Latest news with #KHSC
CTV News
5 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Kingston, Ont. hospital the first in Canada to use AI heart imaging technology
The Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) will be the first hospital in Canada to use artificial intelligence to diagnose coronary artery disease on CT scans, thanks to a $100,000 donation. The hospital in Kingston, Ont. is launching Heartflow, a 'revolutionary AI-based technology' that will allow radiologists and cardiologists to measure how the blood flows through a patient's coronary arteries, using a CT scan. 'This AI tool is a game changer for the way we triage patients,' Dr. Omar Islam, head of diagnostic radiology at Kingston Health Sciences Centre, said in a statement. 'Before, we had to send everyone with a possible significant blockage to the cardiovascular catheterization (cath) lab just to see if the flow was reduced. Now, we can do that non-invasively with Heartflow. If the flow is normal, the patient avoids an invasive procedure entirely. It helps our capacity in the cath lab and saves the health-care system money. From a patient perspective, it spares them a procedure they may not have needed.' Traditionally, many patients had to undergo cardiac catheterization, which is an invasive test that involves threading a wire into the arteries to measure blockages. The Kingston Health Sciences Centre says Heartflow can reduce unnecessary catheterizations by up to 30 per cent, as doctors can make the measurement directly from a CT scan. 'For patients living with chest pain and suspected coronary artery disease, Heartflow provides a safer, faster and more accurate diagnosis of low blood flow,' the hospital said in a media release. 'It also helps medical teams determine how severe a blockage in a patient's artery may be—without having to undergo an invasive procedure. Heartflow will be fully operational at the hospital this month. Officials credit a $100,000 donation from local donor Stephen Sorensen for allowing the hospital to launch the technology. 'Thanks to Stephen Sorensen's visionary support, KHSC is able to invest in state-of-the-art technology that is improving care for our patients,' says KHSC CEO Dr. David Pichora. 'His belief in the power of innovation, particularly in the field of medical imaging, is creating a healthier future for our patients—and we are grateful for his remarkable leadership and generosity.' Sorensen added, 'I'm always looking for innovative tools that can have an immediate impact on patients' lives and Heartflow fits the bill.' The Kingston Health Sciences Centre is the first hospital in Canada to use the AI heart imaging technology.
Hamilton Spectator
25-06-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
KHSC gets over $300,000 from Auxiliary Café donation
This week, Kingston General Hospital (KGH) Auxiliary presented Kingston Health and Sciences Centre (KHSC) with a donation of $314, 650, contributing to a number of equipment purchases and education for members of staff. The donation will fund purchases of four NICU ventilators and 15 oncology treatments, with remaining funds helping to finance annual educational funding for KHSC staff through the Millennium Bursary Fund, as well as subsidizing departmental programs to support Elder Life and Critical Care. Chelsea Reynolds, President of KGH Auxiliary, says the amount donated has reached back to pre-COVID levels after a few years of lower fundraising amounts due to restrictions on visitors within hospitals. She says it really cut off almost all ability to fundraise, although staff members tried to continue to support efforts. 'We didn't have visitors, even the KGH staff was limited,' Reynolds said. 'They couldn't come and sit in the cafe because they couldn't be near each other. So all of our staff in there did their best to try and meet the needs of what we had. But, yeah, we were definitely restricted for an extended period of time.' Reynolds says that in previous years funds have been directed towards redevelopment projects, but with those on hold while awaiting provincial involvement, KGH Auxiliary decided to direct funds to areas where an immediate impact could be made. 'As a group, we decided we want to do something that we can see immediately,' Reynolds said. 'Rather than having it sit in a bank account and wait until we know what's happening, whether it's building onto this building or new sites or whatever it is that they turn out to do.' The funds from KGH Auxiliary come largely from sales at the on-site locations of the Auxiliary Café, the Lottery Booth, the Tuck Shop and the Gift Shop, as well as programs like the Teddy Bear campaign where funds are always earmarked for pediatrics. This past year, that campaign accounted for $28,000, and the KGH Auxiliary board decides where to direct the remaining funds, choosing to support efforts in pediatric care and oncology treatment. In a release from KHSC, President and CEO Dr. David Pichora expressed thanks to KGH Auxiliary and said their efforts make a big difference. 'This year's donation is making a meaningful difference across our hospital—supporting our pediatric, NICU and oncology programs,' said Pichora. 'Through their continued investment in the Millennium Bursary Fund, the Auxiliary is also empowering our staff to grow in their professions and continue delivering the highest standard of care' The funds were presented at the KHSC 120th annual general assembly. Over the course of those 120 years, the Auxiliary has contributed over $20 million from fundraising efforts. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
06-05-2025
- CBC
Fake nurse who treated hundreds of patients in Kingston sentenced to house arrest
