On my way home...soon

Well hard to believe that 5 weeks have gone by already. March 30th seems so long ago, but my time participating with this year's CIHI Reabstraction study has been a good one. I definitely have learned alot and found some things interesting on how different hospitals are capturing data.

For many you might not know what coding are encompasses. We do follow national set coding standards for all the diseases and procedures that one might face during a hospital stay. As much as we are trying to be universal - it does come down to how physicians dictate or document their reports and then how we interpret them and how we look them up in our coding systems. Sounds confusing I guess to some of you. Another positive participating is meeting other health information management professionals (HIM Professional) at the hospitals I have gone too and the other reabstractors I have worked with. It really is a small world - here at Sick Kids - a lady Diane Duggan who used to work at the Foothills hospital in Calgary. Our IT contact for the reabstracting study was originally from Thunder Bay!!

Overall, this whole experience has been positive and I would not hesitate to put my name forward to future studies (I just have to share the experience with any of my Calgary coworkers if they wish to go too). Personally, I did feel by the end of this study (5 weeks), I am looking forward seeing my friends, coworkers and oh - to see if my house is sit standing (haha - I know Averill is doing a good job taking care of it). Sick Kids charts have definitely been challenging so you can say that I am ending this experience with a bang!

Visiting Family

These past weekends I have been able to include visiting with family. Though my visit were short it was still great spending time with them. Last weekend I was in Thunder Bay where my parents live. Yesterday I went to Oshawa to have dinner with my brother Bruce and his wife Kristin. I was able to get a tour of their new home - Kristin is very creative so she has an eye for the colours and Bruce's choice with the wood accents - a great combination of both. Bruce teaching Special Education students at his highschool and years ago he started the Lunch Buddies program - it started with 2 students and yearly it is now up to 150 students - caring for each other looking beyond people's disabilities or limitations - a small model of breaking down discrimination among teenagers. On Friday, one of Bruce's students unexpectedly passed away from his disease. Peter was a part of Bruce's Special Ed program for the last 3 years and he made connections with his classmates. After supper, listening to Bruce speak to Peter's parents who wish in lieu of flowers donations be made to the school, that one of his idea's of planting a tree and have a small bench near the window of Peter's classroom. Wow - a proud sister moment for sure. A great way to end my day.

This afternoon, I walked down to the Eaton Centre and met up with my Aunt Susie. It has been a few years as well since I had last seen my aunt. Just like when I was living in Toronto going to College - we had lunch at the Pickle Barrell (we met there for my birthdays). We caught up with each other over our Montreal smoked meat - it was lean and thinly shaved - it was soooo good, especially on the rye bread (like old times during visits to Montreal when I was a kid).

Nonee, Wes and I

Wes, myself and Nonee in front of Niagara Falls.

After seeing The Falls, Wes drove us around Niagara on the Lake. Beautiful countryside along the Niagara River. The rows of winery trees lined up ready for another growing season. You can definitely go on a wine tour in this area of Ontario. We stopped at the Niagara on the Lake Golf course and had lunch at the clubhouse. Our table overlooked the Niagara River and a Fort on the American side - tried a new dish. If anyone know English food and their lingo for dishes - ever heard of Bangers and Mash? Well, it was not bad at all. The dish had 3 smaller sausages, mashed potatoes with cameralized onion (similar to a french onion soup base).

It was great catching up with Nonee and Wes - it has been a long time since I have seen them both. Between Nonee and I, poor Wes had a hard time getting a word in edge wise. It was basically nonstop talking and sharing during our whole visit. Our visit ended at the GO Train station where my next destination was Oshawa.

Niagara Falls - Canadian Side

Niagara Falls - state side

View from the Falls

These two photos are taken near the bottom of Niagara Falls. The falls on the right of the photos is Niagara Falls, New York.

Everywhere you looked the daffodils were all out in full bloom - spring is definitely here!!! (it helps with the sun shining warmly on you too.)

Mist of the Falls

Along our walk towards the US side of Niagara Falls we got misted from the water spray. It is amazing the power of the water and how memorizing it can be when you are near the edge as you watch the water go over - you just to follow to see where it goes. If I got my geography correct with our imaginary border - these are the Canadian side - Niagara Falls, Ontario.

