Providence Health Care - What's New - Providence Legacy Project, St. Paul's Hospital, Mount Saint Joseph Hospital, St. Vincent's Hospitals, Arbutus, Brock Fahrni Pavilion, Heather, Langara, Holy Family Hospital, Youville Residence

On December 1, 2005, angels on the rooftops of Providence Health Care facilities will shine bright to mark the start of the Angel Campaign at St. Vincent's & Holy Family Health Care Foundation.

Over the years, angels have inspired thousands of donations in support of health care initiatives for seniors cared for at St. Vincent's Hospitals in Vancouver. With the amalgamation of St. Vincent's and Holy Family Hospital Foundations earlier this year, the Angel Campaign is now taking Holy Family Hospital under its wing as well.
"The Angel Campaign is all about caring for members of our older, and often forgotten, generation at Christmas," says foundation chair Graeme Stamp. "Whether they're seniors undergoing physical rehabilitation because of a stroke or heart attack, or living in long-term care, we're making sure they receive the greatest care and comfort possible."

Campaign donations are used to support a range of initiatives including purchases of specialized medical equipment, ongoing development of programs at each of the sites (St. Vincent's Hospital Langara, Brock Fahrni Pavilion, Youville Residence and Holy Family Hospital) and important research in the field of elder care through the Centre for Healthy Aging at Providence (CHAP).

The Angel Campaign runs through December and includes official lighting of the angels and distribution of thousands of angels through a direct mail program. Angels are returned to the Foundation, along with donations, and displayed on Angel Trees at each of the sites. Angel Teas are also being hosted for patients and residents and their families, as well as staff and volunteers, to celebrate the Christmas season

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas:

St. Paul’s Hospital’s Lights of Hope to illuminate at 6:55 pm

(NOVEMBER 24, 2005)

When the fireworks begin outside St. Paul’s Hospital at 6:55 this evening, more than 400 cheering spectators will get the first look at the hospital’s largest Christmas light display ever.

The popular Lights of Hope display is part of the largest annual fundraising campaign for St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation. Fundraising priorities for this year’s campaign include special initiatives in the hospital’s Heart Centre and Emergency department.

“Our lights are a tribute to the thousands of individuals and companies who recognize the importance of St. Paul’s Hospital and donate their time or money to the Lights of Hope campaign,” said Foundation Chair John Jennings. “This year we are asking people or companies to give generously to help raise more than $1.5 million.”

The presenting sponsors for this year’s campaign are Varshney Capital Corp. and the Cardiologists and Cardiovascular Surgeons of St. Paul’s Hospital. The display itself is built on charity, as more than 200 volunteers construct it using donated products.

This year, there are enough lights to stretch around the Stanley Park seawall, and a new star canopy frames the Burrard Street entrance. In total, the display for 2005 will have a record 475 stars.

For the first time, this year’s Lights of Hope will also spotlight the innovative Power Smart tree by Canadian Tire and BC Hydro. Featuring 90 strings of energy efficient LED lights, the tree will be powered by a Renewable Power System made up of five solar panels, a power inverter and deep cycle batteries.

To find out more about Lights of Hope or to make a donation, call 604-662-HOPE or visit www.helpstpauls.com. The display will be illuminated until January 5.

St. Paul’s Hospital Heart Centre undergoes $5.25-million expansion to improve patient care

(NOVEMBER 2005)

A $5.25-million renovation to the Heart Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital will improve patient access and expand capacity when it opens November 28 in what is already BC’s largest cardiac care program.

The changes include state-of-the-art equipment in a new Electrophysiology (EP) suite, and an improved Cardiac Procedure room. The Cardiac Short Stay Unit, where patients are prepared for, and then recover from their cardiac procedures, has also been completely renovated and expanded to 18 beds, up from 14.

The renovation and expansion will improve access for patients who need specialized diagnostic, therapeutic and device implantation procedures, particularly related to rhythm disturbances of the heart. This will allow many patients to be treated sooner, and, in some cases, shorten their stay in hospital.

With the renovations, St. Paul’s Hospital will have the capacity to perform up to 30 per cent more EP procedures, cardiac catheterization procedures and cardiac device implantations. As well, the expanded capacity will free up almost seven weeks of operating and recovery room time that can be used for other surgical procedures.

This improved service for patients from across the province was made possible by $2.9 million from the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation for equipment and $ 2.35 million from Vancouver Coastal Health for the renovated space.

“These renovations will ensure that the latest medical advances are available to BC patients with heart conditions. Providence Health Care, Vancouver Coastal Health and our other partners in health care are committed to ensuring that BC’s cardiac patients have the best technologies and treatment options available,” said Dr. Ron Carere, Physician Director of the St. Paul’s Heart Centre.

Over the past decade, research and evolving technology have made it possible for cardiac specialists to provide new or better treatments for patients with many heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems and congestive heart failure.

For example, cardiologists who specialize in electrophysiology can help patients with some types of abnormal heart rhythms by mapping out and selectively eliminating, or ablating, the electrical area of the heart that is causing the problem. These patients previously required a lifetime of medication. The renovated areas of the Heart Centre will be equipped with the latest heart rhythm mapping technology required to do these procedures.

As well, rapidly increasing numbers of patients are receiving highly advanced electrical devices, such as implantable cardiac defibrillators.

