The Ottawa Hospital 2008-2009 Annual Report - Compassionate People. World-Class Care.

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The Ottawa Hospital Highlights 2008-2009

The last twelve months will not be forgotten soon by more than 12,000 men and women who work at TOH. For citizens of Ottawa, like all Canadians, 2009/2010 was a memorable year in health-care.  In addition to overcoming H1N1, our teams achieved the following milestones:

H1N1

Stories that captivate the public often tend to occur in hospital settings, and last year was no exception. The entire hospital—acting as one united team—worked together during the H1N1 influenza epidemic that dominated news headlines.

Everyone at TOH contributed to serving the public through clinics, providing welcome information or directions, assuming extra duties behind the scenes, or even offering a hand sanitizer at the door.

During the course of the crisis, TOH provided 29,994 doses of the H1N1 vaccine!

To the people of TOH who fought this battle and won, we offer sincere gratitude. To the public who turned to us during the crisis, we thank you for trusting us with your health-care.  Read more/Watch video

Mohs surgery: maximum cure, minimal loss

The Mohs Surgery Clinic is the first clinic of its kind in the region. Mohs surgery is named for Dr. Frederic Mohs, who developed the process to treat the most common types of skin cancer. The process is less invasive than other surgeries and patients get a high cure rate and much lower rate of normal tissue loss. What makes this clinic different from other skin cancer clinics is the on-site laboratory. A dermatologist can remove one small layer of tissue at a time, examining each before removing the next, until all traces of the tumour are gone.

Quality Coordinators

TOH hired eight Quality Coordinators to assist with quality improvement initiatives and patient safety at TOH. Four more Quality Coordinators, two in Diagnostic Imaging and two in Surgery, will soon be hired. The coordinators will assist with quality initiatives in Diagnostic Imaging, as well as with the recently acquired National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) in the Department of Surgery. Programs with Quality Coordinators already underway include: Nephrology, Mental Health, Oncology, Emergency and Critical Care, Rehabilitation and Ambulatory Care, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Endocrinology and Metabolism.

The new positions join other corporate and nursing quality coordinators working to improve quality at TOH.

Document Scanning Introduced

A Document Management and Imaging (DMI) application was launched across TOH. This project is one of many e-health initiatives transforming patient care at The Ottawa Hospital. Documents created during patient visits are now scanned and available electronically.

Technology Today

A new wireless hand-held scanner is being used to replenish goods on supply carts and in nursing stations throughout the hospital. If an employee notices an item is low in stock, he scans the barcode item number and enters into the system how many remain on the cart. The system decides if this item should be replenished and if so, tells the employee the quantity needed.

Gynecology Oncology Diagnostic Assessment Unit

The Gynecology Oncology Diagnostic Assessment Unit opened at the Shirley E. Greenberg Women’s Health Center. The unit offers a coordinated, centralized point of entry where referrals are pre-screened by an Assessment Coordinator (a Registered Nurse with additional Certification in Oncology Nursing) and triaged according to appropriate criteria requirements. Additional tests are requested according to evidence-based guidelines prior to the appointment to ensure all information is available to make a treatment decision on the initial visit.

The Ottawa Hospital Inter-Professional Model of Patient Care (TOH IPMPC©)

The Ottawa Hospital Inter-Professional Model of Patient Care© (TOH IPMPC©) is a guide to organize the delivery of patient care among health-care professionals from different disciplines, taking into account their competencies, collaborative patient-centred practice and The Ottawa Hospital’s (TOH) strategic directions.

IPMPC© is the first of its kind and having been created by patients and their health-care providers, it’s unique in its flexibility to be implemented hospital wide.

Each team reflects on the guiding principles and develops an action plan to address areas, such as Inter-Professional Care, Collaboration, Communication and Teamwork. 

Inter-professional collaborative care, has impacted how health-care professionals communicate by increasing efficiency, allowing patients and family to receive safe and competent care from the most appropriate health-care providers, as outlined in the second guiding principle.

IPMPC© is innovative and will offer as a model to other academic health centres across Canada.

Half of the 103 innovative teams were implemented last year and the IPMPC© will be offered as a model to other academic health centres across Canada.

