporting RVH – he comes by it honestly.

Beleskey’s parents, Joe and Linda, and their daughter Erin, are longtime supporters of RVH providing a generous gift to RVH’s recent expansion through the ‘I Believe’ campaign.

Through that gift, the Beleskey’s were able to honour the memory of their friend Kevin ‘Doc’ Holliday with a commemorative plaque at the health centre.

Hockey star makes time to give back

Cuts of compassion and care

To donate by mail: RVH Foundation 201 Georgian Drive Barrie, Ontario L4M 6M2

To donate Online:Foundation.rvh.on.ca

Questions? Email: [email protected]: 705-739-5600

Want to make a donation?Donate in someone’s name as a tribute, consider memorial giving or giving at work, plan a future gift, give a gift of stock, celebrate a new birth or perhaps set up a monthly donation.

RVH staff and friends gathered to cut their long locks in loving memory of Sarah Frith, who passed away in 2012 after a very courageous and graceful battle with cancer at the young age of 19.

Sarah Frith’s mother, Tracey Frith, works in the Imaging department at RVH and colleague Angela Gosselin came up with the idea of an event to not only raise money for the Simcoe Muskoka Regional

Cancer Centre at RVH, but to donate the hair to Wigs for Kids, an organization that uses the hair to make wigs for children with any type of medical hair loss.

In total 15 women grew – and then cut – their hair for the event. The group hair cutting was held at Rinaldi’s Salon & Spa where staff generously donated their time to not only do the haircuts, but to style each participants’ hair after.

“This event has been very emotional for Sarah’s family and friends, but it is a tremendous way to honour my daughter,” says Tracey Frith. “Having the support of my RVH family throughout this journey has made a diff erence and now thanks to their generosity, we are making a diff erence for Wigs for Kids and the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre.”

Maria Galle and Anthony Rinaldi photographed with some of the women prior to the haircut and style in memory of Sarah Frith



3 Rotary HouseRotary House, RVH’s lodge for cancer patients, is located directly adjacent to RVH and

features 20 rooms, a business centre, relaxation room, a kitchen, a private outdoor garden terrace and activity rooms. Rotary House and Rotary Place (the building where the lodge is located) were both named in recognition of the generous $1.5 million in contributions to the expansion made by Rotary Clubs from throughout the region.

Inside RVHIn May 2012, RVH celebrated the opening of its $450 million expansion. Since then, we have put

the fi nishing touches on the 400,000 sq. ft. of new space and completed renovations to many other key departments in the health centre. Here’s a look inside your completed RVH.

1 Your RVHThe completed $450 million expansion brought regional services to RVH including a dedicated

respiratory unit, cardiac renal unit and CCU. The most notable regional addition is the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre accessed off the main lobby.

View of Rotary Place from RVH’s Main entrance

2 Emergency departmentOur expanded Emergency department has tripled in size allowing better work fl ow for

our staff and physicians.



4 Imaging departmentThe expansion provided $70 million in equipment and leading-edge technology, including the latest

imaging equipment, resulting in the most advanced Imaging department in the region.

5Inpatient roomThe expansion also added 101 inpatient beds. All decorated with the seasonal theme of the unit, the

rooms provide a comfortable healing environment for our patients. Private rooms also include a bench under the window to allow for visitor seating or a sleeping area for a loved one as necessary.

6Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer CentreThe three level cancer centre features a 34-chair

chemotherapy treatment area, three radiation suites and outpatient client space. The two-storey glass patient waiting area (shown above) features a resource library, fi replace and view to gardens which provides a calming environment for our patients and families.

A view from every seat for our patients receiving chemotherapy treatment

Respiratory unit inpatient room (top) Cardiac Care Unit (above)



Dr. Jason Dodge (right), clinical lead of Gynaecologic Oncology and Dr. Andy Browning, obstetrician gynaecologist.



For Central and Northern Ontario women diagnosed with gynaecological cancer, receiving lifesaving care has meant travel and often long waits for treatment.

That will soon change. RVH is being developed as a gynaecology cancer centre of excellence, one of only eight in the entire province.

“With 3,200 women requiring gynaecologic oncology services every year, the waits can be lengthy and travel an issue. Having this available at RVH will close the distance gap and change care for women with gynaecologic cancer in the province,” says Dr. Jason Dodge, clinical lead of Gynaecologic Oncology, Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Program.

Establishing a gynaecologic oncology program at RVH will mean care closer to home, increased capacity and shortened wait times in other areas of the province. Dr. Dodge’s fi rst major task is to complete a formal readiness assessment to launch the program at RVH.

“There are very specifi c standards established by Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) for the delivery of gynaecologic oncology care,” he says. “There are so many facets to establishing a centre of excellence and we are beginning that journey with the recruitment of two gynaecological oncologists in the future.”

A gynaecologic oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancers that originate within a woman’s reproductive organs. These physicians not only perform surgery, but also prescribe and monitor a patient’s chemotherapy treatments and contribute to palliative care if required.

Many gynaecologic cancer patients require both surgery and chemotherapy. A gynaecologic oncologist can best determine which treatment is needed and in which order, as well as coordinate care with other clinicians.

“Continuity of care is central to what gynaecologic oncology care is about,” says Dodge.

Barrie obstetrician gynaecologist Dr. Andy Browning knows the development of this program is a huge step forward.

“New diagnoses of cancer are becoming more common,” says Browning. “Having more women’s cancer services available at RVH means patients won’t have the added stress of having to travel great distances, which often places a burden on not just them, but their family and loved ones.”

The regional cancer centre at RVH opened in 2012 and the development of gynaecology cancer services is the next step.

“We know there is a growing need for this service,” says Lindsey Crawford, vice-president, Patient Programs at RVH and regional vice-president, CCO. “Since 2008, the number of gynaecologic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at RVH has increased from just under 250 to 450 visits a year.”

Improving women's accessto cancer care

BARRIE LOCATIONS190 Cundles Road East (Suite 205) ........ 705-722-8036Offering Ultrasound, Bone Density and X-ray

480 Huronia Road (Suite 101)................ 705-739-1028Offering Ultrasound and X-ray

121Wellington StreetWest (Suite 115) .... 705-726-4531Offering Ultrasound and X-ray

WASAGA BEACH LOCATION14 Ramblewood Dr. (Suite 105)............. 705-422-2255Offering Ultrasound, Bone Density and X-ray

COLLINGWOOD LOCATION186 Erie Street (Suite 104) ..................... 705-444-9280Offering X-ray

We now offer MSK & Vascular Ultrasound.

Proudly serving the people of Simcoe CountySince 1972

Providing quality care...one patient at a time

For ULTRASOUND or BONE DENSITYappointments call our booking department at

705-726-7442

Walk in basis for X-RAY

www.georgianradiology.com

Documents

vital2014signs - rvh.on.ca 2014.pdf · “Knowing that our patients can be connected to their families, even from a great distance, is a powerful thing, says DoDee Walsh, coordinator,