Best Medicine Matters Fall 2009 - Mount Sinai Hospital

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Rising to Construction Challenges Patients, visitors and staff have been understanding of disruptions caused during construction of the new Lawrence and Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women’s and Infants’ Health “I would really like to thank everyone for their incredible patience,” says Altaf Stationwala, Senior Vice-President, Operations and Re-development at Mount Sinai Hospital. “This has been a very challenging undertaking; one that has been made easier with the understanding of visitors to the Hospital.” Stationwala is referring to Mount Sinai’s ambitious redevelopment project, which has just reached another major milestone. The shell of the six-storey expansion of what will become the new Lawrence and Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women’s and Infants’ Health has been completed and outfitting the space has begun. Every construction project has its challenges, but the complex task of upgrading structures and building new spaces within the confines of a working hospital takes a delicate approach. Stationwala has been responsible not only for keeping the project on track, but at the same time minimizing disruption to patients, staff and visitors caused by construction-related road closures and out-of-service elevators. It requires extraordinary timing and co-ordination, and a generous helping of compassion to ensure that patients’ safety and comfort are upheld. Stationwala expects periodic delays will continue, but he says there is light at the end of the tunnel. “The impact of the past year’s disruptions will materialize in this phase of construction, as we begin to see the tangible benefit of the new space.” The new Centre has been designed to integrate state-of-the-art medical technology and infection control processes, allow natural light, conserve energy, and fulfill the comfort, safety and privacy needs of patients and staff. When it opens in 2010, patients and visitors can expect a warm, welcoming and healing environment, and an efficient, modern and comfortable workplace that will help our doctors, nurses and staff further the delivery of patient- and family-centred care. 6
Lowering Barriers to Mammogram Access When Linda Muraca, Nurse-Clinician in Mount Sinai’s Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre, was asked in 2007 by the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) to do presentations on breast health for women with disabilities, she thought, “That’s interesting.” And so it was. “I thought the problems they were sharing with us were isolated, but I kept hearing more disturbing stories,” said Muraca. Women told her about going for a mammogram, only to find that the machine couldn’t move to accommodate them. They talked about encounters with health care staff who would speak only to their caregivers or family members. They talked about entering a mammography room in a wheelchair, and being asked to “hop up on the table.” “Many of these women had a family history of breast cancer, but their doctors would gloss over it, saying they had enough to deal with already,” says Muraca. The CILT sessions inspired Gateways to Cancer Screening, a project that became part of Muraca’s Masters in Nursing coursework at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto. Muraca teamed up with Nancy Barry, CILT’s peer support and volunteer co-ordinator, whose own negative mammogram experience inspired her to invite Muraca to CILT in the first place. Five focus groups were led in Toronto and Peel Region. “Accessibility issues are very widespread,” says Barry. Fortunately, the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre offers quite good access. “The doorways are wide enough so that women can comfortably wheel in, the machines move up and down, and that lowers the patients’ anxiety,” says Muraca. The change rooms aren’t wheelchair accessible, but staff now suggest that women with disabilities simply change in the mammography room. Mount Sinai Breast Imaging staff, Muraca adds, have been extremely supportive. “Some women who have had horrible previous experiences have come here and been very happy,” she says. By asking all new patients if they need any special accommodation, staff ensure that women with disabilities receive extra appointment time and an extra technician to assist with the mammogram procedure. The Gateways momentum continues. Muraca, Barry and colleagues have received funding from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to develop an educational strategy designed to improve the breast cancer experience for women with disabilities. “The idea is to get the information from the women right to the health-care providers,” says Barry. The program will employ scenarios revealed by Gateways to develop DVDs that can be used in training health-care staff. Barry describes their plan as “a Disability Awareness 101.” “We work in a rushed environment at times, but it’s all about listening and respect,” says Muraca. 7
Page 1 and 2: FALL 2009 he Best Medicine Matters
Page 3 and 4: Donors Keep NICU Equipment Current
Page 5: Patients Thank Bright Minds and Big

Best Medicine Matters Fall 2009 - Mount Sinai Hospital

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