A Tech Savvy Internist
Meet Dr. Steven Wong. Originally from Macau, China, he moved to Toronto at the age of three. Steven explains why he is dedicated to the field of Internal Medicine and what he thinks are the major opportunities and issues affecting healthcare today.
What got you interested in medicine?
Steven: I had always been interested in the sciences, chemistry, biology, physics, but it was my grandmother’s illness that got me interested in the field of medicine. Seeing the doctors come rounding by her bedside to check in on her, trying to communicate even though they couldn’t speak each other’s language, and then hearing how happy and comfortable my grandmother felt with the healthcare team, made me realize that there was a field that could use the sciences as a tool to touch people’s everyday lives. After completing medical school at University of Toronto, I completed a residency at McMaster to obtain a Fellowship of General Internal Medicine. At the same time I also pursued a Masters in Health Informatics.
What, in your own words, is Internal Medicine?
Steven: To me, internal medicine is about balance and taking care of patients from a holistic approach. We routinely take care of patients with multiple different illnesses that have competing needs. It is the balancing act of looking at all the different problems and choosing which to prioritize and tackle that I think defines General Internal Medicine.
What keeps you passionate?
Steven: There isn’t just one thing exclusively; the reason I love Internal Medicine is because of how diverse it can be. Though first and foremost, I really appreciate the engagement I get with patients and their families. It’s incredible to be able to help patients even in the most basic sense. I really enjoy being able to take a relatively scary situation and make it seem much less daunting. It’s an honour to be given the opportunity to help people in their most difficult moments and be able to walk them through it.
St. Joe’s mission is, simply put, “Living the Legacy”, how do you relate to this?
Steven: Personally, helping people in their greatest time of need with compassionate care and education, while they are going through their time in clinical care at St. Joe’s is how I relate to “Living the Legacy.”
What major opportunities or issues do you think are affecting the field of medicine and healthcare today?
Steven: I think the biggest issue facing the field of medicine today is keeping up with the amount of innovation and information that is constantly happening in the world. In many other fields, massive volumes of information has led to revolutionary developments in Big Data and subsequently Machine Learning. Medicine as a whole has a lot of catching up to do, but we’re making huge gains. Dovetale is one of the building blocks that we need to begin to leverage this new wave of computing and technological assistance. By having a tool to gather information we will be able to find new discoveries to improve patient care where we couldn’t before.
What about the go-live of Dovetale are you most looking forward to?
Steven: Generally, I’m just excited to be part of the team that is bringing this capability to St. Joe’s. I’m really looking forward to the new discoveries we are going to be making with Dovetale. With better information, our researchers and clinicians will be able to find new ways to make patient care safer and improve the overall experience and quality. Patients will also be able to know more about themselves and their health down the line. As they say, knowledge is power!
Aside from medicine, what other passions and/or hobbies do you have?
Steven: I really enjoy cycling. I bike to work every day, and in my opinion it’s better than a cup of coffee in the morning. I grew up in Toronto, so cycling is more efficient when you want to save time - you don’t have to go to a garage to get your car, traffic is much easier to navigate on a bike, and overall you get a great workout every day.
What is your favourite place to eat in Hamilton?
Steven: This is hard. My wife and I love the Bread Bar on Locke, or Ben Thamnh Viet Thai on James St. South - their pho is incredible!
What is your go to coffee or tea order?
Steven: I try to drink coffee only when necessary, so in the event that I do get one, I would order a medium black coffee, or a large earl grey tea with two bags.