Summer 2011

A Smashing MRI Milestone

See the Wallsmashing YouTubewww.sghfoundation.org

It’s not often a sledgehammer plays a part inimproving healthcare. However, local dignitaries andhealthcare representatives put one to good useknocking down a wall to symbolically mark the startof construction of the new Magnetic ResonanceImaging (MRI) suite at the Huron Perth HealthcareAlliance Stratford Hospital site.

“It’s an important day, particularly for more than 3,100people each year from Huron and Perth Counties andthroughout our LHIN who will soon experienceshorter waiting times and a reduction in the time andexpense of travel for this crucial service,” statedAndrew Williams, HPHA Chief Executive Officer.

“The best healthcare is the healthcare closest to home,”said John Wilkinson, MPP Perth-Wellington. “The$800,000 per year to operate the new MRI reflects thecommitment our provincial government has to bring

the best healthcare even closer to our homes. This keyinvestment at Stratford General creates an evenstronger HPHA. The new MRI is attracting andretaining the talented healthcare professionals weneed and helping to reduce wait times even further.”

The Siemens MAGNETOM Aera MRI will bedelivered in early December from Germany withplans for the first patient to be scanned in January.

“Its ability to detect a wide variety of diseases andconditions at an early stage can be life-changing –even lifesaving – for patients,” says Jeff Kerk, HPHADirector of Medical Imaging. “The roominess of our 70cm ‘large bore’ MRI design will accommodate a largevariety of body sizes, shapes and conditions. And thesuper-short magnet allows many scans to becompleted with the patient’s head outside the bore –offering additional comfort.”

Andrew Williams, CEO HPHA; Dr. Anisa Mnyusiwalla, Radiologist; Hon. John Wilkinson, MPP Perth-Wellington

St. Marys Memorial Hospital has a long and proudhistory of caring for the people of our town andregion much as the people of St. Marys have caredfor the hospital. Over the years it has been thisstrong relationship that has allowed us to thrive.  With advances in technology and the developmentof specialized and sub-specialized services it oftenmeans we have to travel to large centers forinvestigations and treatment. For many this meanssignificant wait times, plus the difficulty andexpense of travel. The situation is about to improve.Most recently the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliancehas secured government approval for an MRI for theAlliance. It is because of the four site Alliance that wehave secured this advancement in care. It will belocated in Stratford and is a win for the entire region.MRI is an essential medical imaging tool. MRI can beused to investigate and diagnose a large number ofconditions and diseases – cancers, stroke, MS, sportsinjuries and joint/bone derangements for example.Early detection leads to more effective care, fewerinvasive procedures and better outcomes. It iscomplementary to other investigative tools and willimprove patient care.An MRI close by is a “win” for us all. Quick easy accesswith shorter waiting times will be one result. It willenhance our recruitment of ancillary specialized andsub-specialized services allowing us to do more closeto home.

Making a Real Impact...

Due to be installed in the late summer/early fall, there is a short time to raise the $3.8million for the MRI and construction.If you are interested about the preservation and advancement of health care locally weurge you to support this significant advancement. Support the town of St. Marys bysupporting the Alliance and our new MRI.

Dr. Peter HodesMilverton

I love the community where I work. It has acharacter all its own. Self sufficient andhardworking, it’s a place where neighbor stillhelps neighbor. With our rural setting, it’s also aplace where being a physician has its ownchallenges. Thankfully, when needed, my patientshave a modern, well-equipped hospital nearby. Infact, with its recent construction and newtechnology, Stratford General is as much as anydoctor could ask for to help provide the very bestcare for my patients when they need it most.In the past, any of my patients who required an MRI have generally faced longwaiting lists, along with the added difficulty of traveling – often to London orOwen Sound for a scan. That’s about to get easier. Stratford General has beenapproved to run an MRI. But it needs to raise about $3.8 million to purchasethe machine and for construction. With installation of the machine scheduledfor late summer/early fall, there isn’t much time to make that happen.An MRI isn’t something you’ll need every day, but it is the very best tool tohelp diagnose a number of diseases including some cancers. When we areable to diagnose problems early, it opens more options for treatment andbetter results for patients. Having an MRI in Stratford will also reduce thelengthy wait times and shorten the distance you need to travel to get an MRI. Let’s help Stratford General Hospital – and ourselves – by supporting thisimportant project in the spirit of neighbor helping neighbor that’s alwaysbeen so strong in our community.

Dr. Corey BirchMilverton

As a new physician in Milverton, I haven’t had achance to meet all of you yet. I’ll be taking overfrom Dr. Spiers in the months ahead, and lookforward to giving you the very best quality careI’m able.Choosing a community to serve is an importantdecision for recent graduates. There’s a lot ofcompetition between communities trying toattract physicians – and other caregivers.

Not only do young physicians look for the proper “fit” with acommunity, but we also weigh other factors, such as our access tospecialists and a well-equipped hospital to help us provide qualitycare. Seeing the recent $65 million redevelopment of StratfordGeneral Hospital, including the purchase of some $11 million worthof new tools and technology helped make that decision easier. An MRI coming to Stratford is even better news. It shows acommitment to staying on top of the ever-changing, constantlyimproving field of medical technology. It’s exactly the environmentthat attracts young physicians like me, and makes us able to ensureyou’ll continue to receive quality, compassionate care today andinto the future.Please support the Stratford General Hospital MRI Campaign witha generous gift.

Dr. J ScheidelSt. Marys Memorial Hospital

Dr. Charles GatfieldChief of StaffSt. Marys Memorial Hospital

Dr. B. Davis St. Marys Memorial Hospital

Making a Real Impact...MRI too Powerful to ResistMost people know that an MRI uses large,powerful magnets to produce the detailedimages so important to diagnosing disease andsaving lives.

But it’s also “magnetic” in another sense,attracting top notch physicians, radiologists andother healthcare professionals to our region.

That was certainly a factor for radiologist Dr.Anisa Mnyusiwalla and her husband anesthetistDr. Collan Simmons. When the two recentgraduates were looking for a place to settle downwith their two children, they weighed manyfactors…

Having grown up in Waterloo where she firstdiscovered her interest in medical imaging fromher father – also a radiologist – Dr. Mnyusiwallawanted to be close to home. Stratford’s friendlyatmosphere and culture were attractive, but evenmore important was the Redevelopment of the Stratfordhospital site which offered a brand new, beautifully designedworkplace for both Anisa and her husband.

Eventually, it became impossible to resist the appeal of a brandnew, well-equipped Medical Imaging Department and thepossibility of an MRI, says Dr. Mnyusiwalla. “When we learnedStratford was putting in a bid for an MRI, we were very hopeful.Such technology is certainly a factor for recruiting health careprofessionals – like our new radiologist who arrived in July.”

What is it about an MRI that’s so fascinating? Dr. Mnyusiwallasays that for her it’s a combination of intellectual stimulationand problem solving, combined with the opportunity to interactwith patients.

“Each x-ray, CT or MR Image is its own challenge. We look intothe human body, examine all the information and piece ittogether in a way that makes sense for a specific diagnosis ordisease,” she explains. “And with expertise you can really make abig difference in a patient’s health – like how detecting a youngwoman’s breast cancer can make a huge difference to her andher family.”

Breast cancer and abdominal imaging are a particular interest toDr. Mnyusiwalla, who did her medical/radiology training inToronto and a year-long fellowship at Harvard’s Brigham andWomen’s Hospital. She says the MRI will be a valuable tool tohelp detect and evaluate breast cancer for women who are athigh risk because of genetic disorders.

But it’s also indispensable for a wide range of other problems:neurology and spine imaging; liver, kidney and joint problems;

determining the extent of a stroke, and detecting cancer inmany parts of the body.

While CT scans continue to be the first choice for certainconditions, the MRI is a better tool for imaging soft tissues – likethe brain, nerves of the spine, or the ligaments of a knee – givingphysicians a whole different set of information.

“MRI has become more and more prevalent and it’s a wonderfultool for diagnosis, planning and monitoring many conditions. Itgives us excellent tissue contrast, so it helps us see things in away that often we can’t with a CT or ultrasound,” she explains.

While patients are typically concerned about radiation, the noiselevel, and the feeling of claustrophobia with MRI, those fears canbe reduced. The MRI is radiation-free and patients areencouraged to wear headphones while undergoing a scan.

“The large bore of our MRI also helps people who feelclaustrophobic as well as those with mobility issues,” she adds.“It provides a little more space for their comfort.”

The new MRI will be busy, predicts Dr. Mnyusiwalla. Funded for3,100 scans per year, the MRI will help address the significantwait times that have been experienced in the province, andreduce the time and expense of traveling to other centres – likeLondon and Owen Sound.

