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This week, TOH is celebrating Staff Appreciation Week and we’d like our community to know more about our dedicated employees. We recently handed out our Compass Awards and Physician Achievement Awards to 16 staff members who go above and beyond.

Compass Awards honour staff members who live the TOH values

Compass Awards allow staff members to recognize their peers who go above and beyond every day, with actions that sometimes may be small, but leave a significant impact.

“Our nominees are living proof that these small gestures do not go unnoticed; they are a consistent reminder of our core values,” said Allison Neill, Senior Vice-President of Communications and Outreach, as she and Renée Légaré, Senior Vice-President of Human Resources, announced the 10 winners.

The following comments, sent in by the nominators, reveal what makes each recipient uniquely important to TOH.

Helen Zipes, Clinical Director, Rehabilitation and Family Health Team, TOH Rehabilitation Centre
“Helen empowers and inspires everyone around her to be the best they can be and to do the best they can for our patients and our health-care professionals….Helen has an open-door policy and genuinely cares about the people she works with….As a leader, she really walks the talk.”

Katherine Winters, RN and Wound Clinical Expert, Medical Oncology
“She has a special way of getting every member of the team involved when it comes to patient care, whether by making sure the porter is aware that they are claustrophobic or introducing the housekeeper to the patient, so they can develop some familiarity. Kathy is most skilled at getting the patient’s family members involved and making them feel like THEY are part of the team.”

Danielle Pilon, RN, Intensive Care Unit
“Danielle can bring calm to a room of upset people just by asking a well-placed question that focuses attention on what the issues are. She gives of herself and shares who she is when others have turned away. She sees the good in others when it is difficult to do so. She is rock with the softest corners.”

Dr. Lynne MacGregor, Physiatrist, TOHRC
“Dr. MacGregor is a warm and dedicated physiatrist with an infectious laugh. She also quietly and humbly goes about her work with her clients, garnering no particular attention. Dr. MacGregor is a Rehabilitation Powerhouse!”

Susan Lemieux, Liaison Nurse, Neurology
“Susan’s philosophy is that working collaboratively within TOH creates a patient-centred health-care facility where patients, families and staff know that their opinions are valued and staff operate within an atmosphere of clinical respect and appreciation….Susan is the heartbeat of our team.”

Sheryl McDiarmid, Advanced Practice Nurse, Corporate PICC Services
“Sheryl has repeatedly gone above and beyond the call of duty in her drive to ensure that blood-cancer patients at TOH get their donated marrow as quickly as possible. Once she flew to Taiwan and back in a day to retrieve a donation for a patient….When in doubt, the catch phrase “What would Sheryl do?” has generally guided her nominator.”

Samantha Soubliere, Triage Coordinator, Patient Advocacy
“The Patient Advocacy department has a very high, unpredictable work volume. Samantha does not see the work volume in a negative light; instead she will take a can-do attitude and jump in to get the work done….Samantha assists patients at the height of their concern. She is uniquely able to provide support during difficult encounters….Samantha makes a difference in people’s lives.”

Anne Fortier, RN, Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic
“She is the hub of a very complex rehabilitation wheel… Her capacity for compassion, empathy and respect for young and old, team member, patient and volunteer is truly amazing. She has been a bright guiding light, there to assist her patients and their families as they face a journey often fraught with change, uncertainty, fear and loss.”

Sally Cuddy, Social Worker, Robin Easey Centre
“Sally is described by clients and colleagues as an exceptional listener, considerate and encouraging as well as fair and gentle in her approach….She provides a warm and calm setting for the clients and families who are so often in distress.”

Stéphane Beaucaire, Administrative Control Centre Clerk, Transitional Care
“Stéphane is someone who goes above and beyond his call of duty. We often talk about a patient-centered approach to care, but true patient-centered care comes naturally, and from the heart. Stéphane will often be sitting in front of his desk, ear piece in, answering calls, all the while feeding a patient and chatting away to them because he enjoys it.”

Physician Achievement Awards

Physician Clinician Recognition Award

The Physician Clinician Recognition Award winners show excellent clinical skills, commitment to providing compassionate care to patients and dedication to educating the next generation of physicians. “People want to be like them,” said Dr. John Mahoney as he announced the three winners.

Dr. George Hajjar, Vascular Surgery
Dr. Hajjar shows compassion and dedication. He is an inspiration to all of us who work with him in Critical Care and the operating room.

Dr. John Sinclair, Neurosurgery
His superb surgical skills are well matched with excellent communications skills. Those in the Division of Neurology know that their patients will be well cared for when they’re referred to Dr. Sinclair.

Dr. Daniel Smith, Family Practice
The level of care, compassion and dedication that Dr. Smith shows to all of his patients is invaluable and admirable. He is very communicative and goes to the trenches. He has given back to the hospital many times.

Physician Leadership Award

Dr. Andrew Hill, Vascular Surgery
Dr. Hill’s colleagues, department head and administration see him as a great leader on many different levels.  He chaired the OR committee for many years, was respected throughout the OR, allowed the division to embrace change within the field and created a cohesive group while building a first-rate vascular surgery program.

Outstanding Leadership Award

Dr. Éric Poulin, General Surgery
This special one-time award was created to honour Dr. Poulin, who recruited more than 40 members and oversaw the largest faculty expansion in the country. He also oversaw development of the Critical Care Wing, developed software to track all faculty members’ accomplishments and initiated a surgical skills lab.

Physician Team Player Award

Dr. Lillia Fung, Anesthesiology
Not only did Dr. Fung achieve the clinical, academic and professional standards, but she is the standard. She is a role model for all of us. She is the ideal resident: a low-maintenance, stress-free, academic achiever who is completely engaged in her program, her specialty and her peers. She is the glue holding residents together.

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