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DoM Monthly Newsletter – April / May 2023

Dal-DoM-logo-2022
Nova Scotia Health logo

In this update:

View previous updates

The SHORT Report

  • Important COVID Update
  • Faculty of Medicine Leadership Update

Dates / Deadlines

Member Updates

  • Welcome / Farewell
  • Professor Emeritus - Dr. John G. Hanly
  • Division Head Change
  • New Leadership Roles
  • Locum Medical Oncologist
  • Academic Respirologist

Organizational Culture 101

  • Communication Tip from Diane LeBlanc, Basia Solarz and Brennan Dempsey

Education Updates

  • Resident Wellness Week
  • In case you missed it: Teach the Teachers 2023

Research Updates

  • DoM Research Week - April 18 - 21, 2023

Quality Updates

  • DoM Quality Day - May 30, 2023

Kudos

  • DoM Administrative Professionals' Week
  • Long Service Awards from NSH 2022
  • QEII Times - Dr. Nancy Morrison and Andrea Dale
  • Recipient of New Health Investigator Grant - Dr. Caitlin Lees
  • Doctors Nova Scotia 2023 Award Recipients
  • YourDoctors.ca - Dr. Kris Srivatsa
  • Platinum Jubilee Medal - Dr. Kris Srivatsa
  • Canadian Cancer Trials Group IND Team Award
  • CIHR Outstanding Reviewer - Dr. Ratika Parkash
  • DNS Board of Directors - Dr. Nabha Shetty
  • Research Excellence Award - Allie Carew

Awards & Recognition

  • Making Waves Awards - nominate by June 9
  • Public Impact Award - nominate by May 31


Notices

  • 5th Annual Women in Medicine Summit

Quick Reference / Recurring Content

GET TO KNOW

Cynthia Kendell,

Research Implementation Scientist

Cynthia

Photo by Nick Pearce

THE SHORT REPORT

Hi everyone,

I am pleased to report that the 2021-22 Department of Medicine annual report is now available on our website: https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/department-sites/medicine/about/annual-reports.html Last year, we took part in almost 350,000 patient encounters, taught 845 learners, produced almost 500 publications and brought in over 11 million dollars in research funding. This is amazing! I encourage everyone to take some time to read the report and celebrate the amazing work our members are doing in research, education, and providing care to our patients.


In discussing our annual report theme, “Recipes for Success”, our Division Heads used words like commitment, collaboration, dedication, resilience, collegiality, adaptability, innovation and advocacy to describe why their divisions continue to be productive and able to provide care during these incredibly stressful times in healthcare. I think Dr. McNeil summed it up best when she said their recipe for success was “…without a doubt, our people!” We are stronger together than when we stand alone. We are starting to see good things happening in the health system that will move us into a better place to take care of our patients and each other. Let’s continue uniting together as we move forward.


April and May brought a flurry of activities for the department and several notable days of recognition. We recognized the amazing work of our administrative staff during Administrative Professionals’ Week (April 24-28). Our administrative team is truly the foundation of the department. We are ever grateful for the long hours they often work to support our patients and academic work. We celebrated Resident Wellness (May 1-5). May 1 was National Physicians’ Day and May 8-14 was International Nurses Week. There are a lot of people to recognize and celebrate who contribute to the success of our department every day.


On May 5, we also recognized Red Dress Day, a day of awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls and two-spirited people. This important day calls us to reflect on all the work we still need to do to ensure our communities are truly inclusive. It reminds us of the inequities that still exist in our society and the powerful role physicians and departments can play in ensuring that our communities are safe and welcoming to everyone.


We continue the negotiations for the AFP and Master Agreement for physicians in Nova Scotia. Through our interest-based negotiations, we have been working hard with the Health Authority, the Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Health and Wellness to identify the issues facing physicians. We have been working together to identify the options and opportunities to help recruit and retain the physician workforce we need to provide the best care meet our academic mandates. We are on track to provide an offer to physicians for consideration soon. I will be sure to keep you apprised of our progress.


I hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter. Don’t forget to send us your stories and announcements!

Stay well!


Christine



Christine Short, MD, FRCP(C), FACP

Associate Professor & Head/Chief, Department of Medicine

Dalhousie University / Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health

Dr. Christine Short

Dr. Short

NEW as of May 23, 2023


NEW - Nova Scotia Health Respiratory Virus Safety Plan


This plan is effective May 23, 2023 and authored by the COVID Network.

  • REPLACES - COVID-19 Protocols For a Safe Recovery
  • These measures have been developed for the Spring/Summer 2023 and will be revised as required.
  • The Province of Nova Scotia issued an update on its response to COVID-19.
  • As a result, Nova Scotia Health (NSH) and IWK Health employees (including employees who work from home), and onsite medical staff are still required to complete and provide proof of their primary series COVID-19 vaccination and are encouraged to obtain all future recommended booster doses. Medical and human rights exception processes remain in place.