“It will provide timely, state-of-the-art care to our patients andcontinue to attract many physicians and other healthcareproviders to Stratford and area,” says Dr. Mnyusiwalla. “I hopethe people of Stratford and area recognize how important theMRI is to the care we provide, and support the project.”

Making a Real Impact... A Salute Avon Shrine Club Makes a Real Impact!A salute to Stratford-on-Avon Shrine Club for their$20,000 pledge to the MRI Campaign! We can never saythank you enough.

Front L to R: Wayne Smith, Dave Shearer, Doug Richardson (standing), Sandy McTavish - President,Bruce Davis – Treasurer. Back L to R: Steve Albasel, Ian Fraser, Jim Tubb, Fred Barnes.

It’s a goal!!!! A special thanks to the students from GW Soccer Schools

for their tremendous gift of $1,922.18 towards thepurchase of an MRI compatible wheelchair.

Back row left to right: Erica Nemeth, Sarah Nemeth, Ashley Vito, Coach Geordie Wilson, Carely Ethelson,

Zuzanna Bukala, Keara Flood and Georgia Sideris. Front row left to right: Faith Vito, Bryson Fain,

Brynley Vogt, Ethan Eckstein, Devin Fain and Alexander Bukala.

Royal Canadian Legion Br. 532 New Hamburgsupports the MRI with $5,000.

Standing L-R: Scott Barker (1st Vice President & PoppyChair), Jim Burns (MRI Steering Committee Chair).

Happy Birthday Kaylee!In celebration of her birthday, Kaylee Orr presented a gift of $525 to theMRI Make a Real Impact Campaign.

to Our Community’s Generosity!We can never say thank you enough to the Army,Navy and Air Force Veterans of Stratford Unit261 for their $10,000 donation to the MRI Campaign.

L-R: Sid Creek; Dennis Kelly; Bill Preston, H & SCampaign Co-chair; Shirley White; Tom Orr, H & SCampaign Co-chair; Sandy Kelly.

In the Spin….. A special thank you to the104 participants, all the volunteers, healthclubs and to organizers for a successfulPositive Spin raising some $16,000 for theMRI Campaign. A salute to the spinnerwith the highest pledge total – Dr. MiriamMann, and the highest pledge total team –“The Magnetic Personalities” – SGH Foun-dation Board Members and friends.

Honorable mention to Dr. Lynda Harkerfor 2nd highest pledge total. And a veryspecial thank you to Scott and JoyWishart – the driving force behind thewhole event!

A salute to the Brodhagen Chamber of Commercefor their generous gift of $500 to the Make a Real

Impact MRI campaign raised during their communityfundraising dances.

L to R: Don Beuermann, Andrea Page - SGHFExecutive Director, Ray Gloor – President,

Brodhagen Chamber of Commerce.Absent: Pauline Beuermann.

STRATFORD AND TAVISTOCKPHYSIOTHERAPY CENTRESare pleased to provide$1,000 to assist the HPHAprovide an MRI scan forresidents of Perth Countywith this donation made inthe name of area physicianson behalf of SPC. Partners Alison Gray andHans Dijk understand firsthand the benefits thecommunity will realize byhaving an MRI available forpatients at the StratfordGeneral Hospital. As localprivate practice physiothera-pists they know how an MRIscan will help confirmmusculoskeletal changes orinjuries that an x-ray cannotconfirm.

Festival City Rotary Club Kiwanis Club of Stratford

Your Support Makes the Difference! Each year thousands of patients are helped through thegenerosity of our donors. Open for just over a year, theHospital’s new wing – and other recently redeveloped serviceslike mental health, Maternal/Child (Pediatrics, Labor &Delivery), and Critical Care Unit (Intensive Care &Telemetry) – are now able to provide even better care foryou, your family and friends.

DID YOU KNOW?In the last year alone at Stratford General:• 1,183 babies were delivered

• 97 babies were treated in the Special Care Nursery

• 23,536 patients were seen in our Emergency Department

• 2,093 inpatient surgeries and 7,856 day surgeries wereperformed

• 379 children were treated as inpatients on pediatrics floor

• 489 Mental Health Inpatients were helped

• 1192 patients were treated in ICU and Telemetry Unit

• 26,508 x-rays were taken and 11,139 CT scans were performed

• 13,851 ultrasound exams, 3,327 nuclear medicine exams,and 617 echo cardio exams were performed

• 2,411 mammography exams and 2,388 Ontario BreastScreening Program (OBSP) exams were performed.

First Anniversary New North Wing

A salute to the Kiwanis Club of Stratford for theirtremendous sponsorship of the New Emergency Dept Fracture/Orthopedics room. We can never say thank you enough!!!

Standing L-R: Andrew Williams (CEO, HPHA), Carl Thomson,Andrea Page (Executive Director, SGH Foundation), Jack Ross,Peter Switzer. Seated L-R: Gerald Cook, Barb Muir (President),Shelley Des Cotes (Lt. Governor, Division 5 Black Walnut),Jane Killer.

Festival City Rotary Club completes their $15,000 pledge toname the New Emergency depts Gynecology /women’s healthroom. Their support has a tremendous impact on ensuringprivacy and dignity for women’s medical issues.

Standing L-R: Kent Chisholm (President), Bill Preston (Heart &Soul Campaign Co-chair).

It’s a wonderful combination of new facilitiesand the latest technology that’s keeping oursurgeons on the “cutting edge” – courtesy ofStratford General’s Redevelopment project andthe vital support shown by donors to the Heart& Soul Campaign.

The new Surgical Services Unit is big, clean and bright, and a vastimprovement in many ways, according to Donnalene Tuer-Hodes, ChiefNursing Executive and Program Director of Surgery.

“I want to assure the donors that we’ve spent very wisely and gottenreal value for every dollar,” says Donnalene. “I can’t think of onenegative thing to say about it…it’s such a quality place.”

“Patients have far more private space and there’s also space for a familymember to sit by the bed if that’s required. And when a physician orother healthcare provider comes to talk to a patient or family, it’s private;the person in the next bed isn’t hearing it. So privacy and confidentialityare much improved,” explains Donnalene.

That extra space between patient beds is also important in terms ofinfection control with less chance of transferring infection from onepatient to another or to an outside unit. Other infection control measuresinclude isolation rooms and separate “clean” and “dirty/soiled”elevators leading to the Central Processing Department (CPD) wherescopes and surgical equipment are sterilized.

Patient flow within the department – and to other departments such asEmergency and Medical Imaging – has also improved with closeproximity and easy patient elevator access.

The additions of a quiet room and a lounge – shared by nursing andmedical staff – have helped decrease job-related stress, buildcamaraderie and foster a more collegial atmosphere within the depart-ment. More private office space for more people has also increasedproductivity and privacy, says Donnalene.

“It’s a much more pleasant environment, and I think that has a positiveeffect on both patients and staff,” she says.

Add to this enhancements such as the 6 new Operating Rooms, anEndoscopy Room, and a much larger and more private Day Surgery/Recovery area, and it’s easy to see why the new unit receives such ravereviews.

But it’s not just “new space” which sets the new Surgical Services Unitapart, it’s also new technology – some $2.7 million worth of “cuttingedge” technology to be precise.

That includes touch screen and voice command equipment that’s up offthe operating room floor. Much of it can be programmed to meet eachindividual surgeon’s preferences.

Equipment at the patients’ bedside – such as electronic charting and vitalsigns monitors is also directly impacting care. Wi-Fi phones for eachpatient provide a direct link to their nurse, improving communication

Surgical Services on CuttingEdge thanks to Donors

and care. Hospital equipment has alsobeen standardized, simplifying itsoperation for staff and providing aneven safer environment for patients,says Donnalene.

As with other areas of the hospitalinvolved in the Redevelopment projectof last year, Surgical Services has seena positive change in recruitment andretention – it’s ability to attract andkeep top-notch healthcare providers.

“On the nursing side we now have afile with a lot of people who wouldlike to come and work here. That’s abig change from the past,” saysDonnalene. “We’ve also attracted anew ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat)surgeon and some new anesthetists.It’s the new environment and technol-ogy we have that’s attracting them.”

Volunteers are also playing anenhanced role in the new SurgicalServices Unit. Not only do they helpensure patients find their way to thechange rooms and their assigned beds,but volunteers also act as an essentialcommunications link between patientsand their family members in the wait-ing room – updating families on theprogress of their loved ones.

“We’ve got more volunteers than weever had and we’ve got a reallyvaluable role for them to play,” saysDonnalene.

