Annual Report 2023-2024
Message from the CEO and Board Chair
We are pleased to present the Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) Annual Report for 2023-2024. This year has been marked by significant achievements across our organization, driven by our commitment to excellence and innovation in the delivery of health care for the people of southeastern Ontario.
While the broader health-care system struggles with ongoing health human resources shortages, financial pressures, supply chain disruptions, and many other challenges, we continue to stand out as provincial leaders. From accepting out-of-region patients to provide relief to other hospitals, as we did again this fall, to strategically growing the types of services we can offer, we are truly transforming care, together.
We are proud to have received growing recognition for our work this past year. In 2023/24, Forbes named us one of Canada’s top employers, we again moved up in Newsweek’s annual global hospital rankings, and Research Infosource again named us one of Canada’s top research hospitals. These national rankings reflect the hard work and dedication of our staff and reinforce our position as one of Canada’s premier health sciences centres.
This year, we were honored to host visits from the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Health, during which we discussed our long-term redevelopment needs, as well as our many successes and ongoing challenges. These discussions are vital as we advocate for the necessary government support to meet the evolving needs of our community.
We reached many exciting milestones this year as well, which you can read about below, including beginning construction for our new PET-CT scanner at our Kingston General Hospital (KGH) site. Once operational, it will be the first PET/CT scanner located between Ottawa and Toronto and will reduce patient travel needed for this type of specialized imaging.
We continue to play our part as a teaching hospital through our affiliation with Queen’s University and partnership agreements with other post-secondary institutions such as St. Lawrence College. Currently home to more than 1,900 health-care learners each year, we are a linchpin in the greater efforts to train the health-care providers of the future which will help address the shortages of these skilled workers across the country.
Along with once again being ranked as one of the best research hospitals in Canada this year, we have also become nationally recognized for our research in the areas of cancer and allergy clinical trials, gastrointestinal diseases, and cardiovascular disorders through our KGH Research Institute. This work is critical as we look to bring new and innovative treatments to patients in southeastern Ontario.
We also continue to focus on our role as a key partner to improve care across our region. Whether that is through our leadership with the Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team, or through our joint LUMEO project to create a shared Health Information System for all hospitals in southeastern Ontario, we are doing our part to transform our health-care system.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, physicians, learners, volunteers, and partners for our success and many achievements. Your commitment to excellence is the cornerstone of our success and you live our mission and values, to care our patients, families and each other through everyday actions, significant moments, and exciting breakthroughs, each day.
To our patients, thank you for putting your trust in us. We are privileged to provide you with the type of compassionate, high-quality, and innovative care that you each expect.
It’s our pleasure to capture many more highlights of this past year below. Thank you in our ongoing support of KHSC.
Sincerely,
Sherri L. McCullough
Board Chair
Kingston Health Sciences Centre
Dr. David Pichora
President and Chief Executive Officer
Kingston Health Sciences Centre
This is the place that cares for our region.
This year we launched our new ‘This is the place’ campaign to demonstrate the role we play as southeastern Ontario’s leading provider of complex, acute and specialty care. As one of Canada’s top teaching and research hospitals, we have unique services that are not available elsewhere in our region. Learn more about some of these services and programs below.
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Heart matters: Inside KHSC's Cardiac Procedures Unit
Unblocking a heart artery, repairing a hole inside the heart, and restoring a regular heartbeat are just a few of the incredible treatments that happen here every day.
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Systemic cancer treatment
Cancer. The word itself is scary enough, but for many patients, the perception of treatment options like chemotherapy and their side effects can be frightening too. But here at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), modern cancer treatment is evolving. We’re moving past ideas of “destroying cancer at all costs” towards a more comprehensive view of patient care.
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‘It’s life-changing’
From his sprawling property on Wolfe Island, Andy Aitken speaks about his love for the outdoors. He and a friend have turned his old farm into a personal conservation area and bird watchers’ paradise. Together they have started both a successful Purple Martin colony and created nesting for threatened species of birds.
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Surgeons who stand up for their patients in and out of the operating room.
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) can treat a number of women’s health conditions – from cancer, to endometriosis, abnormal bleeding and more. But the experts at KHSC who specialize in these procedures do more than operate – they are on a mission to improve access to healthcare for all individuals in need of obstetrical or gynecological care.
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Defying the odds; from micro-preemie to pro-athlete
At 6’1” and 260 pounds, it’s hard to imagine that professional rugby player Emerson Prior was ever small for his age. Not just small, born weighing just three pounds at KGH in 1998, Emerson was in fact what’s known as a micro-preemie.
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KHSC improving pediatric care in southeastern Ontario
Unless you have visited KHSC’s inpatient pediatrics unit recently, you might not have noticed some drastic changes in the way highly specialized pediatric care is being delivered here at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC).
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Women in surgery
Heart surgery is definitely not a one-person job, but at the centre of it is the surgeon, and the majority of the time at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), the surgeon is a woman.
This is the place for significant moments and exciting breakthroughs.
Despite the ongoing pressures facing the health-care system, our teams achieved great things - continually putting KHSC on the map as a leader in the province.
Featured
KHSC to acquire southeastern Ontario’s first PET-CT scanner
Patients in southeastern Ontario will soon have improved access to state-of-the-art imaging technology as construction begins later this month to build a home for a positron emission tomography (PET-CT) scanner at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC).