NEW - Changes to Masking Guidelines in Non-Clinical Areas


Starting Tuesday, May 23, NSH will move to optional masking in non-clinical areas.

  • Physical distancing is still recommended when not masked.
  • Non-clinical area is defined as NO CONTACT with patients or essential care partners/caregivers.
  • Continuous masking requirements will remain in place for all other areas for staff, patients, visitors, and learners.



References


Province of Nova Scotia news release – May 23, 2023

https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230523001


Nova Scotia Health news release – May 23, 2023

https://www.nshealth.ca/news/nova-scotia-health-iwk-health-update-covid-19-response

 

Nova Scotia Health Respiratory Virus Safety Plan – May 23, 2023

https://policy.nshealth.ca/Site_Published/covid19/document_render.aspx?documentRender.IdType=6&documentRender.GenericField=&documentRender.Id=89010

 

Changes to Masking Guidelines in Non-Clinical Areas Memo & Frequently Asked Questions

https://www.nshealth.ca/news/nova-scotia-health-iwk-health-update-covid-19-response

DATES / DEADLINES

May 2023

May 8 – 14 National Nursing Week

May 25 – Let’s Talk Informatics OPOR: Transforming the Shape of Healthcare in Nova Scotia

May 30 – DoM Grand Rounds (8 am feature: Quality)

May 30 – DoM Quality Day (afternoon)

May 31 – Deadline for Research Nova Scotia Public Impact Award nominations


June 2023

June 6 – Anderson Dickson Lecture at DoM Grand Rounds (Zoom; 8-9am)

June 6 – Annual Faculty of Medicine Meeting (Theatre A Tupper / Teams; 5-6pm)

June 9 – Deadline for Making Waves Award nominations

June 27 – DoM Awards Extravaganza (Zoom; 8-9am)


September 2023

Sept 22 - 23 – Women in Medicine Summit https://www.womeninmedicinesummit.org/



National Nursing Week 2023

I want to take a minute to recognize all of the amazing nurses we work alongside of every day that care for our patients, lead and support research initiatives and provide education to our learners, patients and families. I hope you can find an opportunity to express your appreciation to your nurse colleagues this week.


Our Nurses. Our Future. Forward Together.


~ Dr. Christine Short (originally sent May 10, 2023)



Let’s Talk Informatics

To join the mailing list (internal audience only), email: letstalkinformatics@nshealth.ca


List of archived events: https://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/education-learning-45



DoM Grand Rounds

Monthly poster on DoM website

Faculty of Medicine Leadership Update


Read the latest Faculty of Medicine Leadership Update - May 2, 2023


Use this link to subscribe:

https://us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=d15ff47385231a93a1dc09bdf&id=f1bb7b4e8e

MEMBER UPDATES

WELCOME

We welcome the following members to their new positions:

  • Dr. Ziran Meng, Division of General Internal Medicine – changes from locum to ongoing position effective April 1, 2023.


  • Dr. Harrison Petropolis, Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy – locum from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024.


  • Dr. Andrea Kew, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Oncology – locum extended to March 31, 2024.


  • Nicole Wickens, Booking Clerk, Clinical Dermatology & Cutaneous Science


  • Sandhya Aryal, Booking Clerk, Digestive Care & Endoscopy


  • Melody Bell, Administrative Assistant, Digestive Care & Endoscopy


  • Madison Saulnier, Administrative Assistant, Digestive Care & Endoscopy


  • Komal Dhawan, Administrative Assistant, Endocrinology


  • Diane Goodwin, Administrative Assistant, Geriatric Medicine


  • Jo-Ann Spillett, Administrative Assistant, Hematology


  • Hannah Smith, Administrative Assistant, Hematology


  • Joanne Fraser, Administrative Assistant, Hematology


  • Leon Li, Casual Administrative Assistant, Geriatric Medicine


  • Dhrumi Kansara, Team Lead, Medical Oncology (moved from Hematology)


  • Laurie Proctor, Education Program Assistant, Neurology


  • Devangi Patel, Administrative Assistant, Nephrology


  • Ify Ezemenari, DoM Assistant Manager


  • Amie Smart, Co-op Student, DoM Education Office


  • Dariush Bakhtiari, PhD, Research Program Administrative Coordinator


  • Nicole Chiasson, is moving from Cardiology Team Lead position to be Executive Assistant to Department Head, Dr. Christine Short

FAREWELL

We say farewell and best wishes to:

  • Ellen Etmanskie, Administrative Assistant, Digestive Care & Endoscopy


  • Cassie Leblanc, Booking Clerk, Digestive Care & Endoscopy


  • Jacqueline Gray, Booking Clerk, Digestive Care & Endoscopy


  • Sue West, Administrative Assistant, Endocrinology


  • Elissa Hughes, Team Lead, Geriatric Medicine


  • Ruth Ampi Kanakam, Education Program Assistant, Geriatric Medicine


  • Cheryl Burton-Myles, Casual Administrative Assistant

PROFESSOR EMERITUS - Dr. John G. Hanly

Congratulations to Dr. John G. Hanly, Rheumatologist, who has been approved for a Dalhousie University appointment as Professor Emeritus, effective June 1, 2023.

