Time Equals Brain And Muscle Function
Meet Interim Emergency Department Leader Dr. Kirsten Jewell
“IN AN EMERGENCY, TIME MATTERS,” according to Dr. Kirsten Jewell, Interim Chief and Director of MAHC’s emergency departments in both Huntsville and Bracebridge. “Time equals brain and [heart] muscle function; the sooner we can diagnose and treat or stabilize patients, the more likely it is we can help in recovery without losing those critical functions. We are lucky to have a fabulous emergency department here in Huntsville. Access to the technology and equipment that we need in our rural hospital that plays a key role in saving time, allowing us to deliver the best care, close to home.”
Dr. Jewell and her husband Dr. Adam McClure are both emergency physicians living in Huntsville and raising their family here. They met at university and had explored Algonquin on camping trips, but it was her four-month locum (a temporary contract to fill in for staff on leave) that convinced them to locate permanently in Muskoka.
“Our emergency team here is fantastic and consistent,” says Dr. Jewell. “But we’re all virtually useless on theside of the highway if we don’t have the right equipment. Having new and current technology helps us impact wait times – it lets us help patients sooner. Having an MRI here now is a game changer — we can diagnose sooner and more accurately because it is local.”
Dr. Jewell also thinks having a supportive Foundation and an engaged community of healthcare workers helps them recruit new primary care physicians, hospital staff, and professionals. “Every hospital is short-staffed — our team and our community gives us an edge. People working here CARE; about our hospital, our teams, our equipment, our work conditions, and most importantly how this all impacts our community.”
“In a rural hospital and rural medicine, we’re often the front door to healthcare,” says Dr. Jewell. “We’re always here. And that’s what you’re investing in when you donate. That’s why we’re all donors too. We’re looking forward to what’s coming down the pipe; the new hospital, new technologies, all made possible by our community. We’re excited about building the Vision.”