And when it comes to “valuable roles”Donnalene is quick to give praise tothe generous community that madethe new Surgical Services Unit and itsnew technology possible.

“Thanks to our supporters our com-munity can be assured that we havethe equipment and facilities to servethem if they – or one of their familymembers – need us,” says Donnalene.“Hopefully people will continuegiving in support of the MRI – anotherpiece of equipment that is very muchneeded.”

“Our donors are the most generous people I’veever known,” says Bonnie Royal, Site Adminis-trator, Clinton and Seaforth and HPHA’s Pro-gram Director, Maternal Child.

“This unit reflects the generosity of the commu-nity and their understanding of our needs,” she says of those who sup-ported Stratford’s Mat/Child Department through the Heart & SoulCampaign. “They understand that it could be their children, grandchil-dren, their nieces or nephews who are coming into this unit. They’veshown a strong commitment to ensuring we have what we need to doour jobs.”

That generosity has had a major impact on the care our hospital can pro-vide to its youngest patients – both in Labor and Delivery and Pediatricssays Bonnie. While the new Mat/Child department was constructed just13 years ago, it received a significant upgrade during last year’s Rede-velopment project with a whole new Pediatrics department and an ex-pansion of the existing Labor and Delivery (obstetrical) facilities.

Quiet, peaceful and designed with sick children in mind, the new Pedi-atrics unit also boasts a 4-bed day surgery unit used for tonsillectomies,other minor operations and certain x-ray procedures; plus it can be usedas an overflow unit during times when patient numbers peak.

Additions such as the Pediatrics unit’s negative pressure rooms are de-signed to filter the air so that viruses – like chicken pox – aren’t spreadfrom patient to patient. And the new nursing substation area, sponsoredby RBC Foundation, is ideally locatedto keep a close eye on patients whileproviding an ideal setting for physi-cians and nurses to consult and planthe course of treatment for each child.

“The new Pediatrics unit is beautiful.It’s patient friendly and family cen-tered,” explains Bonnie. “We encour-age a parent to play an active role inthe care of a child – spending the nightif they can. It’s more comforting forthe patient, and now we’ve got theroom to do it.”

While Mat/Child’s Labor and Deliv-ery (obstetrics) unit is now 13 yearsold, it’s still state-of-the-art, says Bon-nie, and continues to attract an ever-increasing number of moms who wantto give birth in a place dedicated totheir comfort, safety, and to bringing

Donors “Deliver” on new Maternal Child Unit

each child into a warm, welcoming en-vironment.

Last year’s Redevelopment project alsoenhanced the unit with an increasefrom 7 to 8 labor and delivery rooms,an increase from 8 to 11 post partumrooms for moms recovering frombirthing, and the addition of a thirdtriage bed where moms can be as-sessed and monitored prior to thebaby’s arrival.

A pediatric on-call suite was added –again through the generous support ofdonors – and a quiet room and a wait-ing room were built for the comfort,privacy and inclusion of family mem-bers in what’s most often a joyous oc-casion.

“We’re amazingly happy with ourunit,” says Bonnie. “It’s beautiful andfunctional; and my hat goes off to oursupporters…they give us the tools weneed to provide care for our patients,and it’s much appreciated.”

Stratford General’s new EmergencyDepartment is a busy place. In fact, since thegrand opening of the Hospital’s new wing lastyear, some 25,000 patients from Stratford andbeyond have received care in the beautiful newdepartment – experiencing first-hand the

impact community support can have on their healthcare.

And while not every patient fully appreciates the key role played bydonors, few can fail to be impressed with the new facility – both for itsfunctionality and plain good looks.

“Most patients notice the sheer beauty of the department,” explainsDr. Miriam Mann. “But I especially like the layout. Nearly everypatient bed is in sight line of the nursing station, allowing for muchbetter monitoring of patients.”

Patient care has been enhanced with the addition of specialized roomsfor pediatric patients, gynecology patients, and even isolation rooms forpatients that may be infectious. Two dedicated trauma rooms areequipped for the most serious emergencies and a new triage areaprovides an extra degree of privacy and comfort for patients beingassessed upon arrival.

“The new department is also acoustically quiet. It can get very busy,but you don’t get the sense of it being chaotic,” explains Dr. Mann.“And it’s far easier for everyone to work in an environment that feelscontrolled.”

The new design has also preserved the Emergency Department’s closeproximity to other key departments, from Medical Imaging toOperating Rooms and the Critical Care Unit – essential for improvedpatient flow and optimum care. Other expertise has been “imported”into the ER to improve care, including an increased “crisis presence” sothat many patients experiencing mental health issues can be assessedface-to-face by a crisis worker even prior to physician assessment.

And the impact of new equipment and technology is also being felt.“Everything’s new – new monitors, new carts, new stretchers that canbe pumped up or lowered down…even thicker mattresses that arewider and deeper,” says Dr. Mann.

But some of the more interesting changes occurring in the last year havebeen a marriage of new technology and new approaches to existingchallenges. For example, when a patient feels too ill to sit in triage,Computers on Wheels (COWs) can be moved to the patient to simplifythe triage and registration process. COWs are also giving ERphysicians bedside access to PACS (Picture Archiving CommunicationSystem) images, taking the technology to the patient.

A similar philosophy can be seen with the recent addition of problem-specific carts. Purchased affordably from a local supplier, these cartscontain all the supplies needed for a particular procedure – be it asuture cart, an airway cart, catheter cart or a cart specifically equippedfor eye, ear, nose and throat procedures. This way the equipment can be

Donors are a good friend to have in an “Emergency”

taken directly to the patient instead ofmoving the patient unnecessarily.

“One of my favorite recent additions isthe computerized tracking board. Allregistered ER patients are identifiedby what room they’re in, their triagelevel, diagnosis, status, and their labtests. We also have access to previousinvestigations and consults as well asprevious lab results,” explains Dr.Mann.

She says it’s invaluable incommunication between physiciansespecially during shift changes, andthe additional access to a patient’smedical history is a tremendous asset.“I know I’m providing better care justbecause I’m able to use the trackingboard to follow my patients’progress,” explains Dr. Mann.

As with other parts of the redevelopedhospital, Dr. Mann sees the recruit-ment and retention value of the new,well-equipped EmergencyDepartment. “I’ve toured a number ofphysicians through whose commentshave been extremely positive,” saysDr. Mann. “We’ve also got a strongcore of young, enthusiastic nurses.That alone helps attract other young,enthusiastic nurses, but the newfacilities and equipment is certainly adraw.”

As both Chief of the EmergencyDepartment and a long timeFoundation Board Member, Dr. Mannis in a unique position to understandthe impact of a generous community.“The one issue that continually topsthe list for people is healthcare. That’sa belief our community shares, andthey’ve demonstrated it by donatinggenerously to this hospital,” she says.“It’s important that they get themessage that we appreciate it; weknow we couldn’t have built itwithout them and their ongoingsupport.”

From the bright, new, spaciousfacilities to the soon-to-comeMRI, donor support is helping torevolutionize Medical Imaging –giving patients quicker, easieraccess to potentially life-savingstate-of-the-art equipment, andthe experts who know how touse it.

According to Jeff Kerk, Program Director of MedicalImaging, the impact of donors is very simple…“They’ve given us the tools we lacked to do the job.Those tools put us at the forefront of technology, andwe need that technology to recruit technologists,physicians, and to provide the very best of care.”

And when it comes to recruiting experts, Jeff knows ofwhat he speaks. “A year and a half ago, I was offeredthe chance to come to a brand new hospital, with brandnew equipment and start from scratch,” he explains.“No one gets to do that! So naturally, I jumped at theopportunity.”

Redevelopment, along with the promise of an MRI, hashad a similar impact on the recruitment of Radiolo-gists. Several years ago the Hospital only had oneradiologist, coping with a huge workload. Now, thereare four in place including the most recent additions ofDr. Sparrow and Dr. Mnyusiwalla who bring specificexpertise in breast imaging.

“These radiologists are much in demand. They couldgo anywhere, but they chose to come to Stratford,because we have the same, if not better technologythan the large urban centres,” explains Jeff.

That technology includes many donor-funded itemslike the Picture Archiving Communication System(PACS), Stratford’s state-of-the-art Mammographyequipment, CT Scanner, and the upcoming MRI whichis scheduled to be installed in the Fall.

The impact of the MRI will be considerable, providingsome 3,100 scans per year to start. That means reducingthe time and expense of traveling primarily to Londonor Owen Sound, and a significant reduction in the waittimes experienced by patients.

