May 15th - Healthcare Foundation looks to bring Robotic-Assisted Surgery to Province

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle show on your
VOCM Now, here's your host, doctor Mike Wall.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the show.

Speaker 3 (00:13):
I'm your host, doctor Mike Wall, and today we're highlighting
an incredible initiative that's shaping the future of healthcare here
in New Flannet, Labrador. The Healthcare Foundation has recently launched
a major fundraising campaign to bring a state of the
art piece of surgical technology to our province, the Da
Vinci Surgical Robot. Now, this device represents the next generation
of precision surgery, allowing for minimally invasive procedures that can

(00:36):
reduce recovery time, improve outcomes, and offer new hope to
patients facing complex conditions. Now, to better understand how this
all comes together, we're going to speak with Paul Snowd,
the CEO of the Healthcare Foundation. He'll give us an
inside look on how the Foundation works to support our
healthcare system, not just through government channels, but through the
generosity of donors and community partnerships. Paul will share how

(00:59):
their work helps on everything from life saving equipment to
comfort items that make hospital stays just a little easier.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
For patients and families.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Then, in the second part of today's episode, I'll speak
with doctor Joanne Navou, a gynecologic oncologist who'll be using
the Vinci robot to perform surgeries for cervical, ovarian, and
uterine cancer.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
She explains how this technology is changing.

Speaker 3 (01:20):
The way surgeries are done and what it means for
patients here in our province. We have a lot to cover,
so let's get to the interview. Hi, Paul, Welcome to
the show. Hey Mike, thanks for having me, buddy. It's
great to see you. It's been a little while, but
lots to catch up on lots happening. For the folks
that are listening, maybe you can give them a quick
background on yourself.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Oh, no problem, Mike.

Speaker 4 (01:41):
So I'm a president's eel in a healthcare foundation. I've
been here now in excess of twenty two years. I
started off back in two thousand and three. I think
they came to me with a request for me to
set out their major gift program, and I did a
three month contract twenty three years ago.

Speaker 3 (02:00):
So I had the opportunity to get in on.

Speaker 4 (02:03):
The first gift that I raised was for a piece
of equipment called the heart lung machine.

Speaker 3 (02:07):
You're familiar with that.

Speaker 4 (02:09):
And I had the opportunity to get in with doctor
Melvin and be standing over the person looking down at
the chess caviting and seeing this piece of equipment keep
a person alive, and I was hooked.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, I can only imagine, and I'm sure you've got
countless examples of that of how you help. If you
guys play a pivotal role in helping healthcare across the province,
maybe you could help our listeners understand what you guys do,
How do you identify things, what your role is in
the healthcare system, and you know what you guys sort
of help with.

Speaker 4 (02:40):
Yeah, no problem, Mike. So from the clarity perspective, the
Healthcare Foundation's primary responsibility is here in the Greater Saint
John's region for adult healthcare, but we also take care
because we're at the Tertiary Care Center. Everybody in the
province specialized in Terchree care comes through well the hospitals
that we support. On any given year, we got somewhere

(03:00):
between seven hundred and fifteen million direct patient encounters and
the programs that we fundraised for. Over the course of
the last twenty odd years, we've raised in excess of
one hundred, one hundred and twenty million dollars that's gone
into capital, equipment, research, education, innovation and programming support people
of our province. So we support everything from the birthing

(03:23):
suites right up to palliative care and everything in between.
So it's important for us to generate significant amounts of revenue,
and we have a tremendous donor group, fantastic supporters in
the organization. We do a lot of events that supports
the organization as well. And of course these projects like this,

(03:46):
the reason and the way that we actually moved toward
them is based on the request that comes directly from
Newfoland and Laboratory Health Services, and they present to the foundation,
we presented to our board of directors, and with board approval,
then we move forward.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
And one of the things you guys have done recently
I've been working on for quite a while is that
you had an eight million dollar funding campaign to help
with this for robotic assistance surgery. And this is really
really ambitious. What was the turning point that led to this?
Why this specific piece of equipment? And I can only
imagine how much effort it took.

