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.

She has worked on some of the most high-profile diseases in recent years, including H1N1, SARS and MRSA. Now, Dr. Virginia Roth oversees the approximately 1,400 doctors at The Ottawa Hospital as the new Chief of Staff – the first female doctor to do so. “As physicians, we care very much about our patients and their specific needs.”

After nine years as Chief of Staff at The Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Jeffrey Turnbull retired on Dec. 31 from hospital life to spend more time helping Ottawa’s most vulnerable populations.

In recognition of his efforts to improve life-saving skills and services, Dr. Justin Maloney received the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Cross in a ceremony at Rideau Hall on Dec. 12.