“I recognize MRI for what it is – the single mostimportant piece of diagnostic equipment in a modernday acute care hospital,” says Jeff. “But even before weget the MRI, we’ve got some of the very best imagingequipment available anywhere right here in Stratford.

Our mammography machine for example – there’s nobetter machine on the market and we have upgradeswe can use to keep it the best of the best.”

But it’s often the simpler improvements resulting fromRedevelopment that patients notice. That includes theroomier change rooms with easy access for patientswith mobility issues and the bright, spacious waitingarea with its high ceilings and increased emphasis onpatient privacy.

“We have the capacity to register more people, to getthem to their procedure and on their way quickerthan before,” says Jeff.

The proximity of the new Imaging Department to othercore services – whether it’s the Emergency Departmentor the Operating Rooms, means patient flow within thehospital is much improved. And new technologiessuch as portable Computers On Wheels, or COWs, areallowing a physician at a patient’s bedside inEmergency quick and easy access to PACs x-ray,ultrasound or CT Images.

Even the internal “pod” design of the department,where similar imaging activities are grouped together,helps enhance care and achieve consistent quality.“Now you have the x-ray people working together as ateam, the CT people together, and Mammographyworking together in their own pod,” explains Jeff.“It’s much easier for those team members to workcollaboratively to enhance patient care.”

“We’re at a time and place where excellent facilities,state-of-the-art technology and highly talentedphysicians intersect,” says Jeff. “It’s truly exciting forstaff and patients, and it wouldn’t be possible withoutthe support shown by so many.”

Donors put Stratford’s Medical ImagingDepartment at Forefront of Technology

Thank You to the Volunteers of SGH for theircommitment to the health of the community

Zonta Club of Stratford memberstour new Breast Health Centre

Thank you to Zonta Club members for their $5,000 sponsorshipof the new Breast Health Centre’s multiple privacy curtainsensuring patient privacy and dignity throughout. From theDigital Mammography suite, club members view the impact oftheir gift. L-R: Anne-Marie Tymec, Tina Grasby, Deb Moon – RNOBSP, Catherine Hardman, Doreen Myers.

Heart and Soul Campaign Co-chair Tom Orr accepts a BigCheque from Patricia Million, Volunteers of StratfordGeneral Hospital at the Foundation’s AGM, June 7, 2011.The $100,000 cheque represents a $90,000 pledge payment onDigital Mammography Machine and the purchase of twotransport stretchers for $10,000.

If ever there was a doubt that a bright,spacious, well-designed facility could havean impact on a person’s mental health, youhaven’t seen the new inpatient mentalhealth unit at Stratford General Hospital.

Open for a year, the difference between theold crowded unit and the new is “like nightand day” says Penny Cardno, Program Director ofMental Health.

“Of course we saw the blueprints ahead of time andhad significant input into the design process, but that’shard for many people to visualize,” says Penny. “Oncewe saw the colours, once we saw the space, once wesaw the areas designed to give more privacy…it’s justastounding what a difference a new unit can make.”

Penny recognizes the tremendous impact donors havemade – particularly the Stratford Rotary Club – which“named” the new unit. That impact was greater than

just financial says Penny. “Rotary is a big name – asignificant body. We knew the qualities and values ofthe organization, and the fact they’d support the newmental health unit was very meaningful to us and anassurance that our unit would be state-of-the-art.”

Clients and their families have certainly seen adifference. Visitors were often afraid to visit in the oldunit. It was crowded and offered little privacy. “Peoplenotice the different atmosphere – the sense of hope andthe feeling that everything is going to be okay. They seethat there’s a private place where they can visit; they

New MentalHealth UnitMakes A Difference

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10TH Annual 24-Hour Charity Marathon of Squash Committee members from throughout the years!

Front row L-R: Tim Connor, Lynn Knight, Terri Griffith, Rebecca Liotta, Bill Malmo, Derwyn Rokeby-Thomas. Back row L-R: Sue Armstrong, Bonnie McNeal, Bob Myers, Stacey Wilson, Karen Scales, John DeGraauw, Dave Lee.

A special thank you is extended for the time, effort and dedication of the organizers who made this event possible:Dave Lee, Sue Armstrong, Andrew Bradshaw, Bob Myers, Derwyn Rokeby-Thomas, Rebecca Liotta, Stacey Wilsonand Connie Phillips and the Stratford Country Club for their donation of the facilities.

Over the 10 years, $ 277,700 has been raised to “Squash” cancer!

notice the fact that the door is open, and they sensethat it’s a safe place…and a beautiful facility,” explainsPenny. “The stigma is much reduced.”

The new unit has also had a positive effect on staff –both in terms of morale and ability to recruit and retaintalented professionals. Seven new staff have been hiredsince the unit opened and there are often calls fromother facilities seeking input or tours of the new unit.That has been a real “shot in the arm” for staff.

However, the most significant impact is on the clientsthemselves – particularly the acutely mentally ill. Saferooms in the psychiatric intensive care area mean thesepatients can receive the care they need with a degree ofprivacy and separation from others. “The environmentwe’ve created has such a positive impact,” says Penny.

And that impact is being felt far beyond the hospital’swalls. Through strong linkages with community part-ners and embracing new technologies like OTN (On-tario Telemedicine Network) telepsychiatry, the unit’sexpertise and the facility itself are playing a far moreactive role in mental health throughout the region.

“We’re seeing even stronger linkages with our commu-nity partners as a result of hospital redevelopment,”says Penny.

What challenges lie ahead? Certainly the lack of child-adolescent mental health beds is a recognized gap inservice. But perhaps the biggest long term challenge isgoing to result from our aging population. “We knowour psycho-geriatric needs are going to increase withchallenges such as early onset Alzheimer’s and demen-tia,” says Penny. “Thankfully, there are communitygroups that can help with this, but our unit must alsobe prepared for the future needs of the frail, elderly,psycho-geriatric population.”

Continued support from the community can help thathappen, says Penny. “When you see the impact donorshave already had on our team and our clients, I justcan’t thank them enough.”

New Mental Health Unit Makes Astounding Difference ...continued

In memory of ... The Stratford General Hospital Foundation is grateful to the family members and friends whohave made memorial donations from October 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 in memory of ...Ruby AchesonAgnes AdamsMarjorie AitchesonRoss AlcockAnne AndersonElva AyerHoward BallantyneEarl BalsdonRaymond BartC W Laverne BaumbachCora M. BeehlerBentley BeitzDebbie BenderElva V BenderTracy BenderAnita BilloHenry BilokryliMargaret V. BirdGladys BlackwellBessie E. BlairJune BlanchMary Lynn BondiJason BousquetAlbert BowmanGerald BoydKitty BroughtonGenevieve BrownErnest L. BuhrowWilli BundAidan J. ButlerJim ButlerLynn BuxtonViola ByrickClaire CameronJames CampbellWinnifred CampionHazel CarterAdeline CaslickMiriam ChallinorNicole ChapmanJoyce ChessellPatricia ClarkeEmily CockayneGwen CollinsVerna ConeybeareArthur CookLloyd E. CookBrett CoulterKathleen CuerdenTony CullitonDave CzajkowskiEdna C. DahmsIsobel DavidsonBryon DavisDavid DavisRobert DawsonDorothy E. DellowMary DellowAlice DennisonJoan DicksonElisabeth DingmanDonald DohertyBrian DoubleHazel DownhamVera Dunseith

Nellie EckertBruce EdwardsMarna EhgoetzShirley EhgoetzRobert R. ElliottShirley FairlesAlvin FaulhaferOleva FaulhaferVera FehrmanMichael FitzgeraldJoan FlanaganJean FloodCaymbree FlynnJohn FrancisLudwiga FuhryDon GarnerMarion GatenbyHelene GatscheneGladys GaulIrva GermanMurdean T. GledhillVera M. GolightlyWilliam E GorvettRuby GreenWilfrid P GregoryNicholas GroenestegeBruce HallidayEarl HarloffDorothy HarmerGeorge HarmerJack HearnJohn HeimpelOlive HeimpelJean HendersonStewart HendersonMabel HenryShirley HenryWilbert HermanDon HesseGordon HockingInez HoffmanFlora HooeyEd HoustonDoreen HutchinsonCatherine HutchisonFrank IacobellisMarjorie IngramClara “Arlene” InnesM “Danny” InnesShirley IrwinLloyd JacklinAda Mae JohnstonBetty Anne JonesRobert H JonesJohn H JutziFrank KearseyMyrtle KellyJack KendryGerry KestleMarlis KoehlerClaus KoeppeMaria KuindersmaDon LarkworthyJoyce LaRocqueHazel Leasa