Speaker 4 (04:24):
Yes, so on a regular basis, the Foundation is raising
money for significant pieces of capital equipment, like we just
recently finished cath Labs, a major project for us. We've
done the MRIs, We've done CT scanners, We've done a
lot of diagnostic imaging. There's numerous projects that we were
involved with, but this one was a particular interest because

(04:44):
a number of years ago, a wonderful doctor, doctor Nuveau,
came to me and through Eastern out at the time
and suggested that we really needed this project. We really
needed this equipment for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador
and talked about how advanced it was, but it was
becoming the standard practice in healthcare. So this was a

(05:09):
project that the Foundation presented to the Board of Directors
through newfil Elaborate Health Services, and at that point we
determined that the timing was right, The piece of equipment
was the right piece of equipment. It had a strong
history in the country and it was the standard of
practice everywhere else in Canada, and it was important for

(05:29):
us to have access to the same level of care
that you'd get down to in Toronto or anywhere else
in the country or in the world that matter. So
we had appropriate team in place with New File Labortate
Health Services and the positions and the staff were trained.
So the board approved it and actually from the approval
happened in November December, we started preparing for the fundraising.

(05:51):
January we actually started fundraising and now it's May MOA
and we have generated two thirds. Wow, while being the project,
that's incredible.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
And yeah, when you look at that two thirds of
an eight million dollar project, that means the community is
getting behind us as well. There has to be some
buy in from them. How have they responded and how
have they supported this innovation that we're trying to make.
It may not be innovation in all parts of the world,
it's definitely innovation for how we take care of our
people here in the community.

Speaker 4 (06:21):
Yeah, definitely. And our donors have been very supportive. Because
the equipment was brought in to do some testing and
to do some training on we had the opportunity to
bring together a number of our regular donors, major gift
supporters and give them an opportunity to see it in practice,
and everybody got behind the project very quickly. They realize

(06:42):
the impact that would have on a number of surgeries,
number of cancers for example, like cervical cancer, gnecological cancer, urology,
processed cancers, even corectal cancers.

Speaker 3 (06:56):
So your campaigns are really tackling these gaps that sistant
public funding.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
So sometimes the healthcare.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
System just doesn't have the money you guys are able
to raise that You guys sort of determine these areas
that need support the most. Is it because physicians are
coming to you, because certain groups are coming to you?
How do you guys go through that process? Normally the priorities.

Speaker 4 (07:19):
Are identified by New flind laborat or Health Services. Physicians
go through New flad labordor Health Services. We have a
liaise on our board from newfoland Laborador ath Service as
executive mister Johnson. Ron Johnson is actually the CEO of
an LHF Urban and Ron will present to myself and
then I present with round to the board and the
priorities that have been identified. The foundation will then once

(07:42):
approved by the board, the foundation will go to the
community to seek their support. We've not said no to
any request that's come from Newfoundland and Labrador or Health
Services in twenty two years that I've been here. Anything
that's identified as a priority to improve health care for
the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Our goal is to
generate revenue order to bring that to fruition.

Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, and that makes perfect sense.

Speaker 3 (08:04):
It's they're the experts of the people that know what
the needs are intimately, and then your job is to
use the connections to help raise this money in ways
that might not be typically available to the healthcare system.
When you're looking at these donors and how people are contributing,
whether it be organizations or individuals, how do you, guys
maintain transparency and donor confidence you know, when you're leading

(08:26):
with these high profile fundraising campaigns, because they have to
be a tremendous amount of work.

Speaker 4 (08:31):
Yes, certainly are a tremendous amount of work, but our
transparency is primarily from the perspective of Eastern Health or
Niflent Libroral Health Services. Will make the request, we'll go
to our public, we'll raise the funds and will require
the equipment, and we'll steward our donors to inform them
steward and account of build here and stewardship account of
build here and critically important to us. But it's a collaboration.

(08:52):
There's there's no redundancy here. It's it's we work with
people on the Library Health Services. We work with their donors,
We identify the projects and anyone can see at any
time what we've actually accomplished thanks to their generosity.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
We're talking with Paul Snow and a healthcare foundation about
the Da Vinci surgical robot they're currently fundraising for here
in the province. It's a tool that will aid in
life saving procedures like gynecologic, eurologic and general surgeries. Stick
around because we have lots more to share. Right after
this break, welcome back. We're here with Paul Snow in

(09:31):
the healthcare foundation continue our conversation about the new Da
Vinci surgical robot that they're working on bringing to the province.
Let's get back to the interview. We actually said the
word I was going to go off of next and
that's accomplishment. You know, when you look at this robotic system,
you mentioned several of the conditions that it can help with,
particular women's health. What do you guys see as the
long term impact on local care and keeping these patients

(09:53):
close to home because they might have had to go
to a major center to access this type of technology.