The new Electrophysiology suite and renovated Cardiac Procedure room will be equipped for:

Electrophysiology mapping to diagnose and treat selective fast heart rhythm problems that once required a lifetime of medication or were resistant to medication.

Pacemaker insertion that enables patients who have received temporary pacemakers to receive their permanent pacemakers and leave hospital sooner

Insertion of implantable defibrillators, an electrical device capable of detecting life threatening disturbances in the heart rhythm and restoring it to normal with an electric shock, saving the patient from sudden death

Heart biopsies to take tiny samples of heart tissue for diagnostic purposes; one of the important tests for heart transplant rejection

Transesophageal echocardiography, which is a diagnostic ultrasound test that provides an exceptionally detailed view of the chambers of the heart

Established in 1994 with the help of $10 million raised by St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation, the Heart Centre has built an international reputation for its work in the prevention of heart disease and the care, treatment and support of people living with heart conditions.

As the largest and most comprehensive cardiac care program in British Columbia, St. Paul’s serves a number of unique patient populations and many of the province’s most complex and difficult cardiac cases. Its services include everything from heart attack prevention programs and open-heart surgery to unique programs such as heart transplantation, the Pacific Adult Congenital Heart Clinic, and mechanical support (ventricular assist devices) for patients with severe heart failure.

As a University of British Columbia-affiliated teaching hospital, St. Paul’s serves as a training facility for cardiac professionals, and is a leader in heart disease research, both in the laboratory and in the clinic.

"Vancouver Rule" Could Help Relieve Emergency Department Overcrowding

(OCTOBER, 2005)

A team led by Dr. Jim Christenson, PHC's Research Director for the Department of Emergency Medicine, has developed a test for identifying the severity of chest pains that may help reduce emergency department (ED) overcrowding.

The Vancouver Chest Pain Rule helps determine which chest pain patients who visit the hospital can be safely sent home sooner. It involves a brief examination performed on ED patients that includes a series of checklist questions and diagnostic and laboratory tests.

If chest pain patients have a normal cardiogram and negative laboratory tests, they are considered a low risk for complications and can be safely discharged without prolonged ED observation, extensive rule-out protocols or expensive testing.

This finding, recently published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine (journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians) is critical in the fight to relieve ED overcrowding, improve cost-effectiveness of certain coronary diagnostic testing and reduce patient inconvenience.

"Patients who go to the ED with chest pain fall into three categories: those who do indeed have serious symptoms and need admission and treatment, those whose pain is not related to heart problems, and those who require testing and diagnosis to rule out acute or life-threatening conditions," explains Dr. Christenson. "The Vancouver Chest Pain Rule can identify 32.5 per cent of patients who complain of chest pain but do not have an acute heart condition. These very low-risk patients are identified with minimal error using the Vancouver Rule."

High-risk patients are also better identified and served accordingly. The Vancouver Rule reduced the number of patients, who had undetected acute cardiac conditions and were discharged, from five percent to only one per cent.

With Canadian emergency visits rising to over 5.1 million in 1999, up from 4.1 million in 1993 and 3.4 million in 1990, the majority of the nation's emergency departments report that they are operating "at" or "over" critical capacity. Experts predict that these figures will climb with overall increases in population growth, as well as an increasing elderly population with more severe chronic illness.

"We believe that, if broadly implemented, our clinical prediction rule could help relieve some of the overcrowding currently plaguing emergency departments," said Dr. Christenson.

Providence Health Care Receives International Spirit at Work Award

(OCTOBER 2005)

Providence Health Care has received the 2005 International Spirit at Work Award, presented annually by the Association for Spirit at Work (ASAW) to recognize organizations that have implemented spiritual practices, policies or programs in the workplace.

“People ask how denominational health-care organizations are different, and I think this award helps explain that,” says Carl Roy, President and CEO of Providence Health Care. “At Providence we make it a priority to follow the example of our Founding Congregations and meet the spiritual and emotional needs of our patients, residents and staff. This is the difference that people notice at Providence.”

In making the award, the ASAW said Providence was the first example they had seen of an organization that used spiritual principles and practices to support staff while undergoing major restructuring. Providence was also acknowledged for the many spiritual development opportunities provided to staff members of all faiths.

“Providence Health Care has demonstrated that even difficult corporate decisions can be grounded in our values and ongoing commitment to compassionate care for patients, residents and families,” says Brother Tom Maddix, Vice President of Mission, Ethics and Spirituality. “As part of this award we will share our experience with groups from around the world, who can then use our process as a model when they face the need to realign programs and services.”

Over the past four years, the International Spirit at Work Award has been given to 23 distinguished companies ranging from the Body Shop to the Times of India and to the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. The award, inspired by the visionary futurist Willis Harman (1919-1997), is co-owned and organized by four groups: the Association for Spirit at Work; the Spirit in Business Institute; the World Business Academy and the European Bahá’í Business Forum.

The award was presented at the International Spirit at Work Awards conference in New York City.

Providence Health Care Researcher Appointed to the Order of Canada

Dr. James C. Hogg, a researcher at Providence Health Care’s iCAPTURE Centre, was appointed Monday as an Officer of the Order of Canada. Dr. Hogg is one of the best-known pulmonary pathologists in the world. He has made major contributions to the understanding of lung disease, and continues to pursue an active research program.

