The Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and the University of Toronto's ongoing partnership has been strengthened with the addition of two new programs aimed at improving emergency care in Barrie.
The expansion adds an enhanced emergency medicine skills program and the Supplemental Emergency Medicine Experience (SEME) fellowship.
The announcement builds upon a long-standing partnership between RVH and U of T's Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU). Since it began in 2009, more than 120 residents have been trained through the partnership.
"These programs are a win-win for our patients and our region," the hospital's chief of staff and vice president of Academic and Medical Affairs Dr. Jeffrey Tyberg said in a news release. "They help build a strong pipeline of highly skilled, confident, and compassionate healthcare professionals, while supporting he continued growth of those already in practice."
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"Together we share commitment to excellence, innovation, and equity in healthcare,." RVH president and CEO Gail Hunt said at Wednesday's announcement. "These schools have guided every initiative we take on in the area. They understand the unique needs of our growing regional health center to meet the importance of creating world-class care, training opportunities, beyond the walls the classroom."
The emergency department at RVH receives more than 94,000 visits annually, which exposes residents to a vast array of cases. It's also a Level III trauma centre that serves a wide region across Simcoe-Muskoka.
"Because RVH serves such a large geographic area, including a rural and underserved population, learners also need insight into the needs and realities of regional health, Tyberg said during the announcement Wednesday."
"Clearly it is a very committed, caring, compassionate community that is dedicated to making sure that we have excellence and equity," vice dean of medical education at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine Dr. Patricia Houston said to Barrie360. "Those are principles and values that U of T holds very near and dear to our hearts. So it's a great time for us to do this together.
PARTNERSHIP GOALS
The goal is to draw in prospective healthcare professionals and provide more avenues to emergency care for the Barrie area.
"When learners train locally, build relationships early, and feel supported, they're far more likely to stay and practice in the middle," Tyberg added.
"We have physicians here, who, part of their responsibilities will be to oversee and provide mentorship to these students," Hunt told Barrie360.
A major part of this enhancement is training for students finishing their studies and those building upon their practice.
"If they wanted to invest further in their emergency education they can do that locally and not have to leave their communities,” Hunt said to Barrie360. “It also means we're going to see more physicians coming through this area, having experience here and hopefully staying.”
NEW PROGRAMS
The enhanced skills program is a one year program that will train two family physicians per year.
It features learners gaining high-quality emergency care experience through a variety of settings. Those include clinical rotation, supervised ED shifts, pediatric emergency medicine training, trauma care and ED ultrasound.
The program will cover specialty departments such as orthopaedics, cardiac care, plastics, intensive care, and anaesthesia.
The SEME fellowship is a full-time, three-month clinical immersion. It will have training specifically for family physicians practicing in rural and remote areas.
It will host six learners annually starting in September, providing an opportunity to enhance emergency medicine skills.
"This collaboration not only advances our educational mission and physician development," U of T postgraduate education program director Dr. Stuart Murdoch said in a news release. "But also supports the health and well-being of patients in Barrie, Simcoe-Muskoka, and beyond."
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall characterized the investment as coming to "the right place at the right time."
"It's going to be key moment that we look back at in terms of the progression of RVH," he said at Wednesday's announcement.
RVH will not be the only hospital providing opportunities for learners to gain experience. Georgian Bay General in Midland and Collingwood General and Marine will be a part of this effort through regional partnerships.
"This expanded training and enhanced partnership with U of T are key steps forward in our Vitally You strategic plan as we work toward becoming an Academic Health Sciences Centre—one that champions advanced learning and delivers world-class care, close to home," Tyberg said in a news release.
RVH will also launch a Hospital Pharmacy Residency later this month in partnership with the University of Toronto. The year-long program aims to train pharmacists for roles in institutional and ambulatory care settings.
"Together we're not just preparing what's next, we're building it. Stronger, smarter and more proactive than ever before."
RVH president and CEO Gail Hunt
