Healthcare outcomes Archives

A path to modernize for those with spinal cord injury policy report | Case study

Posted on April 27, 2021 By John Gregory

Spinal Cord Injury Ontario, a path to modernize, policy report, Opencity Inc,

A broad stakeholder group working through 2020 brought attention to the 33,000 people who use intermittent catheters every day in Ontario.

Individuals with a neurological condition, including a spinal cord injury (SCI), may not be able to empty their bladder on their own, which can lead to chronic urinary retention and serious health problems such as bladder damage or kidney disease. To prevent these problems from happening a catheter is used up to five times a day to drain the bladder, a process called intermittent catheterization. Here we explore a case study about the development and production of the policy report on behalf of Spinal Cord Injury Ontario.

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New recommendations for intermittent catheterization | Case study

Posted on July 7, 2020July 7, 2020 By John Gregory

intermittent catheterization Opencity inc best practice recommendations for nurses

These intermittent catheterization practice recommendations signify a wonderful collaboration among four nursing associations in Canada.

The published recommendations built upon previous work by Opencity Inc on the European Association of Urology Nurses (EUAN) edited summary published in 2016. In this case study, we explore aspects of the recommendation and five lessons learned.

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Charity Spotlight – Spinal Cord Injury Ontario

Posted on May 22, 2020October 9, 2022 By John Gregory

Spinal Cord Injury Ontario, SCIO, VIP4SCI

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. Spinal Cord Injury Ontario (SCIO) has pivoted to respond to the needs of the spinal cord injury community through this pandemic.

The risks associated with COVID-19 are high for everyone. And even higher for people with spinal cord injury. Here we explore the SCIO Safe@Home campaign. SCIO will double the impact of your donation to keep people connected to essential lived experience knowledge and support.

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New position statement – Preoperative stoma site marking | Case study

Posted on March 31, 2020May 18, 2020 By John Gregory

Preoperative stoma site marking position statement case study

A joint Canadian position statement between Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy & Continence and colorectal surgeons marks a poignant step. This case study explores the process of this collaboration been nurses and physicians to improve outcomes for patients undergoing ostomy surgery.

The body of literature is emphatic that preoperative site marking should be mandatory in elective cases. This position statement reinforces the necessity to have NSWOC and surgeons available at all times for emergency case interventions for stoma site marking. This project brought together 20 specialist nurses and surgeons from across Canada. It resulted in a position statement, practice enabler and video.

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The Future of Aging goes far beyond healthcare

Posted on February 20, 2020May 18, 2020 By John Gregory

The Future of Aging, SE Heath, older person wearing VR goggles

“Aging well is an expensive, important issue–one that goes far beyond healthcare.” The Future of Aging is artistic and balanced in its presentation with poignantly research quotes to complement the text.

I have no desire to retire. Why can I not be part of a gig economy in my 70s? Those were my immediate reflections on reading Shirlee Sharkey’s eloquent introduction to The Futures of Aging.

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Physician-led health tech innovation

Posted on May 12, 2019May 12, 2019 By John Gregory

There are a plethora of health tech innovation conferences exposing how AI can transform healthcare. It is poignant then to see one that is physician-led while noting the valuable role of the pharmacist in how innovation can revolutionize the patient experience.

The inaugural Technology & the Future of Health Care Conference at the Hamilton Convention Centre rounded-off the Hamilton Health Innovation week. Here we examine some of the core messages from the physicians, entrepreneurs, academia and healthcare leaders.

Health of people #CanMedTech2019

Posted on April 7, 2019April 8, 2019 By John Gregory

Health of people, Opencity Inc, MEDEC, MedTech, Health Innovation Week

Those with lived experience emphasized that a move toward patient-directed self-care is about seeing the health of people and not the healthcare of patients.

The 2019 MEDEC MedTech conference at the International Centre coincided again with the Toronto Health Innovation Week. Here we examine some of the core messages from the exceptional quality of speakers and panels discussions. Patient’s including Lori Pedersen brought an emotional atmosphere to the health executives.

Putting humanity in healthcare – system level thinking

Posted on March 25, 2019March 25, 2019 By John Gregory

system-level-thinking-health-opencityinc

It was a courageous step to see one of the LHINs stepping up to run the #Convergence19 conference on system thinking at a time when changes towards Ontario Health may cause the majority to be focussing internally. We need bold, decisive leadership to prompt system-level thinking in healthcare.

Here we explore the superb #Convergence19 half-day session run by Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integration network at the award-winning CIGI (Centre for International Governance in Innovation).

Adoption of the Wound Care Quality Standards in Ontario

Posted on April 23, 2018April 24, 2018 By John Gregory

Wound Care Quality Standards, Ontario, RNAO, OntWIG symposium

Wound Care Quality Standards are the foundation for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in Ontario (MOHLTC). The OntWIG symposium identified disconnects between the quality standards and practices around procurement, funding accessibility and inconsistencies in the continuum of care across the 14 Ontario Local Health Innovation Networks (LHIN).

Here we reflect on the thought-provoking Ontario Wound Interest Group (OntWIG) symposium that examined the adoption of the Health Quality Ontario quality standards covering diabetic foot ulcers, pressure injuries and venous leg ulcers.

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Patients Included | Toronto Health Innovation

Posted on April 13, 2018April 13, 2018 By John Gregory

Patients Included Hacking-Health-THIW-OpencityInc-gregiej

Toronto Health Innovation Week provided a spirit of optimism for the newest innovations. Patients Included should be the default way of working in health innovation and improvement.

We selected four 1-minute video interviews to include here to capture the essence and optimism of Toronto Health Innovation Week. Read our reflections on the MEDEC MedTech conference.

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