Year in Review

At Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care, helping residents explore - or rediscover - their artistic talent is allowing imagination, and hope, to take flight. A vibrant art therapy program provides meaningful activity that contributes to health and wellness - mind, body and spirit. Learn more by viewing the art therapy program video on YouTube (link will open in a new browser window) "Creating art is therapeutic, helping residents express their emotions, communicate, interact socially and grow personally," says art therapist Emmy MacLachlan. Participating in art therapy helps residents reduce... Read More

Shining a light on excellence

St. Joseph’s Regional Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment (SADVT) Program has been recognized for “extraordinary work with abused women” by the London Abused Women’s Centre. The Shine the Light Recognition Award was presented during the city’s Shine the Light on Woman Abuse campaign, which raises awareness of men’s violence against women by turning cities, regions and counties purple for the month of November. Every year during the campaign, a community partner is recognized for excellence in care and support. At St. Joseph’s Hospital, the highly specialized SADVT team provides... Read More

World Day of the Sick

It’s one of St. Joseph’s most meaningful traditions. On February 11, a World Day of the Sick Roman Catholic Mass and Sacrament of the Sick was celebrated in the Mount Hope Chapel with celebrants Father Peter Poel, Father Mark Sargent and Father Jose Seminati. During this celebration the residents of Mount Hope in attendance were anointed and a special blessing was bestowed on caregivers. Pope John Paul II instituted World Day of the Sick in 1992 on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This annual celebration provides an opportunity for those involved in health care to recall the roots of their... Read More

Canada’s first diabetes-specific medical record

Diabetes patients of St. Joseph’s Health Care London are benefitting from a new web-based system that allows all those involved in their care to access key medical information anytime, anyplace. Called Web DR (Web-based Diabetes Records), the secure system is a boon to care continuity, effectiveness, efficiency and diabetes research, say experts. Introduced on June 11, 2014, Web DR is a comprehensive, diabetes-specific electronic medical record (EMR). With no existing EMRs available to meet the needs of outpatient diabetes programs, the team at St. Joseph’s Centre for Diabetes,... Read More

Two women of excellence

St. Joseph’s is brimming with excellence. Two of the eight recipients of this year’s YMCA of Western Ontario Women of Excellence Awards are members of the St. Joseph’s family – President and CEO Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, and occupational therapist Kathleen Murphy at Parkwood Institute. The prestigious awards honour women in London who have assisted in creating a more vibrant community and whose accomplishments have inspired and motivated others to succeed. A most distinguished honour, all recipients have pursued their dreams through dedicated advocacy, development of professional skills and... Read More

Much needed TLC for those people with special health care needs

A new program at Joseph’s Parkwood Institute is filling a gap in rehabilitative care for adults with disorders of childhood onset such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida and developmental delay. “It is wonderful that the life expectancy of those living with complex needs, physical disabilities and other conditions continues to increase,” says Michael Barrett, CEO, South West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). “We now need to ensure the health care system is changing to meet the needs of these children as they move into the adult-centred health care system. In March, the South West LHIN... Read More

Partner of distinction

The Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) program is the 2014 recipient of St. Joseph’s Partner of Distinction Award. This award recognizes partnership and collaboration – essential requirements of health care delivery and community service. Michael Newcombe, Peer Support Coordinator, Operational Stress Injury Social Support program OSISS is a network of peer support personnel across Canada providing support to Canadian Forces, veterans and their families. A collaborative effort of the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada, the OSISS’s primary role is to... Read More

Is it really just a fracture?