TOH Chest Diseases Centre

The Ottawa Hospital Chest Diseases Centre, the first of its kind in Canada, officially opened in January. Its unique interdisciplinary team has skills to diagnose and treat head, neck, and chest diseases in the same clinic. The team includes thoracic surgeons, respiratory physicians, ear, nose and throat specialists, specialized nurses, speech-language pathologists, and allied health professionals. Bringing all of these experts together in one central location will help to deliver excellent care to patients and encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration among team members. It will enhance clinical teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels by allowing students to access many different kinds of experts in one place.

Stroke Code team sets national record

On January 23, a patient admitted to the Queensway Carleton Hospital developed sudden onset left-sided weakness and fell to the floor. The staff recognized stroke symptoms and contacted The Ottawa Hospital’s stroke team. Ottawa paramedics transported the patient to the Civic Campus, where a Stroke Code had been called.

The patient was registered, assessed, scanned, and started on a clot-busting drug within a Canadian record time of 14 minutes! The time from onset of stroke to treatment was two hours and four minutes, which is outstanding. Over the days following the stroke, the patient made gains in arm and leg strength and started to walk, a good sign for recovery. Congratulations to all involved in this and other Stroke Codes. TOH is a world-class stroke centre, due to the speed, efficiency and dedication of the Emergency Department staff and Stroke Code teams.

A partnership to support our troops

The Ottawa Hospital expanded its partnership with the Canadian Forces (CF) Health Services Group and will bring a new state-of-the-art virtual reality system to the Rehabilitation Centre. The system is used for diagnosis, rehabilitation, and evaluation of the human balance system and works in real time. It uses 180-degree, room-sized screens, along with a rotating motion platform, a computer-controlled treadmill, a motion analysis system, a safety harness, and 3D software allowing patients to move in three dimensions.

Wounded soldiers from all over Canada will have priority access to the virtual reality system when they need physical or mental rehabilitation. Of course, patients at the Rehabilitation Centre will also have access to the system, which allows clinicians to simulate environments that are not currently possible in other rehabilitation settings in Canada. It will be used in a variety of research projects including driving simulation and motion analysis.

Improving care in the Emergency Department

New research by Dr. Ian Stiell could greatly improve how patients with potential neck injuries are cared for in the emergency department. Millions of people receive neck x-rays every year, even though fractures are only detected in two per cent of cases.

Dr. Stiell, inventor of the Ottawa Ankle Rule, developed the Canadian C-Spine Rule to predict which patients really do require a neck x-ray and which patients can be safely sent on for other treatments. The Rule has been proven safe and effective in dozens of studies, but the current study is the first to show that a simple and affordable promotion campaign can actually change physicians’ approach, and reduce the use of unnecessary x-rays in a real-world hospital setting.

New ways to use data

The Ottawa Hospital, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa have opened a new sub-unit of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). The facility is based at TOH’s Civic Campus and is called ICES@uOttawa. It will give Ottawa researchers access to highly secure patient data from all across Ontario, so they can investigate factors affecting health and develop approaches to improve treatment, prevention and diagnosis.

TOH and Canadian Blood Services Partners for Life

In 2009, TOH signed on to participate in the Partners for Life program with Canadian Blood Services (CBS). Partners for Life is a nationwide program for communities and corporations that allows us to set goals for donations on a hospital-wide basis. Last year TOH pledged 200 blood donations as an organization, which is enough to save or impact 600 Canadian lives! TOH was recently recognized at a special event for not only meeting, but exceeding our goal and donating 235 units of blood—118 per cent of our goal.

Quality Indicators

We hold ourselves to high standards. Quality Indicators are the benchmarks we use to measure patient satisfaction and our performance. Our goal is to be in the top 10% of North America's Teaching Hospitals and we're working to make that happen by improving on such things as wait times, cancelled surgeries, infection rates and other essential hospital services.

Quality Indicators are the areas we look at closely so that we can learn from our own successes improving patient care daily.

We committed to studying and improving quality at TOH so that our patients can continue to trust us with their health care needs secure in the knowledge that we strive to improve in every part of the hospital.

Quality indicators help us remind patients and visitors that we listen.

