Category: News

That’s how Dr. Ian Preyra, Chief of Staff at Joseph Brant Hospital describes playing a part in a world-first, alongside the team at Joseph Brant Hospital.

Mike Neill was a Burlington resident, a police officer in Peel region and an Ontario Hockey Association referee. Mike’s father was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and Mike knew there was a 50/50 chance he would be diagnosed as well. And at age 33, he found out he carried the gene.

Fifteen years later, Mike chose a medically assisted death at home, but thanks to an incredible partnership between healthcare organizations, he was able to become the first person in the world to have a medically assisted death at home and donate his organs.

After his death, Mike’s body was transported to Joseph Brant Hospital where a surgical team removed Neil’s lungs and prepared them for transport to Toronto General Hospital for transplant.

The Toronto Star shared Mike’s story and the incredible lengths that the teams from Joseph Brant Hospital, Trillium Gift of Life Network, Ornge and Toronto General Hospital went to make this a reality.

One year ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, a moment that would change all of our lives. As we look back, it is difficult to measure the profound impact that COVID-19 has had on our daily lives – how we work, care for our patients, teach our children, and stay connected to friends and family.

It is a significant moment for all of us. The pandemic has touched every aspect of society and every demographic – from young families, business owners, and those living in shelters, to our elderly population separated from loved ones and living in long-term care homes or other congregate settings. The sacrifice and loss has been profound and devastating for many in our community and beyond.

COVID-19 also challenged and changed the way our healthcare system operates – breaking down barriers to take collective action. Over the past year, our staff and physicians, volunteers, and learners have adapted at an unprecedented pace to a rapidly changing environment. Each day brought new challenges, and together, new learnings and creative solutions developed that helped us to better respond to the pandemic and ensure that our patients received the best possible care. Our JBH teams rose to every challenge, from those providing direct patient care, to those working behind the scenes to ensure that JBH could continue to provide safe and quality care.

Over the past year, we have learned that heroism lies in how we respond to the daily struggles that we encounter. Our staff, physicians, volunteers and learners responded with an unrelenting determination to perform their best, pushing aside any thought of themselves to focus on the wellbeing of others. Your contributions in responding to this Pandemic have been nothing short of outstanding and we are very proud of each and every member of the JBH team.

This also holds true for our community, which has shown us overwhelming support. They Joined the J, through generous donations large or small, by placing “We Love Our Hospital” signs on lawns, enthusiastically participating in Friday porch claps, and local businesses offering discounts to say thanks to our healthcare workers, our community has truly shown their unwavering commitment to our hospital during these difficult times. We are grateful for that support and are stronger when we stand together.

We know that COVID-19 will continue to be a part of our lives, and that there may be difficult days ahead. But we have learned a great deal about ourselves and each other, and what we can accomplish when we work together to provide care to everyone who needs it in the moments when it matters most.

Sincerely,

On March 8th, Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation celebrated International Women’s Day with our 3rd annual Women in Leadership & Philanthropy Virtual Panel Discussion.  The dynamic discussion showcased opportunities and challenges unique to women and shined a light on the critical role of women’s leadership, participation and philanthropy.

To watch the discussion visit the link here.

Featured Speakers included: 
Emcee: Anissa Hilborn, President of the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation
Words of Welcome: Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor, City of Burlington
Moderator: Kim Parlee, Vice-President, TD Wealth and Host of MoneyTalk on BNN Bloomberg and CTV

Panelists

• Mary Deacon, Chair, Bell Mental Health Initiative
• Leslie Motz, Executive Vice President, Clinical and Chief Nursing Executive at Joseph Brant Hospital
• Shirley Thomas-Weir, Chief Executive Officer of Sharon Village Care Homes

Closing Remarks: Anna Iacobelli, Senior Vice-President, Metro West Region of TD Bank Group

Joseph Brant Hospital’s Pandemic Response Unit (PRU) – the first of its kind built in Ontario – is open and ready to care for its first COVID-19 patients, as part of a strategy to respond to a heightened need for COVID-19 care and increasing pressure on hospital capacity across the Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand, Norfolk, Brant and Burlington (HNHBB) region.

“The Pandemic Response Unit was built to ensure that should the need arise, we would have additional bed capacity available to care for COVID-19 patients – and that time is now,” says Eric Vandewall, President and CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH).

This week, hospitals will begin identifying and working with patients who have progressed in their care and could receive care in the PRU, a state-of-the-art, all-season field hospital located on JBH grounds.

Click here for a look inside the PRU with Eric Vandewall and Dr. Ian Preyra

“The Pandemic Response Unit was built to care for COVID-19 patients whose condition has stabilized but require support that cannot be provided at home, such as oxygen therapy and medication, as well as ongoing monitoring of their symptoms and some personal support,” says Dr. Ian Preyra, Chief of Staff at Joseph Brant Hospital.

“Transitioning these individuals to the PRU allows them to complete their recovery in an inpatient unit that is specifically designed to provide the type of care they need.”

The healthcare teams working in the PRU comprise of physicians, nurses, patient care assistants, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, home and community care coordinators, and many others.

The PRU is a key component of a regional strategy developed by HNHBB hospitals to meet the rising demand for COVID-19 care during Wave 2, while helping to minimize potential disruptions to scheduled and community care. The strategy is being led by the HNHBB Hospital Incident Management Structure (IMS) team, which includes representation from all regional hospitals, including CEOs and clinical leadership.

Under the plan, the PRU serves as a regional resource that can receive patients from four hospitals that are providing acute COVID-19 care: Joseph Brant Hospital, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton Health Sciences (Hamilton General Hospital) and Niagara Health. Any transfers will be determined based on care needs and in consultation with patients and their families.

