Dr Simon Oczkowski in a hospital room

Healthcare Providers

What's New

Access to patient health information at HHS

On June 4, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) moves to a modern hospital information system called Epic. The state-of-the-art platform will collect, store, manage and transmit a patient’s electronic medical record. As HHS gets ready for this major transformation to improve the patient experience, providers and health care workers outside HHS that receive clinical information electronically may experience some delays in receiving important information, such as results, discharge summaries, clinical letters and other documents. Read more.

What’s New

IDDSI Dysphagia Diet Change

Changes to dysphagia diet names will be occurring in late June 2019. For more information, please see the Communication Note and the Translating Thick Fluids Guide.

Behaviour Safety Risk Protocol

A Behaviour Safety Risk (BSR) Communication and Care Plan Program is now in place at all hospital sites to meet the health and safety needs of physicians, learners, staff and patients. To learn more, visit the BSR intranet page (access to Citrix required).

HHS Physicians

Welcome to the Physician page – a collection of important resources for physicians and medical learners at Hamilton Health Sciences, as well as healthcare providers in the community.

Clinical Departments

Hamilton Health Sciences is home to 18 Clinical Departments servicing 2.3 million residents of Hamilton and South Central Ontario, Canada. To find out more information about each department, the Chief and other important information, please browse through each of the department pages.

If you don’t see your department’s page listed, please connect with your Chief’s Office.

Credentialing

The Credentials Office provides services to support the relationship between Hamilton Health Sciences/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and the Credentialed Professional Staff (physicians, dentists & midwives). The office supports the administration of new appointments, reappointments, and observers for HHS/SJHH.

Learn more about appointments and observership.

Important Updates

N95 Mask Fit Test

Fit Tests are valid for 2 years. To book an appointment, please visit the HHS Hub (in Citrix), click on Your HHS, Health Safety & Wellness, Select Safe at Work and click Respirator Fit Testing. Or click on this link Respirator Fit Testing.

Contact

  • Credentials Office – credentials@hhsc.ca
  • Crystal Zdriluk, Credentials Coordinator & Team Lead – 905-521-2100 ext. 44384
  • Alicia McMullen, Credentials Coordinator – 905-521-2100 ext. 72340
  • Brittney Pierce, Credentials Coordinator – 905-521-2100 ext. 75461

Medical Advisory Committee

The Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) is accountable to the Board of Directors in accordance with the Public Hospitals Act. The committee is in place to promote the highest standards of medical care and professionalism throughout the hospital.

View the Medical Staff Organizational Chart

The MAC has a number of subcommittees which provides for leadership opportunities for physicians and service to monitor and improve policies and quality initiatives. These subcommittees include:

  • Chair of Medical Advisory Committee – Dr. Anthony Crocco
  • Clinical Ethics – Dr. Andrea Frolic
  • Death Review – Dr. Anthony Crocco
  • Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (HiREB) – Fred Spencer, Mark Inman
  • Health Records – Dr. Dereck Hunt
  • Medical Directives and Authorizing Mechanisms (MAMS) – Debbie Mings – Chair, Laurie Yamamoto – Assistant
  • Medical Education – Dr. Alison Fox-Robichaud
  • Order Sets Committee – Dr. Rob Lloyd
  • Organ/Tissue Donation – Amy Williams, Chair
  • Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) – Dr. Samir Raza, Krystin Szymkiewicz
  • Regional Infection Prevention – Dr. Dominik Mertz
  • Transfusion Medicine – Dr. Ted Warkentin
  • Medical Advisory Committee Assistant – Karen MacDonald

The MAC provides general supervision over the practice of medicine, dentistry and midwifery in the hospital and is an important link to addressing issues that impact Professional Staff members (physicians, dentists and midwives) clinically and professionally. The MAC makes recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning matters prescribed by the Public Hospitals Act including:

  • The quality of care provided in the Hospitals by the Professional Staff
  • The By-Laws respecting any Professional Staff
  • Privileges granted to each member of the Professional Staff
  • Appointment and reappointment to the Professional Staff
  • The dismissal, suspension or restrictions of privileges of any member of the Professional Staff

The MAC also facilitates the development and maintenance of Rules and Regulations, Policies and ethical guidelines and procedures related to the roles of the Professional Staff.

MAC Chair – Dr. Anthony Crocco

Assistant: Karen MacDonald, macdokar@hhsc.ca 

The Chair is appointed by the Board for a 3 year term (renewable once). The Chair will provide leadership in the establishment of an interdisciplinary approach to patient and family-centered care and service and work to create an environment that promotes commitment to continuous improvement of patient outcomes. The role is defined by both the Public Hospitals Act and our Corporate Bylaws. The Chair of the MAC is a member of the Board of HHS and a number of quality and policy committees throughout HHS.

Medical Staff Association

All eligible Medical Staff are automatically granted membership to the MSA, for the duration of their Medical Staff status at HHS. The MSA represents and advocates on behalf of the medical staff at all Hamilton Health Sciences sites.

Visit the Medical Staff Association website or email msa@hhsc.ca

Events
The HHS MSA Executive Committee Members meet regularly between September and June of each year. Members of MSA are invited to attend four General Business Meting Meetings during that period. View our events calendar.

