Medical & Diagnostic Services | Grandview Kids
Members of the Medical Team wear Team Grandview capes and stand in front of balloons spelling out 1,000 at the Vaccine Clinic.

Medical and Diagnostic Services

Expanding services to meet the diverse needs of our community.

Our year started with the addition of a Developmental Paediatrician, Dr. Nicole Fischer, in April 2021. She joins Grandview as our fourth developmental paediatrician and is affiliated with the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. We are proud of Dr. Fischer’s work in leading our Tone Management Clinic. She joins an experienced colleague, Dr. Mark Mason, who has provided this clinic for many years. We are grateful to have homegrown team members share this role.

Our team continued to grow in May by introducing Grandview’s first formalized nursing role. This role supported the Complex Behaviour Clinic, providing countless supportive phone calls to families, and raising the bar on how Grandview rapidly responds to inquiries regarding medication management. The nursing role was critical in supporting the Grandview Kids Vaccine Clinic in planning, implementation and execution.

Also, in May, we launched the Complex Care Clinic with our partners from The Hospital for Sick Children, Lakeridge Health, Central East Home and Community Care Support Services, and Complex Care for Kids Ontario. We recruited three new physicians to the clinic team, with Dr. Julie Johnstone taking the lead, supported by a nurse practitioner shared with Sick Kids. Members of Grandview’s therapy teams, social work and family engagement embedded into the clinic have created a truly family-centred approach to care. As the year comes to a close, CSS clinic have served nearly 50 families, providing a safe, holistic approach to care closer to home for some of the most vulnerable children in our community.

Medical Director, Dr. Carolyn Hunt,  smiles at the camera.

In 2021-22, the medical team held more than 4,100 visits, including 550 new assessments.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continued, vaccinations for children and youth were approved and available in the Durham Region. Our Medical and Nursing Services teams came together with our CEO, Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann, RN, to provide an amazing vaccination clinic for children, youth and adults. Grandview’s clinic was a bit different than others, with parents commenting on how relieved they felt that their child could receive a vaccine in a calm, child-friendly space under the supervision of paediatric experts. Each clinic was supported by the Family Engagement Team, whose Peer Navigators graciously coached individuals experiencing nerves or anxiety and celebrated the achievements of so many brave children and youth. Together, our nurses, physicians and even clinicians administered more than 3,000 vaccines to our community members – helping to slow the spread and severity of the disease, providing the opportunity to return to school safely and to in-person social activities.

 

In February, we launched our Optometry Clinic, which is a partnership with Whitby Vision Services. Dr. Pamela Andrews, Optometrist, is leading this clinic for Grandview Kids, ensuring all children have access to vision assessments. This clinic provides great continuity of care for the kids and families of Grandview.

As the fiscal year came to a close, we were proud to report that we, yet again, hit our target for the ASD Diagnosis Hub funded by the Provincial Government. Through Grandview’s leadership and community support, more than 1,000 local children have had an Autism assessment since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. This means 1,000 families now have an answer to their question, “does my child have Autism?” The leadership of the core team provides an incredible asset to the community of the Durham Region.

 

Another significant contribution the medical team makes is facilitating the completion of the Disability Tax Credit for families. We estimate that we have sourced more than $6,000,000 in funding to the Grandview families. This funding provides significant financial support to families of children with severe disabilities.

 

Receiving big city support in our own small community

 

Meet Adaline, a story told by Elysha Wilkinson

Our sweet Adaline joined the Grandview Kids family when she was three months old. Bringing our tiny five-pound baby home from the NICU, with a diagnosis we knew nothing about, was one of the scariest experiences of our life. The life we dreamed for our little girl and our family was turned upside down.

Through the good and the bad, our Grandview Kids family has been there to support us. All of the early intervention Adaline has received has strongly contributed to her reaching her goals. Our amazing complex care team has given us the opportunity to receive big city support in our own small community. We are so thankful for the connections Grandview Kids has provided us not only to community support, but to other Grandview families that have been in the same shoes as us.

We are so grateful to Grandview for their ongoing support. Without her entire team, Adaline would not be where she is today. We hope Adaline will continue to thrive and reach her full potential with her Grandview team guiding her every step of the way.

A Grandview Kid looks across the therapy room.
THANK YOU

Thank you for making a profound impact on Grandview kids’ lives, helping them move, play, learn, communicate and connect in ways their families never thought possible. We are excited for this next chapter as we journey together towards a bold new beginning of hope, belonging, discovery and celebration of Grandview Kids and paediatric excellence in our community.