The DPS mandate is to manage our CIUSSS’s medical, dental and pharmaceutical resources, in collaboration with the Council of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists (CPDP).

The DPS in our CIUSSS

• A tour of our CIUSSS facilities and each of the CMDPs locations was organized in collaboration with Christine Florakas, Chief of Family Medicine. This was an opportunity to discuss physicians’ concerns and challenges in rehabilitation centres and long-term care facilities. New physicians were also hired. All rehabilitation centres and most long-term care facilities now have full work teams.
• Meetings are regularly held to enable physicians and pharmacists from community sites to discuss new policies and measures, and problems involving patient care.
• The DPS is working to reduce patient transfers from community sites to the Emergency Department. The project’s success depends on developing an inter-disciplinary approach, involving Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy and Emergency. Group prescriptions, the use of intake clinics, and the development of new care trajectories are all being explored to ensure the well-being of patients.
• A new communications tool will soon be developed, giving attending physicians precise information about what has occurred in the Emergency Department, whenever a patient returns there from their rehabilitation or long-term care centre.
• Use of the Ministerial Level of Care form is in the process of being integrated. A pilot project was conducted in three facilities in late 2019. All of our CIUSSS facilities are expected to be using this form shortly. Members of administrative staff have also been trained to use this form when a patient is admitted, so that discussion can take place among healthcare staff about levels of care.
• Suzanne Levitz, Associate Director of the PSD, is a member of the Scientific and Planning Committee for the second edition of the Mental Health Frontline Integrated Services Forum, taking place on April 2. Programming for the event has been developed in collaboration with the Psychiatry and Frontline Services teams. Participants will explore available resources and trajectories of care for patients with mental health disorders. This program has been submitted for accreditation to McGill University and the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

The DPS in the media

Over the past year, several physicians associated with our CIUSSS have shared their expertise in interviews with the local media and with outlets from farther afield. The physicians’ commitment to advancing science and care has enabled them to popularize sometimes complex information, and to promote our CIUSSS. For example:

• As the coronavirus evolves and multiple cases are confirmed globally, Karl Weiss, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, has been quoted prominently and often in the news. His interview on the TV show Tout le monde en parle: https://bit.ly/2RKTK1j
• In an interview with Radio-Canada, Yves Longtin, of the Infection Prevention and Control team, offered reminders about the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. The article: https://bit.ly/2S85F8o
• Matthew Oughton, of the Infection Prevention and Control team, appeared on CBC Montreal’s Daybreak radio program to discuss measures to put in place for travelers returning to Canada from Wuhan, the focal point of coronavirus infections in China. View the segment: https://bit.ly/2OuLmB4
• Phyllis Zelkowitz, Director of Research in the JGH Department of Psychiatry and Senior Researcher in the Lady Davis Institute, was cited in Time magazine for her research into male infertility through a mobile application called Infotility, which she and her team developed. The article: https://bit.ly/36HIua5
• L’Actualité magazine celebrated the last 20 years of emergency medicine in Quebec. Among its pioneers was Marc Afilalo, JGH Chief of Emergency Services and Chair of McGill’s Interim Department of Emergency Medicine. The article: https://bit.ly/3b0kpi7
• Radio-Canada recently presented the story of Amélia, who born in the JGH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with the help of Apostolos Papageorgiou, Chief of Pediatrics and Neonatology. In 2013, Amélia broke the record as the baby with the lightest birth-weight in Quebec. Watch the segment: https://bit.ly/2OgXV2S
  Dr. Papageorgiou also received the prestigious Erich Saling Prize from the World Association of Perinatal Medicine, in recognition for his outstanding contributions. A full Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology at McGill University, he is a world-renowned specialist in extremely low birth-weight infants. More information: https://bit.ly/36N69pH

• CBC-TV News met with Gerald Batist, Director of the Segal Cancer Centre at the JGH, to discuss a new study on rising cancer rates. These rates have increased among young Canadians and may be explained by the largeer numbers overweight people. Watch the segment: https://bit.ly/38XMeGa
  Dr. Batist has also received the 2019 Outstanding Leadership in Cancer Research Award from the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance. It recognizes his decades-long commitment to accelerating the translation of new discoveries in the research laboratory into clinical benefits for cancer patients. More information: https://bit.ly/38U8bFZ
• More people under the age of 40 die from brain tumours than from any other type of cancer. Arezu Jahani-Asl‘s laboratory in the Lady Davis Institute at the JGH aims to develop new strategies to remove brain tumour stem cells from the tumour mass. The Gazette featured a story about this lab: https://bit.ly/2GFrmaj
• To commemorate World Cancer Day on February 4, the morning edition of Global News featured Mark Basik, of the Segal Cancer Centre at the JGH, who discussed advances in cancer treatment. Watch the segment: https://bit.ly/37YIowi
• A report on minimally invasive spinal surgery, which was performed for the first time in Quebec, aired on CTV Montreal. Performed by Jeff Golan, JGH Chief of Neurosurgery, this procedure relieves back problems, such as hernias and pinched nerves. As a result, patients can return home a few hours after surgery. Watch the segment on CTV https://bit.ly/2S782bt or on the CIUSSS’s West-Central Report: https://bit.ly/2UezJSd
• Michael N. Pollak, clinical oncologist at the JGH and principal investigator at the Lady Davis Institute, is now part of the Metastatic Cancer Dream Team – Stand Up To Cancer Canada. Joining him on the team is Dr. Nahum Sonenberg of the Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre at McGill University. This is the third Dream Team since the launch of Stand Up To Cancer Canada in 2014. The initiative brings together laboratory researchers, clinical experts and breast cancer stakeholders/patients from across Canada to work collaboratively. More information: https://bit.ly/2vCQ5db
• Tsafrir Vanounou, JGH Chief of Liver and Pancreas Surgery, was interviewed by CTV Montreal about pancreatic cancer and treatment options. Watch the segment: https://bit.ly/2uV0fp3

Podcasts with our doctors

The Department of Communications and Media Relations produces regular podcasts on various healthcare topics. This is a great opportunity to highlight many CIUSSS professionals, including physicians. See the list of all podcasts.