London, Ont. - TD Bank Group announced a $500,000 donation today, in support of London Health Sciences Foundation's Women's Care Campaign, helping create a dedicated physical space for London Health Sciences Centre's Women's and Children's Simulation Training Program.
"We can't thank TD Bank Group enough for investing in our community's health through this generous donation," says LHSF President and CEO John MacFarlane. "Donations like this take the good health care we take for granted and make it great."
"See one, do one, teach one" was once the practice for medical education and training - meaning health care professionals learned by observing and practicing in real patient-care situations. While real-life experience is still important, technology now enables LHSC to conduct sophisticated simulation training that enhances and expands on that former model; even allowing multidisciplinary health care teams to practice less-common and even rare critical care scenarios, so that they can prepare for these sorts of eventualities in a risk-free environment.
The hospital introduced the Women's and Children's Simulation Training Program in 2011 using high- and low-fidelity mannequins, representing different patient groups like newborn and adult obstetrical. The program trains LHSC personnel as well as clinical teams from community hospitals across the region.
"Simulation training improves real-world communication, collaboration, teamwork and crisis management in the delivery room, clinic and operating room," says Emily Williams, LHSC's Director of Women's Care. "These dynamics are extremely important when we are providing acute care to the most vulnerable patient populations - including neonatal and obstetrical patients."
The value of such training was aptly illustrated recently when the program traveled to Stratford General Hospital to deliver an outreach training session. The very next day, Stratford clinicians encountered one of the simulation scenarios that they had practiced during the training session.
The program is currently housed in temporary space at LHSC's Victoria Hospital. TD Bank Group's contribution will help LHSC create a planned, state-of-the-art centre that will allow for optimal simulation research and training. This includes realistically replicating clinical settings, enabling filming and providing dedicated debriefing rooms - permitting participants to observe their behaviours during a simulated crisis situation, to assess team performance and to identify opportunities for improvement.
We're a longstanding community partner of London Health Sciences Centre and Children's Hospital at LHSC," said Tim Hockey, President and CEO, TD Canada Trust, "We know the simulation centre will improve care for moms and children, benefitting families throughout the community which is also a priority for us.
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London Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF) is a registered charity accredited by Imagine Canada and the Better Business Bureau, linking donors and health care experts together in pursuit of medical excellence at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). To see why doctors, researchers, nurses and staff at LHSC dedicate their lives to providing great patient care, to pursuing medical discovery and innovation, and to constantly improving through education; why patients are grateful for the extraordinary care they provide; and why donors and volunteers are so committed to supporting their vital work, visitwww.lhsf.ca/whatsyourwhy.
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voice: 519.685.8527 page: 519.685 8500 x13737 alexander.peterson@lhsc.on.ca