DoM December 2024 Newsletter

In this edition

Save the date! Teach the Teachers, February 20, 2025
Dr. Ratika Parkash appointed as Heart and Stroke Foundation Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Outcomes Research
Dr. Ken Rockwood awarded British Geriatrics Society (BGS) President’s Medal
Learn about the groundbreaking $1 million donation to advance dialysis research
Read Dr. John Sapp's recent publication in the New England Journal of Medicine
Medicine Matters, Holiday Party, and Dal Alumni Gala recaps
And more!

The "Short" Report from Dr. Christine Short

I have a small glass Christmas tree that sits on the windowsill above the sink in my kitchen. A couple of years ago, I stopped putting it away after the holiday season to remind me year-round of the meaning of the season, which is built around kindness, giving, and peace. Keeping the tree up reminds me that these values don’t just reside in a season on the calendar and that we should strive to find opportunities to practice them all year round.

Our department members celebrate a host of traditions and religious practices this time of year, and if you look at them closely, you’ll notice the themes of peace, giving, and kindness connect them all. With all the conflict and chaos in the world right now, we have an opportunity to be very intentional about finding ways to give back over the holidays, be kind, and bring peaceful moments into our days and the days of those around us. In healthcare, we are in privileged positions to do this as we guide patients and their families through challenging times in their health journeys.

In the spirit of giving, our Department will be making four donations to support people who experience food and housing insecurity. We will be donating $5,000 each to The United Way, Metro Community Housing Association, Feed Nova Scotia, and Shelter Nova Scotia.

The Department hosted our Holiday party on December 5th. Thank you to all who made it out. We have some great pictures highlighting the event toward the end of this newsletter.

We also had an amazing Medicine Matters Day on December 6th. Big thanks to our CPD chair Dr. Meredith Chiasson and the CPD planning committee for facilitating a great learning event. Mark your calendars for our next CPD event, Teach the Teachers, on February 20th – you can find more details in the next segment just below.

The last month has been a notable one for our Department with two significant and well-deserved recognitions. Dr. Ratika Parkash of the Division of Cardiology has been appointed the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Outcomes Research. Dr. Ken Rockwood, Division of Geriatric Medicine, was awarded with the British Geriatric Society’s first President’s Award for his role enhancing the understanding of frailty in older people. A huge congratulations to both! Our department is grateful for your contributions to healthcare and immensely fortunate to have your expertise. Please let us know if you or a colleague has received a recognition so we can celebrate our successes in the newsletter.

There is more great content in this month’s edition, so be sure to scroll ahead for exciting news like the groundbreaking $1 million donation to Dartmouth General Hospital to advance dialysis research and the new Geriatric Medicine clinic that recently opened in Dartmouth.

Wishing you all a warm and restful month ahead – I look forward to connecting with you again in our January 2025 newsletter.

Take care,

Christine

Christine Short, MD, FRCP(C), FACP

Associate Professor & Head/Chief, Department of Medicine

Dalhousie University / Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health

Important Dates for DoM Members

Dates in this segment are intended to help DoM members stay up to date on opportunities to engage, reflect, and contribute to both the department’s work and the broader healthcare community — from commemorative days, weeks, and months that highlight important themes in medicine, to operational deadlines and events.

February 20 - Save the date! Teach the Teachers 2025 Workshop

Right Patient, Right Time, Right Words: Navigating Goals of Care Conversations

📅 Thursday, February 20, 2025

🕛 12:00 PM – 4:30 PM

📍 Sir Charles Tupper Building

DoM physicians and nurse practitioners are invited to save the date for this year’s Teach the Teachers Workshop, a continuing professional development opportunity.

This year’s theme, “Right Patient, Right Time, Right Words: Navigating Goals of Care Conversations” is designed to enhance skills in leading effective Goals of Care (GOC) conversations with patients, families, and substitute decision-makers (SDMs). What you’ll gain:

Confidence using Nova Scotia Health’s Patient Priorities and Goals of Care (GOC) form
Enhanced communication skills for meaningful GOC conversations
Strategies for teaching and supervising learners in GOC discussions
Access to valuable resources to support these critical conversations

Registration details will follow soon, but in the meantime, explore the Goals of Care Conversation Guide and Nova Scotia Health’s Goals of Care library page to learn more.

