Good morning, TeamUHN!
It is a pleasure to connect with you across care, research, and education through this weekly CEO update – all in service of A Healthier World.
Key reminders and updates
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A new partnership between UHN's Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) will enhance access to culturally safe cardiac care for communities in the James Bay and Hudson Bay region. The five-year agreement aims to support the cardiovascular needs of the people living in these remote communities with direct care and remote monitoring, including UHN's Medly Program for heart failure patients. A majority of people living in the region's coastal communities are Cree. Lynne Innes, WAHA's President & Chief Executive Officer, has called the partnership a “significant example of how health equity can be advanced in Indigenous communities." This development is another example of how UHN is showing leadership and embracing digital innovation to find solutions beyond barriers.
Read more in UHN News about how this project can transform care in the North.
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UHN's Executive Leadership Forum and the leadership of West Park Healthcare Centre toured West Park's beautiful new hospital last Thursday. Situated on West Park's 27-acre site, this six-storey, 730,000 square-foot hospital has 314 patient beds – 80 per cent of which are single occupancy. With a setting overlooking the Humber River Valley, this new campus of care integrates the therapeutic elements of nature in its architectural design. This state-of-the-art facility will immensely benefit patient care. As UHN and West Park pursue a voluntary merger, pending approval from the Ministry of Health, we remain excited about the prospect of the two organizations coming together to build among the world's best rehabilitation centres. For the latest on the merger process, visit
WestPark-UHN.com.
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Congratulations to three members of the UHN family recently named to the Order of Ontario, the province's highest civilian honour. While we celebrated Dr. Herbert Ho Ping Kong's appointment to the 2023 Order last week, we missed highlighting that three TeamUHN members were named to the 2022 Order of Ontario in November by former Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell. Dr. Frank Silver, a staff stroke neurologist at UHN's Krembil Brain Institute and former director of the UHN Stroke Program and the Toronto West Stroke Network, was honoured for working to “change the way stroke care is delivered across Canada and around the world." Dr. Padraig Warde, radiation oncologist at UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, was celebrated for “ground-breaking research and tireless efforts to improve patient care" that have transformed cancer policy in Ontario. UHN Board of Trustees member Ajay Virmani, founder of Cargojet, was celebrated for his business success and exceptional charity work through The Virmani Family Foundation. We are grateful for the service of these three exceptional people.
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Researchers at UHN's Toronto General Hospital Institute (TGHRI) have revealed how specific proteins influence the body's response to food, setting a path for more targeted therapies to manage obesity and diabetes. The group, led by Dr. Tony Lam, explored the crucial role that receptors in the gut play in sensing protein levels in our diet and promoting both a state of being completely full and glucose tolerance. The study suggests that drugs targeting specific receptors involved in the satiety hormone pathways may lower food intake and boost glucose tolerance. Read
more on UHN News.
Read the full study online.
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Save the Date [Jan 22-24] - Next week, we'll be launching the new UHNITED brand campaign that celebrates the power of what we can accomplish together as TeamUHN. Join us for an exclusive first look at all the campaign elements you can expect to see across our communities! From Jan. 22 to 24, UHN Foundation will be hosting kick-off sneak peek events across a number of our campuses. UHNITED branded merchandise and goodies, a sneak peek of campaign assets featuring your TeamUHN colleagues, and a chance to win exciting prizes are a hint of what you can expect. Next week will be an exciting one – more details to come later this week!
Closing Notes
We're delighted to share this quarter's list of honourees through UHN Foundation's Honour Your Hero program. From August to October 2023, 120 staff members were honoured by grateful patients. Honour Your Hero allows patients and their families to express gratitude to hospital staff for exemplifying UHN's value of excellence in patient care with compassion and kindness, by donating in support of UHN. Join us in recognizing the accomplishments of our TeamUHN colleagues. Your care inspires patients to give. View the report here. To learn more, visit uhnfoundation.ca/heroes.
And now… our video of the week. This
clip shines a light on UHN's dedicated physician assistants.
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Have a good week,
Kevin
