Introducing… a chiropractic specialist
David Dos Santos is a chiropractic specialist and the practice lead for the Musculoskeletal Central Intake and Assessment Centre for patients with lower back pain. He joined the complex care and orthopedics program at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) in October and is based at Hamilton General Hospital.
Before joining HHS, David worked at a regional health care provider where he examined patients about to undergo back surgery. He assessed and treated conditions related to nerves, muscles and the skeleton.
What does a chiropractic specialist do?
Patients with lower back issues see me and my team after they are referred by their family doctors. If it looks like a patient may need surgery, I evaluate them and work with our spine and neurosurgeons to screen for potential issues that could come up during surgery.
I also provide solutions for helping patients manage their pain and improve their mobility.
The most appealing part of my job is to work within a shared-care model of patient care.
What do you love most about your job?
The most appealing part of my job is to work within a shared-care model of patient care. I enjoy partnering with community-based practitioners and primary care providers to offer this model throughout a patient’s journey, which may take them to meeting a spine specialist or their preferred surgeon for a potential operation.
What surprised you the most when you first started working at HHS?
What surprised me the most was the high level of organization at HHS, and the smooth on-boarding process. I am impressed with the level of competence with the management team and their ability to make new employees feel valued.
My goals are to make this new program one of excellence that creates a high level of confidence and satisfaction with patients.
Why do you choose to work at HHS?
I worked with surgical professionals in the past and was impressed by the leadership that was demonstrated. I also wanted to work in a hospital with a high quality university affiliation, which is the case with McMaster University.
What do you hope to accomplish while at HHS?
My goals are to make this new program one of excellence that creates a high level of confidence and satisfaction with patients, primary care providers and surgeons.
I hope to advance the reputation of HHS as a health care facility providing exceptional patient care.
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