Speaker 4 (09:58):
Yeah, So what we're ophesizing is that we're going to
be in any given year, going to be able to
do five hundred surgeries using the divincial robotics, very specialized
surgeries that would have likely had to be done out
of the province. Looking at the patients themselves and their families,
it keeps them home, It keeps them in their own province,
in their own communities. Many times the patient, if they

(10:20):
have the surgery here, they're able to go home. They're
not in the hospital for a lengthy period of time.
Their stay has been reduced or can be reduced from
three or four days to one day. They get the
chance to go home to their families again, back to
their communities participating. I mean many of our patients, our
volunteers in their communities, in rural communities, with fire departments,

(10:42):
with the church, with aka keines and with kids baseball kings.
You know, they're doing a number of things in their
communities and it's important for them to be home doing that.
And what the Dvincial Robotics allows us to do is
have the procedure done here unefficiently, effectively, and the impact

(11:03):
is it gets people back to their lives quicker.

Speaker 3 (11:06):
Yeah, And I think about this too as well. Like
on the physician perspective of it, having this type of technology,
the best and brightest would be trained on the best
type of equipment, and people that are trained on equipment
like this seed that it's available here, it likely will
also be able to attract the best physicians as well,
which will help our quality of care.

Speaker 4 (11:25):
Yeah, you nail that one.

Speaker 2 (11:26):
You nail that one.

Speaker 4 (11:27):
Is very important to us, to the foundation. We know
we're competing for physicians right the same as every other
province and Newcoland and Labrador. As much as we that
live here, that were born here and grow up here,
we respect and appreciate what we have around us in
relation to nature and the beauty of everything. But people
that are coming from other provinces that we're trying to

(11:48):
attract other physicians from other places, it's really important to
make sure we've got access to the top quality equipment
and technology. They also bands, but also provide that opportunity
to not only acquire them, but retain physicians, retain best.

Speaker 2 (12:04):
We want to train them.

Speaker 4 (12:05):
We want to have the best here in the province
so that you or I or anyone who you're listeners
when they're in on one of our bids or somebody
that they love is in our one of our bids.
They know they've got access to the highest quality care
with the highest quality physicians and staff, using the best
technology that's available.

Speaker 3 (12:23):
So they eight million. What else does that include outside
of the Da Vinci robot.

Speaker 5 (12:27):
Yeah, indeed, Mike.

Speaker 4 (12:28):
So the actual unit itself is a portion of that
eight million dollars. But we also have an additional training
unit that we were able to keep physicians, even your
students in the med school are going to be able
to be trained on this specifically along with a surgeon,
so they will get access to it. That module gives
them there are opportunity to see exactly what's happening and

(12:48):
even participate, which is remarkable. That's another piece of the equation.
And we're also paying for the training for to make
sure that we have the most competent people doing the
most competent job. Of course, disposables. It's not an inexpensive
thing to actually purchase the disposals that are required for
this technology to make sure that everybody is safe and

(13:08):
that there's no risk ever of infection.

Speaker 3 (13:12):
I can only imagine, and I know my students will
be excited to have that doctor Navou actually helps us
with our anatomy labs quite often, so they'll get a
chance to work with her again, I'm sure. Yeah. And
in the long run, massive investment upfront, but five hundred
surgeries a year, ability to treat a variety of different conditions,
these are all really valuable day that only will save
money probably in the long run, but also make sure

(13:35):
that the physicians are being as effective as possible, which
of course they want to be.

Speaker 2 (13:38):
And also frontlines.

Speaker 3 (13:39):
Now do you guys really prioritize that when you look
at things that you can contribute to that they're going
to be the things that make a difference for the
healthcare workers as well.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
Oh.