The iCAPTURE Centre, located at St. Paul’s Hospital, focuses on the complex genetic and environmental influences that determines susceptibility to diseases of the heart, lung and vascular systems, particularly those involving inflammation or infection. In 2003 the Centre was re-named the James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research in recognition of his immeasurable contribution to its success.

Dr. Hogg earned his medical degree from the University of Manitoba in 1962 and a PhD in Experimental Medicine from McGill University in 1969. He completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and McGill.

In 1977, Dr. Hogg was recruited to Vancouver by St. Paul’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia. The Pulmonary Research Laboratory he founded grew steadily over the years and gradually expanded in size and scope into the McDonald Research Laboratories. Under his direction, excellent researchers were recruited and the integration of the pulmonary and cardiovascular research groups lead to the formation of the iCAPTURE Centre in 2000.

Dr. Hogg is currently an Emeritus Professor of Pathology at UBC. He maintains an active research program focused on the inflammatory process in the lung with particular reference to the structure and function of the lungs in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

In addition to his important role in the establishment of the iCAPTURE Centre, Dr. Hogg has played a central role in the establishment of Providence Health Care as a major health research institution. He was Director of Research and Vice President of Research at Providence Health Care, served on the Board of the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation and is currently on the Board of the Providence Health Care Research Institute.

Dr. Hogg was one of 82 new appointments to the Order of Canada announced August 39, 2005 by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada. Recipients will be invited to accept their insignia at a ceremony to be held at a later date. The Order of Canada was established in 1967 to recognize outstanding achievement and service in various fields of human endeavour. It is our country's highest honour for lifetime achievement. More information is available at www.gg.ca

St. Paul's Hospital Pioneers New Life Saving Heart
Procedure

St. Paul’s cardiologist Dr. John Webb has become the first doctor in North America to successfully perform a new procedure for heart valve replacement.

This experimental procedure, known as percutaneous aortic valve implantation, allows doctors to replace one of the valves in a patient’s heart without having to cut open their chest, stop their heart or subject them to a lengthy operation and recovery time.

Instead, the new valve comes collapsed and is mounted on a tube the size of a pencil. It is then inserted into a blood vessel in the leg and threaded along the veins and up to the heart. When it reaches the site of the old valve, the new valve expands and pushes the old one out of the way. The tube is then pulled back out with the leg incision so small it only needs two or three stitches.

“This is good news for very elderly patients who are not healthy enough to undergo traditional open heart surgery for their aortic valve but may be experiencing heart failure, angina or arrhythmias” says Dr. Webb.

The procedure is currently available on a palliative basis for patients who would not likely survive open heart surgery because of combinations of various ailments such as advanced age, a history of strokes, heart attacks, cancer or previous heart surgery.

“Right now we are just trying this surgery on the sickest patients, those who have no other options open to them. In time, we hope to offer this more widely,” says Webb.

Since the first patient in January 2005, Webb has performed a total of twenty procedures at St. Paul’s. Vancouver is currently the only centre in North America providing this procedure on a limited basis.

The results of this new procedure have been promising and some experts are saying that due to the reduced risk, pain and cost, non-surgical valve replacement is here to stay along with traditional surgery.

“But,” cautions Dr. Webb, “the new procedure is still highly experimental. It’s not routinely available yet.”

Providence Health Care’s Geriatric Dentistry Program Wins BCMA Health Promotion Award

The Centre for Aging and Health at Providence Health Care has won the BC Medical Association’s Excellence in Health Promotion Award for its Geriatric Dentistry program, which effectively meets the oral hygiene needs of long-term care residents.

Established in 2002 as a joint initiative of the Centre for Aging and Health at Providence Health Care and the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, the program is the first of its kind in Canada. It was developed in response to a needs assessment that showed that over 70 per cent of residents had significant dental problems.

Proper dental care and oral health are often overlooked in the elderly, especially those who live in long-term residential care. The problem is compounded because most dentists are not equipped or trained to deal with the cognitive and physical impairments of the frail elderly.

The Geriatric Dentistry program addresses this by offering specialized on-site dental treatment, educating staff and residents on daily oral hygiene and conducting research into geriatric dentistry.

“Another important part of this program is that it encourages residents to develop personal skills and to take control of their oral health,” says Taj Bhaloo, leader of PHC’s Centre for Aging and Health. “Staff and families have told us stories of residents who are now able to eat solid foods, who experience less pain and have therefore been able to gain some much-needed weight.”

The program now serves Providence’s 700 long-term care residents as well as 300 residents in three other Vancouver Coastal Health residential facilities.

The Geriatric Dentistry Program is made possible with support from Vancouver Coastal Health and the St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation.

The Centre for Aging and Health promotes healthy aging through research, advocacy and partnerships, helping older adults achieve or maintain wellness in the community and in health care settings.

Restricted Access to St. Paul's Hospital's Underground Parkade

Due to the repaving of Burrard Street, access to and from St. Paul’s Hospital’s underground parking will be CLOSED from approximately 9 am to 12 noon on Wednesday, August 10.

