Skip to main content

Physician Newsletter - Oct 24, 2024

Honouring the Life and Legacy of Nova Scotia Emergency Medicine Physician and Politician Dr. Ron Stewart 

~shared on behalf of Karen Oldfield, Interim President and CEO, and Dr. Nicole Boutilier, Executive Vice President of Medicine and Clinical Operations

We were saddened to hear the news of Dr. Ron Stewart’s passing at the age of 82. 

Dr. Stewart, born in North Sydney, NS and raised in Sydney Mines, was a trailblazer in the fields of emergency medicine and public service. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science from Acadia University, followed by a Doctor of Medicine from Dalhousie University. 

After completing his medical degree, Dr. Stewart began his career in general practice in Neil’s Harbour, Cape Breton. In search of advanced emergency medicine training that was unavailable in Canada at the time, he moved to California. There, he joined the residency program in emergency medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) and became the first medical director of paramedic training for Los Angeles County. His pioneering work earned him faculty roles at USC until he accepted an offer from the University of Pittsburgh. At Pittsburgh, Dr. Stewart founded the Centre for Emergency Medicine and was appointed Medical Director for the Department of Public Safety in the City of Pittsburgh. Both Pittsburgh and other cities, including San Francisco, Calgary, and Los Angeles County, formally recognized Dr. Stewart's significant contributions to emergency medicine. 

Returning to Canada, Dr. Stewart joined the University of Toronto before taking on roles in emergency medicine and anesthesia at Dalhousie University. In 1993, he entered public service, being elected as a Liberal MLA for the riding of Cape Breton North. He served as Nova Scotia’s Minister of Health and Registrar General until 1996 and remained in the legislature until 1997. 

Dr. Stewart’s academic influence continued throughout his career. He became Professor Emeritus in Medical Education at Dalhousie University and held joint appointments in the Departments of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia, and the Faculty of Health Professions. In addition, he was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, which honored his legacy in 2008 by establishing the Ronald D. Stewart Research Chair in Emergency Medicine. 

Throughout his career, Dr. Stewart earned numerous awards and accolades for his medical achievements and humanitarian efforts. In 1993, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and promoted to the level of Companion of the Order of Canada, the most senior level, late last year. He became a Member of the Order of Nova Scotia in 2006. In 1989, he was the first non-American physician to receive the Farrington Award from the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, in recognition of his contributions to pre-hospital care and education in the United States. 

Dr. Stewart leaves behind an extraordinary legacy in emergency medicine and public service, both in Canada and abroad. His impact will continue to be felt for generations to come. 

Sincerely,  

Karen and Nicole  

Medical Isotope Shortage

  • There is an impending worldwide medical isotope shortage (Mo-99) brought on by an unanticipated technical problem with a reactor in Europe. This issue is expected to markedly limit Nuclear Medicine services in the coming weeks.
  • Nearly all diagnostic nuclear medicine exams will be affected, with the exception of MIBG, Colon Transit and PET scans.
  • The Provincial Radiopharmacy group has received notice today that it will receive a Mo-99 generator on Wednesday, October 30. This will extend the availability of our supply of radioactivity to November 12. Due to the nature of this product, the amount of activity available will be less as we approach the November 12 date.
  • There is still no firm timeline on the completion of the production facility repairs so the Provincial Radiopharmacy and the Diagnostic Imaging Operations Council are still planning mitigations for a reduced to zero supply after November 12.
  • The Provincial Radiopharmacy group has begun work with another supplier to establish a contract that could potentially supplement the current supply.
  • Zone teams are also working on contingency plans, to mitigate the impacts of this situation and will be focusing our resources to support:
    • Urgent/emergent cases
    • Cancer patients
    • Sentinel Lymph node studies
  • Further updates will be provided as more details are confirmed.

Updates from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia

Medical Licence Renewal Opens November 1

Each year physicians must renew their medical licence to practise in Nova Scotia.

If physicians practise within a corporation for which they are listed as a medical director, they must also renew their corporation permit. Your checklist to prepare for your licence renewal is now available.

New Professional Standard Regarding the Responsibility for Post-Surgical Care

In response from the profession seeking clear guidance regarding post-surgical responsibilities and following broad stakeholder consultation, the College’s governing Council approved a new Professional Standard Regarding the Responsibility for Post-Surgical Care.

Nova Scotia Health, Government Partners Continuously Improving Cyber Security

shared on behalf of Karen Oldfield, Interim President and CEO

On Tuesday, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) published its report on Cybersecurity Readiness in Healthcare. With the release of the report, in coming days you may hear a lot about the work of some of our colleagues.