Hanly

Dr. John Hanly graduated from the National University of Ireland in 1978. Following training in internal medicine, he pursued a two year rheumatology research fellowship in Dublin. Between 1984-1987, he undertook clinical fellowships in Rheumatology and Immunology at the University of Toronto and McMaster University. Dr. Hanly joined the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie in 1987 and later became Professor of Medicine and Pathology. A former Head of the Division of Rheumatology, the division’s Research Director and Director of the Dalhousie University Lupus Clinic, Dr. Hanly served as the Chair of the Department of Medicine’s Research Committee from 2011-2019. In 2015, he became the Department of Medicine’s first Research Director. Dr. Hanly is a respected clinician, teacher, and clinical investigator with continuous peer-reviewed funding from CIHR since 2002. His focus has been the study of pathogenic mechanisms of systemic lupus erythematosus and clinical outcomes with a particular interest in how lupus affects the nervous system. Dr. Hanly is a Master of the Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). He is Past Chair of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC), involving 43 academic centers in 16 countries. Previous research awards include the ACR Edmund L. Dubois Memorial Lectureship, ACR Master Award, the CRA Distinguished Investigator award and the CRA Distinguished Rheumatologist Award. 

DIVISION HEAD CHANGE

Dr. Allen Tran completed his term as interim co-division head on March 31, 2023. Dr. Magnus McLeod will continue as interim Division Head in the Division of General Internal Medicine.

NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES

~A message from Dr. Christine Short~


I am pleased to announce that effective April 1, 2023, Dr. Steven Gruchy and Dr. Shelly McNeil formally started their leadership roles within the Department of Medicine.


As the size and complexity of our department grows, we are reviewing the department’s governance model so that it will continue to serve the rapidly evolving needs and priorities of all of our department members including physicians, residents, fellows, clinical staff and administration. To optimize our physician leadership, I am splitting the previous Deputy Dept. Head role into two positions: Deputy Head Academic and Deputy Head Clinical. This is to recognize the growth of leadership and administrative work we do for the Health Authority and the Faculty of Medicine. This is leadership structure has worked well in other medicine departments across the country. 


Dr. McNeil has been serving as our Deputy Head since 2018 and will be moving into the new role of Deputy Department Head Academics. She will be responsible for department’s large education and research arms, including providing guidance to staff and committees. Dr. McNeil brings a wealth of leadership experience to this role. She has been with the department since 2000 and is currently the Senior Medical Director, COVID Planning and Implementation for Nova Scotia Health and the Division Head for Infectious Diseases. Dr. McNeil has been instrumental providing solutions to operational challenges related to COVID-19, including patient admission and care strategies, and health care worker protection and vaccination rollout. In addition to her full commitment to the Infectious Diseases division, she continues to collaborate with all levels of provincial leadership to maintain the health and wellness of Nova Scotians and support the learning activities of the medical students and residents. Dr. McNeil will bring a fresh perspective to her role and will be a key advisor in increasing the profile our research and educational endeavors. 


Dr. Steven Gruchy is the newly appointed Deputy Department Head Clinical. In this role, Dr. Gruchy will provide oversight to the various aspects of our clinical operations including the MTU/IMCU, staff and facility resource allocation, and provide leadership to quality and clinical systems innovation initiatives within our department. Dr. Gruchy has been a faculty member in the Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy since 2007. During this time, he has held various leadership positions, including the GI Residency Program Director and MTU Director. He is currently the Chair of Financial Management Committee (FMC) and Co-Division Head of the Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy along with Dr. Ian Epstein. Dr. Gruchy will bring his expertise in finding solutions for complex clinical issues and building relationships with stakeholders across the organization to his new position. 


Please join me in congratulating and Dr. Gruchy and Dr. McNeil on their new roles. Drs. Gruchy and McNeil will continue their involvement on the Executive Committee in their capacity as division heads. They will begin reaching out to department members as they start working on new initiatives in their respective areas.  


I am looking forward to seeing what this new fiscal year will bring. I am confident that we will continue to work and grow together to fulfill the goals outlined in our strategic plan. I will be sure to keep you apprised of further changes to the department’s organizational structure in the weeks and months to come.