There will be no access to or from the underground parking lot between approximately 9 a.m. and 12 noon on Wednesday Aug. 10. This means that you will not be able to enter or exit the parking lot during that time. (Cyclists are okay.)

For a map of alternative parking spots click below: www.providencehealthcare.org/info_stpauls_parking.html.

Comox Street and other sides streets will be closed a block on each side of Burrard. However, access will be maintained for all hospital traffic on Comox Street, including patient and staff drop-offs and pick-ups and the inter-hospital shuttle. Note that access to Comox will only be available from Thurlow St. The intersection with Burrard will be closed.

Traffic will also be disrupted on other days this week, as paving takes place north of SPH on August 9 and south of SPH on August 11. Burrard St. will have two lanes in each direction during most of the work, although fewer lanes while equipment in being moved. Expect delays and choose alternative routes if possible. Translink bus service will continue to operate on Burrard Street throughout the week.

The City of Vancouver thanks staff, physicians, patients and volunteers in advance for their cooperation and apologizes for any inconveniences this work may cause.

For more information:

Call the City’s Road Ahead Info Line at 604-873-7070 or visit their website at www.roadahead.ca. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this upcoming work, please contact Bruce Sashaw at 604-873-7746, or by e-mail at bruce.sashaw@vancouver.ca.

The New St. Vincent’s & Holy Family Health Care Foundation

It’s official - the foundations of St. Vincent’s and Holy Family Hospitals are announcing their amalgamation into a new organization - St. Vincent’s & Holy Family Health Care Foundation.

Following months of discussions, foundation directors reached a unanimous decision

in January 2005 to come together in support of seniors being cared for in Providence Health Care facilities - Holy Family Hospital, St. Vincent’s Hospital Langara, Brock Fahrni Pavilion and Youville Residence.

The creation of a new foundation means a renewed vision and commitment to patients and residents.

“Our commitment to seniors was always at the heart of our discussions,” explains Graeme Stamp, board chair of the new foundation. “We recognized that as one group, we could become much stronger, with a greater capacity to give back to the people who helped build and shape our communities during their lifetime.”

Over the years, donations to both foundations have supported an impressive list of initiatives including the purchase of specialized equipment, implementation of the Eden Alternative™, a program that strives to create enhanced social and physical environments for the elderly, and enhancements to living spaces that have helped improve quality of life.

The new foundation will strive to support innovative research on the process of aging through Providence Health Care’s Centre for Aging and Health, as well as provide financial resources to fund equipment, programs and services at each of the sites.

In addition, the foundation will also support the Providence’s Legacy Project by embarking on a capital campaign for redevelopment of St. Vincent’s Hospital - Heather site into a “Campus of Care”, and Holy Family Hospital's programs and eventual redevelopment.

For further information about St. Vincent’s & Holy Family Health Care Foundation, contact the Executive Director at (604) 877-3194.

PHC Laboratory Project Receives National Accolade

The Laboratory at St. Paul’s Hospital has been awarded the 3M Health Care Quality Team Award for Canada for an innovative project that has reduced operating costs by $500,000 a year and dramatically decreased turnaround times of test results.

This prominent health care industry accolade is awarded annually by the Canadian College of Health Service Executives to recognize successful, sustainable quality improvement projects that demonstrate high levels of innovation and outstanding teamwork. The winner had to exhibit considerable improvements in efficiency through a quality teamwork strategy, while improving the level of patient satisfaction.

In May 2004, representatives from Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics trained a team of five front-line laboratory workers in Lean Thinking Principles. The team applied these principles to streamline processes and improve efficiency in the lab. A major area of focus was on Chemistry and Hematology turnaround times. One of the significant changes resulting from the project is the adoption of a “first in, first out” practice. Instead of waiting to collect batches of inpatient specimens, individual specimens are sent immediately to the lab for analysis.

The project has yielded great results, with an 87 per cent drop in the time from blood collection to the time of arrival in the lab, and a 45 per cent decrease in turnaround time from blood collection to result reporting.

“This has resulted in us getting our lab tests back probably three-quarters to an hour sooner than we used to on some of our patients,” says Dr. Garry Nussbaumer of PHC’s Renal Program. “The patients wait a shorter period of time, we can intervene in a much more timely manner, and I think that because of that, you are reducing patient anxiety; they don’t have to wait as long for their test results.”

Dr. Nussbaumer explains how the results from the project extend beyond the walls of the laboratory.

“If I get a test result back sooner, and I know there is a problem, it helps all the other departments in the hospital. You can phone Diagnostic Imaging, Radiology, and say, ‘We need to do an ultrasound quickly,’ and if you’ve saved an hour of time, it just allows you to do things better.”

In the high-paced environment of the St. Paul’s Emergency Room, earlier tests results enable staff to treat patients faster.

“We actually are trying to see 56,000 patients in a very limited number of stretchers and chair spaces so it is very critical that we get people in and get people out and that we shorten our emergency department lengths of stay as much as possible,” says Dr. Grant Innes, Chair of the ER department. “Being able to reduce the length of stay by a seemingly small amount of time has tremendous benefits—especially for the patients waiting to be treated.”

PHC's Nurses in the Operating Room: Demanding Role, Rewarding Work

Whether it’s assisting a surgeon with a cesarean section or holding a patient’s hand before he or she is anesthetized for a transplant, the role of an OR nurse changes dramatically from day-to-day.

