Welcome to this—our first—MUHC Highlights eNewsletter  It is with much pleasure that I am able to present the first issue of our new eNewsetter, MUHC Highlights. It is designed to keep you—our patients, families, friends and community—at the forefront of what is happening at the McGill University Health Centre on a monthly basis. Beyond our promise to provide the best patient care, we pride ourselves on keeping you informed. We believe in the value of transparency and we are always happy to hear what you have to say. After all, you are the fuel that ignites our quest for excellence. This month we feature surgery at the MUHC, with an introduction by Dr. Gerald Fried, MUHC Surgeon-in-Chief. We hope you enjoy your read!
Sincerely,
Normand Rinfret,
MUHC Interim Director General and CEO
Surgery Issue—Feature Guest Editorial
Dr. Gerald Fried, MUHC Surgeon-in-Chief  I remember when we first started to conceive the idea of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). Going from open procedures, which took not only many hours to perform but also many weeks for patients to heal, to a few-small puncture wounds and in some cases, same day return home, was an exciting shift in health care. The idea that the quality of life for patients post-surgery could be improved dramatically was at the forefront of this new surgical procedure—now commonly used for everything from treatment of appendicitis to esophageal cancer surgery. But that was just one aspect of our efforts to improve patient care. We moved beyond the operating room techniques and soon at the MUHC we were looking at the entire process of surgical care, from the moment the patient is told he/she needs surgery to the time of complete recovery.
Dr. Liane Feldman, MUHC director of MIS, working with Dr. Franco Carli from Anaesthesiology and Debbie Watson from Nursing, took the reins on this and started to look for other ways to enhance patient recovery after surgery. They developed a plan to get evidence into practice and better coordinate surgical care. The result? The Surgery Recovery Program (PRETSURE) that is now embedded into the MUHC core and is yielding positive results on all fronts in the form of enhanced recovery and improved patient satisfaction. But it doesn’t stop there. With the new MUHC at the Glen site budding more every day, in synch with Spring, we are changing the way we operate. Better efficiencies, improved infection control, enhanced privacy for patients and a commitment to quality direct our planning of an overall better way of functioning. This is our future and our citizens should be proud and excited to welcome this new age of health care. In this issue, you can read how a new pneumatic tube system will ensure efficient delivery of patient care. Everywhere you look the MUHC is improving: from the MUHC-led discovery that ovarian cancer can start in the fallopian tubes, to a genetic link to childhood brain cancer, to honouring and promoting one of our exceptional surgeons, Dr. Togus Tulandi, who has worked tirelessly to improve quality of care over the years. At the MUHC we only look back in inspiration for what can be. We consistently work towards continuing our legacy of excellence and putting our patients first. We hope you enjoy this, our first issue of the MUHC e-newsletter, and that you will see what I already know—our commitment to put you first will shape our tomorrow. Gerald Fried,
MUHC Director of Surgery |
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