Meeting Minutes
Starting 2020, the MSA Minutes will cover items of importance or impact on MSA Members covered during monthly MSA Executive Committee Meetings. View the MSA meeting minutes.

To contact the MSA Office, please email MSA@hhsc.ca.

Medical Affairs

The Department of Medical Affairs supports the relationship between the Professional Staff, Medical Trainees, and the Hospital. Working closely with medical leaders, hospital administrative leaders, McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and the research institutes, the Department of Medical Affairs supports processes such as:

  • Credentialing & Reappointment of all Professional Staff
  • Career and Leadership Development of physicians
  • Medical Learner support
  • Physician Orientation
  • Physician remuneration (HOCC payments, physician leadership stipends)
  • Related Contracts

Contact – medaffairs@hhsc.ca

  • Julija Kelecevic, Director, Medical Affairs
  • Lori Arbeau, Medical Affairs Specialist
  • Vanessa Freeburn, Medical Affairs Specialist – Academic Relations
  • Erin Gulley, Medical Affairs Administrative Assistant
  • Kristi van den Heuvel, Medical Affairs Senior Specialist

Medical Learners & Residents

Hamilton Health Sciences is proud to partner with McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences to offer a unique academic environment for medical students and residents to learn and provide highly skilled care to our patients in the process.

If you are unsure who to contact with your questions, you can contact the Medical Affairs team at resorient@hhsc.ca or at ext. 44281.

Please see our Things to Know tip sheet for important information for residents!

Resident Information, Pay & Benefits

Residents are paid by Hamilton Health Sciences, and as such are considered employees of the organization. Residents can access personal information & pay slips via myHR – HHS’ online HR system.

If you:

  • Need to update personal information (contact info, mailing address etc)
  • Have questions pertaining to your pay
  • Have questions pertaining to your benefits
  • Have questions pertaining to the myHR system

…please contact Human Resources at myHR@hhsc.ca or call ext. 46947.

Resources

Call Stipends

Call stipends entries are due 30 days following the month in which the call was worked.

To submit your calls, please visit https://hhsstipend.hhsc.ca/.

Stipends are paid on a quarterly basis on the second pay of the month in:

  • October
  • January
  • April
  • July

For more information on call stipends (types of call, due dates, maximums), please visit the PARO website.

If you have any questions about your stipends, please contact resorient@hhsc.ca.

Call Rooms

All call rooms at the Hamilton General Hospital, Juravinski Hospital and McMaster Children’s Hospital are available for use between 4:00pm-11:00am every day.

Lock boxes to retrieve call rooms keys can be found in the following locations at each site:

  • Hamilton General Hospital – On the main level by the hospital elevators and Emergency Department
  • Juravinski Hospital – Within the B3 (section B, 3rd floor) call room area
  • McMaster Children’s Hospital – Within the 3E (yellow section, 3rd floor) call room area

Note: Please remove all personal items when vacating the call room. Failure to return a key will result in a $150 replacement charge.

Lockers

All our lockers are permitted for day use only.

Lockers can be found in the following locations at each site:

  • Hamilton General Hospital – Within the Junior Residence Building (Locker Room), Level 0 and on the 8 North wing corridor
  • Juravinski Hospital – Within the B3 call room area (please contact your program)
  • McMaster Children’s Hospital – Within the 3E call room area (please contact your program). Please note that the lockers in 3E-13 are for off-service resident use.

You can find the floor plans/maps to the locker locations here.

Miscellaneous

Prior to your first day, the team at the Postgraduate Medical Education Office will arrange for items including:

  • Badge
  • IT Access
  • Dictation Number
  • ScrubEx Access
  • Pager
  • Parking
  • Initial Mask-Fit

If you have any questions about these items, please contact the PGME Office at pgmeres@mcmaster.ca.

Community Physicians

Care-providers in our community are crucial partners to providing our patients with the best outcomes.

Click the buttons below to find helpful information about our programs and clinics:

Link to adult programs page MCH Programs button

Hamilton Health Sciences is working with our regional partners to gradually reintroduce scheduled surgical and outpatient clinical care for our patients. We look forward to resuming these services to patients who have been waiting for care, but we must do so in a way that recognizes the pandemic is not over, and ensures there is space for any potential surge in COVID-19 patients.

  • Patients will be notified when their surgery or appointment has been scheduled. They do not need to contact the hospital.
  • If you would like to inquire about the status of a referral from before or during the pandemic, please contact that clinic.
  • Patients who have concerns about their health status should contact their clinic or family physician’s office for guidance.
  • We have also been increasing the number of telephone and virtual visits to provide care where possible. Such visits will continue through this next phase of resuming scheduled services. You can expect to receive notes from any telephone and virtual visits in the usual manner.
  • Appointments can change. We will do everything possible to keep a patient’s appointment once it is scheduled. It’s possible that appointments could change if the hospital needs to take care of emergency and urgent cases.
  • Our clinicians are constantly evaluating the care needs of people who are waiting and moving individuals into the urgent and emergent categories as needed.
  • Please follow our process before COVID-19 to make a referral and forms are available.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and collaboration during this time.

Events

There are currently no upcoming events.

Referral Forms

Our referral library contains a comprehensive list of requisition and referral forms.