A 24-year-old Kingston, Ont., woman has been sentenced to house arrest for what a judge called a series of lies that included forging nursing credentials that allowed her to treat roughly 200 patients before being found out. Madeline Stenhouse appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice on Tuesday wearing a black suit and glasses. She nodded as Justice Alison Wheeler described her "youthfulness" as a reason to show restraint in sentencing. "Ms. Stenhouses's offending was the product of immaturity in not knowing how to accept or deal with the fact that she failed nursing school," the judge read from her decision. The fake nurse was sentenced to two years less a day to be served in the community, including 18 months of house arrest. She was also ordered to complete 240 hours of community service with the Elizabeth Fry Society and to pay $40,000 to the University Hospitals for Kingston Foundation. In delivering her sentence, Wheeler said patients rely on the health-care system and must be confident they're being cared for by professionals. "Ms. Stenhouses's conduct was calculated, sustained and had the potential to harm a wide range of people who were in a medically vulnerable state," said the judge. Stenhouse previously pleaded guilty to defrauding Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) of more than $5,000 and using a forged document. Court heard she repeatedly lied about her level of education and provided falsified credentials, including a photo of a degree she had not earned and a doctored screenshot from the website for the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Assistant Crown attorney Courtney Cottle had called for a jail sentence, urging the court to draw a "harsh line" to deter anyone else considering impersonating a health-care worker. Stenhouse actively deceived the hospital and put people at risk every day despite multiple opportunities to come clean, the lawyer argued, adding the accused was "essentially committing fraud for 672 days." "It's not a matter whether it was about financial gain, immaturity, wanting to please her parents.… This is about her being in a position of responsibility to care for people when they're extremely vulnerable," said the Crown. "The only way ... to try and stop this behaviour is to show people that you will go to jail. Real jail." 'I regret every second' Stenhouse apologized, describing her arrest as a "wake-up call" and taking responsibility for her actions. "I never intended to cause harm and it is not lost on me, the seriousness of what I did," she read from a piece of paper during an April court appearance. "I regret every second of it." On Tuesday, Wheeler read out the facts of the case, counting seven lies Stenhouse had told during her time at the Kingston General Hospital. She initially applied to be a nursing assistant in April 2021, providing verification of enrolment from St. Lawrence College showing she was in her third year. However, she had forged that document, court heard. In fact, Stenhouse had dropped out in the fall of 2019 and all information she provided about her studies was false. That included her application in April 2022 to work as a registered nurse, according to the facts. Court heard Stenhouse was given the paperwork to obtain a temporary licence but never submitted it. Meanwhile, she completed "buddy shifts" and was assigned to a surgical floor. Starting in August 2022, she began caring for patients without supervision, doing so for nearly five months before she was asked to provide her college registration number on Jan. 25, 2023. Stenhouse sent a screenshot of the CNO website that appeared to show her licence and registration number, but when hospital staff contacted the college they learned she wasn't in its database. During a Jan. 30, 2023, meeting with hospital staff, Stenhouse admitted she'd created the screenshot, but claimed she'd sent it by mistake, the judge read from the facts. Two days later, she again met with staff at the hospital and was asked to provide proof of her education. Instead, she showed a picture of her degree, saying she hadn't brought the original because she'd travelled by bus, court heard. Stenhouse was fired that same day. Court was told her earnings including benefits totalled $46,717.02. Credentials easy to check, college says Defence lawyer Michael Mandelcorn had called for his client to be sentenced to house arrest. While he agreed that a nurse without proper training could potentially put patients at risk, he noted there had been no complaints about the care Stenhouse had provided. Mandelcorn said his client started struggling with anxiety and depression in high school, which continued as she started her nursing program. Asked by Justice Wheeler why Stenhouse impersonated a nurse, the lawyer said it was a difficult question to answer but suggested her mental health and unwillingness to tell her parents that she'd flunked out had played a role. "If Ms. Stenhouse ... could completely articulate why she did that, she would not have done it," Mandelcorn said. Hospital says it's made changes KHSC announced in February 2023 that it had fired an employee who provided "extensive forged documentation" in order to treat roughly 200 patients. A spokesperson said it was the first time KHSC had encountered such a situation. Following the incident, the hospital said it had changed its policies so that orientation for new nursing graduates would only begin after their registration had been verified. The hospital will also check the status of its nurses with CNO monthly instead of annually. The college previously told CBC it has online tools to quickly check the registration status of anyone claiming to be a nurse, however a simple online search of Stenhouse's first and last name using the CNO's "Find a Nurse" tool revealed no results. Instead, her name now appears on a list of "unregistered practitioners," which the college's website states is for individuals who are not nurses but may "holding themselves out" as qualified for the job.
