Maternity terrace launch & Casey Young memorial Mildura staff IN A MOVING CEREMONY, JOHN FLYNN PRIVATE HOSPITAL RECENTLY CELEBRATED THE LIFE & FAMILY OF PATIENT CASEY YOUNG WHO PASSED AWAY ONE YEAR GO, DEDICATING A NEW GLASSED-IN TERRACE IN THE MATERNITY WARD IN HER HONOUR. Casey Young discovered she had stage four bowel cancer in May 2013 while undergoing a caesarean section to deliver her twin babies at John Flynn Private Hospital. The disease was so advanced that Casey survived just another three months, passing away on 6th August 2013. Casey and her family touched the lives of many at John Flynn and one year later on 7 August 2014, John Flynn Private Hospital staff paid tribute to a much-loved patient who was “always smiling” when she walked through the corridors, officially opening the new maternity terrace named in Casey’s honour. In the last few months of her life, Casey Young longed to get out on to John Flynn Private Hospital’s balcony and take in views of the coastline. Maternity manager Gaylene Hardwick said, when she was with us she always wanted to go out on the balcony into the fresh air, she loved the outdoors. She kept pushing the point, her perseverance admirable. “We now have this beautiful terrace that everyone including mothers, families, visitors and staff can use. It has such a positive vibe and spirit about it.” Hospital Chief Executive Greg Jenke said Mrs Young’s “incredibly sad, yet truly inspiring story” had been the catalyst for developing and opening the balcony. “The motivation and the inspiration behind it was sad, but it is a long lasting tribute to her,” Mr Jenke said. 8 The Ramsay Way - 2014 | 03 awarded for quality improvement A group of senior staff at Mildura Base Hospital (MBH) has been recognised with an award at the completion of a year-long program aimed at continuous improvement within the hospital. The Qualitas Consortium was formed in 2011 to support healthcare organisations to improve quality, productivity and safety. Five MBH representatives recently completed the Qualitas Productive Leader program, focused on delivering greater efficiency, both personal and organisational, giving leaders more time to lead. At the completion of the course, the MBH participants won the award for best presentation ahead of metropolitan and regional hospitals from throughout Victoria. Congratulations to the following MBH leaders on their Qualitas Award: • Claire Eaton (Associate Director of Nursing) • Belinda Pavilach (Acting Director of Mental Health Services) • Katrina Allen (Perioperative Services Manager) • Janet Hicks (General Manager Performance Improvement) • Angela Imms (former Community Services Manager) Best Stroke carer in Australia at Mt Wilga IF YOU ARE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO SUFFER A STROKE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT HORNSBY HAS THE BEST STROKE CARER IN AUSTRALIA. Mt Wilga Private Hospital neurological occupational therapist Kelly Gerrard has been named the 2014 Stroke Care Champion for her outstanding dedication and being an inspiring advocate for stroke patients. “Kelly’s commitment to stroke is impressive, having contributed to numerous quality improvement projects,” National Stroke Foundation CEO Dr Erin Lalor said. Since joining Mt Wilga 11 years ago, Ms Gerrard has helped thousands of stroke patients. She was nominated for the award by her peers for being “committed, enthusiastic, professional, empathetic and a human force in sometimes difficult and challenging situations”. “It (my job) is so incredible, I absolutely love it,” she said. “I like getting to know the patients and their family members and working with them.” And there’s also the buzz of seeing miracles happen. “It does feel like that very often,” she said. IN JULY 2014, JOHN FLYNN PRIVATE HOSPITAL’S UROLOGISTS PERFORMED THE HOSPITAL’S 100TH ROBOTIC SURGERY PROCEDURE, A ROBOTIC ASSISTED LAPAROSCOPIC PYELOPLASTY. The patient recovered well and returned to work a week later. The endorsed urologist robotic surgeons have been performing a number of prostatic and renal procedures and the early clinical outcomes have been outstanding, with no major complications. The Da Vinci robot is also being used at John Flynn in early throat cancers as a curative treatment, gynaecological procedures including hysterectomies, along with a number of general surgical, bariatric and sleep apnoea procedures. Queen’s Honours for St George Private doctor St George Private Intensive Care specialist Professor John Myburgh has been recognised for service to the community in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours. Professor Myburgh was appointed an Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medicine as an intensive and critical care practitioner, educator and researcher, and as an international innovator in patient management. “It’s a great privilege to have a colleague of the calibre of John Myburgh working with us,” says Associate Professor George Skowronski, Intensivist and Chairman of the St George Private Hospital Medical Advisory Committee. “John is the only Australasian invited participant in the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines for head injury management, which are used all over the world to guide treatment. “More recently he has led international research into the use of intravenous fluids, and his work has resulted in the recognition that IV fluids containing starch derivatives are harmful. These fluids have been withdrawn from use in many hospitals worldwide. It goes without saying that St George Private was among the first!” 100th robotic procedure at JFPH RAMSAYPEOPLE JFPH urologists L-R: Dr Scott Leslie, Dr Stephen Bourne, Dr Martin Elmes & Dr David Sillar. Kelly Gerrard has helped thousands of stroke patients. (story & photo courtesy News Ltd) RIGHT: James Young with babies Cora & James Jnr at the opening ceremony with John Flynn Private CEO Greg Jenke.
The Ramsay Way - Spring 2014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above