Take care,

Christine

RECRUITMENT

Locum Medical Oncologist

Deadline has been further extended to May 27, 2023

https://www.drcareers.ca/job-details/12413/locum-medical-oncologist/

 

Academic Respirologist

Deadline of May 26, 2023

https://www.drcareers.ca/job-details/12412/academic-respirologist/

GET TO KNOW

Cynthia

Cynthia Kendell,

Research Implementation Scientist



1.      Where did you grow up?



I grew up on the South coast of NL in a beautiful place called Bay D’Espoir.


2.      When did you join Nova Scotia Health and when did you join DoM? 


I started working at NS Health/Dalhousie University in 2010 and joined the DoM in January of this year.

3.      Tell us about your education and work background.  What were you doing before you joined DoM?


This question is always a fun one to answer because my academic career has taken a bit of a winding path. I did a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of New Brunswick and followed that with a Master of Human Kinetics in Biomechanics at the University of Ottawa. Currently, I am a PhD candidate in the Interdisciplinary PhD Program here at Dalhousie where I am studying data access governance, focusing on access to administrative health data for research.


Prior to joining the DoM, I spent nearly 13 years working as a Project Coordinator for the Cancer Outcomes Research Program, a grant funded research program at Dalhousie University/NS Health. During my time with the program, I was involved in cancer health services and implementation science research.


At a glance, it may seem a little eclectic—biomechanics, cancer health services research, implementation science, data access governance—but everything is connected by a common thread, which is an interest in leveraging data to improve decision-making at all levels of the healthcare system.


4.      Please tell us more about your current role in DoM.


My title is “Implementation Scientist”, which is a new position here in the Department of Medicine. My primary role is to collaborate across divisions on research that supports the implementation and evaluation of new innovations into routine healthcare delivery. This can include everything from conducting research to inform intervention development, to conducting intervention studies to generate pilot data, to evaluating the effectiveness of specific implementation strategies.

 

5.      What is your favourite part about your job?

 

The best thing about my job is that it’s never stagnant. There are always new questions to be asked, new projects on the horizon, and new people to collaborate with. Since things are always changing and evolving, I’m constantly learning and gaining new skills.


6.      What are a few things that your colleagues may not know about you?


When I am not working, I like to relax at home with my husband and son, and our senior chihuahua, Benny. We have a cat too, but she does her own thing!


7.      What is the best way for your DoM colleagues to reach you?


You can reach me at cynthia.kendell@nshealth.ca

CONFLICT AND CULTURE

To help further the work of the strategic plan, we are focusing on strengthening our toolkit to improve culture and conflict in our workplace. Content submitted by Diane LeBlanc, Basia Solarz and Brennan Dempsey.

Organizational Culture 101


Although previous tips have focused on conflict, cultural development is another key lever in creating meaningful institutional change. First, however, it is necessary to understand what an organizational culture is, where it comes from, and how we can shape it to keep pace with our changing circumstances.


Part of the problem in defining organizational culture is that organizations themselves are sometimes hard to delineate. Only a group with a common history and some stability fosters the creation of an organizational culture - some organizations might not have a culture at all, since they lack a shared sense of the past. And of course, an organization can hold smaller groups within itself, so there are often many existing subcultures, some of which can be in conflict.

Artifacts Values Assumptions

Culture is what a group learns - behaviourally, cognitively, and emotionally - over time as it strives to solve problems internally and externally.


It is present on three fundamental levels:


  • in observable artifacts,


  • in values, and


  • in basic underlying assumptions.


Artifacts include things like dress codes, the physical workspace, including its sights, smells, and sounds, as well as more concrete things like institutional records and annual reports.


Values are both espoused and lived, and can be uncovered through interviews, questionnaires, and surveys. They arise from the feelings members have about their organization’s cultural artifacts and the nature of the work in question.


Finally, culture is based on the underlying, often unconscious assumptions that guide our thought processes, feelings, and behaviours. Understanding assumptions help clarify the meaning of artifacts and values, and can also reveal some of the cultural contradictions present within organizations. 


Cultures are constantly forming and reforming. Critical incidents spur norm formation - what happens after an emotionally charged event usually contributes to the formation of a new norm. For example, do we defend those under attack, or do we stay silent? Culture is also commonly shaped by leaders, especially in the nascent stages of an organization’s history. These dynamics are then preserved and embedded through the socialization of new members to the group.


When we understand what organizational culture is, and where it comes from, we increase our ability to shape it in meaningful ways. Please reach out to Basia, Brennan, or Diane with any questions! 


Thank you,

Diane ~ DianeLeBlanc@healthierorg.com

Basia ~ basia@braverpath.com

Brennan ~ brennanpd@hotmail.com

EDUCATION UPDATES

treats

Resident Wellness Week

May 1-5, 2023



Kudos to Raelene Kucyk and Katie Martin from the Division of General Internal Medicine for surprising their residents with some treats on May 5.  