An OR nurse’s job consists of two roles: circulating nurse and scrub nurse. The scrub nurse sets up the sterile table of instruments and supplies, and passes instruments to the surgeon. The circulating nurse oversees and coordinates all the activities in the room. Both of these roles require a familiarity with anatomy and physiology as well as critical thinking skills.

Like their colleagues in other specialty areas, OR nurses are required to work within tight time constraints, anticipate the needs of the patient and the team, and respond to quickly changing situations. With the continual advent of new procedures and technology, OR nurses must be also be adaptable and keep up to date.

“Your learning and intuition really come into play during surgery,” says Coleen Newland, an OR nurse of 30 years. “You must be in-tune and aware of what’s going on around you and have to prioritize on your feet.”

To become an OR nurse at Providence, a nurse must have one to two years of nursing experience, and must have completed a perioperative nursing course. The PHC Perioperative Nursing Program is a six-month course that covers all surgical specialties except open heart. This program has been offered for many years, and is one of only three that are approved by the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada. Vancouver Coastal Health plans to offer a course based on PHC’s at other VCH hospitals in the near future. For OR nurses one of the most significant and gratifying aspects of their role is patient care.

“Many people think of OR nurses as just technicians, but first and foremost our role is to provide patient care,” says Sandy Grimwood, OR Clinical Nurse Leader. “I think what has the biggest impact on us is that we are the last people patients see before they go to sleep. When they are anesthetized they cannot speak for themselves, so we are their advocate.”

With the entire OR team working side-by-side in one room all day under the pressure of time constraints, teamwork and a sense of humour are vital. The strong teamwork is another reason OR nurses enjoy their work.

“You make great friendships in the OR,” says Newland. “You’ll find that nurses in the OR stay there forever because of the teamwork, challenges and patient contact.”

OR nurse, Tana Hurt agrees, “We love our jobs. It’s always challenging and interesting. Not a day goes by that I don’t learn something.”

Nursing Students Find Summer Employment at Providence Health Care

There will be some extra sets of hands this summer to help PHC nurses, thanks to a new program funded by the Ministry of Health that will be unrolled at Providence for the first time.

The Undergraduate Nurse Project, which was started at the University of Victoria in 2001, offers upper-level nursing students an employment opportunity in a health care setting. Providence has hired about 38 undergraduate nurses (UGNs) who will work at various PHC sites until September.

“The program will offer UGNs an opportunity to collaborate their knowledge and skills with experience, while providing them with a well-paying job to help offset their tuition costs,” says David MacDonald, Nurse Educator, PHC.

The undergraduate positions are supernumerary, which means that they will not be replacing or filling in for any other staff.

“We want to emphasize that UGN positions are over and above scheduled nursing staff,” says MacDonald. “They will not affect current staffing schedules.”

UGNs will be employees of Providence with a specific job description and won’t be regarded as students—unit nurses will not be expected to teach UGNs. Each UGN will function within their individual abilities and will not engage in activities beyond their competency.

Previous evaluations have shown that the project benefits nursing units, as well as patients and families because staff have more time to spend with patients. The program has also shown to be valuable for recruitment purposes.

“Results from other areas show that about 98 to 100 per cent of UGNs come back to the area they were employed,” says MacDonald. “In a time of nursing shortages this project is well worth it just to help retain and keep nurses in BC and Providence.”

MacDonald also points out that all of the UGNs who have been accepted for this summer’s project chose to come to Providence. One of the students is Katherine Gerry, who will be spending her summer working in Medicine at St. Paul’s.

“I really like the philosophy at Providence and the open and accepting environment,” says Gerry, who did some of her clinical experience at SPH. “I feel very comfortable and supported here and I like how Providence provides care for such a broad range of people.

“It’s pretty exciting to have summer work in the area I enjoy and hope to come back to St. Paul’s when I’ve graduated. I love the spirit here.”

For more information regarding the UGN project, please contact David MacDonald at
604-806-9261.

Catch the spirit at the Pacific Spirit Run!

Join us on Mother’s Day, May 8 for the 16th annual Pacific Spirit Run. St. Vincent’s and Holy Family Hospital Foundations are looking for teams to participate in one of the most popular fun runs of the Sun Run Series. Now is the time to get a group of friends, family members or co-workers together and hit the trails at UBC in support of seniors’ health care.

Go the distance on the 10km route or 5km route along natural trails or take a more leisurely pace on a paved 2.5 km route. A minimum of 10 entrants starts your team and there’s no upward limit.

Each team member receives a limited edition T-shirt, featuring the artwork of renowned First Nations Coast Salish artist Susan Point. Your company name and/or logo will be printed on the back. Collect pledges for your efforts and earn Pacific Spirit Run (PSR) points towards great prizes. Become the Team Captain and earn an additional 40 PSR points. Prizes will be awarded to the first place male and female runners and to the top two fundraisers.

To get your team registration kit, call Erika Smortchevsky at 604.877.3157. For more information on the Pacific Spirit Run, or to register online, visit the website at www.PacificSpiritRun.com

Providence Health Care researcher named one of Canada’s

Top 40 Under 40

(MAY 3, 2005)

A researcher at Vancouver’s Providence Health Care has been named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. The award was founded by executive search firm The Caldwell Partners to honour Canadians who have reached a significant level of success before age 40.

