Starting Saturday, December 14, 2024, the entrance to the QEII Halifax Infirmary Emergency Department has changed to 1840 Bell Road. Learn more.
Every day, individuals and teams of staff, physicians, researchers and volunteers strive to deliver high quality care and services in all areas of our province. The Making Waves Awards program recognizes individuals and groups who have made outstanding contributions to the health and well-being of Nova Scotians. The Making Waves Awards are designed to recognize exemplary efforts and contributions by employees, physicians, researchers and volunteers who advance our vision, mission, values and strategic directions.
The 2023 Outstanding Contribution Award, awarded to the Perioperative Services Network, for the work to implement electronic referrals (eReferrals) for surgery, recognizes how this team has made a significant impact on health policy, service delivery, organizational culture, or continuous improvement.
The team has truly made waves. Since launching the new process in April 2023, nearly 80,000 surgical referrals have been sent and managed using the tool and electronic referrals have also expanded to include magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasounds and bone mineral density testing. A new Nova Scotia eServices Program has recently been formed to lead the continued optimization and expansion of eReferrals to other DI modalities, gastroenterology services and more.
Perioperative Services team members, Sarah Miles (pictured second from right) and Karen Doherty (pictured fifth from right) share how their work supports the ongoing efforts of the team.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Sarah Miles: “I am fortunate to have spent the past twenty-year as a registered nurse, with most of my roles being within the perioperative setting. Early in my nursing career, I knew perioperative services was my passion.
I loved the challenge, excitement, variety and most of all, the teamwork the operating room provided. From there, I moved into a variety of leadership roles with the perioperative clinical team in Central Zone, and then onto roles within the perioperative network, including manager of central intake surgical eReferral, and most recently, provincial director of medical device reprocessing – quality, planning and sustainability. I’m located in the Halifax area. I enjoy working within the perioperative network because of the collaborative approach to tackling new ideas, processes, and transformation of surgical care across Nova Scotia.”
Karen Doherty: “I am a provincial perioperative network leader, located in Central Zone. I have been heavily involved in the eReferral project in many different aspects, including the development, implementation and continued evaluation. My favorite part is seeing the numerous benefits to patient care that eReferral provides come to life, from concept to reality, and knowing that we have made an impactful change for Nova Scotians.”
How do you feel your work contributes to the health and wellbeing of Nova Scotians?
Sarah Miles: “As part of the perioperative network, our work contributes to the development of surgical strategies to support initiatives that enhance patient care such as eReferral, centralized booking and reduction of surgical waitlists.
Developing strategies to help patients access care closer to home and embracing new technology allows us to leverage new ideas and work together as a province. The health and wellbeing of all Nova Scotians is at the forefront of the work we do, and is essential to provide high quality, safe care.”
Karen Doherty: “We hear every day from public forums as well as in our personal lives that Nova Scotians are waiting for surgical consults and are looking for more options and transparency. Using eReferrals has provided those opportunities for patients and provided a platform for physicians and surgeons to have open communication about patient care.”
What does it mean to you to receive this award?
Sarah Miles: “It’s an honour to be part of the perioperative network team that received this award. Getting to work alongside a passionate group of leaders every day, who challenge the status quo and push the envelope, keeps me motivated to continue asking questions and finding new ways to enhance the care being offered across Nova Scotia.”
Karen Doherty: “Nova Scotia was the first province-wide implementation of an electronic eReferral system, which required great dedication from our team to get it up and running. There were many barriers to overcome and lots of highs and lows. It is very uplifting to receive the recognition of this award for all the hard work that has gone into launching eReferral. It has provided encouragement to continue to strive for change and improvement for future projects.”
As the recipients of this award, how do you hope to inspire others who are working to make a difference in the lives of Nova Scotians each day?
Sarah Miles: “My hope is I can inspire others to take risks and not be afraid to try something new.
Healthcare is an evolving field, and we have an opportunity to be innovative and try new ideas. Even those ideas that may seem small or insignificant, can have a positive impact on our patients and teams.”
Karen Doherty: “I hope to inspire others to continue to look at identifying gaps and strive for more transformational change for Nova Scotians.”
The perioperative team, led by Cindy Connolly and Dr. Greg Hirsch, have been collaborating with other leaders and teams across the province to increase access to care, reduce wait times and advance transformational changes like eReferrals and a new approach how surgeries are scheduled.
You can learn more about eReferrals and other initiatives here: www.nshealth.ca/transforming-surgical-access-and-care
Photo of perioperative services team members, Sarah Miles and Karen Doherty, share how their work supports the ongoing efforts of the team.