Audrey LeboldBarbara LeeEd LeSouderLee LittelA J MacDonaldBarbara Anne MarquetteLen MartinDorothy MasonJohn MasonRosemary MasonBill MasselWilliam (Bill) McLaughlinMary McMillanEvelyn McNeilLloyd McPhersonJim McRaeDouwe “Duke” MeindersmaEmily M MiddletonIvan MiddletonJane MillarJames MillerBeth MillsAileen E MitchellLeila M. MoffattOrpha MohrmannJames MorrisRonald MorrisAdelle MuellerMuriel MulhollandMargaret MurrLillian MyersCharyn NageliesenShirley NelsonPaul NemethDoris OdbertElda OliverWilfred H OmanJulie O’RourkeDallas PartridgeMargaret PaulCarl PautlerMildred PhillipsJamie Prud’HommeKay QuippRuth RatzBarbara RaynerTeresa ReevesBetty ReidKathe RiedelMamie RoadhouseWilliam H RobinsonJohn RockCaroline RockeyDonald RolphMarie RoppelCarol RoseCourtney Ross CunninghamCephas RothEd RothAlbert RubyTheresa RueversAnita RufLeyla Sbai-TarqiFern SchadeEdith J. E. Schaus

Margaret ScheererMabel SchellenbergerRalph E. SchellenbergerStanley SchellenbergerGerry SchmekiesDoris SchmidtLois SchmidtMartha SchneiderRuth SchulerMarion ScottViolet ScottJohn ScrimgeourRoy SearthAudrey ShearnJoseph ShilloloKen ShineLloyd SiemonMrs. SingyArnold SiroenMiet SkowronskiJessie F SlichterDoreen Small-TroyerGerald SmithHelen SmithIda SmytheBetty SparlingHarry SparlingMahlon SteinmanMargaret StoskopfRobert StovelleLynn StrugnellFlorence StubbingsJohn Stephen TatrallyaySara Mandy TetlowLinda ThompsonKeith ToltonMildred TownsendHolger TrieselmannHazel TuerEffa UrbanBernice Van HerwynenRobert “Harry” VanKeurenAspen vanWalravenAndy VerhoeveCornelius VinkMyrtle WalshShirley WalshCecil WarrenRussell WarrisGeorge WeberMarie WeitzelJoan WhiteEileen WildgustArlene F. WilhelmJean WillemsenAlan M. WilliamsDavid B. WrightDoris YantziKen YeandleRobert J. YoungWalter YungblutMercedez Zvntiga

A S a l u t e t o O u r D o n o r s !We can never say thank you enough tothe Township of Perth South We can never say thank you enough to theTownship of Perth for their gift of $242,746to the Heart & Soul Campaign! Presenting a plaque in recognition of theircompleted pledge, L to R: Andrea Page -SGHF Executive Director, Debbie Reece -SGHF Board Chair, Robert Wilhelm - MayorTownship of Perth South, Tim Ivanyshyn -CAO/Clerk Township of Perth South,Andrew Williams CEO – HPHA

A Perfect day for the Perth CountyFlying Club Breakfast

The Perth County Flying Club AnnualFly-In Breakfast at the Stratford

Municipal Airport was a great successwith over 450 people flying and driving

in to participate. A special thanks toall the organizers for their

tremendous support. Breakfast donations and the silent

auction raised a total of $4,900 towardsthe MRI Campaign. This yearly event

makes a great difference to ourcommunity and our hospital!!!

Two Hockey fans….Gord Smith wanted to make a differenceat the hospital which has made adifference to his family’s life by givingback in a unique way. His gift of a limitedartist’s proof of Blue Sky~White Snow –Toronto Maple Leafs Eighty Years ofHockey by Gary Martin McLaughlin withan estimated value of some $10,000 willbe raffled off to support the MRI campaignand local hockey. Access to an MRI isimportant to the local hockey community –diagnosing the extent of injury.L to R: Gord Smith and Andrew WilliamsCEO – HPHA

T h a n k Yo u f o r C a r i n g !Beacon Herald Tops Headlineswith $60,000 contribution.Shown presenting a major campaign donation on behalf oftheir fellow Beacon Herald staffmembers are, front row, from left,Barb Boyne, John Kastner, Leigh McCann, publisher Dave Carter,Foundation executive director Andrea Page, Kim Switzer, BrianShypula and Janice Humphrey and,back row, from left, Craig Arbogast,Kyle Neumeister, Colleen Smith,Nancy MacCormick, Laura Cudworth, Christine Schwartzentruber, Sarah Otto, Angela Bast, Donal O’Connor, BertComley, Mike Savage, Lida Machan,Nancy Culliton and Diana Loveless.

The Stratford Concert Choir hits high notewith a total of $3,000 to Heart & Soul.

Back L to R: Mary Lou Kingham, Miriam Lekx,Andrea Page – SGHF Executive Director,

Nadia Leininger, Irene Moore.Holding cheque L to R: John Shaw – SCC Vice

President, John Lekx – SCC President.

Lasting Legacy in memory of John Heyink– with dedication of a negative pressureemergency room.L-R: Jim LeSouder–RN, Stuart de Vries,Rita de Vries, (sister) and Dr. Doug Thompson.

The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Annual General Meeting was held in June.The following is an excerpt from the 2010-2011 AGM Annual Report at a GlancePublication distributed at the AGM. We hope it helps keep you informed ofwhat’s happening with our hospital, the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance andsome of the changes that are occurring system wide.

Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Board Chair Leslie Showers, Chief ExecutiveOfficer Andrew Williams and Chief of Staff Dr. Laurel Moore provide this as-sessment of the year past, and a glimpse of the year ahead.

HPHA Highlights ~ Annual Report

Q: HPHA has been in existence now for eight years. How isthe Alliance working as a system?

A: Leslie Showers:We work very well as an alliance. We’reseeing more cooperation and teamwork all the time – to thebenefit of our patients and communities. Staff are able to gofrom site to site to work, and the Board continues to be veryfocused and cohesive in the way we work. There’s far moreinteraction and communication between physicians across thesites and patients are more easily moved to the appropriatelocations. People have also witnessed the benefits of belong-ing, particularly in areas such as improved physician referralpatterns and access to specialists. Our Board and everycommittee continue to strengthen the Alliance. To do this weare focusing specifically on service integration between thesites as well as looking at how the HPHA can strengthen tieswith other healthcare partners across the region.Q: Have you seen any changes in recruitment and reten-tion patterns?

A: Dr. Laurel Moore: Overall we’re doing very well withrecruitment and retention, but it’s an ongoing focus. Currently,St. Marys, Seaforth and Stratford are quite stable in terms ofspecialists and family physicians. It has been much easier torecruit physicians with the fabulous new facility and state-of-the-art equipment at our Stratford site. For example, in thepast it’s been a huge challenge to recruit anesthetists. Sinceredevelopment, it’s not an issue; we have people knocking atour door. It also helps with recruitment across all sites…aphysician immediately has access to specialists they wouldn’tnormally have in a stand-alone hospital.Twenty-three newdoctors have joined our region’s medical community over thepast two years. Having said that, we do have significant needfor family physicians in Clinton right now. We need to con-tinue to be aggressive in our strategy to fill these positions –offering a flexible work environment including the ability towork without barriers at four different sites. That appeals topeople who need variety and it’s one of our strengths.Q: How are we doing on wait times?

A: Andrew Williams:Any wait time is a concern for theHPHA and we are committed to continuing to provide timelyaccess to needed services. We were recently profiled provin-cially for the success we’ve had in reducing our wait times forknee replacements. It is very gratifying to see that the initialfocus on reducing wait times for hip & knee replacements,cataracts, CT, MRI, selected cancer surgeries and some EarNose & Throat procedures is starting to take hold throughoutthe system. We are now starting to concentrate on otheraspects of the “wait” – not just the time between seeing anorthopedic surgeon and the operation for example, but also onthe time between seeing your family physician and getting tosee the orthopedic surgeon for an assessment. So the focus onwaits is going to the system level.Q: Are quality care and patient safety still paramount?

A: Leslie Showers:Maintaining safe, high quality services intothe future is the number one priority of the Alliance. A main

area of concentration over the last 12 months has been thegovernment of Ontario’s new Excellent Care for All Act whichreally elevates the focus on quality and safety in hospitals,including outlining the Board’s role. The Act mandates theestablishment of quality committees – which we’ve had inplace for years – and requires the publication of annual qualityimprovement plans. Starting next year the plans mustincorporate survey feedback from staff and physicians. We’renow also required to have much more discussion when majorincidents occur and are also required to publish a PatientDeclaration of Values. It’s good to see the emphasis on safetyand high quality healthcare, which is a cornerstone of thisorganization.Q: Are some of the new technologies helping you to de-liver that safe, quality care despite the pressures of anaging population and funding challenges?