JBH’s Infection Prevention and Control team was closely involved in the design of the PRU, leveraging current research and best practices in the care of COVID-19 patients. Its features include a filtered, negative pressure ventilation system, allowing for treatments that may generate aerosols to be safely performed. It also has durable, easy-to-disinfect surfaces, as well as other features to provide a comfortable environment for patients, such as natural light, portable laptop tables and free WiFi to connect with their loved ones during their stay.

The 16,000-square foot structure was constructed in April 2020, after the Ontario government requested that hospitals implement capacity plans at their sites. It was built as a collaboration amongst Joseph Brant Hospital, community-based health care providers, the City of Burlington, and Halton Region.

Joseph Brant Hospital’s PHAST program was awarded $30,000 for the Overall Challenge in the Priority Health Innovation Challenge held by the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement.

The Overall Challenge asked teams to demonstrate overall how they contributed to improving access to care in mental health and addictions and home and community care.

The Prioritizing Health through Acute Stabilization and Transition (PHAST) program at Joseph Brant Hospital has won over $50,000 in awards through the challenge including:
 

• Early Innovator Award (2019)
• Mini-Challenge #1 (2019)
• Mini Challenge #3 Project Charter (2020)
• Impact Challenge (2020) 
• Overall Challenge (2020) 

PHAST is an outpatient program that ensures immediate help is available to people ages 16 and up suffering a mental health or addiction crisis and to provide options for ongoing care outside a hospital setting. After stabilizing the patient, PHAST’s interdisciplinary team provides a warm, personal transfer to appropriate follow-up services through a network of community partners.

We know we are stronger when we stand together. Thank you for standing with us in the moments that matter.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has tested our strength and our resilience in ways we could never have anticipated. It is unlike anything most of us have seen in our lifetime and will continue to shape our daily lives, including how healthcare is delivered.

Please see our COVID-19 Impact Report here.

It is with profound sadness that Joseph Brant Hospital and the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation acknowledge the passing of David Braley.

Mr. Braley was a Hamilton businessman and champion for the Canadian Football League where he served as owner of three teams including the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

He received the Order of Canada in 2019 for his contributions to the CFL, and for his entrepreneurial and philanthropic leadership in our community.

We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Braley’s family and the many people whose lives were made better by Mr. Braley’s philanthropic support.

His generosity has been felt across the country including his $3 Million gift in support of the redevelopment and expansion of Joseph Brant Hospital.

We have lost a great Canadian and he will be missed.

As you may know, last week the Hospital and Foundation released a joint statement addressing recent events that have exposed systemic racism and intolerance that plague society.

We too are deeply troubled by the killing of George Floyd, and the violence directed at peaceful protests calling for action in U.S. cities. Racialized individuals should not have to live in constant fear from the very institutions that should be protecting them, and efforts to address this issue should not be met with brutal force to silence those who would speak out.

Racism and intolerance are issues that we have a responsibility to address. We have a moral imperative to seek out and expunge racism and all forms of discrimination from our institutions. We must create policies that support diversity and promote a culture of inclusivity in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

The past few weeks have been an important time to listen and to acknowledge the truths and experiences of those whose voices have been ignored and unheard. It has been a time for racialized people to share their stories and to help others to better understand the suffering that racism and hate have brought to their lives.

This has also been a time to reflect. Joseph Brant Hospital and the Foundation are committed to seeking out and eliminating racism and discrimination. We have taken important steps to build a more inclusive organization, but more work can be done.

As board members, we have a responsibility to listen, to reflect and to work together to support JBH’s efforts to create a safe place for everyone to visit, work and receive care. We must strive to champion equity and inclusion and challenge ourselves as leaders in our own respective workplaces to dismantle structures that enable inequality.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can move forward together with this important work.


Sincerely,

We, like you, are deeply disturbed and upset by the recent events that have once again exposed the systemic racism and intolerance that plague society.

The death of George Floyd was horrifying and unjust. Racialized individuals should not have to live in constant fear from the very institutions that should be protecting them. In the wake of Mr. Floyd’s death, many peaceful calls for action in U.S. cities have been met with police violence, creating even deeper divisions between citizens and a deepening distrust in those who hold positions of power.

Racism and intolerance are issues that we have a responsibility to address. As health care professionals, a hospital and a charitable foundation, we have a moral imperative to seek out and expunge racism and all forms of discrimination from our institutions. We must create policies that support diversity and promote a culture of inclusivity in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

The past few weeks have been an important time to listen and to acknowledge the truths and experiences of those whose voices have been ignored and unheard. It has been a time for racialized people to share their stories and to help others to better understand the suffering that racism and hate have brought to their lives.

This has also been a time to reflect. At Joseph Brant Hospital and at our Foundation, we are committed to seeking out and eliminating racism and discrimination. While we have taken important steps to build a more inclusive and diverse organization, we know that we can do better.

We have a responsibility to listen, to reflect and to work together to make JBH a safe place for everyone to visit, work and receive care. We will continue to proactively strive towards this goal, but it cannot be done in isolation. We encourage everyone – our staff, physicians, patients and members of our community – to reach out and help us advance our work to champion equity and inclusion. Your voices are important, and we need to hear from you and talk about what we can do moving forward.

Staff and physicians are encouraged to reach out to us at hr@josephbranthospital.ca

We need to face these hard truths and become an anti-racist organization. We must challenge ourselves to dismantle structures that enable inequality and to actively work towards ending discrimination both within our walls and in our community. We know there is much to do, and we will do it together.

Sincerely,