Questions? Email EAICNetwork@nshealth.ca.

February 28 - Killam Scholarship Deadline (Internal Deadline February 14)

Killam Postgraduate Medical Scholarships are awarded to postgraduate students in their third, fourth, or fifth year of training in one of Dalhousie Medical School's clinical departments.

Selection by the Faculty Awards Committee is based on the recommendation of the Department Head that the candidate is likely to contribute to the advancement of learning or to win distinction in their specialty and could be recommended for appointment to the faculty of a medical school on completion of training.

Download the application form here. Please submit your application to DoMResearch@nshealth.ca by February 14 for Department Head review and signature.

When finished, submit your reviewed application electronically to tara.ryan@dal.ca by February 28.

Important Dates in the Community

In this segment, we highlight commemorative dates and periods of time that are of significant importance for members of our community. Building our awareness of and engagement with these dates, weeks, and months helps us connect to patients and, ultimately, each other, in more open, attuned, and caring ways.

December 17 - Anti-Bullying Day

Yesterday, December 17, marked one of Canada’s two Anti-Bullying Days, the other observed on February 22 (also known as "Pink Shirt Day"). While bullying is often associated with childhood, studies show that nearly 40% of Canadian adults experience bullying at some point in their adulthood.

Recognizing this day is a vital reminder of the importance of fostering respect, professionalism, and inclusivity in all areas of life, including the workplace. In the DoM, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all. Let us use this opportunity to reaffirm our dedication to maintaining a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.

December Holidays and Observances

There is no doubt December is a month of joy for many of us, with holidays and celebrations both religious and secular. No matter how you celebrate, it's important to remember that not everyone observes the same holidays or celebrates in the same way. We should also keep in mind that December can be a hard month for many of us due to financial pressures, feelings of loneliness, grief over lost loved ones, or the stress of holiday expectations and year-end demands.

We encourage you to explore CultureAlly’s list of December Observances, which outlines many important celebrations and days of acknowledgement observed this month.

We also recommend Mental Health Association of Canada's Mental Health for the Holidays series: stories that highlight the many ways end-of-year celebrations can trigger feelings of stress and loss.

Informing ourselves about these occasions and the varying ways they can make us feel helps us foster understanding, respect, and inclusivity in our homes, workplaces, and communities.

We also believe no one should struggle alone, so if you or anyone you know are finding it hard to get through this holiday season, please see our "Mental Health & Well-being" resources in the "Quick Reference/Recurring Content" segment at the end of the newsletter.

While we would like to recognize all dates, weeks, and months that are important for our wider community, our selections are only a fraction of the many that are deserving of our attention and acknowledgement.

To stay up to date, we encourage you to review the following calendars regularly:

Calendar of Health Promotion Days

Calendar of Important and Commemorative Days

If you have suggestions for particular dates you'd like us to mention, let us know! Email Candice at candice.albright@nshealth.ca with your ideas.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Ratika Parkash Appointed the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Outcomes Research

Dr. Ratika Parkash, outcomes and clinical trials researcher in the Division of Cardiology, has been named the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Outcomes Research. Effective July 1, 2024, this prestigious five-year appointment recognizes her exceptional contributions to advancing cardiovascular care and research.

Dr. Parkash’s groundbreaking work focuses on atrial fibrillation and cardiac implantable electronic devices, addressing critical areas such as disease mechanisms, patient management, and virtual care strategies. Her leadership in clinical trials and research excellence will now shape a program dedicated to improving cardiovascular outcomes, fostering mentorship, and driving collaborations. Read more about her well-deserved appointment here. Congratulations, Dr. Parkash!