A: Dr. Laurel Moore:Absolutely. New procedures like CTcolonography, technology such as speech recognition softwareand the new patient tracking systems in our Emergencydepartments all help deliver quality care. The OR surgicalsafety check list and the upcoming pharmacy automated drugdispensing cabinets for all sites are other examples. The nextbig push for us needs to be engaging our non-hospital partnersto work on external patient flow. Any projects that deal withimproving patient flow – ensuring patients receive the rightcare at the right time in the right place – are a real focus rightnow.Q: Cast your eyes into the year ahead for a moment. Whatdo you see?

A: Andrew Williams: The ribbon cutting of the MRI will bevery exciting and a tremendous step forward for more than3,000 patients each year who must now travel outside HuronPerth for this important service. Continuing to highlight theneed for access to child and adolescent mental health beds isalso on the agenda. It’s a significant gap in services and we’llbe working with the LHIN to see if we can move forward. We’ll be implementing Vision 2013 where we’ll see servicesmoving from site to site – further reinforcement that we’re asystem. We’re also in the planning stages of a “site refresh” inClinton, St. Marys and Seaforth in some of the core work areasof the patient care units to help accommodate those changes. Depending on the results, the provincial election could have avery big impact on healthcare in the region, particularly therelationship with the LHINs. Certainly funding will be achallenge as it always is, but that links back to organizationsensuring that the money we do have is being spent aseffectively and efficiently as possible.That said, the main focusin the year ahead will be a continued emphasis on quality andsafety.I would be remiss in looking into the future without referringto the strength of this organization…it is our dedicated HPHAvolunteers and staff, physicians and foundations partneredwith strong support throughout the communities that make allof our goals and visions a reality.

There’s nothing that makes you value your hospitallike a first-hand experience as a patient – especiallywhen it’s an emergency where your life hangs in thebalance.

My own experience was unsettling in many ways,but one that also left me with a deeper appreciationof several things: the quality of the physicians,nurses and health care providers we have here inStratford; the wonderful improvements that weremade to our hospital during the recent

redevelopment project; and the indispensable role donors play inimproving health care for us all…

April 12th started like any other day. The kids were eating breakfast and Iwas getting ready for work. The only sour note was the pain in my calf.“A quick shower will help,” I thought. Within seconds of toweling off I wasgasping for breath.

While many people hesitate to call an ambulance – and often pay the pricefor their delay – my reaction was immediate…“Jasmine,” I said to mydaughter, “dial 9-1-1.” I knew it was serious.

Within minutes the ambulance had arrived with oxygen and vital statisticshad been taken. Much of it is a blur, but one memory is clear – huggingmy children as I was guided towards the stretcher…telling my kids Iloved them forever, seeing the tears on my son’s face…wishing I had timeto say more.

In what seemed like a matter of seconds we had arrived at StratfordGeneral’s Emergency Department and had been whisked throughregistration. A fresh set of vital statistics were taken and vital signsmonitors attached, blood taken for the lab, with nurses and physiciansquestioning, assessing and monitoring me closely.

Lying on my stretcher in the new Emerg, I had enough time to think howthankful I was to all the people who had helped build this newdepartment, especially the donors whose support had helped pay for thisbright new facility and its life-saving technology.

Even some of the simple technology – like a Wi-Fi phone I was handed –takes on real importance in an emergency. As my wife was in Ottawa at aconference and my children were with my mother-in-law, I was alone. Butthe phone gave me a chance to call all my family members and tell them Iwas okay – or at least still alive.

I was soon wheeled down to Medical Imaging for an ultrasound – a vastimprovement over the old, crowded and tattered department of previousyears. The ultrasound technicians confirmed what I had suspected – alarge blood clot in my leg. Upon returning to Emerg, I was given somemedications to start dissolving the clot – and the suspected clots that hadmoved to my lungs, leaving me breathless, even with the oxygen.

By mid afternoon, my wife arrived back from Ottawa, establishing a newrecord for speedy travel. It was so good to have her beside me again evenwith the stress I knew she was feeling. Upon further examination andconsultation with Drs. Trish Van Boekel and Dr. Alnoor Kara, I wasadmitted to the Intensive Care Unit. A CT Scan that afternoon confirmedthe original diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism – so massive I was luckyto be alive.

Having toured through the Intensive Care Unit during its Grand Openinglast year, I knew I was going to a place where I’d receive the very best ofcare. It also had advantages that were missing in the old, crowded ICU

Being a patient gives a new perspectiveincluding a private room, state-of-the-art monitoring technology, and even aroll-out bed where my wife spent asleepless night, watching my oxygenlevels and heart rate yo-yo up anddown.

Next morning I was taken by wheel-chair for an Echocardiogram to makesure my rapidly-beating heart wasn’tbeing damaged in the process. Goodnews – my heart looked healthy, and Iwas soon transferred from the IntensiveCare side of the CCU to Telemetry foradditional monitoring.

It was to become my home for the next 9days or so as I was closely monitored,poked, and prodded by a variety ofnurses, physicians – and lab technicianswhose 5:30 a.m. blood tests alwaysstarted my day off well. Within a day orso I was up walking – only a few stepsat first. Even with my wife wheeling theportable oxygen tank beside me, I wasquickly out of breath. But ever so slowly,the blood thinning medications startedto take effect as my heart rate graduallydecreased and oxygen levels slowlyrose.

Although anxious to make it home tomy family, I knew the hospital was thebest place to be until I was well enough.While nothing is better than home, thiswas close – a warm, safe, pleasantenvironment in which to recover,knowing you were being carefullymonitored, and that help was just thepress of a button away.

Eventually I was discharged; returninghome to my family. No homecomingever felt so good. Thank you to all thepeople who cared so well for me –physicians, technicians, and nurses likeHeather, Sherry and Kelly whoprovided such excellent care each dayand night.

And thank you too dear donors, formaking our new, improved hospitalpossible…for providing facilities thatare second to none and the lifesaving,state-of-the-art technology andequipment that each one of us may oneday rely upon.

From me and my family, thank you fromthe bottom of our hearts.

Carl Page

By Carl Page

We’ve all seen them. Those pesky “before/after” ads inmagazines and on TV that help sell everything fromthe latest weight loss fad to the newest productguaranteed to grow hair…or remove it.

While many of us may chuckle at some of the moreoutlandish claims made by advertisers and smooth-talking salesmen, the reason that before/after adscontinue to be used is because they’re so effective.

I think that’s because most of us – at least those raisedbefore Photoshop became popular – still believe thatphotos just don’t lie. But more than that, thebefore/after strategy gives us a chance to compare,offering two reference points between which obviousprogress has been made.

In this issue of the Founda-tion Monitor we wanted totell you some before/afterstories from people you cantrust – front line physicians,nurses and other healthcareproviders. They’ll tell youjust how much the new,improved Stratford GeneralHospital site has improvedtheir work environment,their ability to care for youand your family, and ourhospital’s ability to attractyoung, topnotch healthcareprofessionals – and keep theones we’ve got.

You’ll hear how the environ-ment in our mental healthunit is helping patients healfaster while providing theprivacy and dignity everypatient deserves. You’llread how our youngest

patients – both newborns and children – are beingcared for in a warm, welcoming environment thatencourages families to be involved.

You’ll hear how design elements and cutting edgetechnology are coming together to provide some of thevery best Medical Imaging services anywhere, andhow the new Emergency Department is utilizing itsnew surroundings and new ideas to provide evenbetter service when you need it most.

You’ll also hear from radiologist Dr. Anisa Mnyusi-walla, who was drawn to Stratford – like a number ofother recent graduates – because we could offer a new,state-of-the-art facility and the opportunity to workwith MRI, our next great fundraising challenge.

If there’s one common thread that binds these storiestogether, it’s the role played by our caring donors. Youare the people who’ve helped us reach our goals – notonly our Heart & Soul $20 million campaign goal – butthe bigger goal: revitalizing the core services of ourHospital so we can provide you with the very best care.

Please stay with us as we continue to create a newfuture at our hospital day-by-day, month-by-month.It’s your generosity that’s made the difference. Youprovide the essential ingredient – the catalyst thatallows us to measure how far we’ve come in such ashort space of time…to remember how things were“before” and truly appreciate the “after”.

Page’sPage

Page’s Page

Andrew Williams, CEO HPHA; Mayor Dan Mathieson, City of Stratford; Dr. Anisa Mnyusiwalla,Radiologist; Ron Bolton, South West Local Health Integration Network; Dick Burgess, HPHABoard Chair; Hon. John Wilkinson, MPP Perth-Wellington.