Quality Indicators	2007-2008	2008-2009
Average wait time for Priority 2 Urgent MRIs (Indicator is now measured in hours. Target 48 hours.)	N/A	24 HRS
Total Elective Scheduled Surgeries	22,632	24,657
Total Elective Surgery Cancellations due to lack of beds	247	219
Patient Satisfaction: Admitted Patients	94.0%	94.1%
Patient Satisfaction: Emergency Department	85.9%	85.8%
Occupancy (the average % of hospital beds occupied from Monday to Friday)	100.7%	100.9%
Infection Rates	Rate	Rate
C. Difficile	0.38%	0.49%
MRSA	0.42%	0.45%
VRE	0.07%	0.06%

About This Report

The Ottawa Hospital's 2009 annual report is another innovation from Ontario's busiest teaching hospital. We want to be in touch with our community as often as possible and this year our annual report helps us communicate faster, easier and with more people than ever before.

We've saved money by opting for a paperless product that provides readers with more options for saving, printing and even sharing the information in the report from their own computer. Fast and efficient, this sustainable annual report is kind to the environment and demonstrates a very user-friendly approach to innovative thinking because at TOH not all of our innovation takes place in the lab or operating room.

We've included a wide variety of information about our hospital and its management, our people and their work and a snapshot of some of our medical successes. We've also included real voices from some patients who have been part of groundbreaking and inspiring stories at TOH.

Facts and figures are supported with snapshots that include our medical teams, volunteers, staff and patients.

TOH at a Glance

12,029	Staff
1,183	Physicians
3,489	Nurses
314	Registered Practical Nurses
1,800	Volunteers

Teaching

730	Residents
175	Clinical Fellows
5	Research Fellows
91	Elective Residents (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009)
969	Medical Students (including 354 visiting students)
1,976	Nursing placements from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009

Other Health Professionals

12	Audiologists
61	Dieticians
12	Dietary Technicians
82	Occupational Therapists
6	Recreational Therapists
108	Pharmacists
140	Pharmacy Technicians
177	Physiotherapists
48	Psychologists
78	Radiation Therapists
163	Respiratory Therapists
124	Social Workers
37	Speech Language Pathologists
16	Electrocardiogram Technologists
238	Medical Lab Technologists
122	Medical Lab Technicians
215	Diagnostic Imaging Technologists

Operational Stats

1,172	Beds
96	Bassinets
46,426	Patient Admissions
34,389	Surgical Cases
14,515	Eye Care Surgical Cases
126,850	Emergency Visits
938,209	Ambulatory Care Visits
6,808	Babies Born
8.8	Average Length of Stay (days)
11,187,411	Laboratory Tests

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

1,447	Staff
105	Scientists
337	Investigators
450	Students and Postdoctoral Fellows
555	Research and Support Staff
$80 Million	Revenue
73%	Revenue obtained through external funding
857	Active grants, salary awards and contracts (external funding)

Where

To ensure that patients receive the best possible care, and to use resources as efficiently as possible, TOH consolidates services at its three main campuses. TOH was formed in 1998 through the merger of four existing hospitals: the Civic, General, Riverside and Grace. The Royal Ottawa Hospital’s Psychiatric Emergency Services were transferred to TOH, as were The Grace Hospital’s Medical/Surgery Services.

The Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre and Rehabilitation Centre were integrated into TOH in 2004 and 2005 to complete the new hospital.

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute—Canada’s largest and foremost cardiovascular health centre—is a subsidiary of TOH.

One hospital, three sites

Civic Campus

• Trauma
• Neurosciences
• Vascular
• Cardiac
• Spine
• Family Health Team

Riverside Campus

• Endocrinology
• Nephrology
• Eye Care Centre
• Arthritis Centre
• Women’s Health
• Family Health Team

General Campus

• Cancer
• Thoracics
• Eye Institute
• Bone Marrow Transplant
• High-risk Obstetrics
• Total Joints

Eastern Ontario Regional Context

The Ottawa Hospital offers comprehensive, high quality, patient-focused health care services in both official languages to a community of 1.2 million people in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.

TOH has specialty centres in cancer, heart, kidney, vision care, women’s health and rehabilitation services.