Dr. Ken Rockwood Awarded British Geriatrics Society (BGS) President’s Medal

On November 22 in London, Dr. Ken Rockwood was awarded with the inaugural British Geriatrics Society (BGS) President’s Medal for his outstanding contributions to the healthcare of older people.

His significant role in enhancing the understanding of frailty in older people, including creating a Frailty Index – The Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale, which measures how frail a person is by considering the overall impact of their health problems – is what led to this historic win. As BGS President, Professor Adam Gordon stated, "It is, in no small way, due to Ken’s leadership that the BGS’s policies and guidance are now based around frailty. Every emergency department in the country routinely uses the Clinical Frailty Scale."

The global adoption of the Clinical Frailty Scale and recognition of Dr. Rockwood's work is a testament to his impact and the importance of caring for older people. Read more about his win here. Congratulations, Dr. Rockwood!

DoM in the News

A Groundbreaking $1M Donation to Advance Dialysis Research

The DoM’s Nephrology Division is set to benefit significantly from a transformative $1 million donation by Robert and Nancy Van Wart to the Dartmouth General Hospital. This first-of-its-kind contribution in North America will enable the purchase of innovative virtual reality technology to study the cognitive effects of dialysis on patients. The funds will also support infrastructure, allowing researchers to engage patients and evaluate the technology’s impact.

As quoted in this CTV News article, Division Head Dr. Tennankore says “This investment will provide invaluable insights into the effects of dialysis on both brain and cardiac health, paving the way for interventions that help patients thrive.”

With kidney disease affecting 1 in 10 Canadians, this generous donation underscores a commitment to improving care and outcomes for kidney patients, reflecting the Van Wart family’s personal dedication and the Nephrology Division’s ongoing leadership in groundbreaking research.

Geriatric Medicine Clinic Location Opens in Dartmouth

Geriatric Medicine Outpatient Services in Central Zone is pleased to share that a new Geriatric Medicine Clinic location is now open on the Dartmouth General Hospital Campus (18 Acadia St.), improving access to care.

Geriatric Medicine Clinics continue at the Camp Hill Veterans’ Memorial Building (Halifax) and the Cobequid Community Health Centre (Lower Sackville) for comprehensive assessments of adults 65+ with cognitive, functional, mobility and/or polypharmacy concerns.

Referrals must be completed by a patient’s physician or nurse practitioner - Geriatric Medicine Outpatient Services Referral Form. Referrals for capacity assessment are not accepted.

Learn more here, review the patient pamphlet, or visit the webpage here.

Research

Catheter Ablation or Antiarrhythmic Drugs for Ventricular Tachycardia

Dr. John Sapp (pictured right), Division of Cardiology, led a practice-changing study that was recently published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

The research revealed that catheter ablation as a first-line treatment for ventricular tachycardia in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy significantly reduced the risk of adverse outcomes, including death, ventricular tachycardia storm, and shocks from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), compared to antiarrhythmic drug therapy.

This pivotal trial establishes catheter ablation as a superior initial strategy, offering improved outcomes for this high-risk patient group and setting a new standard in clinical practice. Read the full article here.

Medical Education Research Roundtables

Held on MS Teams from 12-1 pm, roundtables will be taking place on the following dates:

January 14: Developing and revising an interview guide for quality interviews: A real-life example Dr. Dawn Burleigh & Dr. Sarah Burm

(February to June dates TBD.)

For more information, please contact sara.burm@dal.ca.

UIMRF Competition, 2024

Don't miss out! UIMRF is currently accepting applications for grant and fellowship funding for the following categories and deadlines:

Matching Research Funds – deadline 4 weeks prior to external application deadline

If you haven't received them already, please contact DoMResearch@nshealth.ca for information and application forms.

Recent Events

Medicine Matters 2024

The DoM's Continuing Professional Development team, led by Dr. Meredith Chiasson, hosted a dynamic Medicine Matters event on December 6. This continuing professional development opportunity featured an array of insightful sessions, which began with the keynote address from Dr. Kathleen Horrey (pictured above). Her talk, "Driving Transformation through Effective Change Management," offered a masterclass in navigating change — an invaluable skill for healthcare professionals amid constant evolution in our work and the broader system.