Dr. David Granville, 34, is a molecular and cellular biologist based at the James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research located at St. Paul’s Hospital, and an assistant professor in UBC’s Faculty of Medicine.

His current research focuses on understanding the biochemical basis of cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart attacks and heart transplant rejection.

Recently, Dr. Granville found that decreasing certain enzymes in the heart could reduce the impact of heart attacks by as much as 60 per cent. This discovery could lead to the development of new drugs to reduce the extent of organ damage caused by heart attacks, stroke and surgical procedures such as transplantation, balloon angioplasty and coronary bypass surgery.

A native of Port Coquitlam, BC, Dr. Granville graduated with a degree in molecular biology from Simon Fraser University in 1994.He then joined QLT Inc., where he was on the team of researchers that developed the light-activated drug Visudyne, now used to treat age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

Dr. Granville completed his PhD at UBC in 2001 and did his post-doctoral fellowship at the prestigious Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. Two years later, he returned to Vancouver to join iCAPTURE as a Canada Research Chair and Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar. ICAPTURE is devoted to understanding how environmental and genetic factors interact in the development of heart, lung and blood vessel diseases.

Dr. Granville has published 43 articles in academic journals and holds four patents. He has also devoted a great deal of energy to training students and post-doctoral fellows. He is an enthusiastic supporter of the SFU, UBC, and University of Victoria co-operative education programs.

Canada's Top 40 Under 40 program is designed to promote mentorship and professional development by introducing these leaders to the established business community and by promoting them as role models for young Canadians. The awards have been presented each year since 1995.

Nominations for the Top 40 program are solicited through a national campaign. Nominees must meet five criteria: vision and leadership, innovation and achievement, impact, growth and development strategy, and community involvement and contribution.

More information is available at www.top40award-canada.org.

Healthy Aging Seminar Series

St. Vincent's and Holy Family Hospital Foundations have launched the Spring 2005 session of their very popular Healthy Aging Seminar Series. The seminars focus on common issues facing today’s seniors. The spring series runs throughout the month of April 2005. Please call 604-877-3157 for more information.

All seminars are free of charge, open to the public and held at Van Dusen Gardens

(Floral Hall, 5251 Oak Street) in Vancouver. To register for a seminar please call
604-838-5585.

Seminar information:

Topic: Healthy Eating for Diabetes Management and Prevention
Date: Thursday April 21, 2005 (1:00 pm-2:30 pm)

Did you know that more than 2 Million Canadians have diabetes? By the time of the Olympics the number is expected to rise to 3 Million. Are you at risk?
Angela D'Avanti, Registered Dietitian from the Diabetes Teaching and Treatment Centre at St.Paul's Hospital will discuss risk factors and healthy eating to help manage or prevent diabetes.

Topic: Geriatric Dentistry
Date: Wednesday April 27, 2005 (1:00pm-2:30pm)

Ms. Leeann Donnelly RDH, BDSc, will discuss oral health and care for the older adult. Currently working in the Geriatric Dental Program, Ms. Donnelly is the Dental Hygiene Educator and a Registered Dental Hygienist. Topics that will be covered include common problems and diseases, preventative strategies, product knowledge, and how food can affect oral health.

Topic: Stroke - What’s a good outcome?
Date: Thursday April 28, 2005 - (1:00pm-2:30 p.m.)

What is a good outcome after a stroke? We would all want to make a full functional recovery, but how good is good enough? Let's talk about it. Dr. Elliott Weiss, rehabilitation medical specialist from Holy Family Hospital will facilitate a discussion on this very relevant and timely issue with survivors and their families and friends.

For information on the series please call 604-877-3157.

To register call
604-838-5585
or
email:
kwhitby@providencehealth.bc.ca

Innovative Program Tackles Shortage of Radiation Technologists

Hospitals worldwide are experiencing a shortage of radiation technologists and PHC is no exception.

Yet, while hospitals are desperately trying to fill positions, foreign trained technologists with years of experience are cleaning houses and working in factories. These are people who have immigrated to Canada with highly needed skills and knowledge but have not passed the examination that would allow them to and are unable to work as technologists.

Providence Health Care is teaming up with the Michener Institute of Toronto in a pilot program designed to help radiation technologists who have immigrated to Canada pass the national exam and find employment.

“We have a very serious shortage and we’ve had to become innovative in how we recruit and train technologists,” says Brenda Wainwright, Chief Paramedical Radiology at PHC. “This program allows us to put Providence’s Mission into action by helping others in our society.”

Nine students are participating in the trial. Three of them are currently working at Providence under the supervision of other technologists. Radiation technologists perform a variety of radiological procedures including x-rays, mammography, angiography and CT scans.

The registration process required by the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists involves a grueling exam and has an average pass rate of 20 per cent for those without training in Canada.

Brendan Corr, Program Manager at Michener, says that language, cultural differences and the format of the exam itself are all potential obstacles for passing the test. The program helps prepare them for the exam, refresh their study skills and teaches them what they need to know to pass the test.

“It is very frustrating and disheartening for them when they come to this country only to discover that even with all of their knowledge and talent they are still unable to practice in Canada and are forced to work in factories and other low-income jobs,” says Corr.

