Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) in Northumberland County is bringing two new physicians on board to support patients who have diseases related to the chest, including the trachea, esophagus, and stomach.
The Cobourg hospital has recruited thoracic surgeons Dr. Daniel Sisson and Dr. Shannon Trainor. With the assistance of nurse navigators Cathy Vanderkooia and Allison Boyce, the two doctors — who are based out of Lakeridge Health Oshawa — will support local patients and primary care providers by running a weekly on-site thoracic surgery clinic at NHH.
“The addition of the two thoracic surgeons is part of NHH’s ongoing effort to bring care closer to home for the communities we serve,” Jennifer Gillard, vice-president of patient experience, public affairs and strategic partnerships, told kawarthaNOW when asked about the impetus behind the initiative.
“While the actual surgeries performed by these surgeons will not be performed at NHH, the pre- and post-consultations can all be done here, greatly reducing travel time and effort for local patients and their families, and as we know, every appointment counts,” Gillard added.
Thoracic surgery is a surgical subspecialty that treats diseases related to the chest, including the trachea, esophagus, and stomach. Medical conditions that a thoracic surgeon may treat can include, but are not limited to, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, hiatus hernia (esophageal reflux), metastatic disease to the lung, and end-stage lung disease.
“The recruitment of Dr. Sisson and Dr. Trainor is another step forward in our efforts to create more opportunities for accessible care to be delivered at NHH,” said Dr. Mukesh Bhargava, NHH’s chief of staff, in a media release.
“By enhancing local access to specialities like mental health, rheumatology, neurology, genetics, and now thoracic surgery, I feel like we are advancing our ‘shared purpose of people first’ by reducing barriers, like transportation, and increasing the number of services available here at NHH.”
Dr. Sisson is an attending physician with the division of thoracic surgery at Lakeridge Health Oshawa. In addition to his work as a thoracic surgeon, the doctor is also adjunct assistant professor at Queen’s University in Kingston.
His postgraduate medical training includes a clinical fellowship in general thoracic surgery at the University Health Network in Toronto, a thoracic surgery residency with the University of Toronto, and a general surgery residency at Queen’s University.
Dr. Sisson also holds a Doctor of Medicine from Queen’s University and an Honours Bachelor of health sciences from McMaster University in Hamilton.
“Through our collaborative efforts with the thoracic surgery clinic, (Dr. Trainor) and I look forward to helping patients receive timely, specialized care without having to travel far,” Dr. Sisson said.
“Often with patients, the burden of travelling to a much-needed appointment can serve as a deterrent, which has the potential to delay, and in some instances, prevent care. We want to continue working together to address and bridge gaps in care for our patients.”
His colleague, Dr. Trainor, completed an advanced minimally invasive thoracic surgery fellowship from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre. She has completed the thoracic surgery fellowship with McMaster University, thoracic surgery training from the University of Alberta, a general surgery fellowship with Toronto East General Hospital, and a general surgery residency at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Trainor obtained her Doctor of Medicine with honours from the University of Toronto and earned an Honours Bachelor of science from the University of Prince Edward Island in biology and psychology.
“On average, I see approximately 20 patients per day at our NHH clinic for pre-operative, post-operative and follow-up consultations,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of bringing another medical specialty to the community, which can help “eliminate barriers to providing what is often critical and potentially life-saving care.”
Health care providers can submit a referral through EPIC or Ocean eReferral to the thoracic diagnostic assessment program. Physician referrals can also be faxed to 1-877-291-5956.