Regional Programs and Services:

• Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
• Eating Disorders
• Infection Control and Prevention
• Organ and Tissue Donation Program
• Occupational Therapy
• P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth)
• Prenatal Services
• Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program
• Trauma Services
• Weight Management Clinic

Fast Facts:

• 17,631 area in square kilometres
• 1.2 million residents
• 8,000 babies delivered annually
• 22 hospitals
• 10 Community Care Access Centres
• 17 Community Health Centres and satellites
• 60 long-term care homes
• 31 mental health agencies
• 6 gambling support programs
• 20 substance abuse support programs

Who

TOH Doctors

More than 1,100 doctors work at TOH to deliver patient care, teach, lead, conduct research and innovate. As we work toward achieving our goal of being in the top 10% of North America’s Teaching Hospitals we continue to recruit ambitious men and women to join us. We provide our world-class surgeons with cutting-edge technology to ensure that all patients receive medical excellence with state of the art equipment.

TOH researchers are discovering new ways to treat diseases and share their knowledge with colleagues around the globe through educational broadcasts delivered via satellite transmission.

You'll learn more about the doctors at TOH in this interactive annual report and you can forward any information you choose to people you know.

TOH Nurses

Nursing is a demanding profession and TOH provides opportunities for driven men and women looking for a challenging health care career. Nurses deliver patient care in the hospital, in partnership with the community, in the Rehabilitation Centre and in the labs working on research that will inform how we treat the patients of tomorrow.

We take pride in the nursing teams at TOH and this year we are proud to say that the implementation of TOH's Model of Nursing Clinical Practice began in 11 hospitals across Canada. The excellence we know at home is becoming the standard elsewhere. We are also celebrating receiving an award of excellence from the Ministry of Health for Long Term Care for the Model’s Clinical Nurse Expert (CNE).

TOH Health-care Professionals  

To complete a circle of care, TOH relies on a full-range of health-care professionals.  From the nutritionist who ensures dietary needs are met to the pharmacist who advises physicians on drug therapy, each play a vital role in treatment, research and safety. A patient might also work with a radiation therapist, a cardiopulmonary technician, an audiologist, an occupational therapist or a social worker.

The members of this intricate team of health-care professionals ensure each person who walks through our doors has access to the best possible care.

TOH Support Staff

Not all patient care is directly hands on. Caring for patients also includes the people who make our hospital a workable place focused on quality health care. Last year TOH implemented, purchased and installed new instrument washer and sterilizers along large volumes of patient care equipment and instruments to be processed in a fast and efficient fashion.

The result? Better safety for our patients.

TOH has a population of more than 14,000 people, hosts hundreds of visitors each day, and is a place where community members experience many different life events. TOH is a well run, efficiently managed, clean and hospitable health care institution thanks to the committed people who make it a success.

TOH Volunteers

For some people, a visit to TOH is a pleasure trip. We're referring to our volunteers.

Some of the greatest contributions made to TOH are from community members who give their time, energy, thinking and care to us each year. In 2008 volunteers donated 160,994 hours of time.

TOH's three campuses are made warm and welcoming, friendly and outgoing, better and more successful each day because of volunteers who pitch in to make it happen.

They aren't doing it for money. The reward we offer is our gratitude, and the smiles of those who meet our volunteers in action.

TOH Patients

Patients are the heart of everything that happens at The Ottawa Hospital.

From the more than 8,000 babies delivered here each year, the care we provide and the research we conduct, we never forget that our focus is the real people who come to us to make them better.

That includes understanding their needs, wants, issues and concerns. Creating excellent patient relations is one way we care for the members of our community so that the high-level of care we provide today is repeated tomorrow.

What

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health sciences centre in Canada. With our partners we are nationally recognized for the outstanding patient care, education and research that we provide. TOH is the busiest hospital in Ontario with three main campuses in the Ottawa region: the Civic, General and Riverside campuses.

TOH is a compassionate provider of comprehensive, high quality, patient-focused health care services in English and French to a population of 1.2 million people in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. It boasts specialty centres in cancer, heart, kidney and vision care, as well as rehabilitation services.

As one of the largest teaching hospitals in Canada and one of the Ottawa area's largest employers, The Ottawa Hospital is an invaluable asset to the National Capital Region's economic health and helps to make Ottawa one of the country's best cities in which to live, work and raise a family.

TOH is also a proud partner in health care delivery in the Champlain Local Health Integration Network, a fundamental component of the Government's plan to build a stronger health care system in Ontario.

The Ottawa Hospital is governed by a voluntary Board of Governors, 20 appointed and elected members, including representatives from the University of Ottawa, and many sectors of the community.

