News & Events

Anesthesiologists John Fraser and Sherry Litz were among the physicians recognized by Doctors Nova Scotia at its annual conference for making a significant difference for patients and their communities. The awards celebrated some of the most dedicated, innovative and caring doctors in the province.

https://www.yourdoctors.ca/blog/health-care/9-nova-scotia-doctors-honoured-for-their-work

Physician Health Promotion Award: Dr. John Fraser

A family physician specializing in in addiction and pain management, Dr. John Fraser was awarded the Physician Health Promotion Award for his dedication to serving marginalized Nova Scotians. Practising for 40 years at the North End Community Health Centre in Halifax, Dr. Fraser has devoted his career to building programs that bring crucial services to marginalized people. He was instrumental in developing a number of community-based programs, including Phoenix House, Direction 180 and Shared Mental Health Care. He also works at the Pain Management Unit at the QEII and enjoys educating medical learners and colleagues about chronic pain, addiction and harm reduction.

CMA Honorary Membership Award: Dr. Sherry Litz

Dr. Sherry Litz received the CMA Honorary Membership Award for her contributions in pediatric anesthesiology. Over her more than 30 years in practice, Dr. Litz was instrumental in developing best practices for pediatric cardiac surgery and pediatric critical care in the Maritimes. She is a go-to colleague for managing care of the sickest patients and providing compassionate support to their families. While chief of pediatric anesthesia at the IWK for 12 years, Dr. Litz enjoyed recruiting new physicians into the fold. She retired from full-time practice this past March but continues to do locum work at the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater, N.S., and fills in occasionally at the IWK.

Dr. Michael Schmidt and his research team have received funding of almost $350,000 to support their work in developing measures that will help improve outcomes for older surgical patients.

The Toronto-based Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation recently awarded the grant of $349,947 for a two-year project titled: Computerized assessment for Post-Operative Cognitive Decline (POCD) in elderly surgical populations – a multi-centre study. The project has also received $50,000 from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation.

Dr. Schmidt, a QEII Health Sciences Centre anesthesiologist, and Dalhousie University professor and researcher, focuses much of his research on reducing the risks to patients’ brains from the use of anesthesia for surgical procedures.

“It is not uncommon for families of the patient to tell me: ‘Since the surgery, grandma/grandpa is not the same’,” he said. “Families of these elderly patients undergoing general anesthesia and surgery often observe their loved ones are not getting back to the same cognitive level they were prior to their procedure.”

Because brain cells gradually die as we age, the risks of cognitive decline as a result of surgery and anesthesia rise with age. Older people simply have fewer brain cells in reserve to recover any loss, and the result can be life-altering changes to brain function.

“In some cases, the elderly can no longer go back to independent living,” Dr. Schmidt said. “This puts an incredible burden on the patient, their families, and the collective taxpayers of Nova Scotia.”
 
His POCD project, developed in collaboration with Dr. Gail Eskes and the Brain Repair Centre, will use a web-based tool called DalCAB to develop a data set before and after surgery to assess any changes in a patient’s cognition or brain function. The aim is to use this data to refine a process, or module, that will indicate that patient’s risk of cognitive decline. This information will help physicians make care decisions that support improved patient outcomes.

For more information about the project, please visit nsanesthesia.ca/research and look under Adult Anesthesia (NSHA) Projects.

Dan Cashen, the Department's former Anesthesia Department Manager (retired 2011) wrote the paper: The Introduction of Anesthesia Technology in Halifax (PDF). The document walks us through the history of anesthesia technology from its first administration in 1846, through its growing role during periods of conflict, to the evolution of anesthesia technicians; a now invaluable addition to the Department.

The paper is a timely commemorative as anesthesia technology celebrated 50 years in 2017.

Dr. Dolores McKeen and the new Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol was featured on CTV News last week (March 28).

In February, the IWK Health Centre became the first health centre in the Maritimes to implement ERAS.

The program is currently focused on in-patient uro-gynaecology and gynaecology surgeries and is designed to help patients prepare for surgery, promote faster recovery and shorten hospital stays. Hospitals that use ERAS have significantly fewer complications and better patient outcomes and experiences.  

Dr. McKeen is an anesthesiologist with the Dalhousie Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Associate Director of Research with the IWK Health Centre and a full professor at Dalhousie University.

Learn more about ERAS