Unity Health Toronto

Every month, staff, researchers, physicians, learners and teams across Unity Health Toronto celebrate important honours, achievements and awards. Congratulations to all who’ve been recognized in July! https://lnkd.in/e6xCFsJc

Mimosas on the weekend? Beers with the guys? Alcohol plays a big role in social gatherings and celebrations. 🍸🍻 The Toronto Star reports Canadians are not always aware of how much they’re drinking or potential health risks such as anxiety, insomnia and high-blood pressure. They spoke to doctors including St. Joseph’s Dr. Anita Srivastava, family physician and Unity Health’s medical director of addictions, about why people may want to reconsider their alcohol consumption and to follow Canada’s low-risk drinking guidelines. “One of the things I say is, do you think you could go for a week without a drink? It’s a question that often startles people and makes them question their relationship with alcohol,” said Dr. Srivastava. She helps patients explore their relationship to alcohol by asking if they associate certain emotions or significance to drinking. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ecUs6DMu

Attention #AIDS2026 delegates! Join us today at the OraSure Technologies, Inc. booth at the Riocentro Convention at the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro! 🗓 July 28 🕛 12:00 p.m. Learn how I'm Ready is transforming HIV testing in Canada through community-led innovation, bringing together Ancestral Science and Western Science to improve equitable access to #HIV self-testing and care. Hear from: 🔹 Dr. Sean B. Rourke, Director, REACH Nexus at St. Michael's Hospital MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions Unity Health Toronto 🔹 Okimâw Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis, CEO, CAAN Communities Alliances and Networks 🔹 Maureen Owino, PhD Candidate at York University and CIHR Vanier Scholar We're looking forward to sharing insights and connecting with colleagues from around the world. ✅ Learn more about the new I’m Ready: https://lnkd.in/d8SwRiv ✅ Learn more about the OraQuick test 👉 : https://lnkd.in/gyfCGaM7 #RethinkRebuildRise #HIV #HIVSelfTesting #HealthEquity #healthcare

St. Joseph’s is expanding its orthopedic surgery program with the addition of the Zimmer Biomet ROSA® Knee System, bringing robotic-assisted precision to total knee replacement surgery. Recently, staff had the opportunity to learn more about this innovative technology during an informal drop-in session hosted by Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Amit Anand. The session highlighted how the ROSA system uses real-time data and guidance to support surgical precision, enhance patient outcomes, and enable more personalized care for every patient. We are proud to bring this leading-edge technology to St. Joseph's Health Centre, Toronto as we continue to advance high-quality, patient-centred care for the community.

Lecanemab is the first disease-modifying drug available for people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.   Dr. Sophie Weiss, a University of Toronto internal medicine resident at St. Michael's Hospital, and Dr. Vivian Ewa, MBBS, CCFP(CoE), MMedEd, FCFP, FRCP Edin.,CHE, a care of the elderly physician in Calgary, joined the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) podcast to discuss the drug and how clinicians and patients can navigate its use across the country.   The two are co-authors of a recent practice article in CMAJ written to help clinicians and patients understand the drug, including its benefits, costs, risks and what's involved in treatment, to make informed choices.   Tune in to their conversation about this highly debated drug: https://lnkd.in/evcX4-RG To read more on their CMAJ article, visit: https://lnkd.in/eSz8Y8nH Knowledge Translation Program

Has someone at Providence Healthcare made a difficult time a little easier? Now is your chance to say thank you. ✨   Patients, residents, families and caregivers can nominate a team or individual for the Providence Gratitude Award.   This award recognizes an outstanding team or individual for making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and residents. Every nomination is reviewed by a panel of Patient and Family Partners, and the recipient will be honoured at our awards celebration on Sept. 17, 2026.   💫 Submit your nomination today: https://lnkd.in/eb_FWi7y

What does it take to turn mission and values into exceptional care for everyone? For Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO of Unity Health Toronto, the answer is concrete, one commitment at a time.    Underneath that commitment is a deep conviction: that real humanity means focusing on someone else.     “Around the world, what we are losing, unfortunately, is our humanity,” Altaf says. “Our ability to relate to one another despite our differences, to find a common good, to put someone else before ourselves, to set self-interest aside long enough to care about someone else’s life.”     Hospitals, at their best, are one of the few places that still require everyone to care about someone else.     One year later, that conviction guides everything he sees—from St. Mike’s commitment to health equity, to the network’s electronic patient record system, and to the donors he calls “fierce believers” in St. Mike’s mission.    “Every person in our hospitals is there because of someone else’s need,” he says.    Read more about how Altaf is turning mission and values into something concrete: https://lnkd.in/g_Nh7crH

Yesterday, we were pleased to welcome Nolan Quinn, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, alongside Michelle Cooper, MPP for Eglinton–Lawrence, and Mohamed Firin, MPP for York South–Weston, to St. Michael's Hospital. During their visit, they learned how leading health data platforms like VITAL and GEMINI, together with AI-enabled tools including CHARTWatch and AIM for Delirium, are helping clinicians deliver safer, more proactive and patient-centred care. Thank you for the opportunity to showcase how our teams are accelerating the future of health care in Ontario through groundbreaking innovation, leading-edge research, and powerful collaborations that are driving meaningful impact. #UnityHealthTO #StMichaelsHospital #HealthAI #HealthInnovation #DigitalHealth #OntarioHealthResearch

A new study from the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN), a research group at St. Michael's Hospital, found that construction and trades workers accounted for approximately one-third of opioid toxicity deaths in Ontario where occupation was known between 2018 and 2024. As senior author of the report, Tara Gomes, a scientist at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solution and Professor at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto notes, "Our findings show that opioid-related deaths are not affecting all workers equally," underscoring the need for programs and services that are tailored to the diverse needs of people at risk of opioid-related harm. Click the link to read more: https://lnkd.in/gbQ4nrZF

One year ago, an $11 million donation from the Krawczyk Family Foundation made the opening of the Indigenous Wellness Centre possible at St. Michael's Hospital – a dedicated space where Indigenous patients can access culturally informed care and begin to build trust with a system that has historically failed them. Located near the Emergency Department, the space serves First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients across all departments, with the team providing wellness navigation, connection to ceremony, discharge planning and home readiness support – working to ensure that when patients leave, they return to safe, healthy environments. "It's a welcoming space where our community members know they can come by and pop in," says Roberta Pike, Director of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships. "That didn't exist before." Roberta shares what's next, and the future she's building toward: https://lnkd.in/g7vMHezX