Last year Tim Hortons annual Smile Cookie fundraiser was a sweet success, raising over $11,900for the Stratford General Hospital Foundation’s Heart & Soul Campaign. Over 11,900 of thespecial chocolate chunk cookies were sold between September 20-26 at Tim Hortons locationsin Stratford. “I would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who helped to make thisyear’s campaign such an overwhelming success,” said Robbin Hewitt, Tim Hortons Store Owner.“Raising awareness for the Stratford General Hospital Foundation through the Smile Cookiecampaign opens the door to more community involvement and ensures that the funds raisedin our community stays in our community. I think that’s something we can all smile about!”

Can eating a delicious Tim Hortons cookie possibly get any better? From September 19-26 it can.

That’s when “Smile Cookies” return to help “raise some dough” for Stratford General Hospital Foundation’s

Heart & Soul and MRI (Make a Real Impact) campaigns – one delicious bite at a time.

Guaranteed to put a smile on the face of every doctor, nurse and patient, 100% of the proceeds from every cookie sold go to the Foundation – helping our hospital

improve patient care, reduce wait times, and provide the facilities, tools and technology we all rely on.

That’s something we can all sink our teeth into.

Get them while they’re hot – and scrumptious. Smile Cookies available at all four Stratford locations…while supplies last!

September 19-26, 2011 … Put a smile in your face and support your hospital!

Something to Smile About.

Community support never tasted so good!

Smile Cookies– they’re just what the doctor ordered! This September!

L to R; Tom Orr - Heart & SoulCampaign Co-chair, Mat Cooperand Robbin Hewitt - Tim Hortons,Andrea Page - SGH FoundationED, Cheryl and Mark Moore - TimHortons, Bill Preston - Heart &Soul Campaign Co-chair, AndrewWilliams - HPHA CEO.

Inspirational Speaker“Out of this World”

If you’ve ever wanted to hear a speaker that’s“out of this world”, Dave Williams is yourman – and astronaut.Dr. Williams was guest speaker at theStratford General Hospital’s Annual GeneralMeeting in June, blending his inspirationalmessage about “making the impossiblepossible” with breathtaking images fromouter space.Besides being a celebrated Canadianastronaut, Dr. Williams is well grounded inthe healthcare field. The veteran of twoshuttle missions, he’s also a formerEmergency Room doctor and now serves asthe Chief Executive Officer of the SouthlakeRegional Health Centre in Newmarket.

Dr. Williams drew parallels between his own “impossible” dream of becoming anastronaut and the Foundation’s quest to reach its $20 million local fundraising goal forthe Heart & Soul Campaign. He underlined the importance of teamwork, both in space and achieving seeminglyimpossible goals here on earth. “Medicine today is all about teamwork. And spaceflight is all about teamwork,” he said. And when a team pulls together for a commongoal, amazing things are possible.“Our Foundation always searches for an entertaining speaker for our Annual GeneralMeeting as a way of thanking our community and donors for their continued support,”said Andrea Page, SGH Foundation Executive Director. “We’ve had some wonderfulspeakers in the past, but we were over-the-moon with Dave William’s presentation andinspirational message.”

A Year to Remember… 2010/11 Highlights� Grand Opening Ceremony! With the snip of the ribbonand enthusiastic applause the New North Wing wasopened, to the delight of staff, patients and generousdonors alike – a concrete example of the impact of commu-nity support. With over 10,000 donors, and 30,000 gifts thecampaign exceeded goal raising $20.5 million!

� The Volunteers of the Stratford General Hospital con-tinue to raise money towards their $1 million pledge foressential medical equipment including a $500,000 digitalmammography machine.

� Physicians smashed their $200,000 Medical Staff Cam-paign goal, with total physician support exceeding$300,000. Special thanks to Drs. Laurel Moore, MiriamMann and Brian Hughes for their efforts, and all physi-cians for their generous support! A special thank you toBrenda Smellie whose determination and commitmenthelped the Employee Campaign reach new heights!

� Donors continued to respond generously to our mailappeals, with some $263,000 given through our Seasonalappeal.

� To recognize the spirit and generosity of our support-ers, a glass creation with over 1,000 names was unveiled.The donor wall with matching room naming plaquessalutes those who imagined a better hospital and helpedmake it a reality.

� Special events have a tremendous impact! The FestivalCity 10k run hosted by Physiotherapy Alliance and Strat-ford Sports Medicine raised $10,108. The Royal LePageHiller Realty golf tournament raised $19,446, and theStratford Country Club’s 24 Hour Charity Marathon ofSquash raised $40,200. Whether it’s long standing eventslike the Perth County Flying Club Fly-in Breakfast ornewer events like Positive Spin raising $16,000,community support and enthusiasm always make theseevents a great success.

� Over the last few years the Foundation has disbursed atotal of $14.05 million to the redevelopment project, in-cluding $2.4 million for PACS and this fiscal year’s $7.85million for equipment, construction, furnishings and newcommunication technology.

Foundation’s AGM... Out of This World!

Foundation Board members take a moment to pose with AstronautWilliams. Front Row L-R- Tom Parisi, Dr. Dave Williams, Debbie Reece.Back row L-R-Rick Orr, Mary McTavish, Andrea Page, Bob Gulliford, ChrisThomson, Andrew Williams.

At Stratford General Hospital Foundation, this hasbeen a year of both tremendous celebration and ofnew challenge.When I became Chair of the Foundation a yearago, we were poised to celebrate not only theopening of the new wing of the redeveloped Strat-ford General Hospital, but also of reaching our $20million Heart & Soul fundraising goal. The open-ing of our newly improved hospital was a tremen-dous achievement – a triumph of planning, design,

construction and a vision of what our hospital could be when all thoseelements came together. It has touched many lives – and saved a number also, in what hasrightly been described as the single biggest project to impact healthcarein our region in the last 50 years. Reaching our Heart & Soul Campaign goal just days prior to the GrandOpening of the newly constructed wing was no less of an achievement.In fact, without the tremendous support of our loyal donors, the won-derful new hospital in which we take such pride would not exist.In the last year, I’ve truly come to appreciate the depth of generosityand commitment exhibited by those donors – individuals, service clubs,businesses and industry who recognized the importance of this projectto the health and future of our community. From the Hospital family –the selfless commitment of volunteers, physicians and hospital staffwho rose to the challenge, to the province of Ontario, City of Stratfordand surrounding municipalities, it truly was an unprecedented act ofgenerosity on the part of so many.And let us not forget that their generosity is ongoing. Many individuals,groups and organizations believed so much in our shared vision of im-proved healthcare for our community and region, that they’ve pledgedtheir support for years to come. Let me say how important your stead-fast support continues to be.A special thanks to our Foundation Board and the Heart & Soul Cam-paign team who have been behind the Campaign since day one…withspecial recognition to our two Campaign co-chairs Bill Preston and TomOrr. We also owe a great deal to our Foundation team of Melissa Steinbach,Susan Grabarczyk, Michelle Jeffrey and Andrea Page, our executive di-rector, who provides the knowledge, leadership and enthusiasm we relyon to keep us on track.Our Heart & Soul Campaign was not only for the redevelopment of thecore areas of the Hospital, but also for state-of-the-art equipment. Suchequipment is indispensable to providing top-notch care in any acutecare hospital. Donor generosity helped us purchase $11 million worth ofthat critical, life-saving technology right here in Stratford.And it’s that same donor generosity that we find ourselves counting onas we embrace our next challenge – bringing an MRI to Stratford…The provincial government has already given the “green light” to thisproject with initial staffing funding for over 3,100 scans a year. How-ever, when it comes to purchasing equipment like an MRI, we must askfor the support of people like you – people who understand the impactof this equipment on their own lives, and are able to help us reach thisimportant goal.

2010/2011 Chair’s Message

Board Chair

2010/2011EQUIPMENT PURCHASESThe Stratford General Hospital Founda-tion disbursed $7,942,823.99. Included inthe disbursement were VOIP (VoiceOver Internet Protocol), equipment andfunding for the New North Wing Con-struction. Some of the items sponsoredthrough our donors’ generosity include: � Biphasic Defibrillators� Digital Mammography� Beds, Stretchers and TransportStretchers

� Camera Systems� Cystoscopes, Urethroscopes, Scopes� Monitoring Equipment� Nurse Call System / PatientInfosystems

� Telemetry Equipment� Fetal Monitors� Ultrasound System� Wheelchairs, Workstations andCrash Carts

� Furniture – Patient and Waitingrooms

� Hospital Staff Education� Operating Room Equipment� Cardiograph ECG, Cardiac Equip-ment

Please visit our website www.sghfoundation.org

for a complete list.