“The average person in this program has 12 to 14 years of post-graduate experience and within two to three days in the Canadian workplace they are fully functioning in the department. Our goal is to identify the barriers they face and eliminate them. We want to get them out of the factories and into the hospitals.”

The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences is the only post-secondary educational institution in Canada dedicated to the applied health sciences. To learn more about the institute and its programs visit http://www.michener.ca/.

Providence Health Care’s 2005 Research & Mission Award Winner

(MARCH 2005)

Dr. James C. Hogg is the inaugural winner of the Providence Health Care Research and Mission Award. This award was established to recognize a scientist in our organization who demonstrates the mission and values of Providence Health Care while conducting outstanding research.

Dr. Hogg is a principal Investigator in the iCAPTURE Centre at St. Paul's Hospital and holds the position of Professor Emeritus, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Hogg's contributions to the understanding of lung disease are immense and he has worked tirelessly and diligently to make research part of Providence Health Care. Dr. Hogg is probably the best known pulmonary pathologist in the world and continues to pursue an active research program at St. Paul's Hospital.

Biography of Dr. James Hogg

The Research and Mission award was presented at a research luncheon held on March 9, 2005 as part of UBC's Celebrate Research Week.

UBC's Celebrate Research Week

Every year UBC and its affiliated research hospitals organize special events during Celebrate Research Week to draw attention, both inside UBC and in the community at large, to outstanding research in all fields, and to generate an understanding and appreciation of the benefits - social, economic, educational - that the generation of new knowledge and understanding can bring to B.C. Many interesting and diverse events are held during Celebrate Research Week on the UBC campuses, research facilities and hospitals around Vancouver.

Providence Health Care was proud to present a free public forum on "New Breakthroughs in Transplantation" on March 8, 2005, in collaboration with Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and the BC Transplant Society.

For more information and for full event listings for UBC's Celebrate Research Week, visit www.research.ubc.ca

Celebrate Research!

(MARCH 5 – 12, 2005)

Health research changes lives and Providence Health Care is proud to participate in UBC Celebrate Research Week.

The goal of Celebrate Research Week is to draw attention, both inside UBC and in the community at large, to the outstanding research in all fields that is continually in progress, and to generate true understanding and appreciation of the benefits – social, economic, educational – that the generation of new knowledge and understanding can bring to the region, the province and the country. The Week comprises a great number of interesting and diverse events on the UBC campuses, research facilities and hospitals around Vancouver.

Providence Health Care is proud to present, in collaboration with Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and the BC Transplant Society, “New Breakthroughs in Transplantation” (click pdf) on Tuesday, March 8 2005 at 7:00 pm, St. Paul’s Hospital.

For more information and for full event listings for Celebrate Research Week, visit www.research.ubc.ca

Registration for all events is free of charge!

St. Vincent's Foundation presents:

The Third Annual British Columbia

Geriatrics Conference

“Best Clinical Practices” From Prevention to Palliation

On March 4, 2005 at the Vancouver Convention Center the topics for this conference include Depression, Rehabilitation, Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, Delirium, End of Life Care and updates on particular areas such as falls prevention. The focus on best clinical practices from prevention through to palliation will be of interest to health care professionals working in the geriatric health care field, whether in long term care, community, or acute care settings.

For more conference information, visit www.stvincentsfoundation.ca, or contact Erika Smortchevsky at 604-877-3157.

Download the program and registration form

New Program Encourages Patients to Stop Smoking Before Surgery
(February 2005)

Smokers recovering from surgery spend about three days longer in hospital and experience more complications and infections than do non-smoking patients. An innovative pilot program to be launched this fall aims to change that.

Providence Health Care and Vancouver Coastal Health are partnering to launch the Stop Smoking Before Your Surgery Program. Smokers currently waiting for surgery will be offered a full cessation program of information, nicotine replacement therapy, and counseling. The free behavioural and pharmacological interventions must begin at least eight weeks before their surgery to produce maximum results.

“Staying smoke free for eight weeks prior to surgery can reduce your risk of complications, help you heal faster and get you home sooner,” according to Dr. John Blatherwick, VCH’s Chief Medical Health Officer. “This program will give smokers the incentive they need to kick the habit, and the tools to ensure they quit successfully.”

The program is supported through grants from Health Canada and the BC Cancer Agency. Coordinators hope to enroll and track 200 patients over the next 18 months.

Tobacco related health care expenses are estimated at $1.25 billion annually in British Columbia, and continue to rise. More than 45,000 Canadians died of tobacco related causes in 2001. For more information about this FREE counseling program, please call (604) 714-5615.

Campaigns a Success for Foundations

(January 2005)

Record $1.41 million raised during 2004 Lights of Hope

Thanks in part to more than 400 individuals and companies that contributed a record $1.41 million during the recent Lights of Hope fundraising campaign, St. Paul’s Hospital will soon gain a new Cardiac Procedure Room.

The Cardiac Procedure Room is a gift from the community that will benefit BC patients for years to come. When the $2.9 million room is up and running later this year, it will allow patients who need specialized heart procedures like pacemakers, implantable defibrillators or electrophysiology (heart rhythm) procedures to be treated sooner, and, in some cases, shorten their stay in hospital.