At the head of the Falls

Saturday morning I took the bus to St Catherines to visit family friends Nonee and Wes. They have been forecasting rain all day, but our walk around Niagara Falls we had the sun shining. This was my first time visiting Niagara Falls - fun being I lived in Ontario for over 30 years. It was beautiful to see some of nature's beauty. I realize I will sound bias - but our little Niagara of the North - Kakabeka Falls are quite a sight to see as well. These photos are at the top of the Falls.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Facing University Ave from the Parliament Buildings - Hospital Alley - on the left are Toronto General (Women's College is behind that) and Hospital for Sick Kids (I will be working there all next week) - on the right are Princess Margaret Cancer Hospital, Mt Sinai and Toronto Rehab. I had worked at TO General during my first year of college - my responsibility was to help in the destruction of death charts that occurred 10 years previously (we can under the Hospital Act). As always, it is a busy street.

Ontario Parliament Building (Provincial Gov't). It is located at the head of University Ave and College Street. The streets were just normal for end of day traffic. Last week, the grounds were full of highschool students as they protest as they are planning to close many of their swimming pools - no surprise - it is due to $$$

After working at North York General today, the rain clouds cleared so I thought I would go for a walk around the block. I walked from the hotel (Dundas & University) up to the Parliament Buildings, down to College and Yonge Street - down Yonge to Dundas where the popular Eaton's Centre is located and back to the hotel. The popular intersection of Dundas and Yonge sure has changed - looks a bit like NY Times Square - small scale of it with the big TV screens with advertisements etc. There is a section now where the table and chairs are out like a huge sidewalk cafe. Interesting seeing all the changes since I last was here - it has been a while I will admit.

Observations made so far...

I am back in the Toronto area for the last stretch of the reabstraction study - just 2 weeks left before heading back to my life in Calgary.

I had spent last week split between two smaller cities outside of Toronto. Orangeville and Brampton. Being majority of Canadian hospitals are heading towards a total electronic record, many of us face hybrid charts where the coder has to spend more time per chart as they read the paper copy of the chart and then the electronic documentation and lab results to find the appropriate diagnoses and procedures.

I was able to speak to the coding coordinator at Brampton. She graduated from George Brown College the year I started. That was cool. She reinterated that don't be afraid of trying new things but realize it won't always happen with the snap of the fingers. Hearing that, it helped me make a decision I have been thinking about the last couple of days. My coworker Chris that accepted one of the coding coordinator positions in Calgary is also the inpatient coding trainer. The CC position has so many duties especially as we head into the year end coding deadlines. So this weekend, I emailed my coding director that if she was looking for an inpatient coding trainer in the future that I would be willing to step forward. Thinking of that saying in regards to one's "comfort zone" - if I don't try, I won't know if it is something I can succeed in.

A little variety this week...

Well, I am not in Orangeville tonight, but in Brampton (the town right beside it). Marion and I realized that we wouldn't have enough charts for us to keep us busy until Friday. So we called our Project Manager - decision was that Marion remains until Friday and I moved on to help fellow reabstractor Bernie who has been at Brampton since Sunday. So today was an early start for me - 5am!!! Had to take a limo for about a 45 min drive to the hotel in Brampton before heading off to the hospital. I was happy to see that the hospital had a Timmy's - was able to get my tea and bagel. I will do the same tomorrow morning.

This hospital has a mixed (hybrid) chart system too - but I found my rhythm using both the paper and electronic documents. Having a pad of paper to make my notes of what diagnoses and procedures per chart is really handy. It is literally a brand new hospital too - they opened this facility just 6 months ago - they have a beautiful open concept but with individual cubicals - of course we are in the basement - at least they are consistent is where they locate the health record dept in a hospital (haha). For the coders have a dual computer screen - so you can code on one computer screen and the electronic system on the other. How cool is that??

Looking forward heading to Thunder Bay tomorrow night to see family and friends. It is perfect timing as I have left Calgary 3 weeks now. It has gone fast - but seeing familiar faces and your daily routine is always nice too.

Receiving Feedback

Well, what different "first day" in Orangeville - the charts are much easier compared to Ottawa. For starters the assemblying of the chart documents is way better so getting the information I need is easier to find. Have to realize too - Headwaters Hospital in Orangeville only has something like 108 beds - quite different from the 2,500+ beds we get in Calgary. The major surgery/interventions are transferred out of here like cardiac procedures. If I had to compare the type of charts I encounter to Strathmore which is just outside of Calgary. It is refreshing after those two tough weeks in Ottawa. Had some major "Fat" charts as we like to call them at the Foothills site - the patient's stay is like 100 days and fit into 4-6 volumes!!! The most I have done was an A-R (17 volumes!!!).