Vision and Mission

TOH Vision Statement

To be nationally recognized as the academic health sciences centre of choice.

TOH Mission

The Ottawa Hospital is a compassionate provider of patient-centred health services with an emphasis on tertiary-level and specialty care, primarily for residents of Eastern Ontario.

The Ottawa Hospital provides a wide variety of educational opportunities across all health care disciplines in partnership with the University of Ottawa and other affiliated universities, community colleges and training organizations.

The Ottawa Hospital develops, shares and applies new knowledge and technology in the delivery of patient care through nationally and internationally recognized research programs in partnership with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

The Ottawa Hospital plays an active role in promoting and improving health within our community. The Ottawa Hospital collaborates with a wide range of partners to address the needs of the community and to build a strong, integrated system for regional health care delivery.

The Ottawa Hospital functions in English and French while striving to meet the needs of the culturally diverse community we serve.

Key Success Factors

• Set new standards in patient care, education and research.
• Inspire innovation, learning and growth.
• Build Financial Strength.
• Create enabling environments.
• Drive change through advocacy and partnerships.

Core Values

• Compassion
• A Commitment to Quality
• Working Together
• Respect for the Individual

The Ottawa Hospital Foundation

We are fortunate to have thousands of people in our community who are dedicated to supporting The Ottawa Hospital. Whether through a personal donation or corporate gift, or by participating and raising funds through community events, individuals are raising critical funds for a wide variety of departments, programs and units at all three campuses.

Below are a few highlights of the past year:

Community generosity surpasses all expectations

On February 26, 2010, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation announced it had exceeded its 20-20 Campaign goal of raising $20 million in 20 months for the expansion of The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre at the General Campus.

The 20-20 Campaign Cabinet was lead by co-chairs Yves Tremblay and Steve West, and honourary co-chairs Roger Greenberg and Rabbi Reuven Bulka. Their efforts were echoed by many local business and community leaders who all joined forces in support of this ambitious campaign.

In the end, thanks to community generosity, more than $24.5 million was raised in support of the Cancer Centre’s expansion.

2009 President’s Breakfast: a Resounding Success!

Organizers of the 2009 President’s Breakfast are still overwhelmed by the generosity shown during this year’s event.

In just one hour, guests who attended the September 9, 2009 event donated more than $900,000 in support of The Ottawa Hospital!

This tremendous achievement is due to the incredible group of volunteers who worked tirelessly in the months leading up to the breakfast. These volunteers include the 2009 Breakfast Cabinet, headed by co-chairs Jim Durrell and Sandra Goldberg; the 57 Table Captains who invited their peers to attend this unique fundraising event; and everyone else who played such an important role. They helped make the 2009 edition of the President’s Breakfast a memorable one.

TOH Leadership Team

Board of Governors

Appointments to The Ottawa Hospital's Board of Governors are made in accordance with Article 4 of the Administrative By-law.

The following individuals were appointed to the Board of Governors:

Philip Murray	Chair ; Chair, Management Resources and Compensation Committee
Kay Stanley	Vice-Chair
Anthony Manera	Treasurer ; Chair, Resources Committee
Yves Tremblay	Past Chair ; Chair, Nominations Committee
Jean-Pierre Boisclair	Chair, Audit Committee
Dr. Jan Bormanis	ex-officio
Dr. Jacques Bradwejn	ex-officio
Debora M. Daigle
Mary Dawson
Adrian M. Foster	Chair, Quality Committee
Dr. Jack Kitts	ex-officio
Michel Lavigne
Francine Levesque
Marlene Levine
Dr. John Mahoney	ex-officio
Jim Nininger	Chair, Governance Committee
Bashir Surani
Dr. Jeff Turnbull	ex-officio
Diane Wood
Kirsten Woodend	ex-officio