Speaker 4 (13:49):
Indeed, we actually have a program called Comfort and Care
and that program is a program that we generate some
are senty of one hundred and tow one hundred fifty
thousand dollars a year. We give it in grants to
frontline staffs specifically for items that make the delivery of
care for them more practical and better. You would believe,
things like sleeker chairs for patient to have any room,

(14:10):
how important that is for a level one to be
able to stay there overnight with the patient, blanket warmers,
ice machines, all things that you would automatically assume that
will be normally covered under a hospital budget, but they
are not. They're not necessarily covered under the budget because
there's only limited resources, and those limited resources take care
of the physical plan, they take care of the staffing

(14:31):
a lot of times, the additional pieces that are so
important to comfort while you're in care to that quality
of care is producted by the Alfcare Foundation through our donors.

Speaker 2 (14:41):
Yeah, that's fantastic stuff.

Speaker 3 (14:43):
I mean, this is great to hear that you guys
are well on your way to raising all the funds
necessary for it. And looking beyond this campaign, how does
the Healthcare Foundation plan to continue driving this type of
innovation and then continue to improve health outcomes. You've been
doing it for over twenty years with yourself role, Well,
what's in the future for you guys.

Speaker 5 (15:03):
Well, there's a.

Speaker 4 (15:04):
Lot of passion in this organization. My team are a
very confident group of people that could be doing anything anywhere,
and I'm so delighted to have the group that I
have and the passion that I have a mix my
team and my board of directors who are very much
interested in providing the best level quality care for the
people of the Newfoundland and Labrador that we can and

(15:27):
that's being done through As I mentioned to you earlier,
we've taken on a number of projects.

Speaker 5 (15:31):
Over the last couple of years and we will continue
to do that.

Speaker 4 (15:34):
You will hear in that it's made by government for
a new cardiovascian stroke center and the Foundation will be
involved with that. The Foundation has been involved with the
new mental health facility. We are involved with the new
anulatory urgent care facilities that are being built right now.
The Foundation has taken on other responsibilities such as there's
a new hospitals that's been ann as. We will be

(15:54):
involved directly with that. We are supporting items like not
only the cardiac cap llows microbaric chamber, now the Da
Vinci robotics. What we do from a radiological perspective providing
instrumentation or cancer care. We also take care of the
spaces in the hospitals, the waiting rooms, the family rooms,

(16:15):
the quiet rooms, and we just engaged with the donor
on providing an upgrade to patient care at four North Day.
Our Cancer carry you, so the Healthcare Foundation, through our donors,
through to tremendous support, we get from the province is
really passionate about making a change.

Speaker 5 (16:31):
And we will continue to do that.

Speaker 4 (16:33):
As needs are identified with the Nuclean Laboray Health Services,
we will continue to provide the highest level of philanthropic
support that we can do.

Speaker 3 (16:42):
That's amazing and if people listening, they're probably inspired by
what they're sharing right now, the difference that you guys
are making. If if somebody's potential donor or the organization
wants to get involved, how do they reach out to
you guys?

Speaker 4 (16:52):
They just go to HHIFT, go to the w dot
Healthcare Foundation dot Ca, or you could call directly my
reck line the seven nine seven seven seven five nine
zero five and you will get me.

Speaker 5 (17:06):
And I'd be more than delighted to speak to anybody
in our province.

Speaker 3 (17:10):
But I know that for a fact, Paul, we know
each other for a long time. I love seeing the
work you guys are doing. I love hearing about all
these incredible things that you're doing for the community. We
have that all of us at at one point may
avail of and so nice that we have you guys
having our back. Thanks for taking the time and congrats
on the great campaign.

Speaker 4 (17:27):
Thanks so much, Mike for giving us this opportunity. But
I also just want to the end by saying thank
you to the people of the province. You know, we're
to conduit. We do nothing except for provide the opportunity
for the people of Newfoundland and the Labrador to support
their own healthcare right here at home. And that's really
important for us. And we're so grateful for everybody that
supports us through our various programs and services. We're just

(17:50):
delighted to have that level of support from Newconland and Labrador.
So thank you to everybody.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
Well said, thanks very much for joining me today. Paul,
it's great to see.

Speaker 4 (18:00):
Thank you.

Speaker 5 (18:00):
Thanks man man, you have a great day.

Speaker 2 (18:02):
I appreciate this.