A slip, a fall and a broken wrist. But is it really just a fracture? Every year many Canadians over age 50 needlessly suffer fractures because their osteoporosis goes undiagnosed and untreated, says Dr. Lisa-Ann Fraser, Medical Director of St. Joseph’s Osteoporosis and Bone Disease Program. Yet patients who present to hospitals with the kind of fractures that raise a red flag for osteoporosis are often not assessed for the condition or receive proper treatment. Dr. Lisa-Ann Fraser, medical director of St. Joseph’s Osteoporosis and Bone Disease Program, talks to a patient about bone disease.... Read More

Scoring big for veteran’s care

As Sid Daley reflects back on his life, there isn’t much this Canadian veteran hasn’t done, from riding the rails during the Great Depression to becoming Canada’s oldest living member of the Ontario Provincial Police. But ask the 102-year-old about his fondest memories and he’ll tell you that, just this past year, he dropped the puck in front of 10,000 people at one of the 2014 Memorial Cup games in London. In May 2014, veterans – both young and old – were honoured by the Memorial Cup, which included a veteran dropping the puck at each game and the best seats in the house at Budweiser... Read More

A bridge to discovery

Just where and how does research happen at hospitals in London? A snappy and eye-catching answer is provided byLawson Health Research Institute’s a new infographic video (view on YouTube), called Building the Bridge to Discovery. As Lawson is so seamlessly embedded in the hospitals, it can be difficult to identify when, where and how research is taking place. The video, launched on May 1, uses a series of visual representations to provide context for, and improve understanding of, the impact of hospital-based research. Read More

I am the face of brain injury

Stephanie Hutton is on a mission to raise awareness that a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is very real—even though it can’t be seen. “Because mTBI has no visible symptoms, sometimes it’s difficult for people to understand,” she explains. “It’s so frustrating when people say ‘But you look great,’ after I tell them I have a brain injury.” Stephanie Hutton at Rogers TV in London where she made the I am the Face of Brain Injury public service announcement (watch on YouTube). In 2011 a bicycle accident left Stephanie with a mTBI, also known as a concussion, but not understanding the... Read More

HUGO has arrived

With much anticipation, HUGO arrived and patient safety across St. Joseph’s got a boost. HUGO launch on May 21 was a transformative day for St. Joseph’s and for patient care. On May 21, after years of preparation, HUGO (Healthcare Undergoing Optimization) launched at all sites of the organization – a transformative step in the delivery of care. Driven by the pursuit of safer patient care, St. Joseph’s is among 10 hospitals across the region to harness the latest in technology and adopt HUGO, which shifts the ordering of tests and prescribing of medications from paper to the computer. At the... Read More

Teaching the next generation of experts

A future of excellence in health care requires a commitment to teaching the next generation of experts. Each year across St. Joseph’s Health Care London, more than 2,000 students and trainees come to learn from the best. Andrew Macpherson is a student in St. Joseph’s Clinical Pastoral Education course where interns learn how to provide spiritual care to patients, family and staff members in hospitals and other clinical settings. Many of the interns are in graduate theological training. “No theological college can offer this kind of experience - I’m very grateful,” says Macpherson, a... Read More

A space oddity

The 2014 Tribute Dinner on Sept. 18 hosted by Joseph’s Health Care Foundation eclipsed all dinners. The event showcased new frontiers in rehabilitative care at with astronaut Chris Hadfield sharing his own out-of-this-world story of reclaiming his body after returning to earth. Hadfield’s space flight gave him new insight, and a rapidly aged body. Aboard the International Space Station, millions watched the first Canadian commander lift a refrigerator with one finger, but back on earth the popular astronaut could barely lift his own weight. Not only did he have to adjust to what he referred... Read More

An award winning solution to a looming crisis

Lawson Health Research Institute scientists are playing critical role in solving one of health care’s most pressing issues. Dr. Michael Kovacs, Director of the Nordal Cyclotron and PET Radiochemistry Facility located at St. Joseph’s Hospital is a member of a Canadian team of six scientists that, in February, received the 2015 Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering. The team, composed of experts in physics, chemistry and nuclear medicine, is addressing the impending shortage of medical radioisotope technetium-99m (Tc-99m) currently used around the... Read More

A band of women with a special bond

On Oct. 15, women from across the region attended the 2104 BRA (Breast Reconstruction Awareness) Day at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London to learn about breast reconstruction post mastectomy. They heard directly from plastic surgeons about the various options and from women who have had the surgery. On hand was a vibrant band of women – members of the Circle of Sharing, a support group for women by women who have had or are considering breast reconstruction. They shared their experiences and even allowed women to view real results. The Circle of Sharing, created in 2009 by St. Joseph’s Breast... Read More