Senior Management Committee

Dr. Jack Kitts	President and CEO
Dr. Jeffrey Turnbull	Chief of Staff
Gino Picciano	Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer
Dale Potter	Senior Vice-President and Chief Information Officer
Dr. James Worthington	Senior Vice-President, Medical Affairs, Quality and Patient Safety
Michael Cuddihy	Senior Vice-President, Human Resources
Richard Wilson	Senior Vice-President, Finance and Business Development
Ginette Rodger	Senior Vice-President, Professional Practice, and Chief Nursing Executive
Nicolas Ruszkowski	Vice-President, Communications and Outreach
Dr. Duncan Stewart	CEO, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Vice-President, Research (TOH)
Dr. Bob Roberts	President and CEO, University of Ottawa Heart Institute
Susan M. Doyle	President and CEO, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation
Dr. Michele Turek	Medical Director (acting), Medicine
Dr. Éric Poulin	Medical Director, Surgery
Dr. Robert Swenson	Medical Director, Mental Health
Dr. Philip Karas	Medical Director, Family Practice
Dr. Wylam Faught	Medical Director, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Newborn Care
Dr. Adam Cwinn	Medical Director, Critical Care, Emergency, Trauma

Corporate Operations Committee

Gino Picciano	Committee President, Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer
Connie Colasante	Vice-President, Professional Services and Clinical Programs Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Mental Health
Paula Doering	Vice-President, Clinical Programs Medicine, Surgery, Cancer, Diagnostic Imaging ; Regional Vice-President, Cancer Services, Champlain Regional Cancer Program
Cameron Love	Vice-President, Facilities Planning and Support Services and Clinical Programs Rehabilitation
Michael Tierney	Vice-President, Clinical Programs, Critical Care, Emergency and Community Services

Success Stories

Groundbreaking work takes place every day of the year at TOH. We're proud of our successes in patient care, research and innovation, community health care, hospital management and growth, and take equal pride in the people who make our hospital world class.

We've included three success stories from many possible options. Let them introduce you to an inside look at TOH.

Each of the success stories we have selected provides a snapshot of what we do at TOH and how our compassionate people deliver world-class care.

A New Front in the Fight Against Cancer

Targeted viruses may be the next weapon in curing cancer.

Researchers at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) are continually looking for opportunities to take research from the lab bench—where it is studied, created and perfected—to the bedside where groundbreaking research will improve lives and help patients.

Dr. John Bell is leading a team of researchers who are involved with studying how to treat cancer using viruses. The study of Viral Oncolytic Therapy is something so new that even 15 years ago it would have been considered “something from science fiction, not something feasible for patients” says Dr. Duncan Stewart, CEO of OHRI and Vice-President of Research at TOH, “but now we think his innovative, new approach might offer real hope for people who have terminal cancer.”

Dr. Stewart is not alone in thinking that the Viral Oncolytic Therapy Program at TOH is worth watching with a hopeful mindset. “This program has huge potential for patient care,” Stewart says, “and the first clinical trials in South Korea were very promising.” Clinical trials for Viral Oncolytic Therapy began in Ottawa in late May, 2009.

Viral Oncolytic Therapy involves using specific viruses that attack and kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. The idea of Viral Oncolytic Therapy has been around for some time but only recently did technological developments catch-up with existing research. “Now we know that the right virus can infect and harm a tumour without harming the patient,” explains Stewart, “so we have reason to be optimistic.

TOH’s Viral Oncolytic Therapy Program is generating some excitement around the globe from medical professionals and the cancer community. “There is already some positive buzz about the program and the clinical trials scheduled for this year,” says Stewart.

“Working here at The Ottawa Hospital is a real treat for me,” says Dr Bell, “because it is everything I could possibly want to have in order to pursue my research interests.”

A Proud History of Service

Rebuilding lives and working with Canada’s military.

TOH is particularly proud of our longstanding relationship with the Canadian military. Canadian Forces personnel based in Petawawa who are injured while on active duty receive the best possible medical, rehabilitative and personal care that we can provide. “A number of incredibly talented professionals at TOH are focused on our military patients and—from administration, to volunteers to medical teams—we get results,” says Dr. Nancy Dudek, a physician at the Rehabilitation Centre, “and I think everyone feels a certain pride in our involvement.”

Master Corporal (MCpl) Mike Trauner—a patient at TOH Rehabilitation Centre—is recovering from injuries he received while posted with the military in Afghanistan. MCpl Trauner lost both legs and seriously injured an arm after stepping on an IED (improvised explosive device) in 2008. Arriving at the Civic Campus in late 2008, MCpl Trauner was cared for in the Trauma Unit for weeks before starting his rehabilitation journey.