Speaker 3 (18:04):
That was Paul Snow from the Healthcare Foundation sharing how
this ambitious fundraising effort is helping transform care here in
New flannin Labrador. But when we come back, we'll talk
with doctor Juanne Navou, a gynecologic oncologist, will be one
of the first physicians using this robotic surgery they're raising
money for.

Speaker 2 (18:19):
We'll be right back after the break. Welcome back.

Speaker 3 (18:30):
Now, let's switch gears and hear from the people who
actually be using this technology. Joining me now, is doctor
Joanne navou a gynecologic oncologist and one of the first
practitioners in the province who'll be using the Da Vinci
surgical robot. Now, this is a major leap forward for
surgery here in New flandin Labrador, the da Vinci robot
allows for high precision, minually evasive procedures, meaning smaller incisions,

(18:52):
less pain, faster recovery and fewer complications. It's incredibly efficient
and effective and it plans to support almost five hundred
surgeries a year. But it doesn't stop with kind of ecology.
This robot can be used with other specialists in general surgery,
urology and other fields, helping patients across a wide range
of conditions. It will also serve as a valuable tool

(19:12):
for training medical students and residents, ensuring the next generation
of surgeons are prepared with the most advanced techniques available.
So let's learn more and what this means in practice
from doctor Joanne navou Hi. Doctor navou welcome to the show. Hi,
it's great to have you. You know, it's funny we've
been talking about this subject that we're going to chat

(19:32):
about today for almost five years. Right now for the
people that are listening. Can you tell us a little
bit about yourself, what type of medicine, your practice where
you work?

Speaker 6 (19:42):
Yes? Sure, and thank you for having niche. So let's
start with my journey to Nwfinan like, why did I
decide to become a gyanilcologist? So really, it started when
I was quite young, as early as twelve, I was
already very curious and fascinated by the whole adoptive system
menstrual cycle. I knew I wanted to be a gynecologist

(20:02):
long before I even realized that I needed to become
a doctor first. I was really passionate by this and
wanted to know more, and that just digcken through. I
guess my teenager went through high school. And once I
set that goal, I just mapped out a clear path
to get there. And I've always been a very driven person.
I still am, and when I'm committed to something, I

(20:25):
give it everything. So there I was going from med school.
I did almost Colini Quebec come from a French speaking family.
I did my medical school in French. But I knew
that if I wanted to really broaden my horizons and
build a strong professional relationship, pursue more advanced training and fellowship,

(20:45):
learning English would be essential. So when came time for
me to apply to residency program in Obguim, I decided
to apply only to English speaking program across the country.

Speaker 4 (20:56):
And this is how I came to.

Speaker 6 (20:57):
Nifa Man and I came for my interview not twenty
eleven and through to the province character I got stuck
here in a snowstorm for three days, which allowed me
to just hang out with the resident that we're here
at the time, including one that was friends speaking thank you,
And by the end of that visit, I was completely

(21:17):
won over. I knew that this is where I wanted
to do my residency. So that's how I ended up
coming here in twenty eleven.

Speaker 3 (21:25):
That's fantastic. And you know, for individuals that may not
be fully versed on the different fields of medicine. You know,
you mentioned gynecology, but you're a gynecological oncologist, So what
does that mean and what types of medicine do you
practice and types of surgeries for example?

Speaker 6 (21:44):
Well, yeah, so that's a subspecialty that kind of happened
after you're done your training. In general, Obijuim, I knew
that my interest was much more towards the surgical aspect,
and I was very keen on developing those skills, so
I actually did not decide to do oncology first. I
decided to do minimally and basic surgery as a fellowship

(22:06):
and that I went to Calgary for that for a year.
But I was missing something. I wanted to work with
patients that needs extended beyond surgery alone, and I really
crave the challenge of oncology where the stakes are high
and the relationship are deeply meaningful. As a gan ecologist

(22:27):
that specialized in oncology, we really are with the patient
through their whole journey where they're from the surgery and
then the treatment, the survivorship, shase after work, so we
are there the whole way. There's also a very big
academic aspect to that type of career where the progress

(22:48):
and the change in oncology are so quick, so you're
always learning something new, so it's very stimulating. Really my
whole practice in general, I do a lot of complex
pelic surgery. I do it for benine disease as well,
but my main focus is really for cancer care and
for cancer care in reproductive organs. So now I say women,

(23:09):
but really it's like any patient that was born with
female reproductive organs. So we do have in our practice
some transgender patient. So when I say woman here, I
just mean female reproductive organ but things like ovarian cancer,
uterine cancer, cervical cancer, volver cancer, and vaginal cancer. So
that's the literality of the patient that we see.

