World Family Doctor Day: Recognizing the primary care physicians who enhance patient care at St. Joe’s
Family doctors, such as Dr. Lita Cameron, provide care for more than 80 per cent of newborns delivered at St. Joe’s. On World Family Doctor Day, we recognize family doctors for their many contributions in our hospital, and our community.
World Family Doctor Day: Recognizing the primary care physicians who enhance patient care at St. Joe’s
On World Family Doctor Day, we recognize the about 60 family doctors who deliver inpatient care at St. Joe’s, and the hundreds of family physicians who are affiliated with our hospital.
Together, they are vital to the delivery of personal, comprehensive, and accessible care for patients with a range of health concerns throughout all stages of their life.
We also acknowledge the valuable contributions of family doctors during the COVID-19 crisis, including those who raised their hands to serve in our testing centres and vaccine clinics.
“The role that Family Medicine plays in delivering direct patient care at St. Joe’s is unprecedented across the province," says Dr. Tamar Packer, Chief of Family Medicine at St. Joe’s and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), and the Primary Care Lead for Hamilton.
"Family doctors are there for everything from prenatal care to delivery right through to the final days of life.”
Below are a number of services family doctors provide at St. Joe’s:
Maternity and newborn care
Family Medicine provides maternity and newborn care for low-risk pregnant patients at St. Joe’s, including newcomers and women with substance-use disorders. The department is also responsible for caring for more than 80 per cent of the newborns delivered at the hospital.
Additionally, the department’s midwifery service provides care for more than 700 women and their newborn babies annually.
“Alongside midwifery, Family Medicine delivers and cares for many of our low-risk obstetrical patients and their newborns and benefits from the close collaborative relationships we share with our Obstetrical and Pediatric colleagues" says Dr. Packer.
Dr. Bryan Alton, Head of Service , Complex Care and Alternate Level of Care.
Alternate level of care and complex continuing care
Family Medicine doctors provide continuing medical care to adult patients with complex illnesses or disabilities, including those on ventilators or who are dialysis dependent. This unique group of family physicians works closely with a strong interprofessional team who support patients with complex needs.
They also care for Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients who no longer require hospital care, but need healthcare support until they transition to another location in the community, such as a long-term care facility.
These doctors support the Satellite Health Facility (SHF), which is jointly operated by St. Joe’s in partnership with HHS. An extension of both hospitals, the SHF is set up to provide quality care for ALC patients in a safe setting, while also alleviating pressures on hospital capacity owing to COVID-19.
Mental health and addictions care
Family Medicine doctors deliver general medical care to Psychiatry inpatients at our West 5th campus.
They also work collaboratively with General Internal Medicine doctors at St. Joe’s to deliver Addiction Medicine Services.
“Family Medicine has an incredibly strong, collaborative relationship with a range of departments across the hospital, which have embraced our physicians as we work together to deliver quality patient-centric care,” says Dr. Packer.
Palliative care
A specialized team of family doctors delivers compassionate, end-of-life care to St. Joe’s patients.
This type of personalized medical care provides relief from the symptoms of an illness to improve quality of life. It also aims to alleviate the stresses of an individual’s end-of-life journey for both the patient and their loved ones.
“The role of Family Medicine showcases the unique skillset and mindset that primary care physicians can bring to bridge care between the community and hospital,” adds Dr. Packer.