In case you missed it...Teach the Teachers 2023

 

In case you missed Teach the Teachers, you can still check out the plenary recording:


Teach the Teachers 2023 – Plenary

Presenter: M.J. Clark


https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/-m7iTfTVXrpF1e9drPDIxBqKCZU3hC6S9-cQuATypcLdsJM0ksl36SkP36Xv8oLC.1zOgkZ_RMMaS0fP-

Passcode: 7gZ=wUS7


Link expires: May 31, 2023

RESEARCH UPDATES

DoM Research Week 2023

 

The Department of Medicine Research Week 2023 took place from April 18-21, 2023, in celebration of the diverse research projects taking place across the department. This event marked DoM Research Week’s return to in-person festivities, with sessions taking place both in-person at Dalhousie’s Collaborative Health Education Building and virtually over Zoom. The session on April 18 saw over 160 attendees join via Zoom, and the session on April 20 welcomed over 100 attendees between the in-person session and Zoom broadcast.  


DoM Research Week featured 21 podium presentations and 43 posters from Department members, undergraduate students, core and subspecialty residents, research fellows, graduate students, and research staff. The keynote presentation was provided by Dr. Robin Urquhart, Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division) Endowed Chair in Population Cancer Research, and Trudy Flynn, Patient Partner, on the topic, “The what, why, and how of engaging patients in research: Experiences from the frontlines.”


Congratulations to the DoM Research Week award recipients:


  • Best Research Staff Presentation: Sharon Oldford, “SARS‐CoV‐2 Vaccine Immunity is High in COVID‐Recovered Long‐Term Care Residents and Altered by CMV infection” (Poster)


  • Best Research Fellow Presentation: Myles W. O’Brien, “Feasibility of a “Walk with a Future Doc” Program in a Rural Canadian Community” (Poster)


  • Best Graduate Student Presentation: Gabrielle Hanson, “Characterizing Cholinergic, Neuroinflammatory, and Neuropathological Changes in Brain Regions Related to Sleep in Neurodegenerative Disorders” (Poster)


  • Best Case Report Presentation: Alex Dittrich, “A Cavitary Conundrum” (Poster)


  • Best Core Resident Presentation: Jasmine Mah, “Social vulnerability and frailty associations with mortality and long‐term care placement: 10 years of follow up of older Nova Scotians who accessed home care services” (Podium)


  • Best Subspecialty Resident Presentation: Thomas Brothers, “Social and structural determinants of injection drug use‐associated bacterial and fungal infections: A qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis” (Podium)


  • Best Undergraduate Student Presentations
  • Julia Paffile, “The First Use of Artificial Intelligence in CPAP Therapy” (Podium), and
  • Dylan Cooper, “Patient Characteristics and Mortality in a Large Incremental Peritoneal Dialysis Cohort” (Poster)


  • People’s Choice
  • Tuesday Podium: Julia Paffile, “The First Use of Artificial Intelligence in CPAP Therapy”
  • Thursday Podium: Jasmine Mah, “Social vulnerability and frailty associations with mortality and long‐term care placement: 10 years of follow up of older Nova Scotians who accessed home care services”
  • Thursday Posters:
  • Laura Jimenez, “The role of pandemic income supplementation on the prevalence of food insecurity in Canada and the impact on the social gradient of food insecurity” and
  • Jack Quach, “Unsupervised machine learning in frailty research: A scoping review”

BMO Ride for Cancer 2023 to support Hematology Research


On Saturday, September 23, the BMO Ride for Cancer will be in support of CAR-T therapy lab. Please support this worthy cause. This novel and innovative research initiative will position Nova Scotia at the cutting edge of Hematology research in Canada. Congratulations to the DoM Hematology team for your dedication and leadership to this amazing cause. 

QUALITY UPDATES

DoM Quality Day 2023


DoM Quality Day will be held on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at the Collaborative Health Education Building (CHEB) from 1-4:15pm. The event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Sander Veldhuyzen van Zanten on the topic, “Strategic Clinical Networks: Vehicles for Quality Improvement”, as well as podium and poster presentations.

KUDOS

DoM Administrative Professionals Week 2023


The Department of Medicine depends on almost 200 administrative staff every day to keep our department running smoothly in a variety of staff roles such as booking clerks, administrative assistants, team leads, core team members and managers. Each and every one of our team members are important to the success of the Department. Thank you for all that you do!


Administrative staff were given a thermal lunch bag customized with the Department’s logos and personalized name tag, a lanyard, a locally made bar, a $10 voucher for the cafeteria and a card of appreciation. The planning for this week was a team effort by managers and admin staff. Thank you to all involved.