Speaker 2 (23:29):
It's fantastic.

Speaker 3 (23:30):
It seems to be marrying all of those things that
you've been passionate about from a very young age and
then being able to take that and be able to
really impact people see some of the most challenging things
that they're going to face in life. And one of
the things that we've spoken about before for people listening.
Doctor Navou helps us with our anatomy labs, and I've
known her for a while for lending her expertise to

(23:51):
train our next generation medical students. But one of the
things we've been chatting about is this special type of
robot surgery that you've been trained on how to perform,
and recently the Healthcare Foundation has been doing some fundraising
to get one of these What is this technology and
what does it mean for the patients in this province?

Speaker 6 (24:11):
This technology is truly a game changer for our patient.
I have the chance of being trained on it, and
I'm so excited that we're finally getting it. It is
not the robot doing the surgery. The surgeon is still
doing the surgery. The robot is a surgical platform. It's
a piece of equipment that allows us to perform highly

(24:31):
complex procedure with much greater precision, more flexibility, more control
than we have ever been before, even doing minimal is
it surgery just by regular labroscity for women facing condition
like cancer or severe endometriosis, that would mean for them
safer surgery, less blood loss, less risk of us attempting

(24:54):
labrooskopic surgery. And I think to change our mind and
open the abdomen, the fewer complications and a much faster recovery,
and the recovery that is faster and with less complication,
that means for the patient they are more quicker, able
to go back to work and able to get back
to their regular role that they do on a day
to day basis and get back to their activities.

Speaker 3 (25:16):
We're speaking with doctor Joanne Navu, a gynecologic oncologist who
will be one of the first physicians using the new
Da Vinci surgical robot here at New flann and Labrador.
This technology will revolutionize patient care with greater precision, faster
recovery times, and less invasive procedures.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
There's lots more to.

Speaker 3 (25:33):
Come, so stick around because we'll be right back after
the break.

Speaker 1 (25:37):
You're listening to what we broadcast up the Wellness and
Healthy Lifestyle Show with doctor Mike Wall. Listen live Thursday
nights at seven pm and Sunday's at four pm.

Speaker 2 (25:48):
Welcome back.

Speaker 3 (25:49):
We're continuing our conversation with doctor Juanne Navu about how
the da Vinci robot will be used in surgeries right
here at home and what it means for the future
of patient care. Let's get back to the episode. So,
when you think about something like cancer, having a surgery
that may be more effective or allow a faster recovery
obviously would help an individual sort of get back into

(26:09):
their life after cancer. And as a physician that focuses
on female reproductive health quite often that's a subject that's
not spoken about often enough. And secondly, we tend to
have to sometimes go away for some of these advanced procedures.
How does that change access for people here in the
province as.

Speaker 6 (26:30):
A province that often faces barrier to have timely access
and specialized care. Having this tool locally also means fewer
women will have to travel a lot of province for
advanced procedure and that's a big step towards equity in care.
As a division, we are so grateful for the Healthcare

(26:51):
Foundation and for the community to help us by giving
some donation to make this possible, because this is not
just an investment in equipment. We see this as an
investment in health and well being for the women across
our province.

Speaker 3 (27:09):
That's fantastic and you just said it, you know, it's
also an investment in our healthcare system in the way
that there's people like yourself that are trained on these
types of tools and having these does that actually allow
us to recruit top talent in gynecology and urology and
like other specialties that would use this type of surgical robot.

Speaker 6 (27:29):
Yeah, access to advanced surgical technology like the robotic platform
is a huge draw when it comes to recruiting and
not just recruiting but also retaining top surgical talent specialists
in gynecology, oncology, urology, and even other fields. We have
colorectal surgeon are now often trained on this technology during
their residency or their fellowship, so when they're looking for

(27:52):
places to build their career and job opportunity, they kind
of gravitate towards center that will offer the tools that
they've been trained to use. So that is a big,
big plus for our province to have this kind of infrastructure,
and also I think it signals that we are serious

(28:12):
about innovation, we are serious about surgical excellence and providing
the best possible care to patient. This also means that
we can offer more comprehensive training opportunity, probably for the
medical student like you are involved with the medical school,
but like for medical students residents, they will see this
technology there. There's actually a learning console that comes with

(28:33):
the robotic console where the student can sit and look
and see everything in three D. We can even point
areas to them. This will help us grow talents right here.