The audit looked at cyber security across Nova Scotia’s digital health network, including the work of Nova Scotia Health, the Department of Cyber Security and Digital Security (CSDS), the Department of Health and Wellness from April 2021 through June 2023.

Our digital professionals acknowledge that a certain level of cyber security risk is inherent in our work. It is our responsibility to balance this risk with the clinical needs of our healthcare system, ensuring continuous improvement of our services.

Government has undergone significant evolution over the past several years, including the creation of CSDS. There has been substantial investment in digital systems since the time of the report, and this commitment continues.

We all understand the critical importance of maintaining our cyber security posture. Let’s leverage the release of the OAG report and October as Cyber Security Awareness month, as a reminder that all employees have a role to play in maintaining good cyber security practices that help ensure the security and integrity of our operations.

If you have any questions or concerns about the OAG report, reach out to your Department Head.

Kind regards,

Karen 

Norepinephrine 1 mg/mL (4 mL) Format Change

Norepinephrine 1 mg/mL (4 mL) ampoules (new) will be replacing norepinephrine 1 mg/mL (4 mL) vials in Pyxis machines and resuscitation drug trays due to a change in contracted brands.

  • Pyxis transition has been completed.
  • Resuscitation drug trays are being changed as trays expire and are returned to Pharmacy.

Refer to photo below for product format change. (see newsletter link)

New Infection Prevention and Control Quick Reference Card for Team Members

~shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC)

We are excited to introduce the Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Quick Reference Card. This pocket-sized, cleanable card is designed to be easy access and reinforces essential IPAC fundamentals. It can also be printed and laminated as a poster. This card includes:

By placing essential IPAC information at team members’ fingertips, this card will support healthcare workers in protecting themselves, patients, families, and their fellow team members.

To assist the implementation of this card across Nova Scotia Health, a Safety Huddle has been developed.

For more information see:

Physician Leadership Coaching Support Process - Request Process Map and Form

process map and intake form has been created by the Physician Leadership Development team for physician leaders to access leadership coaching with a Nova Scotia Health Leadership Coach.

The map is also a tool for succession planning and talent pipeline building, preparing our next cohort of physician leaders within our medical staff.

New Health System Council and NSH Administrator Appointed

The Province will establish a new Health System Performance and Accountability Council to improve health outcomes and experiences for Nova Scotians. The council will monitor the quality and performance of the health system and make evidence-based recommendations to the Minister of Health and Wellness in areas where there could be improvement. Learn more here.

Transitional Care Physician - West Bedford Transitional Care Facility/Hogan Court

Nova Scotia Health is embarking on an innovative model of care in collaboration with Shannex to provide high quality care for patients transitioning from acute care and into community settings. Reporting to the Medical Site Lead – Transitional Care, the physician will function as part of a collaborative multidisciplinary team to provide medical care to all patients admitted to West Bedford Transitional Care Facility.  

We seek physicians who will model excellence in general medical care, have superb communication skills with patients and families, and who work well in team settings. There will be a high focus of patient flow through the facility. As this is not a long-term care facility, physicians will work collaboratively with Nurse Practitioners and the larger multidisciplinary team to flow patients to community daily.

Learn more here.

 Listen now! Chats on Change – Ep. 20 – With Student Health Ambassador Leila Bautista

In this episode of Chats on Change, Karen Oldfield, Interim President and CEO, sits down with Leila Bautista, a health promotion student at Dalhousie University, and discuss her role as a student Health Ambassador with Nova Scotia Health.

Leila, along with seven other students, spent the summer engaging with communities across the province to promote the YourHealthNS app and website. In our discussion, she shares her experiences attending community events, offering app demonstrations, and gathering feedback to help Nova Scotia Health better understand the public’s care needs. 

Tune in to hear about the meaningful connections she made, the feedback she gathered, and her vision for the future of health services in Nova Scotia.

Listen to all episodes here. (Transcript available upon request)

Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care Webinar Recording Now Available

Thank you to those that joined the Continuing Care webinar on Oct. 23 with Glenda Keenan, senior director to learn more about the program’s integral role within the healthcare landscape.

In case you missed this event, or would like to view it again, the recording is now available. Please feel free to share this with your colleagues and teams.

For more information about Continuing Care, visit our public website https://www.nshealth.ca/continuing-care or the Continuing Care intranet.

811 LogoIKW Logo211 Logo