Roundup

Thank you to Dr. Sharon Straus

The Department of Medicine is very thankful to Sharon for her excellent leadership and contributions as PIC over the last six years. On behalf of the Department, a beautiful painting has been presented to Sharon. The painting is a lovely addition to her office, reflecting the gratitude of the Department of Medicine. The DOM also thanks Sharon Marr and Katina Tzanetos for their thoughtful choice.

Please see below for the following updates:

1. Rheumatology Rapid Access Clinic
2. Career Transitions Workshop
3. BMO Research Chair in Anti-Racism and Health Equity: Job Description live on UofT site
4. EPIC Q&A Town Hall – November 6^th – 12:00pm – 1:00pm – Zoom

Please see below for the following updates:

• Congratulations to our Angels Den 2024 Winners!
• Workflow Dress Rehearsals for EPIC
• Epic Essentials - updates from Project Connect to providers
• Department of Medicine-  Medical Grand Rounds – Wednesday, October 30 – 12:00pm-1:00pm
• UT Department of Medicine - Internal Medicine Research Scholarly Projects

 Dr. Darren Yuen won the $250,000 Keenan Award for Medical Discovery for his world-first, non-invasive ultrasound scan to see kidney scarring and avoid potentially dangerous biopsies.

More information can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/bkbHp8Nhbqs

Dr. Claudia dos Santos & Dr. Amin Ektesabi were fan favorites, taking home the $100,000 Canada Life People’s Choice Award for their breakthrough drug to treat sepsis.

More information can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/yUWbsrJQfxQ

 Please consider participating in the ambulatory Workflow Dress Rehearsals for EPIC.  Details are below and the schedule is attached.

Thanks

Natalie

Issue 06: Unified communications in Epic; Practice and personalize your Epic space

1. The new EPR system is equipped with centralized communication tools to facilitate communication and collaboration across teams. Learn about the new communication tools in this issue.

2. After completion of the User Settings Lab, providers can cultivate muscle memory by practicing in the Epic Playground, as well as personalize their Epic environment in Epic Hyperspace. Learn how to access the Epic Playground and Epic Hyperspace in this issue.

You can read the newsletter by clicking on this link or the file attached.

Join us on Wednesday, October 30^th, 12:00pm – 1:00pm for our upcoming Medical Grand Rounds presentation.

“Approaches to effective supervision of today’s medical learners”

Nadia Incardona, MD, MHsc, CCFP(EM)

Faculty Lead, Ethics and Professionalism,

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Katina Tzanetos, MD, FRCPC

Associate Director, Student Assessment

Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Director, PGME, SMH

Heather Flett, MD,MHPE, FRCPC

Temerty Professor of Leaner Wellness

Antonio Pignatiello  MD, FRCP (C)

Associate Dean, Office of Learner Affairs,

Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry,

Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Medical Director, TeleLink Mental Health Program,

The Hospital for Sick Children

Note:  This presentation is for Faculty Members ONLY

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore how generational differences impact a clinical supervisor’s experiences

2. Describe an approach to challenging conversations with medical leaners, using the CARES framework

3. Describe key resources available at the hospital and the University to support you and your learners.

How to Connect

Dear Faculty

Internal Medicine Resident participation in an active research/scholarly project is a key platform of academic development and a Royal College requirement for residency. The U of T Internal Medicine program mandates at minimum one-(1) research block undertaken in the PGY2 year, be completed.  The goal of a research block is to provide residents with the opportunity to delve into a specific content area, to develop skills in some elements of the process of scientific inquiry, and to demonstrate the ability to participate in and complete a project of scholarly merit during their residency program.

If you are interested in supervising an IM resident in a research/scholarly project, please fill out the  online form https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7CC2SL9 indicating  your name, email, subspecialty, and one to two lines on a potential  project that will be posted to the U of T Quercus  website for the residents to view. Residents will be reaching out directly to potential supervisors.  The residents are required to  finalize their supervisor and project selection by Dec 2024, and submit their formal project proposal for approval by Feb 13 2025. 

The supervisor is expected to help the resident develop the research project, review the formal project proposal, meet with the resident regularly during their research block and complete an ITAR for the resident once the block is completed.  The supervisor's checklist of required supervisory support is  appended for your convenience. 

Thank-you for considering supervising an IM residents scholarly project. 

Best regards

Jane Batt

Please see below for the following updates:

• Flu vaccines available beginning Monday, Oct. 21, COVID-19 vaccines available soon: See schedule for fall vaccination clinics
• Masking changes at Unity Health effective Oct. 15, 2024
• Cardiac Surgery Virtual Grand Rounds - Dr. Gosta Pettersson (Oct 18, 2024; 8:00am)
• Bike cage closure at St. Michael’s: Oct. 21 and 22
• Deadline Approaching: 2024 CAME Rising Star Certificate of Excellence Award

Please see below for the following updates:

• Jonathan Ailon is the inaugural Medical Director, Palliative Care at Unity Health Toronto
• Important update: Change in SMH Family Health Team lab work flow effective Oct 15
• Process for out-of-office notifications physicians
• EPIC-Mobile Apps, playground and on-call processes
• Masking changes at Unity Health effective Oct. 15, 2024
• 2025 Temerty Faculty of Medicine Awards for Excellence in Postgraduate Medical Education

Please see below for the following updates:

• Uninsured Care and Compassionate Care Policy
• Update on the transition from WebCV to Elements
• Ontario Health is seeking expressions of interest from Physicians for the position of Clinical Advisor, Health Technology Assessment Program
• Fall 2024 Strategic MEdS Grant Competition due November 4, 2024
• Angels Den 2024 – Free tickets available
• Did you miss the latest issue of Epic Essentials?