Speaker 3 (28:44):
In you formam. I think that's absolutely fantastic, And you know,
a lot of this wouldn't be possible without the role
of private donors and the community support, like we've seen
from the Healthcare Foundation. They're helping your colleagues. But is
this allowing you to give even better care, the type
of care that you would want to give your patients.

Speaker 6 (29:02):
My goodness, private donors and the community support are absolutely essential.
This will not be possible without any of this. The
generosity we've seen through the Healthcare Foundation is not just appreciated,
but it's transformative for health care. It allows us to
access this type of tool and really elevate the level
of care in today's healthcare environment. Public funding often covers

(29:27):
the basics, but it's the support from the donors that
allow us to go beyond that baseline. It enables innovation
and hence the patient experience. It helps us to stay
at the forefront of surgical care. And like I said,
it's just it's beyond the technology. What's most meaningful is

(29:48):
knowing that our community believes in what we do and
want to be part of it. That shared commitment that
fuels or work. This is what reminds us that we're
not just working in a hospital. We're part of something bigger,
like something that we're connected to people.

Speaker 3 (30:04):
Well, that's right, and I think you know, we're really
lucky to have physicians like yourself because I know for
a fact that you've been involved in spearheading this and
being an advocate for the need for this right here,
when we look at your role and the role of
other physicians and the work being done here, how does
this allow us to have a more progressive healthcare system

(30:25):
here in New Finland and Laborador, Because I think quite
often it's quite we hear the negative side of things,
but it sounds as though innovations like this are allowing
us to take a step in the right direction to
become quite progressive.

Speaker 6 (30:38):
Yes, and yeah, I have been very involved into this
coming forward, but obviously that's a team work and somebody
had to plan the seed before I even continue finant.
That has been several years in the making, so not
there for me to take all the pride of this
project happening. But really, from my perspective, what has been

(30:58):
the most rewarding and honestly really refreshing is seeing how
this initiative has brought so many different services together. So
in elthcare we often work in silos. Even when we
are all striving toward the same goal, we're still kind
of all separate. But the robotic program that we're trying
to build, really we have seen true collaboration with gynecology, urology, surgery, anesthesia,

(31:22):
and nursing, even the administration. We are all working together.
Everybody came to the table with a shared sense of
purpose and this has created some real momentum and in
the hospital we feel it. Everybody is excited and there's
more curiosity, more openness to innovation. In general, there's just

(31:44):
a real feeling that we're building something together and that
sense of teamwork and pride is contigious, like we see
it moving kind of forward in this momentum in at
the hospital. For me, being part of something that breaks
down bearers and brings people together across all the department

(32:04):
is very energizing.

Speaker 3 (32:07):
I'm sure it is, and I'm sure you guys are
very excited to be able to use this and to
be able to help patients and give us that extra
level of care. It's fantastic Healthcare Foundation was able to,
with the help of generous donors, be able to get
something that's going to make such an impact in our community.
Doctor Revou, thanks so much for joining us today and
giving us a really in depth understanding of just how

(32:27):
important this is.

Speaker 6 (32:29):
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (32:30):
That was a fascinating conversation and it's exciting to hear
about the innovations and healthcare that are coming right here
to our province. A big thanks to Paul Snow and
the Healthcare Foundation for all the great work they do,
and of course to doctor joannevou for sharing how this
technology will make a real difference, not just in her practice,
but in the lives of the patients she treats. If
you'd like to learn more about the Healthcare Foundation and

(32:51):
get involved or make a donation, you can visit their
website at healthcare Foundation dot Ca. They're doing incredible work
touching almost every corner of our healthcare system, which impacts
patients from across the province, especially those that travel here
to Saint John's for care. Well, that's our show this week.
Thanks for tuning in. I'm your host, doctor Mike Wall.
We'll see you back here next week for another episode

(33:13):
of the Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle Show on the Stingray
podcast Network and your vocm