While in Ottawa, I received a phone call from my coding supervisor that they had chosen two other candidates for the Coding Coordinator positions (I had the interview the day I left for training in Ottawa last month). Boy, what an interview process - almost 2 hours long and 11 pages of questions!!! Plus I gave a 10 min presentation (talked about me and my career). Anyway, she did give me some feedback - she said I did well in my interview and that I was qualified for the position. And don't give up for future position - please do apply. Wow, that was nice of her to say - a great confidence booster.

So, for those trying to keep track my career moves - here is the updated tally. I work full time at the Calgary Health Region; casual (2 days a week) at Tom Baker Cancer Centre scanning charts for their electronic medical record; sporadic at-home coding for Salumatics (I start again May 5th coding day surgery charts) and of course working for CIHI doing this reabstracting study (ends May 2nd). Hope that is more clearer of where I am at now.

Orangeville

The little necessities - microwave and mini fridge. Oh and the coffee maker I use to heat up the hot water for my tea. Lucky for me, I brought my own green tea bags as they don't leave tea bags just the coffee grounds.

The Livingroom/Eating area - tonight Marion and I ordered in - East Side Marios. She doesn't have the little tables in her room (she got the jazzui). Enjoyed sharing and some laughs too over dinner. It has been great getting to know her more.

The TV can be swirled to either the livingroom or if I want to relax on the king size bed. I even have a fireplace in my room!!! Of course on the left is the bathroom. The shower stall reminds me of the ones in Europe - has a small lip at the bottom to catch the water splatter.

I had arrived into Orangeville on the Sunday around noonish, so I went for a small walk to get a lay of the land - noticed that there was a walking trail near the hotel - unfortunately as you can tell - it was closed. Guess I am too early in the season for it to be open or maybe it is closed for possible flooding banks. The thaw has been pretty quick here in Southern Ontario so all that snow is melting quite quickly causing the water to raise quickly too. My tip if you would like to visit this area - rent a car - you would find all these cute little townships, walking trails, cute country stores and open food markets come May long weekend.

Heading to Orangeville

Well, the bags are packed and have some time before the airport shuttle comes to pick me up to head towards the Ottawa Airport. Those two weeks sure went by fast. It has been great to be able to visit with my girlfriend Lorna - she said she felt spoiled having these short visits so close together. Think I made her homesick for her friends in Thunder Bay, especially as I will be heading up there next weekend. Plus was able to take advantage of the beautiful Saturday afternoon and take that walkabout. Must say with walkabouts it is amazing what you can see - I did that in London and Philadelphia - was able to take plenty of landmark photos.

The bonus perk about being a part of this reabstraction study - is the traveling (and I don't have to take vacation time for it either!). So far, I have gotten to visit Ottawa, plus a side trip before my training to Montreal to visit my relatives. Now off to Orangeville - it is about a hour drive west of Toronto. From what I have read online - it is a quaint little area - I would say the same size as Thunder Bay (over 110,000 people). Read that there are your malls etc, but also walking trails. I will try to check their condition - Southern Ontario is getting the rain/snow this weekend so the trails might be a bit mucky. We will see.

Tonight, I will actually be meeting up with my brother and his wife for dinner. It has been a couple of years I believe since seeing Kristin (of course saw Bruce last July at my mom's birthday celebrations in TB). This is another perk with being on this study - get to visit family and friends!!!

Sights Along the Way

Art Work near the Parliament Buildings

Reminders of Ottawa's 2nd snowest winter on record - despite the warmer weather - still no access up some of the stairs to the main street

Winter is meeting Spring - Brownish grass with the snow on the Ottawa River

My Walk to Church

The Parliament Buildings

Centennial Flame - The Prime Minister - Lester B Pearson, marked Canada turning 100 years old with a flame that continues to burn 41 years later. Each provincial creast that made up Canada in 1967 make up the inner circle.

From my hotel, the church my friend Lorna goes to, was only a few blocks away. St Andrew's Presbyterian Church stands across the Parliament Buildings. I had a another beautiful day for a walk.

Ottawa Locks

Rideau Canal Walk

The Sun was shining and the snow was melting making puddles everywhere. A perfect afternoon to take a walk along the famous Rideau Canal - the longest skating rink. As you can see - the ice has melted and you will have to put away your skates for another day. The last photo is one of the structures you will see all along the canal to get a cup of hot chocolate to warm yourself or to the loo as well (heehee). The warmer weather brought out the walkers, runners and the tourists too, so I blended in well. I don't know what the exact distance the Rideau Canal is, but I can imagine that would be a great hike come the summer time.