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Kingston Health Sciences Centre uses surgical robot to treat lung cancer for first time
For the first time in southeastern Ontario, it is now possible for patients to have surgery to remove cancerous tissue from their lungs using a robotic surgical system that is part of the A.B. Smith QC Robotics program at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC).
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KHSC helps tackle regional nursing shortage
Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) is seeing some positive results in its effort to recruit new nurses to southeastern Ontario, part of a strategic effort to offset a Canada-wide shortage of highly trained health-care workers.
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A common-sense approach to bloodwork
Blood is a precious, limited resource. Besides a transfusion, there’s no way to immediately replace it. That’s why Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) is one of the first hospitals in Canada to reduce the amount of blood it collects for testing, reducing hospital patient strain and demand on donated blood products.
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KHSC awarded for championing organ and tissue donation
Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has been recognized by Ontario Health’s Trillium Gift of Life Network for its outstanding efforts to integrate organ and tissue donation into quality end-of-life care.
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KHSC expands treatment options for eating disorders
Individuals from Kingston and the surrounding region, who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, are now able to access more treatment options through Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) recently opened intensive day treatment program.
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KHSC becomes North America’s premier centre for advanced endoscopy procedures
When most people hear the word endoscopy, they think of a small camera that fits down a patient’s throat and is used to examine and diagnose issues in the esophagus or stomach. However, over the last couple of years Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has become the North American leader in a different type of endoscopy.
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KHSC is getting people home sooner after hip and knee replacement surgeries
Dr. Bob Connelly isn’t usually on the receiving end of care at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC). As the medical director of the pediatrics program, he usually spends his days caring for KHSC’s youngest patients.
This is the place where our people shine.
We couldn’t do what we do without the thousands of dedicated people who bring KHSC to life each day with their skills and passion to make a difference in our community. We recognize outstanding individuals through our People of KHSC column and would like to re-introduce a few of the individuals who made 2023-24 extra special.
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Jessica McCutcheon
The first time Jessica McCutcheon visited her grandmother, AKA Grammie, in long-term care she was greeted with the sweetest sound.
“It was her first week. As soon as I walked onto the locked, memory-care unit I could hear her laugh,” recalls McCutcheon.
“It was her first week. As soon as I walked onto the locked, memory-care unit I could hear her laugh,” recalls McCutcheon.
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Evan Earl
It’s funny how inspiration works. It can strike at any time. Just ask Evan Earl.
“I've always been interested in human physiology and thought I wanted to do research. But, during my undergraduate I had a chance to observe direct patient care and I enjoyed it. So, I investigated different ways to be a clinician, read more about physician assistant studies and applied.”
“I've always been interested in human physiology and thought I wanted to do research. But, during my undergraduate I had a chance to observe direct patient care and I enjoyed it. So, I investigated different ways to be a clinician, read more about physician assistant studies and applied.”
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Lindsey Kilgore
KHSC neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse Lindsey Kilgore was planning on getting some shuteye during a seven-hour flight from Thailand to the United Arab Emirates – the first leg of her journey home after an adventure-filled vacation.
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Mario Lelievre
For 30 years, Mario Lelievre was an aerospace control operator, or AC Op for short, with the Canadian Armed Forces. It’s a challenging role with a number of responsibilities.
Lucky for us after serving for three decades, he joined Paladin Security and became a security guard with Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) Protection Services department.
Lucky for us after serving for three decades, he joined Paladin Security and became a security guard with Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) Protection Services department.
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Dennis Clark
Meet Clark Kent… whoops… we mean Dennis Clark.
You see around Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) he’s sometimes known as Superman.
Why do you ask? Well back in 2016, we teamed up with Elite Window Cleaning to host the first ever Superhero Day for our Pediatrics department and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
You see around Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) he’s sometimes known as Superman.
Why do you ask? Well back in 2016, we teamed up with Elite Window Cleaning to host the first ever Superhero Day for our Pediatrics department and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
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Dr. Aws Almufleh
As a cardiologist, one of Dr. Aws Almufleh’s greatest passions is identifying, treating and educating people about heart failure, and there’s a good reason why.
He says it’s one of the most under-recognized and insufficiently treated chronic conditions, with approximately 10,000 people living with it in our community.
He says it’s one of the most under-recognized and insufficiently treated chronic conditions, with approximately 10,000 people living with it in our community.
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Black Staff Community Group
10 members strong, the Black Staff Community Group at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has a noble mission: to help create a safe space where people can come together and feel a sense of belonging.
A division of KHSC’s Inclusion Steering Council, the group formed less than a year ago in March 2023, and meets on a monthly basis.
A division of KHSC’s Inclusion Steering Council, the group formed less than a year ago in March 2023, and meets on a monthly basis.
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Alex Paudyn
Right above Alex Paudyn’s Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) ID badge you’ll find a pin that says “I’ve got your back” and she means every single word.
As a patient care assistant with the orthopedic surgical unit, she mainly assists and sets patients up for success with daily living activities.
As a patient care assistant with the orthopedic surgical unit, she mainly assists and sets patients up for success with daily living activities.
KHSC by the numbers
The services we offer are impressive in scale and the impact of our efforts are felt each day across our region. But, we also remember that each figure represents a person who comes to us in need of support. That's why we're so passionate about what we do and why we work to demonstrate our values of compassion, respect, partnership, excellence, and innovation each day.
Our performance in 2023-24
To learn more about our performance over the past year, you can also click on the following links to check out our Audited Financial Statements, and Strategy Performance Reports.
