Research Stories
SNC-Lavalin gives $750K to the MUHC
SNC-Lavalin gives $750K to the MUHC
SNC-Lavalin has donated $750,000 in support of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundations. The $500,000 donated to the MUHC Foundation will support the MUHC Interprofessional Skills and Simulation Network (ISSN), a new initiative to provide on-site training to the MUHC’s medical staff to build Canada’s best skilled team.
“We are thrilled to support these institutions and the incredible work they do in our community to help change the course of medicine and ultimately, people’s lives,” said Erik Ryan, Executive Vice President, Strategy, Marketing and External Relations, SNC-Lavalin.
The ISSN is boosting lifesaving skills and teamwork across the MUHC by offering simulation training for health care teams. Simulation training involves creating true-to-life scenarios using high-tech simulation mannequins. These life-like “patients” can simulate heart attacks, respiratory distress and dozens of other medical situations to allow health care workers to practice their skills before they perform them on a real patient.
“Keeping critical skills sharp and updated are the very essence of a teaching hospital. We are grateful to SNC-Lavalin for recognizing the MUHC’s excellence in this area,” says Julie Quenneville, President of the MUHC Foundation.
Training to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of the power of simulation training. The MUHC was able to train its staff to respond to COVID-19-related medical emergencies before they ever stepped onto the ward. Staff practiced caring for COVID-19 patients in respiratory distress, ensuring that they don proper PPE and take all necessary safety precautions when tending to the patient.
“Pandemic or not, simulation training is essential to ensuring our staff keep up their skills and learn to work in teams,” says Dr. Elene Khalil, Director of Education at the MUHC.
SNC-Lavalin’s gift will help ensure that the MUHC has the staff, equipment and infrastructure to provide simulation training for all of its medical staff in situ, or in their own work environments. This new support will ensure continued excellence in care for the 1.9 million Quebecers the MUHC serves. Even just knowing where a piece of equipment is kept can speed up response to a medical emergency, and the ISSN will help ensure staff know how to perform their role as part of a cohesive health care team.
The MUHC Foundation is raising $10 million to Build Canada’s Best Skilled Team through the Interprofessional Skills and Simulation Network. This initiative is a priority of the Foundation’s new Dream Big campaign, which is raising $200 million to change the course of lives and medicine.
To learn more about the ISSN, visit muhcfoundation.com/dreambig/interprofessional
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Le Dr Mathieu Maheu-Giroux, un scientifique de MI4 et épidémiologiste à l’Université McGill, a reçu le prix Scientifique de l'année 2020 de Radio-Canada. Cet honneur souligne le projet du Dr Maheu-Giroux avec l’Institut national de santé publique du Québec pour informer le public du taux de transmission de la COVID-19 au Québec. Cet important travail fournit au gouvernement du Québec des données essentielles pour l’aider à prendre des décisions en matière de santé publique et a été rendu possible grâce aux dons de notre communauté au fonds d'urgence pour la COVID-19 de la Fondation du CUSM.
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MI4 scientist & epidemiologist at McGill University, Dr. Mathieu Maheu-Giroux has received Radio-Canada’s 2020 Scientists of the Year Award. This honor highlights Dr. Maheu-Giroux’s project with the Institut national de santé publique du Québec to inform the public of Quebec’s COVID-19 transmission rate. This important work is providing the Quebec government with critical data to help make public health decisions and is made possible thanks to our community’s donations to the MUHC Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
This week on Health Matters: your questions, answered. Centre universitaire de santé McGill - McGill University Health Centre cardiologist, Dr. Nadia Giannetti answers listeners’ questions about their heart health. And, Dr. Don Sheppard, infectious disease specialist & director of MI4, shares the latest information about COVID-19, the vaccination campaign and answers pressing questions about masks, at-risk groups and when we can anticipate more people getting vaccinated.
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This Sunday on Health Matters: Centre universitaire de santé McGill - McGill University Health Centre cardiologist, Dr. Nadia Giannetti and Dr. Don Sheppard, infectious disease specialist, will answer your health questions live. Do you have a question about heart health, COVID-19 or the vaccines? Post in the comments below ⬇ or send us a direct message! And tune in to CJAD 800 Montreal live at 12pm on January 17th.
We are proud to support this innovative project through our COVID-19 Emergency Fund!Saliva sampling should be considered as an alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to a new study by a group of researchers at the RI-MUHC and McGill University. Researchers found that the sensitivity of saliva vs nasopharyngeal swab samples was virtually identical. “Nasopharyngeal swabs are very sensitive, but they are time-consuming and require a trained health professional to administer. Saliva-based samples are as sensitive and much cheaper, while having the advantage of being self-collected. This removes the need for a trained health professional and reduces exposure risk,” explains the corresponding author of the study, Jonathon Campbell, a postdoctoral fellow at the RI-MUHC.
Read more on our website: bit.ly/2K9qZuf
Read the original article in the Annals of Internal Medicine: www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/M20-6569
This work was supported by the McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity (MI4) with seed funding from the Fondation CUSM - MUHC Foundation.
This week on Health Matters, Dr. Kevin Lachapelle discusses what you should know about aortic aneurysms. Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy Centre universitaire de santé McGill - McGill University Health Centre physician & Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre researcher, shares a ‘shock and kill’ approach to treating HIV. And, the MUHC Foundation is supporting new MI4 research projects on eliminating obstacles to COVID-19 vaccination. Dr. Nadine Kronfli describes her work into increasing vaccinations in prisons. Plus, Dr. Abhinav Sharma discusses how cardiac patients are more vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 and the logistics of ensuring this at-risk group has access to the vaccine.
Where to listen 🎧:
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