Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) has presented two local health-care professionals with the organization’s Exceptional Healer Award during a ceremony today at the Kingston General Hospital site.
Now in its ninth year, the award recognizes physicians, nurses and allied health professionals who exemplify patient- and family-centred care through compassion, collaboration and clinical excellence. This year’s recipients are Dr. Peggy DeJong, Cardiologist, and Chao Zhu, Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner. Both were nominated for the extraordinary care, empathy and partnership they bring to patients and families throughout their health-care journeys.
Dr. DeJong was recognized for her compassionate communication, collaborative approach and commitment to ensuring patients feel informed, heard and supported during complex cardiac care. Her ability to explain difficult medical information in accessible ways and advocate for patients across care teams reflects the core principles of patient- and family-centred care.
“This award is one of the most meaningful I have received both professionally and personally,” shared DeJong. “To receive an award based on my interactions with patients and families is the highest honour because providing kind, effective and compassionate care is very important to me.”
DeJong says creating strong patient partnerships starts with remembering why she practices medicine.
“The only reason I practice medicine is to look after patients. I try to remember that at every point, in every interaction,” she said. “Yes, it takes longer sometimes, but I believe it saves time in the end when everyone feels heard and all issues are understood.”
Zhu was honoured for the continuity of care, responsiveness and compassion he brings to patients navigating gastrointestinal disease. Patients praised his ability to explain complex information clearly, provide timely support, and create trusting relationships through ongoing partnership and follow-up.
“I feel honoured to be the recipient of this award,” shared Zhu. “I was very excited to share this with my wife and my daughters.”
For Zhu, exceptional care is often found in small but meaningful moments.
“Exceptional care, to me, means taking the extra initiative in your practice to help a patient,” he said. “It is often the small gesture that makes it exceptional. It could be as simple as a phone call a week after an appointment to check in on a patient’s progress.”
This year, PFAC received 30 nominations for the award from patients, families, staff and health-care professionals.
“The Patient and Family Advisory Council is proud that the Exceptional Healer Award is now in its ninth year of recognizing physicians, nurses and allied health professionals who are exemplars in patient- and family-centred care,” said Susan Bedell, founder of the award and member of the Exceptional Healer Award Committee.
“We received many enthusiastic nominations describing health-care professionals who go above and beyond in treating patients like individuals, not simply as members of a group with similar health conditions.”
Bedell said a common theme across nominations was gratitude for clinicians who combine skill and competence with kindness, transparency and meaningful patient partnership.
“One of the goals of this award is to recognize and celebrate health-care professionals who best demonstrate exceptional patient- and family-centred care,” she said. “The other, equally important goal, is to provide role models in exceptional care because, as one committee member put it, ‘It’s about how we provide care, not just what care we provide.’”
“Every year, this award celebrates health-care professionals at KHSC who truly live out the values of dignity, respect, information sharing, patient partnership and collaboration,” added Patti Cox, co-chair of the Exceptional Healer Award Committee. “These individuals are not only highly skilled, but approachable, empathetic and deeply committed to improving the patient experience.”
Nominations for the Exceptional Healer Award are accepted throughout the year by PFAC at @email, with recipients announced annually during Patient Experience Week.
