Island Health medical students’ ER experience improved with EHR change suggested by physicians Medical students in some of Island Health’s busiest emergency departments are now able to practice their documenting skills with electronic clinical documentation, thanks to a recommendation from three ER physicians who advocated for a change to the […]
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Do you have an idea for how to improve care within the hospital? Want to pick an Island Health colleague’s brain to get their perspective? You might want to take advantage of the new South Island project ‘Walk a Doc’. Initiated by Dr. Jason Wale, this project aims to create […]
Read moreWhen the ‘heat dome’ descended recently onto British Columbia, many emergency departments were flooded with patients suffering from hyperthermia, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition. Although hyperthermia is not seen frequently in our emergency rooms, it requires specialized, time-sensitive treatment. Fortunately, the Victoria ED Simulation initiative had run a hyperthermia […]
Read morePhysicians often see opportunities for improvements to patient care in the course of their practice. Dr. Rohit Pai (Gastroenterology) and Dr. Brian McArdle (Internal Medicine) saw one when treating patients living with decompensated liver cirrhosis. This complex patient population present frequently at the emergency room for treatment, and require regular […]
Read moreWhen a patient is seen in the emergency room, it is crucial that important medical information be communicated from the ER to their family physician in a timely and accurate fashion. Yet historically, emergency room physicians have relied on a carbon copy paper charting system to transmit this information, a […]
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Many thanks to Dr. Malcolm Orr, who provided this wonderful story of generosity and hope. In this time of COVID it is reassuring to hear some good news that has happened despite the pandemic. I would like to thank the Royal Jubilee Hospital and Island Health for their generosity and […]
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There are so many ways that we communicate each day: Face to face (well, mask to mask!), over the phone, by text, through email. But how can we make those – and other – communications more personable, more effective, and more impactful? Dr. Sarah de Leeuw, PhD, writer, thinker, and […]
Read moreA patient waiting to have the results of their echocardiogram read by a cardiologist hopes it will be done in a timely manner. Yet historically, cardiologists have had to be physically present in the Echo Lab in order to read the report accurately. When an echo report is needed to […]
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Patients with bladder and pelvic floor issues often require specialized testing and multidisciplinary care involving a variety of providers, including gynecologists, urologists, family physicians, nurses, and physiotherapists. However, the provision of these services can be disjointed and the wait times prohibitively long. Patients dealing with incontinence could sometimes wait 6 […]
Read moreAs a way of embracing the limitations on in-person gatherings, the South Island MSA hosted its first ever Virtual Doctors’ Lounge Meetup, hosted by our new co-Presidents, Dr. Catherine Jenkins and Dr. Fred Voon With physicians representing VGH, RJH, and the BC Cancer Agency, the discussion was rich, educational, and […]
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