HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-04-29, Page 9AMGH to test emergency program
The Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, Goder-
ich has been selected to participate in a two-year dem-
onstration project that will see a physician assistant (PA)
added to its emergency department (ED) team.
Physician assistants (PAs) are skilled health profes-
sionals who support physicians in a range of health care
settings. The role, new to the province's health care sys-
tem, is being evaluated through various demonstration
projects as part of the Ontario Physician Assistant (PA)
Initiative.
The Alexandra Marine and General Hospital's ED was
one of 20 chosen to participate in this new demonstra-
tion project, which focuses on reducing wait times and
maintaining full emergency service coverage. The ED
demonstration projects are being coordinated through
the Ontario Hospital Association as part of an initiative
co -led by the Ministry of Health and Long -Term Care
and the Ontario Medical Association.
"We're excited about this opportunity to add another
qualified health care practitioner to our team to help
meet ever increasing patient care needs," says William
Thibert, President and CEO "There is evidence to show
that physician assistants help to improve access to health
services while maintaining quality of care. Expanding
health care teams to include PAs will help us address
staffing pressures and better serve patients in a timely
way"
,The PA who will be recruited will work under the di-
rection of a team of supervising physicians, who will
determine that individual's clinical duties and be re-
sponsible for the care provided. Dr. Mike Dawson, lead
physician on this team, says "It will be most important
for us to recruit a PA who has the right "fit"
for our emergency department, who will
thrive in our group of rural practitioners and
in our community:'
PAs. have provided support to the Canadian
Forces and have been an integral part of the U.S..
health care system for more than 40 years. They
are trained to manage medical emergencies as
well as routine care needs. The activities of the
PA may include conducting patient interviews
and taking medical histories, performing physi-
cal examinations, performing certain controlled
acts delegated to them by a physician; and pro-
viding counselling on preventive health care.
The role, along with several other new
health care provider roles, was introduced
with the launch in May 2006 of HealthFor-
ceOntario, the Ontario government's health
human resources strategy.
y2l
Nor-
Photo by Denny Scott
Speakers at a special service held to remember workers
killed or disabled on the job were (left to right), Preisdent of
the Huron District Labour Council Jim Vance, Kim Marshall
of the Workers Health & Safety Centre, Reverend Chris
Morgan and Coun. David Yates.
Lost workers mourned
Denny _Scott
signal -star staff
It has been 25 years since Ca-
nadians began recognizing April
28 as the Day of Mourning for
Killed and Injured Workers, a
day to remember and mourn the
loss of workers hurt, disabled or
killed at work, but it seems the
message is lost.
Despite 25 years of recogni-
tion, regulation, and attempts to
bring down the number of work-
place incidents resulting in inju-
ry or death, they have increased
steadily every year.
A monument recognizing
those injured, disabled or killed
as t result of their job on Glouc-
ester Terrace played host to a
special service on Sunday, April
26 to recognize the efforts made
to try and stop that rise.
The service, hosted by the
President of the Huron District
Labour Council Jim Vance, was
attended by local dignitaries,
members of workplace safety
organizations, and those affected
by workplace injuries or expo-
sure.
Coun. David Yates brought
greetings from the town, and ex-
plained that now, more than ever,
companies need to be aware of
the working conditions of their
employees. With "globalization
tearing through the fabric of our
community,' everyone needs
to be aware of the dangers and
not let `obscene greed' compro-
mise safety. He noted that, with
economic situations standing as
they are, it is important to not let
safety fall to the side.
Kirin Marshall, a representative
of the Workers Health. & Safety
Centre, explained that there has
been a marked increase in fatali-
ties in Ontario, saying that 2008
had 317, .035 injuries and 488
fatalities, moreso than the year
before that.
"Canada is one of the few plac-
es where workers are allowed to
die more often," Marshall said to
the audience.
Public awareness is key Mar-
shall explained. She also said
that it is important that people are
aware of Bill C-45, also known
as the Westray Act, which al-
lows organizations, including
businesses, to be tried for crimi-
nal violations resulting in death.
The act was brought about in re-
sponse to the 1992 Westray coal
mining disaster which claimed
the lives of 26 miners.
"At the twentieth anniversary
of the day, we reported that 2003
saw 963 deaths, the highest in
twenty years," Marshall said se-
riously. "For 2007 we broke that
record, 1,055 workers killed."
All the speakers explained that
workers need to practice and
preach safe working conditions
to stop themselves, and their co-
workers from becoming part of
the statistics. They all also said
that their jobs will not be done
until no workers are hurt or killed
due to workplace safety.
Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, April 29, 2009 - Page A:`
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