Jeff Smith looks back at his 51-year career at the MUHC
It’s the summer of 1974. The Montreal metro is still fairly new, having come into existence in time for Expo ’67. The green line is shorter, so teenager Jeff Smith makes his way from LaSalle to downtown by bus. He treks his way up an unfamiliar hill in the heart of downtown Montreal, combs his fingers through his jet-black hair, and wonders: what’s it going to be like to work in a hospital?
His first assignment takes him by surprise. He’s stationed in the basement of the Montreal General Hospital (MGH), which feels a bit dingy. Jeff is a sixteen-year-old with a lot on his mind, so he’s grateful to have something productive to do during the summer. He doesn’t see a serious future for himself at the hospital necessarily—it’s just a summer job, right?
How it starts
For those of us who know Jeff, the remarkable thing about his story is that he went on to have an impactful five-decade career—over 50 years at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Today, he is the Coordinator of Clinical Performance and Transformation at the MUHC, leading our hospitals in some of our most important quality and performance projects. So, what was someone so talented asked to do on his very first day?
“My supervisor hands me a flat piece of cardboard. He looks me in the eye and says, Kid—make a box!”
Sixteen-year-old Jeff shows up every week at the MGH to make 40 to 50 banker’s boxes with lids. He does as he’s told. He learns to properly store patient charts in boxes. When the summer ends, Jeff is offered to work weekends. He says yes, and at the same time, begins putting himself through school using the money he made during the summer.
His finances are tight. At that point in his life, Jeff is privately reeling from a significant change in his family.
Growing up fast
That summer, Jeff is navigating the unexpected medical diagnosis of his mom. He’s witnessing the effects of illness firsthand, and his world feels turned upside down. However, between hospital visits with his mom and his work at the MGH, he’s meeting many healthcare workers and finding them to be incredible.
“I saw healthcare workers as such gifted people,” Jeff explains. “Even my manager became so understanding towards me because of what I was going through at home. It made me want to stay in the healthcare network.”
That same summer, Jeff finds himself branching out of his own office to visit other departments, including admissions and emergency. He enjoys collaborating (or simply chatting) with other staff and cherishes his interactions with physicians. Moreover, Jeff is now intentionally interacting with patients.
“I said to myself, I wonder if I could be helpful to them. Like, what’s my piece in this?”
Jeff is asked to work a nightshift as a favour. He gladly agrees and, as fate would have it, he meets even more people who earn his respect. On the cusp of young adulthood, he’s starting to think that he might have a future at the hospital.
Fast forward a handful of years. Jeff becomes the supervisor for the Medical Records department at the MGH and the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH), the Neuro, and the Montreal Chest Institute (MCI). As his career takes off, Jeff is keeping his beloved mother in his heart, who, by now, has passed. He’s a young man with a life that’s flourishing.
Work and gain wisdom
Through the years, Jeff has participated and led some of the MUHC’s most innovative projects. Today he reminisces about the humble beginnings of electronic patient databases in the late 1970s (for those who remember ‘PCS’, which recorded a person’s name and date of birth only, on ginormous IBM tapes). He recalls the launch of O-word in the late 1990s, a software that eventually exploded into precious data mining for physicians and researchers. Technology was taking off before his eyes with clear and measurable advantages.
“To think that I started with nothing but pen and paper… and boxes,” he chuckles. “You get to witness many incredible advances when you work in health care. With all that I’ve seen happen for the better, I know we’re at the cusp of many more powerful breakthroughs in medicine.”
In addition to his work at the MUHC, Jeff loves to volunteer for Scouts Canada, the leading organization for girls’ and boys’ scouts in the country. Youth mentorship is crucial to him. He wants young people to know that they can rise above their personal challenges. He commends the next generation for their compassion and their grit:
“The most important thing is for you to have meaningful conversations with people. If you’re empathetic and you listen with empathy, then you can put yourself in the other person’s situation. And sometimes, that’s the best way to solve a problem. Try and be empathetic.”
Jeff encourages young people to consider finding their place in health care. In fact, he invites everyone looking for a fresh start in their career to bring their talent and skill sets to the MUHC.
“I highly recommend a career in Medical Records or a related administrative field to anyone who wants to make a difference in health care in some covert, special way. All supporting roles within a hospital—particularly administrative roles—have a strong impact on patients and their families.”
He speaks from his heart, not only as a seasoned professional who has loved his MUHC career, but also as a man who still remembers what it was like to be sixteen years old.