We need to raise about $3.8 million tomake this happen. That includes thecost of the MRI, specialized “coils” tohelp it focus on specific body parts,plus specialized construction. Likemany pieces of state-of-the-art tech-nology, it’s not cheap. But the benefitsit will bring you, your family andfriends are worth every pennyThe MRI “Make a Real Impact” Cam-paign team is hard at work focusingon the $3.8 million to bring a MagneticResonance Imager to Stratford – en-suring you the best of care closer tohome. And providing the best of careis increasingly reliant on staying at theforefront of the technology that canhelp save lives.Our access to health care is what it istoday because so many people cared!Thank you for making a difference.

Making a Real Impact...Brian Hughes, HBSc, MD, FRCSCOtolaryngology-Head and Neck SurgeryStratford General Hospital

Over the past several years I have beenvery pleased to see the major improve-ments occurring at Stratford GeneralHospital which have greatly enhancedthe care for patients in Huron and Perthcounties. Recently, I was thrilled to hearthe announcement that an MRIscanner would be added to theStratford site of the HPHA.For many patients with ear, sinus orneck disease, an MRI scan is an

essential diagnostic test. Until now, I have had to send patients toother hospitals in London, KW and Owen Sound to have an MRI, whichwould often involve long wait times and sometimes difficult travel.With an MRI scanner in Stratford, we will be able to obtain the bestpossible images with short wait times and avoid unnecessary travel.This undoubtedly will improve the ability to diagnose and treat mypatients accurately and quickly.Additionally, an MRI scan involves no exposure to radiation, as isrequired in standard X-rays or a CT scan, so for certain conditions itcan be ideal for younger patients. I would strongly encourage you to generously support this excitingproject for the HPHA. I know it will have a tremendously positiveimpact on the care I can offer my patients.

Dr. Paul BartlettTavistock

While an MRI isn’t something you’re likelyto need often, it is an essential tool used toinvestigate and diagnose a large number ofdiseases and conditions – cancer, stroke,sports injuries and joint replacements, forexample. Early detection generally meanswe have more treatment options, withfewer invasive procedures and betterresults for our patients.

For people in Tavistock and area, having an MRI has usually meant asignificant wait, plus the added time, expense and challenge oftraveling to a distant MRI – usually in Owen Sound or London. Bringing an MRI to Stratford is good news for you and a realenhancement to the care we provide our patients. Let’s do our sharein raising the $3.8 million needed to bring this technology closer tohome and provide quicker, easier access.

Dr. Mark DiotalleviMitchell

An MRI is an essential tool used to helpdiagnose and investigate a large number ofdiseases and conditions – from cancer tostroke, from sports injuries to joint replace-ments. MRI allows for early detection ofdisease, meaning we have more treatmentoptions, fewer invasive procedures, and betterresults for our patients.

But for people from Mitchell and area, having an MRI has often meantmany weeks on a waiting list, plus the added time, expense andinconvenience of traveling to a major centre like London. We can helpchange that.An MRI in Stratford is good news for all of us and a real improvementto the care we physicians can provide our patients. Let’s helpStratford – and ourselves – in raising the $3.8 million needed to bringthis life-saving technology close by when we need it most.

Dick BurgessSeaforth Community Hospital FoundationBoard Member, Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance

I have long been impressed by the generositywith which the greater Seaforth communityhas supported our Foundation’s fundraisinginitiatives – generosity that has also helpedstrengthen the Huron Perth Healthcare Allianceas a whole. That support directly contributes tothe quality of care you and I experience righthere where we live.

Most of the care we need – even more complex care, advanceddiagnostics and surgery – is generally available either in Seaforth ornearby at another Alliance hospital site. An exception has beenaccessing an MRI, a diagnostic service which currently requirestravelling to London or Owen Sound. Lengthy waits for that diagnosticservice have been far too common. With the provincial government’s recent approval of an MRI inStratford, a window of opportunity is opening for us. Scheduled to beinstalled within the next six months, Seaforth residents will have faster,easier access to this life-saving technology closer to home. That willmean earlier diagnosis for a multitude of different diseases includingcancer; bone, joint and muscle disorders; even certain heart and bloodvessel diseases. It’s easy to see the importance of this technology and how it couldfurther strengthen the quality care which we already receive. StratfordGeneral Hospital Foundation is raising some $3.8 million for themachine and construction. I urge residents of Seaforth and area tosupport this project in the spirit of caring and generosity that we’vealways shown.

Maarten BokhoutMD, MHSc, FCFP(C)Site Chief, Clinton Public Hospital

In this technologically advanced society,MRI imaging is often preferred forestablishing a medical diagnosis.Unfortunately, this technology is expensive,and as a result, it is only available in certainparts of the province.  We now have anopportunity to install this equipment inStratford, and we hope that you will beable to assist us financially to help usobtain this unit.  We are confident that

this machine, once installed, will give us the opportunity to diagnoseand treat medical problems more quickly than is the case at present.

Every Dollar Counts . . . Monthly Giving Monthly giving is a tremendous way to ensure your gift works harder. It’s the most effective way to providesteady, on-going funds to help Stratford General Hospital site. Not only is a monthly debit amount a moremanageable way to give a generous gift — it saves envelopes and postage too.

� YES, I care! I wish to support our Hospital.Name: ______________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________

City: ________________________________ Postal Code: ____________________ Telephone: ___________________________

� Enclosed is my cheque to Stratford General Hospital Foundation.

� $1,000 � $500 � $250 � $100 � $50 � $25 I prefer to give $ _____________________

� Visa � MasterCard Card # ______________________________ Expiry Date _________________________

� I’d like to pledge my support of $ _____________________ each year over the next ______________ years.

Signature _____________________________________________________ Date _______________________________________A receipt will be issued for tax purposes. Charitable Registration # BN 11920 0004 RR0001 Our donor records are confidential. We do not share our lists. Thank you for caring!

�

YOUR DONATION COUNTS!

�

YES, I WANT TO JOIN YOUR MONTHLY GIVING PROGRAMME!�Yes, I authorize Stratford General Hospital Foundation to withdraw the following amount from my bank ac-count monthly. I may change the amount or cancel my monthly contribution at any time by notifying Strat-

ford General Hospital Foundation.

Once a month I will give: � $10 � $20 � $50 � $100 � Other $ ___________________

� I authorize the Stratford General Hospital Foundation to draw on my bankaccount through my financial institution on the 1st of each month beginning ___________________________

Date

______________________________________________________________ ___________________________Signature Date

� I have enclosed a cheque with VOID written across it for Stratford General Hospital Foundation toarrange the monthly withdrawal from my bank account.

At the end of the year, we will issue you an official receipt for the total amount of your donations.

Please take a moment and reflect on what ourcommunity would be like without our hospital.Our health care team has one main focus - YOU - thepatient. In the last year the health care team hastouched the lives of countless people and theirfamilies with their compassion, skill and expertise.

Every gift you give impacts the care we are able toprovide. Your support purchases essential medicalequipment - equipment we can't afford to bewithout. We count on you to help us providequality and patient-focused care. Thank you!

Stratford General Hospital Foundation46 General Hospital DriveStratford, Ontario N5A 2Y6

1931474

Stratford General Hospital Foundation islisted as a Code Builder…one of the first100 charities nationally to comply withImagine Canada’s Ethical Fundraising andAccountability Code earning the right toproudly display the Ethical Code trustmarkon all our fundraising materials

SGH FOUNDATION MONITOR…is published for the information of our donors, supporters and friends of the SGH Foundation.

STRATFORD GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION46 General Hospital Drive, Stratford, ON N5A 2Y6

The SGH Foundation works with the community to help raise funds for equipment, upgrading of facilities and special projects of the Stratford General Hospital.

Readers will note a change to coated paper, which is the same cost and allows clearer pictures. Contains recycled fibre and is recyclable.

Charitable Reg. BN 11920 0004 RR0001

Just picture how an MRI could Make a Real Impact on your live...• Quicker, easier access to life-saving technology• It’s the most effective tool we have to helpdiagnose a multitude of diseases andconditions

• Reduced waiting times for scans, with no needto travel to London, Owen Sound or otherlocations

• Ability to scan pediatricpatients

• “Large Bore” designprovides extra space toaccommodate largerpatients, those withphysical challenges orclaustrophobia

• Ability to attract newphysicians, techniciansand other healthcareprofessionals to ourregion.