Shane and Ellen Ottens have seen their four boys go through their fair share of bumps, bruises and broken bones over the years. However, nothing prepared them for the diagnosis their son, Spencer, would receive in the fall of 2017.

Hundreds of nurses across six health-care partners are leading the charge toward the launch of the Epic digital health network on June 1. Nurses share their expertise to help design, build, and test the new system, as well as train and support 18,000 other professionals as the hospital and five other health organizations prepare for a new era of care.

Chances are you’ve never thought about all the behind-the-scenes planning that goes in to improving a patient’s experience at The Ottawa Hospital. To celebrate International Women’s Day, meet Joanne Read and Karen Stockton – two accomplished leaders who plan every element of the patient experience, down to the last detail.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often come to the Emergency Department gasping for breath. Now, a made-in-Ottawa tool can be used by doctors around the world to help choose the best care for these patients.

Six years ago, Tanya O’Brien’s worst fear became a reality. “Hearing that you have cancer is like watching yourself in a bad movie…. Everything suddenly becomes a question. Is it everywhere? Will I die? What will happen to my family?” But the new Breast Health Centre offers hope.

When Dr. Clare Liddy shared with Dr. Erin Keely that one of her patients had to wait for more than nine months for an appointment with a specialist, they agreed this was too long. Together, they developed eConsult – and the electronic wait-time solution is spreading across Canada and around the world.