MCpl Trauner is now working with a dedicated medical team, rehab specialists, counsellors and other professionals while following a tough schedule of therapy, rehabilitation and training.

A computer-aided prosthetic knee joint already enables MCpl Trauner to play basketball, part of a concerted effort that helps him learn to use his new legs. “He is a very talented individual and he has worked very, very hard from day one. He has done everything that was asked of him and he is very kind and thoughtful with other patients in the gym and very encouraging to others. His attitude is phenomenal,” reports Dr. Dudek. Trauner’s new knee-joint uses technology to enable him to easily change his speed while walking. “His new knee has the ability to respond to moment-to-moment changes in the speed he wants to walk,” she says.

MCpl Trauner’s rehabilitation program even includes time on a trampoline to help him work on his balance and agility. The small, exercise-style trampoline is surrounded by parallel bars and balance training is a significant part of Master Corporal Trauner’s physiotherapy. “Whatever we ask him to do—and some of it is very hard—he tackles with determination,” Dudek says.

“The quality of care that I receive is really, really good,” MCpl Trauner says, “and I get a lot of support at the Rehabilitation Centre. It also helps that my doctor cares about me.”

The Rehabilitation Centre provides personalized care and for MCpl Trauner that includes occupational therapy designed to help him return to functioning and participating in the community, directed to whatever his own goals are. The team at TOH is also involved with contractors who have experience building wheelchair-accessible housing, something MCpl Trauner will need when he leaves the Rehabilitation Centre.

The Rehabilitation Centre leverages a multi-disciplinary team approach involving physiotherapists, occupational and speech therapists with prosthetists and orthotists. “We offer a long-standing, valuable partnership,” says Dr. Dudek.

Dr. Dudek believes that attitude and opportunity mix well with Master Corporal Trauner. “He has a phenomenal attitude and that is a big part of his success,” she says.

Transplanting Hope

Multiple organ transplants performed in one day change lives and history.

Transplants save lives, improve quality of life and give patients a new lease on life using organs donated by other people. While transplants often involve organs from deceased donors, many people make a living donation for personal or altruistic reasons.

In 2008 a Domino Transplant—involving six people—was the first multi-patient transplant surgery ever undertaken in Ottawa. Three people received kidneys from donors, involving a complex series of surgeries and teams of medical professionals working in three operating rooms over a twelve hour period.

Domino Transplants are complicated both medically and logistically. The Domino Transplants conducted at TOH were unique in that one donor, Kelly Shannon, was a spouse who originally wanted to donate a kidney to her husband. When her husband Gene Borys was subsequently ruled out because of a blood type mismatch, Kelly continued as a donor knowing her kidney would ultimately change a stranger’s life.

That was the plan until a development occurred in the process: An anonymous donor subsequently came forward who was a match for Gene. After proving to be a good match the anonymous donor participated in the Domino Transplant at TOH.

Dr. Greg Knoll, medical director of renal transplantation at TOH noted that “the first Canadian Domino Transplants had only occurred in Toronto a few weeks earlier, so we knew what we were doing was quite groundbreaking in Canada. Our Domino Transplant was only made possible by the arrival of an anonymous donor. So, one person’s great generosity ultimately helped three people.”

Reflecting upon the surgery today, Kelly and Gene are both grateful and humbled. “It was just a simple decision,” says Kelly, “and a matter of paying it forward.”

Financial Overview

Revenue Distribution 2008-2009

Expenditure Distribution 2008-2009

Contact Us

For General Enquiries

For all general enquiries please contact The Ottawa Hospital at the following details:

Civic Campus	General Campus	Riverside Campus
1053 Carling Ave. Ottawa ON K1Y 4E9	501 Smyth Rd Ottawa ON K1H 8L6	1967 Riverside Dr. Ottawa ON K1H 7W9

613-722-7000
TTY: 613-761-4024
(for the hearing-impaired)

More information on contacting The Ottawa Hospital

Email: webmaster@ottawahospital.on.ca

For Media Enquiries

Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.: 613-737-8460

Evenings/Weekends: 613-722-7000

More information on contacting The Ottawa Hospital about media enquiries

For any feedback and comments about this Annual Report

Allison Neill
Director, Public Affairs
The Ottawa Hospital
Tel: 613-737-8899 ext. 70271
Email: aneill@toh.on.ca