Bluewater Health hosted 70 healthcare practitioners this week, for a session called Imaging in Orthopedics: Choosing Wisely. The focus of the workshop was a multidisciplinary look at effective diagnostic imaging for low back pain, and shoulders and knees.
Choosing Wisely Canada is a national campaign to help clinicians and patients engage in conversations about unnecessary tests and treatments, and make smart and effective care choices.
Participants, which included family physicians, nurse practitioners, chiropractors, and physiotherapists, heard from Bluewater Health’s Medical Director of Diagnostic Imaging, Dr. Youssef Almalki; Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Nick Matlovich; Medical Director of the Emergency Department, Dr. Renato Pasqualucci; as well as Dr. Simon French, Chiropractor and Associate Professor at the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON. A panel discussion followed their individual presentations.
“We’ve reached out into the community to include everyone who might be an entry point to the healthcare system for orthopedic patients,” says Dr. Charles Winegard, Medical Director, Rural Health and session moderator. “The healthcare practitioners who attended can influence patients’ decisions, and our aim is to set the standard for quality, evidence-based patient care.”
The session was also broadcast to other healthcare practitioners in Chatham and Owen Sound through the Ontario Telemedicine Network.
“Healthcare practitioners want to do the best for their patients,” says Dr. French. “I applaud the medical community in Sarnia for opening the discussion to other healthcare providers to reduce unnecessary testing, treatments and procedures for the benefit of all of our patients.”