Congratulations to the 2023 Exceptional Healer Award winners!

On June 19th the Co-Chairs of the Exceptional Healer Award Selection Committee were joined by the Chief of Staff in presenting the Exceptional Healer Award to two deserving recipients!

The Exceptional Healer Award is a Patient and Family Advisory Council initiative. Each year it is given to recognize excellence by a physician, nurse and/or allied health professional at KHSC who demonstrates the core concepts of patient - and family-centred care: dignity and respect, information sharing, participation, and collaboration.

“We want to thank everyone who took the time to nominate an Exceptional Healer,” says award co-chairs Sue Bedell and Patti Cox. “Overall, the nominees were praised for being dedicated listeners, transparent when sharing information, generous with their time, accessible and benevolent in their care.”

Members of the selection committee say they were deeply moved by the patient stories included as part of the nomination process and were unanimous in choosing two individuals who clearly went above and beyond in demonstrating the utmost kindness to their patients.

“Being a member of the Exceptional Healer Award committee significantly shifted my perspective of our health care system,” says Kaitlyn Chalmers. “Reading the positive, empathetic, and selfless support provided by health care practitioners provided me with hope for our healthcare system. I am happy that patients and their families have felt supported by the KHSC community.”  

The Exceptional Healer Award Selection Committee, in partnership with the KHSC Patient and Family Advisory Council, is pleased to announce this year’s winners are Dr. George Gray, from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Labour and Delivery nurse Tara Carey.

“All of the nominations were both profound and very moving and encapsulated the qualities that we hope to see in an exceptional healer,” says Mike Fitzpatrick, KHSC Chief of Staff and Executive Vice President, Medical Affairs. “I congratulate the winners and thank you for the exceptional care that you provide for your patients and the role modeling that you provide to others at KHSC.”

Learn more about the winners:

Dr. George Gray:

In her nomination, a patient said “I have so much positive praise for Dr. Gray, it is difficult to put it into words. He is exceptional in his practice, and he helped me through the most challenging time of my life. He helped me navigate through appointments and recovery without the aid of my family due to Covid-19 restrictions. Dr. Gray was always available to me and never made me feel like my questions and emails were an inconvenience.”

Dr. Gray attributes his approach to patient centred care, to a lesson from an attending staff during his residency. “He told me to never abandon your complications. He was speaking about surgical complications, but I've realized this statement applies to much more of medicine," says Dr. Gray. “When a patient's care becomes complex and difficult, it's important to be present and help guide them through the challenges. Even if the correct path isn't always clear, and that uncertainty feels uncomfortable, it's important that they know I'm right there with them for the entire journey.”

Tara Carey, RN:

Tara Carey has been a registered nurse on KHSC’s labour and delivery unit for 22 years. With no less than eight team members participating in Tara’s nomination, the labour and delivery team (some who have also been Tara’s patients) clearly feel she is worthy of this recognition.

The team says that her phenomenal patient care, supportive nature towards junior staff and learners, seemingly limitless empathy, and her desire to improve the lives of everyone she meets makes her the ideal recipient of this prestigious award.

Regardless of her patient’s age, cultural background, spoken language, anxiety level, beliefs or attitude, Tara is kind, caring and respectful, always. She never loses sight of how stressful labour and delivery can be for her patients and their families which makes the care she provides patient-centered and full of compassion.

“I am part of the most amazing team and I feel so supported and appreciated by my coworkers. I would not want to work anywhere else in nursing. Labour and delivery is my passion,” says Carey. “I was so honoured that the physicians and nurses I work with nominated me, but even more shocked when I was selected. I absolutely love my job and I feel so blessed to have found my true passion. I find so much joy and pride in my career.  

“I love getting to know my patients and their partners, and I try very hard to help them have the best birth experience possible, regardless of whether it’s the best day of their life, or the saddest day. Kindness is the absolute most important thing to me, and I treat my patients the way I would want my family members to be treated.”

Nominations for the Exceptional Healer Award are accepted throughout the year.  Patients and staff should contact @email if they have any questions about the nomination process.