Raffle draws

Twenty administrative staff in the Department of Medicine won the following prizes:


Air pods

Apr 24 - Lisa Forrestall, Health & Hearts in Motion

Apr 25 - Dhrumi Kansara, Division of Hematology

Apr 26 - Nancy Young, Division of Cardiology

Apr 27 - Linda Goris, General Internal Medicine Clinic

Apr 28 - Sonya Butler, Geriatric Day Hospital


Le Creuset salt & pepper set

Apr 24 - Andrea L Ellis, Division of Neurology

Apr 25 - Emike Ibeagboade, DoM Administration

Apr 26 - Cindy Struthers-Kerr, Division of Nephrology

Apr 27 - Jennifer King, Dermatology Clinic

Apr 27 - Cindy Luong, Hematology Clinic


Lululemon crossbody bag & hat

Apr 24 - Hyen Rosen, Division of Dermatology

Apr 25 - Kelly Mampe, Hematology Services/8A/SDSU

Apr 26 - Andie C Cote, Nova Scotia Cancer Centre

Apr 27 - Stacey Riddell, DoM Physician Services

Apr 28 - Natalie Burns, Division of Cardiology


Saje diffuser with essential oils

Apr 24 - Raleigh Brophy, Division of Medical Oncology

Apr 25 - Raelene Kucyk, Division of General Internal Medicine

Apr 26 - Julia Mellor, Gastroenterology Clinic

Apr 27 - Michelle Bourgeau, Division of Cardiology

Apr 28 - Julie L Fraser, Division of Endocrinology




The Orient

Administrative Professionals in the Department of Medicine were invited to a virtual cooking demonstration held at The Orient (Chinese cuisine; fine-dining).


Chef Ivan Chan, introduced by DoM Manager Cara Yee, prepared a sweet and sour local steak and presented the dish two ways: for family at home or guests at a dinner party as well as shared tips to keep it easy. Watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/@departmentofmedicine

Watch cooking demonstration (40 minutes)

Congratulations to Long Service Award Recipients in the Department of Medicine from Nova Scotia Health (2022)


5 years

Dr. Kim Anderson, Cardiology

Dr. David Clark, Nephrology

Dr. Nicholas Forward, Hematology & Hematologic Oncology

Dr. Adam Howes, Cardiology

Dr. Kristin Ikeda, Neurology

Dr. Ashley Miller, General Internal Medicine

Dr. Sam Searle, Geriatric Medicine

Dr. Nadine Vaninetti, Endocrinology

Jessica Burchell, Administrative Staff, Rheumatology

Gillian Haire, Administrative Staff, Cardiology


10 years

Dr. Helen Bishop, Cardiology

Dr. Brent Culligan, General Internal Medicine

Dr. Babar Haroon, General Internal Medicine / Critical Care

Dr. Churn-Ern Yip, Endocrinology


15 years

Dr. Arik Drucker, Medical Oncology

Dr. Steven Gruchy, Digestive Care & Endoscopy

Dr. Richard Leckey, Neurology

Dr. Paige Moorhouse, Geriatric Medicine

Dr. Gosia Phillips, Respirology

Dr. Sarah Ramer, Cardiology

Dr. Kerrie Schoffer, Neurology

Dr. Maria Torok, Clinical Dermatology & Cutaneous Science

Katie Crosby, Division Assistant, Clinical Dermatology & Cutaneous Science

Andrea Ellis, Administrative Assistant, Neurology

Natalie Lewis, Administrative Assistant, Cardiology


20 years

Dr. Christine Dipchand, Nephrology

Dr. Ali Imran, Endocrinology

Dr. Stephanie Kaiser, Endocrinology

Dr. Bakhtiar Kidwai, Cardiology

Dr. Gina Lacuesta, General Internal Medicine

Dr. J. Roger McKelvey, Neurology (Retired December 31, 2022)

Dr. Romuald Panek, Nephrology

Dr. John Sapp, Cardiology

Dr. Souad Shatshat, Rheumatology

Carmen Arsenault, Cardiology

Cara Yee, DoM Administration

Tammy Zoccole, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation


25 years

Dr. Nicholas Giacomantonio, Cardiology

Tanya Ferguson, General Internal Medicine


30 years

Dr. David Anderson, Hematology & Hematologic Oncology

Dr. Colm McParland, Respirology

Dr. Miroslaw Rajda, Cardiology

Julie Fraser, Endocrinology


35 years

Dr. Christopher Gallant, Clinical Dermatology & Cutaneous Science

Dr. John Hanly, Rheumatology (Retired June 30, 2022)

Dr. B. Lynn Johnston, Infectious Diseases (Retired December 31, 2022)

Dr. K. Sue Robinson, Hematology & Hematologic Oncology

Dr. Diane Theriault, NSH appointment with DoM


40 years

Dr. Walter Schlech, Infectious Diseases (Retired)


45 years

Sandra Bellefontaine, Administrative Assistant, Medical Oncology

NEW - Breathing a little easier | QEII Times

Dr. Nancy Morrison, medical director of the QEII’s adult cystic fibrosis program, and Andrea Dale, respiratory therapist and research coordinator, have been recognized for their contribution and support of an innovative cystic fibrosis drug, Trikafta.

