October’s Honour Roll at Unity Health
Every month, staff, researchers, physicians, learners and teams across Unity Health Toronto celebrate important honours, achievements and awards. Congratulations to those who have been recognized this month!
Congratulations to Dr. Prabhat Jha, director of the Centre for Global Health Research, who will receive a 2022 Award of Excellence from the American Public Health Association (APHA).
Every year, APHA honours excellence in public health leadership and innovation, from state and local health officials to those speaking up for public health from the halls of Congress. Learn more on the APHA website.
Jesse Knight, PhD candidate and member of the Mishra Lab, was awarded the Stephen Pauker Award for outstanding presentation in quantitative methods and theoretical developments by the Society for Medical Decision Making. Knight was recognized for his presentation titled “Beyond Instantaneous Partnerships: Capturing Partner-Level Herd Effects in Compartmental Models of Sexually Transmitted Infections.” Congratulations!
Congratulations to the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions Awards winners! These awards recognize three outstanding MAP staff, students or volunteers who have excelled in their roles and demonstrate a passion and commitment to applying MAP’s values in their work.
- Kristy Yiu is the winner of the MAP Values in Practice (MVP) Award, an award to recognize an individual who exemplifies and advocates for MAP values in their work and interactions.
- Dr. Anna Yeung is the winner of the Peer Mentor Award, an award to honour an individual who works hard to help colleagues learn, feel valued, and do well at work.
- Ayan Yusuf is the winner of the Community Partnership Award, awarded to an individual who consistently models exemplary community partnership practices and integration of the perspectives of community and people with lived expertise into their research.
St. Michael’s staff and physicians were recognized for their commitment to living our mission and values with Our Shared Values Awards. This year’s winners include: Ted Bednarski for the Human Dignity Award, Dr. Shazeen Suleman for the Compassion Award, Murray Krock for the Excellence Award, Meghan Storey for the Community Award, the My Baby and Me Team for the Inclusivity Award, and Christina Salmon for the Inclusivity Award. Congratulations to all!
The Patient Safety Everyday Champion Award celebrates an individual or team who promotes a culture of safety, demonstrates leadership in patient safety and engages with patients, residents and families to improve patient safety. This year’s winners are: Mark Bartolome, clinical educator at St. Joseph’s for 2LM and 4LM, who focuses on prevention strategies and was instrumental in rolling out the universal falls precautions policy; Krupa Issac, RN on the Vascular Access Team at St. Michael’s, who promotes a culture of patient safety by keeping current with best practices of infection prevention; and Lauren Lipkin, occupational therapist for A3 at Providence, who has been a dedicated champion of patient safety, particularly in the area of falls risk, unattended medication, faulty equipment and cluttered environments. Congratulations to the winners and all of the nominees, well done!
Dr. Gustavo Saposnik, neurologist and researcher at St. Michael’s, has been elected to the Executive Board of the World Stroke Organization (WSO). Saposnik will be in charge of special projects while leveraging the success at the World Stroke Academy, where he serves as the Editor-in-Chief. Congratulations!
Carta Academica is recognizing Dr. Janet Smylie for her work and commitment in the field of health and inequalities in Indigenous communities in Canada. Smylie is the Strategic Lead of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships at Unity Health and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Advancing Generative Health Services for Indigenous Populations in Canada. Carta Academica is an association of academics based in Belgium that’s committed to fostering public debate about critical issues. The association honours people who have dedicated their life and work to change the world with the Academic Honoris Causa awards. Smylie will be awarded this honour by the organization on Nov. 3. Congratulations!
Congratulations to Dr. Sharon Straus, physician-in-chief at St. Michael’s and director of the Knowledge Translation Program, who was ranked one of the best female scientists in the world in 2022 by Research.com.
The aim of this ranking is to inspire female scholars, women considering an academic career, as well as decision-makers worldwide with the example of successful women in the scientific community. Learn more on the Research.com website.
Dr. Amol Verma has been named the University of Toronto Temerty Professor in AI Research and Education in Medicine. Verma is a general internal medicine physician at St. Michael’s, as well as the co-lead of GEMINI, a project that collects and analyzes clinical data from more than 20 Ontario hospitals to improve patient care. In this new role, Verma will work with the leadership team to advance the application of AI in medicine, as well as mentor the next generation of AI in medicine clinicians and scientists. Congratulations!
Dr. Jennifer Watt, a researcher and geriatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital, contributed to the development of a set of evidence- and expert consensus-based falls prevention and management recommendations that have been published in Age and Ageing.
Developed by an international group of experts including Watt, the guideline focuses on the prevention and management of falls in older adults and considered a person-centred approach that includes the perspectives of older adults with lived experience, caregivers and other stakeholders; gaps in previous guidelines; recent developments in e-health and implementation across locations with limited access to resources such as low- and middle-income countries. Read the full guideline here. Congratulations!
Dr. Mark Wheatcroft, vascular surgeon at St. Michael’s Hospital, has been recognized for excellence in postgraduate surgical education by the Canadian Undergraduate Surgical Education Committee (CUSEC). Wheatcroft received the CUSEC Outstanding Postgraduate Surgical Educator Award for 2022. Congratulations!
St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s Renal Programs recognized for commitment to excellence
The Ontario Renal Network recognized the Renal Programs at St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital for their commitment to excellence in care. The programs were recognized for serving patients through another year of the pandemic, while ensuring high-quality care for renal patients. Of note, the percentage of chronic dialysis patients who received their third dose of the COVID vaccine in Ontario rose to 82.2 per cent as of late August, a feat made possible by renal programs across the province. Congratulations to all the staff and physicians at both programs!