Participants enjoyed a full day of edifying presentations, ranging from the latest guidelines on managing COPD and lung cancer screening to a thought-provoking and entertaining pro/con debate on AI scribes in clinical settings. The breadth and depth of topics underscored the event's commitment to fostering innovation and practical knowledge. We encourage you to join the next one in 2025 — you won't regret it!

DoM Holiday Party

This year’s holiday party at the Prince George Hotel was a delightful evening of connection and fun. DoM members gathered to enjoy great company, drinks, and delicious food, making for a memorable night out together. Events like these offer a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our bonds and celebrate the season as a team. Thank you to all who came!

Dal Alumni Gala

Last month, the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association hosted the annual Dal Med Gala, a celebration of community within the medical profession. Members of the Department of Medicine enjoyed coming together with fellow alumni, faculty, and students, highlighting the ties across generations of medical professionals to advance healthcare and education.

Conflict and Culture Series

To help further the work of our strategic plan, we are focusing on strengthening our toolkit to improve culture and address conflict in our workplace. Content is submitted by our externally contracted culture and conflict experts, Diane LeBlanc, Basia Solarz, and Brennan Dempsey.

Bully Patterns

There are many definitions and popular conceptions of bullies and bullying at play in our culture. One key feature of bullying is that it is done with an intent to harm; this is in contrast to “incivility,” which is a more common behaviour that has a negative impact but an ambiguous intent. People sometimes confuse these constructs and interpret incivility as bullying, and this confusion tends to exacerbate and escalate conflicts.

Incivility and bullying both have negative impacts at work, but they should be handled differently. If we feel that a colleague is being uncivil, we have a responsibility to inform the person of the impact of their behaviour. If their behaviour doesn’t change when they know how it impacts you, you might be dealing with a bully, which means you will need to rely on a different set of tools. And in fact, the conflict specialist Bill Eddy believes that bullying is on the rise – changes in our entertainment technology, social media, and political culture have empowered bullies and brought them into positions of power and prestige.

Eddy suggests that the key to containing bullies is recognizing their patterns. These patterns are relatively stable, because bullies lack insight and the ability to moderate their own behaviour. Some of the bully’s patterns deserve special attention. They can ambush with personal attacks, leaving people feeling bewildered and threatened; they rely on primitive emotions and repetition; and, they often project and play the victim.

Once we recognize these patterns and know we are dealing with a bully, we need to employ collective action and communication to contain them. Critically, we need to set limits and impose consequences, or SLIC. Bullies lack the ability to manage their own emotions, so they need help to succeed and contribute. Clear limits and true consequences are absolutely essential.

Eddy suggests that every bully relies on the power of stories. These stories tend to have three parts, all of which are figments: a fantasy crisis, a fantasy villain, and a fantasy hero. Often a bully fixates on a “crisis,” which is at best a problem and at worst a total fabrication. According to the bully, this crisis is often the fault of a villain, while the bully poses as the hero sent to deliver us from the threat. (This pattern is evident in politics as well as social life.) By creating a sense of fear and threat, bullies manipulate others to serve their ends, usually leaving chaos and conflict in their wake.

It is always a good idea to evaluate these stories ourselves, and not accept people’s narratives at face value. Bullies have a toxic impact on our work, our politics, and our lives. If we want to change that, we need to recognize their patterns and learn to work together against them!

If you experience bullying or incivility at work, the Faculty of Medicine and Nova Scotia Health have good supports to help you work through those instances.

To start, it's a great idea to review Nova Scotia Health's (NSH's) Respectful Workplace Policy and to take NSH's LMS module, "Introduction to Respectful Workplace Policy" (code "0231.01" via the e-learning catalogue at elearning.nshealth.ca/Studio/Catalogue).

You can also reach out to Diane LeBlanc from our Culture and Conflict team any time at dianeleblanc@healthierorg.com or contact the central offices at the Department of Medicine.

