By Michelle Lee Hoy

Stouffville Hospital (MSH) has enhanced its capabilities to provide orthopaedic care at both its Markham and Uxbridge sites, bringing the very best in surgical care to these communities and their residents.

MSH has been able to maintain close to full surgical volumes, operating at 85-90 per cent capacity over the past year thanks to advanced, careful planning and infection control considerations to ensure that patients receive the treatment they need without further delays brought on by the pandemic. Part of this planning included resourcing additional physical space and staff to ensure all pandemic protocols could be followed while at the same time continuing to deliver care to patients with minimal disruptions to operations. This led to the expansion of the Orthopaedic Joint Assessment Centre (OJAC) at the Markham site and the opening of a satellite surgical clinic at the Uxbridge site.

“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to expand and refresh our OJAC space to increase our capacity to care for patients in a timelier manner,” says Erin Landry, patient care director of surgical services, Markham Stouffville Hospital. “More space means we can bring in additional staff to provide a wider range of services in one space as needed, thereby reducing patient wait times and giving them the answers, treatment and relief they so desperately need as soon as possible and as conveniently as possible.”

At the Markham site, seven months were spent redeveloping OJAC to include additional existing square footage from another working space, adding another 11 clinic rooms for dedicated orthopaedic care and consultations. This new OJAC space allows for a more holistic offering for orthopaedic patients, including: rapid access to see an advance practice physiotherapist and orthopaedic surgeon as needed; diagnostic services; access to wellness nurses; and post-surgical support – all in one place at one time. This means our patients will be able to receive all the care they need in a timelier and more efficient manner, allowing for faster recovery from joint pain and returning to a quality of life they can enjoy.

At the Uxbridge site, a satellite surgical clinic officially opened earlier this year, offering more services to the residents of Uxbridge, closer to home. Physicians will now be accompanied by advance practice physiotherapists to see patients, without having to redirect them to Markham for additional consultations.

“Having a satellite clinic operating under the same rapid access clinic (RAC) model as OJAC at our Uxbridge site means our patients can receive the care they need, closer to home,” says Sandi Lofgren, patient care director for Uxbridge Site and Seniors Care Transitions, Markham Stouffville Hospital. “Our patients can receive assessment and treatment plans at one site, without having to travel to Markham for further care, which is especially appreciated by our elderly patients.”

OJAC provides patients with fast access to an interdisciplinary team. MSH is the first hospital in Ontario to provide orthopaedic care under the Ministry of Health’s RAC model to people with hip and knee, lower back/spine, shoulder and foot and ankle joint issues. The expansion of the OJAC, as part of the Canadians of Pakistani Origin Orthopaedic Centre, was funded by the generosity of our donors and the important work of the MSH Foundation.

About Markham Stouffville Hospital

Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) is one of Ontario’s leading community hospitals.  Across our two sites (Markham and Uxbridge) and Reactivation Care Centre (RCC), we provide high quality, patient-centred care to more than 435,000 patients each year. We offer diagnostic and emergency services and deliver clinical programs in acute care medicine and surgery, addictions and mental health, and childbirth and children’s services. We are also proud to be part of the Eastern York Region North Durham Ontario Health Team (OHT).

Our 526 physicians, 28 midwives, 2,400 staff and 1,000 volunteers serve patients and families with an honoured to care mindset and are focused on delivering an extraordinary patient experience to the residents of Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Uxbridge and beyond.

Michelle Lee Hoy is a Senior Communications Specialist at Markham Stouffville Hospital.