Please see below for the following updates:

• Message from the Chair of Unity Health Toronto’s Board of Directors
• A personal message from Tim Rutledge, President and CEO
• Ontario Stroke Report FY 2022/23 Release, Ontario Health (CorHealth) - SMH was #1 in the province for time to thrombolysis!
• Guidance for Epic/EPR Research User Training
• Department of Medicine - Medical Grand Rounds - Clinical Documentation - Melanie de Wit - Oct. 2. 2024
• UT Department of Medicine - Internal Medicine Research Scholarly Projects
• Changes to St. Michael’s site parking: Sign up for IPASS to keep your rates the same
• Angels Den 2024

Please see below for the following updates:

• Good News Updates: CMAJ Article: Clinical evaluation of a machine learning–based early warning system for patient deterioration (cmaj.ca)

          CBC Article : AI tool cuts unexpected deaths in hospital by 26%, Canadian study finds | CBC News

          CTV NEWS: More Ontarians will be flagged for iron deficiency after doctors advocate for change to guidelines

• A reminder that Epic training opens Sept 30
• Do you need to sign up for EPIC Research training?
• Angels Den 2024
• Save the Date:  Thursday, September 26^th – 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Fireside chat with Jillian Horton!
• RSC Webinar | Health Research System Recovery: Strengthening Canada’s Health Research System After the COVID-19 Pandemic - October 9, 2024 | 1:00 PM, EDT

Please see below for the following updates:

• Good News: Claudia DosSantos was featured on CTV News for her Angel’s Den proposal
• PIC Office Moves
• Do you need to sign up for EPIC Research training?
• Save the Date:  Thursday, September 26^th – 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Fireside chat with Jillian Horton!
• Upcoming elevator shutdowns at St. Michael’s on Sept. 16-19 and Sept. 23-26
• Reminder: Jeffrey C. Lozon Physician Leadership Award

Please see below for the following updates:

• PIC Office Moves
• How Epic go-live will impact artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics tools used at Unity Health
• Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Training – do you (or your staff) access the EMR for your research work?
• Epic Systems training materials now available in Elevate
• Bike cage closure at St. Michael’s Sept. 12 to 19 – Phase II construction (Queen Lobby)
• Reminder: Jeffrey C. Lozon Physician Leadership Award

*Sent on behalf of Dr. Sharon Straus*

This is a very difficult note to write as it’s my last in the role as PIC. I am incredibly grateful to each of you for your support, commitment and collegiality during my tenure as PIC.  You are an inspiring group and it has been a gift to work with and learn from you. We have laughed and cried together over the years and throughout the various challenges and opportunities we faced, you continued to care for each other, the patients, learners and health care teams.

You have been innovative – you created new education initiatives and models of care, further enhanced the high quality patient care we provide, and made new research discoveries to strengthen our health system and improve patient care and public wellbeing. You inspired others including the learners and health care teams, centering patients in all activities. You have been amazing role models to all those you encountered. Thank you.

Particular thanks to the Site Directors, Rotation Coordinators, Education Coordinators, the Education Committee, and Residency Training Committee for your exemplary work with the learners. Thanks also to our outstanding Division Heads who grew our Divisions and ensured our clinical and academic success. You consistently created a welcoming and caring environment and I appreciate your wise counsel and support over the years. Thanks to SMPA leadership and staff for keeping us on strong financial ground and for your commitment to equity and transparency. Thanks to all of the physician admins who kept us running smoothly and ensured excellent patient care.

I am incredibly grateful to Julia and Jessica who have been amazing partners in all of the Departmental work; there are no words adequate to describe their impact. Their commitment to our DOM family and ensuring its success are phenomenal.

Finally, huge thanks to Natalie and Andrew for stepping into their interim roles. I know that they will provide outstanding leadership for us and that they can count on each of you for support. They are bringing innovative, caring, thoughtful and inspirational leadership and we are fortunate to have them in these roles! I am also grateful to them for allowing me to continue as a member of the DOM family – it is a massive privilege to continue to be a part of this community and I remain committed to all of the values and actions of our DOM. 

Thank you and please let me know how best I can support you in future, as I step into the new role.

Sharon

Please see below for the following updates:

1. Exemptions for Epic Systems training opening Sept. 3 and other important updates
2. Epic Go-Live New Hire/Transfer Pause: Nov. 23 to Dec. 6
3. Epic Essentials
4. Impact to Biochemistry Lab testing at St. Michael's