Call for Mentors - Still on!

Sign up to become an OPOR Mentor or nominate a colleague!

NSH is looking for advanced users of the One Person One Record-Clinical Information System (OPOR-CIS) to become Peer Mentors to assist peers during implementation. A Peer Mentor has received advanced training in the new systems, and they will support teams by providing basic trouble shooting and issuing triage assistance. Peer mentors are knowledgeable about the OPOR-CIS solution and workflows, support their peers 1:1, in the classroom, and/or in learning labs.

If you are interested or know someone who would make a great fit, fill out the OPOR Peer Mentor Interest Enrollment form.

Learning Opportunities

January Grand Rounds

Click here for the January Grand Rounds schedule.

And check out our latest recorded Grand Rounds here:

Dec 3 DoM Grand Rounds

Missed a topic? Contact domgrandrounds@nshealth.ca for a link to our archived YouTube videos.

Quick Reference / Recurring Content

Department of Medicine

We want to hear from you! Please fill out our survey to help us refresh our strategic plan. Click the link below or scan the QR code.

Survey: DoM Strategic Plan Refresh

Have any suggestions for the department? Leave them anonymously here:

DoM Suggestion Box

https://sites.google.com/view/domresearch

The page was initially developed for the resident group, but it’s also useful to faculty and their research teams. DoM Research wants to ensure that the link is easily accessible to anyone in the department.

Mental Health & Well-Being

Doctors Nova Scotia: Professional Support Program

https://doctorsns.com/benefits/professional-support
902-468-8215 or 1-855-275-8215 (toll-free)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Available to Nova Scotia Health AND Dalhousie University
https://www.workhealthlife.com/

Mental Health and Wellness, Government of Nova Scotia

https://novascotia.ca/mental-health-and-wellbeing/

Nova Scotia Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line

1-888-429-8167

Canadian Medical Association Wellness Hub

https://www.cma.ca/physician-wellness-hub/resources/establishing-wellness-mindset/wellness-resources-faculty

Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Program (MHAP) has free e-Mental Health and Addictions tools available to all Nova Scotians including health care workers and physicians. These tools include:

Mindwell U – free online support that takes just five minutes a day, and can be accessed anywhere and on any device. This service is available in English and French. https://app.mindwellu.com/novascotia

Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) – free and private online resource that includes interactive activities and videos for people having challenges with their mental health. This service is available in English and French. https://www.taoconnect.org/

Wellness Together Canada – mental health and substance abuse support that contains free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed. https://wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA

Togetherall – free and safe online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers individuals to anonymously seek and provide support 24/7. It is available to all youth and young adults aged 16-29, providing an inclusive and supportive place to connect with others with real lived experience with common mental health concerns. To sign up go to togetherall.com and use your Nova Scotia postal code to register. https://togetherall.com/en-ca/

For more online tools and how to register, visit MHAhelpNS.ca/tools.

NSH Library - Healthy Living

includes iPad Borrowing Program for patients
https://library.nshealth.ca/HealthyLiving/

Nova Scotia Health

https://covid19hub.nshealth.ca/new

Shows latest developments for visitation and masking.

https://firstline.org/antimicrobial-stewardship/

https://firstline.org/nsha/

NSH logo needs to be visible in the upper left corner of the home screen to ensure you are accessing local content.

The Nova Scotia Health Media Relations Team, led by John Gillis, has shared guidelines for physicians or staff who receive media requests. All media requests should be vetted through the NSH media relations office.

Additional Links

medicine.dal.ca

doctorsns.com

novascotia.ca/news

https://www.legalinfo.org/personaldirective

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When you take care of yourself, you take care of others.

We Teach, Research, and Serve our patients on Mi’kmaw territory, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. The people of the Mi’kmaw Nation have lived on this territory for millennia, and we acknowledge them as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land. We are all Treaty people.

We recognize that African Nova Scotians are a distinct people whose histories, legacies, and contributions have enriched that part of Mi’kma’ki known as Nova Scotia for over 400 years.