Read more on qe2times.ca

Research Nova Scotia names more Dalhousie New Health Investigator Grant recipients

Drs. OmiSoore Dryden and Caitlin Lees are the latest recipients of 2023 New Health Investigator Grants. Earlier this year, Research Nova Scotia awarded close to $1 million in New Health Investigator Grants to 10 Dalhousie researchers. Among them - six Dalhousie Medicine faculty.

Read more on dal.ca

Doctors Nova Scotia 2023 Award Recipients

Nova Scotia is home to many innovative and talented physicians. The association's annual achievement awards are one way that Doctors Nova Scotia (DNS) celebrates the dedication of its members, physicians who go beyond the call of duty, but are rarely acknowledged for their hard work. Congratulations to all the award recipients who will be honored at the DNS awards luncheon on June 10.

 

A special shout-out and recognition to the Department of Medicine members receiving an award this year:  


Dr. Mahmoud Elsawy, Division of Hematology, recipient of the Dr. William Grigor Award, for his leadership in advancing research and treatment for Nova Scotians with blood cancer.


Dr. Paul MacDonald, Division of Cardiology, recipient of the Community Specialist of the Year, for his tireless service to cardiac patients in Cape Breton.

 

Dr. Shelly McNeil, Division of Infectious Diseases, recipient of the Dr. Clement Liguore Award, for her outstanding contributions in guiding Nova Scotians safely through the COVID-19 pandemic.


Read more on doctorsns.com

YourDoctors.ca - Dr. Kris Srivatsa

Building community



For Dr. Kris Srivatsa, working with his colleagues in the intensive care unit is like spending time with family. That might be hard to imagine – it’s a stressful place, where he and his coworkers provide care to the sickest patients in the hospital.

Read more on YourDoctors.ca
Srivatsa

Congratulations to Dr. Kris Srivatsa received a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal in March from Dr. Aaron Smith, Medical Executive Director, Northern Zone. Dr. Srivatsa is the Head of the Department of Internal Medicine in the Northern Zone and Site Lead, Internal Medicine and Critical Care at Colchester East Hants Health Centre.


From the newsletter of:

Dr. Nicole Boutilier, Vice President Medicine, Nova Scotia Health, May 18, 2023

IND Team Award

Canadian Cancer Trials Group IND Team Award

Drs. Lori Wood, Robyn Macfarlane, Myuran Thana and team


Reposting Dr. Ravi Ramjeesingh’s note:


“Congrats to ACCRU and Drs. Wood, Macfarlane and Thana on the IND Team Award that was awarded to them over the weekend [April 29-30] at the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) Annual meeting in Toronto. The CCTG annually recognizes 1 clinical trial unit in Canada for their excellence in an IND study.


This award recognizes the hard work the group has done for the IND234 clinical trial (Prostate Cancer Biomarker Enrichment and Treatment Selection (PC_BETS) Study) in screening, enrolling, and providing excellence in care for patients on the study.”

CIHR Outstanding Reviewer – Dr. Ratika Parkash


Dr. Ratika Parkash, Director of Research for the Division of Cardiology, has been recognized as an Outstanding Reviewer by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. 


Of the 1016 reviewers that were part of the RQA process in the Fall 2022 Project Grant competition, only 23.2% obtained this recognition. Great work, Dr. Parkash!

DNS Board of Directors – Dr. Nabha Shetty


Dr. Nabha Shetty, MTU Director, Division of General Internal Medicine, was one of two successful candidates in the 2023 Doctors Nova Scotia Board of Directors election. Congratulations, Dr. Shetty!

Research in Excellence Award - Allie Carew


Congratulations to PhD Student Allie Carew who was awarded a 2023 Excellence in Research Award in the PhD category from the Faculty of Medicine Professional and Research Education Program (PREP).


Allie's courses are mostly from CH&E and she lists the DoM on all of her publications. "I am so proud of her and want her to feel special!”

~ Supervisor: Dr. Leah Cahill

Excellence in Research in the PhD category

Oral presentation - Allie Carew


Friday, May 26

9:35am

Theatre B

Tupper Medical Building

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Making Waves Awards - nominate by June 9


The Making Waves Awards are designed to recognize exemplary efforts and outstanding contributions by employees, physicians, researchers and volunteers that advance our vision, mission, values and strategic directions. 

http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/making-waves


Deadline extended to June 9 in NSH News (May 16 edition)

Research Nova Scotia logo

Public Impact Award - nominate by May 31 @ 1 p.m.