The Lights of Hope display is made possible entirely by sponsors and volunteers. Presenting sponsors for 2004 are Varshney Capital Corp., the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation of Canada and National Bank Financial.

Planning is already underway for Lights of Hope 2005. If you or your company would like to take part, please call 604-682-8206 or e-mail jnorris@providencehealth.bc.ca

Angels continue to watch over seniors

Angels near and dear to St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation donated more than $70,000 to the 15th annual Angel Campaign in December 2004. A major fundraising initiative and much anticipated event among steadfast donors, the campaign raises funds to support seniors at St. Vincent’s Hospitals, (Brock Fahrni Pavilion and St. Vincent’s, Langara site), as well as Youville Residence. Funds raised will help purchase updated equipment such as electric beds, patient lifts and portable blood pressure machines, as well as some special projects - a patio garden area at Youville Residence and tranquility garden at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Langara site.

The Foundation will set its sights even higher in 2005 as they prepare for a capital fundraising campaign for the redevelopment of the St. Vincent’s Hospital, Heather site into a new Campus of Care for seniors’ care.

Heartfelt thanks to all donors for contributing generously to the 2004 Angel Campaign. For more information on the Campus of Care capital campaign or upcoming Foundation events for 2005, including the Spring Healthy Aging Seminars in April and the Pacific Spirit Run in May, call 604-877-3193.

B.C. Centre Findings Identify Causes of HIV Drug Resistance
(January 2005)

HIV drug resistance is predominantly caused by patients with high viral loads taking most, but not all, of their drug regimen on a consistent basis, reveals new findings made public by the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS at a New York City media conference.

“Our results suggest patients at most risk are those taking just enough medication to allow resistant virus mutations the opportunity to replicate, instead of reducing the viral load to levels so low it can’t replicate at all,” says Dr. Richard Harrigan, director of the Centre’s Research Labs. “In short, the results prove HIV drug regimens are nothing like a game of horseshoes – close is not good enough.”

In B.C., all anti-HIV medications are distributed at no cost to eligible HIV-infected individuals through the Centre’s Drug Treatment Program. People with HIV are prescribed a complicated combination of drugs – commonly referred to as triple-drug therapy -- to suppress the disease. Drug resistance occurs when HIV replicates and mutates to form a strain resistant to the drugs designed to fight it. Patients are then prescribed alternative combinations of drugs. Success, however, is never guaranteed. Drug-resistance is often cited as a significant barrier to long-term treatment efficacy and a major cause of overall treatment failure.

The Centre’s investigation into the causes of HIV drug resistance is the first based on a cohort, or ongoing study, of patients starting triple-drug therapy. Previous studies were based on short-term clinical trials or included patients who were drug-therapy experienced.

“The problem with clinical trials is they are short term, people drop out and some only study one or two drugs. In this study, we followed a large group of people beginning triple drug therapy for 30 months on a wide variety of drug regimens,” says Harrigan.

Harrigan presented the research findings at a New York media conference organized by the American Medical Association. The press conference spotlighted “HIV/AIDS: The Drug Resistance Epidemic.” Past AMA media events have attracted major media outlets such as CNN, NBC the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, and various freelance science and health journalists.

The Centre study, to be published by the international Journal of Infectious Diseases Feb. 1, followed more than 1,000 people who were beginning drug therapy over 30 months (1996-1999). Adherence to the medication regimen (measured by the number of filled prescriptions) had the greatest impact on drug resistance. Patients were divided into groups according to what percentage of their prescriptions they filled: 0 to 20%, 20 to 40%, 40 to 60 %, 60 to 80%, 80 to 90%, 90 to 95 percent and 95 percent or more. Patients who missed less than five per cent of their medications were least likely to develop resistance. However, those who took their medication 80 to 90% of the time were most likely to develop resistance. As well, those with a high HIV viral load (over 100,000 copies per millilitre) starting drug therapy were also more likely to develop resistance. At the end of the study period, 30% of the study group developed drug resistance. The average time to develop resistance for those affected was 8.3 months.

The study findings highlight the need to be more cautious of patients with high viral loads as well as find means to improve patient adherence, says Harrigan.

“We’re going to have to be a lot more vigilant both in terms of the drugs we give them and how they’re taking them,” says Harrigan. “We also have to continue to improve adherence through advancements in drugs. The good news is that we increasingly have more, and better, drugs – as well as a better understanding of how to give them. We are working to make taking them as simple as possible.”

The study outcome was never for certain, stresses Harrigan. In fact, the findings differ from those of a recent international study (“High levels of adherence do not prevent accumulation of HIV drug resistance mutations,” AIDS 2003, 17:1925-32) that concluded high levels of adherence does not prevent accumulation of drug-resistance mutations. However, the particular study included individuals with considerable prior drug therapy experience

While those who largely do not adhere to their drug regimen do not develop drug resistance, they do greatly increase the risk of dying. Last August, the Centre released a paper in the international Journal of Infectious Diseases that found 56% per cent of HIV-infected individuals in B.C. who used available drug treatment intermittently or discontinued it prematurely died of HIV-related causes.

Access to anti-HIV drugs is also key. A Centre study released in October 2003 revealed one third of people who died from HIV-related causes did not receive any life-saving treatment.