A Christmas Message
We enter this holy season by giving thanks for the rich spirit of caring at Hotel Dieu Hospital, caring that brings comfort to all who enter our doors and that finds expression in the actions of all who serve our patients and families—from housekeeper to physician to registration clerk to volunteer.
This year, the Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph, the founders of our hospital, celebrated 165 years of caring in our community. That long tradition of healing continued and evolved in 2011 as we marked major milestones in our growth as a leading ambulatory care centre—in particular, rapid progress on the construction side of our $20 million redevelopment project and the launch of a bold strategic plan to guide us towards further excellence in patient care, teaching and research.
The spirit of caring underscored other successes as well, such as high patient satisfaction scores, physicians honoured for exemplary patient care and research, clinical programs acknowledged provincially for their leadership and generous financial contributions to hospital redevelopment from our staff and volunteers. And staff extended their caring into our community by collecting 117,000 pounds of food for the Partners in Mission Food Bank and $14,000 for the United Way.
We thank our staff, physicians, learners, volunteers and donors for sharing your spirit of caring with us this year. May that spirit extend to all around you this holiday season and into the coming year.
Sherri McCullough, Chair, Board of Directors
Dr. David Pichora, Chief Executive Officer
Spirit of the season
The Christmas spirit was overflowing at the Regional Paramedic Program (Base Hospital) last week when staff joined forces and purchased $350 worth of toys for the FLYFM Toy Drive. Pictured standing left to right: Jason Lewis, Christine Ash, Susan Duncan, Andy Reed, MD, Abby Murano. In front: Claire Chow and Roseanne Hawkins
Living Starlights bring comfort
On December 14 Hotel Dieu Hospital lit the Living Starlight Tree in the main lobby. While doing so we took the opportunity to remember family and friends represented by stars on the tree. The purchase of stars raised $365 to benefit the Hotel Dieu Hospital Social Work Comfort Fund.
Clinic closures during the holiday season
Hotel Dieu Hospital
Our specialized outpatient clinics will be closed Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 inclusive. The Pediatric Urgent Care Clinic will be closed noon, Dec. 23 to Jan. 2 inclusive. Our Urgent Care Centre remains open 8 am to 10 pm, every day of the year. Patients should ensure prior to the holiday period that they have sufficient prescription medication. Planned holiday closures for other health care organizations include:
Kingston General Hospital
- Fraser Armstrong Patient Centre physician clinics and diagnostics: CLOSED Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 inclusive
- Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario at KGH: CLOSED Dec. 26 and 27, and Jan. 2.
Providence Care
The following services are CLOSED Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 inclusive:
St. Mary's of the Lake Hospital: Specialized Geriatrics Acute Care Consult & Outreach Services and Day Hospital, Therapeutic pool and all outpatient physiotherapy and clinics.
Mental Health Services: Outpatient/Outreach Services and Community Connections. (ACT and CHIT teams will operate at weekend levels of service delivery.)
Providence Manor: Hildegarde Centre programs; Attendant Care Outreach Office.
South East Community Care Access Centre
Access Team: Available for service/info requests at 310-CCAC, 8 am to 8 pm.
Scheduled in-home services: Continue uninterrupted.
Administrative offices of the South East CCAC: CLOSED.
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES:
Please select the most appropriate option:
- Life-threatening illness/injury: Emergency Room, Kingston General Hospital, 24 hours/day 365 days/year.
- Minor illness/injury that cannot wait for a family doctor: Urgent Care Centre, Hotel Dieu Hospital, 8 am – 10 pm, 365 days/year.
- 24-hour access to a Registered Nurse: Telehealth Ontario, 1-866-797-0000.
Give the gift of time
Wrap up a few hours of your week in 2012 and give it to your community by volunteering at Hotel Dieu Hospital. For just 2-3 hours a week, you can make a difference in your life and the lives of others. Make new friends, share your skills or learn new ones! Current vacancies include:
- Retail or Customer Service: Café, Gift Shop or Snack Cart
- Administrative or Leadership Support Service: Appointment Reminder Caller; Volunteer Orientation Facilitator
- Special Projects: Playroom Infection Control Monitor
Contact our Volunteer Resources Office at 613-544-3400 ext. 2311 or click here to go to our Volunteers webpage.
Cash in that ‘stache’
Eleven Ophthalmology doctors and residents chucked the razors in November to focus on the hairy business of raising awareness and money for men’s health issues (and specifically prostate cancer).
Fourth-year ophthalmology resident Dr. Michel Belliveau captained the “Kingston Eye Docs” team for the month as they tapped colleagues, friends and families—and also hosted a yummy bake sale along the way—to help raise $7500 for the 2011 Movember Canada event. Congratulations!
8th Annual Retro Dance Party
Help to raise money for cancer research by dancing the night away to your favourite retro tunes—also a great way to heat up a chilly January night!
Put your dancing shoes on from 8 pm to 1 am, Saturday, Jan. 28 at Zorba’s Banquet Hall. You can purchase tickets for $10 at the door and also enter to win door and best costume prizes! For details, contact Brian McCormick or Nicole Riley, retrodanceparty@hotmail.com.
Want to set a fitness goal for the new year?
How about getting in shape for the Child Development Centre’s Annual Run/Walk? The run hits the pavement March 25, 2012 and all proceeds benefit children and youth who have neurological/physical or developmental disabilities or impairments.
The Run/Walk hits the pavement at 10 am, Sunday, March 25, 2012 from the John Deutsch University Centre, 87 Union St., Queen’s University, Kingston. Participants can sign up for the 1 km kids’ race, 5 km walk or 5 and 10 km competitive races.
You can register at The Running Room, www.events.runningroom.com. For more details, contact James, 613-532-9600 or james.oreilly@raymondjames.ca
Stocking up with music this holiday season
Looking for a gift for the music lover in your family this season? Look no farther than the Partners in Mission Food Bank’s Hungry for Christmas, a fundraising CD that features a unique combination of holiday classics and well-known local musicians.
Singers and musicians on the 10-track CD include Sarah Harmer, Emily Fennell, Kelli Trottier and Spencer Evans. Also in the musical mix is Food Bank Executive Director Sandy Singers, former lead vocalist and manager for the showband Soul Survivors.
“We’ve experienced a 22 per cent increase in demand since the fall of 2008 and, although things have leveled off a bit this year, we’ve been noticing a rise in demand since October,” he says.
“We think the demand is going to be very high again and we’ll need all the support we can, including having folks purchase the CD. The talent and production values on it are amazing, and the songs were performed in a spirit of love and sharing. They really bring the true essence of the Christmas spirit to everyone who hears them.”
The CD costs $15, with all proceeds going to the Food Bank. For a list of local retailers and for information about ordering or downloading the CD, please visit the Partners in Mission Food Bank website at www.kingtonfoodbank.net
HDH Coat Drive CLOSED for the holidays
The HDH Coat Drive will be closed for coat pick up between Friday, Dec. 23 and Monday Jan. 3. Hotel Dieu continues to accept gently used winter coats for its 2011 Coat Drive. Donations can be dropped off at the Sydenham Street entrance. Men's coats are still urgently needed as well as men’s gloves and toques. The HDH Coat Drive will be distributing coats until Jan. 27, 2012.
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