The Public Impact Award, presented by Research Nova Scotia, recognizes a Nova Scotian researcher in academia, a public research institution, government, or the private sector, whose research has benefited Nova Scotians by tangibly improving the economy, environment, healthcare system, or society. The recipient’s work was developed in response to the needs of society, and is solving a problem, managing a risk, or creating an opportunity for Nova Scotians.


https://researchns.ca/public-impact-award/

NOTICES

5th Annual Women in Medicine Summit


The focus of this summit is to identify barriers women in medicine face and create action plans that can be executed at both the local and national level. During the two-day summit, faculty facilitate breakout sessions and presentations given by diverse speakers from various specialties and institutions.


Each session delivers evidence-based talks and present tools and solutions to be utilized in working towards fixing the system and closing the gender gap across all specialties and aspects of healthcare.


September 22-23, 2023

Join the conference live in Chicago or virtually.

Register: https://www.womeninmedicinesummit.org/


Deadline for submission of abstracts or award nominations is Friday, June 2, 2023.

QUICK REFERENCE /

RECURRING CONTENT

COVID-19 Protocols at Nova Scotia Health

Latest News

Nova Scotia Health Respiratory Virus Safety Plan

as of May 23, 2023


Changes to Masking Guidelines in Non-Clinical Areas Memo & Frequently Asked Questions

as of May 23, 2023

COVID-19 Hub

More info: https://covid19hub.nshealth.ca/covid-19

Mental Health & Well-Being


Doctors Nova Scotia: Professional Support Program


Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)


Canadian Psychological Association


LifeSpeak (Nova Scotia Health)


Nova Scotia Mental Health Crisis Line

  • 1-888-429-8167


Nova Scotia Crisis Text Line

  • Text – NSSTRONG to 741741


Online Wellness Sessions (NSH Library Services)


Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Program (MHAP) has free e-Mental Health and Addictions tools available to all Nova Scotians including health care workers and physicians. These tools include:



Mindwell U - free online support that takes just five minutes a day, and can be accessed anywhere and on any device. This service is available in English and French. https://app.mindwellu.com/novascotia



Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) – free and private online resource that includes interactive activities and videos for people having challenges with their mental health. This service is available in English and French. https://www.taoconnect.org/



Wellness Together Canada – mental health and substance abuse support that contains free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed. https://wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA



Togetherall – free and safe online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers individuals to anonymously seek and provide support 24/7. It is available to all youth and young adults aged 16-29, providing an inclusive and supportive place to connect with others with real lived experience with common mental health concerns. To sign up go to togetherall.com and use your Nova Scotia postal code to register. https://togetherall.com/en-ca/


For more online tools, and how to register, visit MHAhelpNS.ca/tools.

Department of Medicine

DoM Grand Rounds


YouTube Playlists

DoM Grand Rounds Sept 2022 - June 2023

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHES-kHHYhxYG-rX3IIEoLSN


Summer Grand Rounds 2022

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHFh7sS52v8qlfJEwchYcVW8


DoM Grand Rounds Sept 2021 - June 2022

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHGA9ngjTJ7CApcBtkmK1Pt3


Summer Grand Rounds 2021

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLxbpWu5dHGHrLmpOBwzO2cGicepkmn9


Videos are unlisted on the Department of Medicine YouTube channel, so you must have the link to view. All recordings are copyright.

DoM Research

Resident Research

https://sites.google.com/view/domresidentresearch


The page was initially developed for the resident group but it’s also useful to faculty and their research teams. DoM Research wants to ensure that the link is easily accessible to anyone in the department.

Nova Scotia Health

COVID-19

http://www.nshealth.ca/coronavirus


https://covid19hub.nshealth.ca/covid-19

PPE Videos

Donning & doffing: PPE used for droplet and contact precautions


Donning, doffing, and storage of healthcare procedure masks

Library Services

COVID-19 resources for health care providers

https://library.nshealth.ca/?group_id=15444

Media Relations Guidelines

The Nova Scotia Media Relations Team, led by John Gillis, recently shared guidelines for physicians or staff who receive media requests. All media requests should be vetted through the media relations office.


Instructions on how to handle media requests and contact information for the media relations office [PDF - January 2023]

Occupational Health Safety & Wellness

OHSW Reporting Forms

https://ohswreporting.nshealth.ca/Kics/formlist.php


  • Do you have symptoms of COVID and need help with OHSW?
  • Phone 1-833-750-0632




Spectrum MD App

(Antimicrobial Stewardship)

https://spectrum.app/nsha/


Nova Scotia Health logo needs to be visible in 8the upper left corner of the home screen to ensure you are accessing local content.

Zoom for Healthcare

https://nshealth.zoom.us/

Additional Links

Dalhousie University

Faculty of Medicine

medicine.dal.ca

Doctors Nova Scotia

doctorsns.com

Nova Scotia

novascotia.ca

Personal Directive

https://www.legalinfo.org/forms/personal-directive

Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia - Complete online then download or email document. Once signed and witnessed, it is valid.

When you take care of yourself, you take care of others.

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