Women's

vaNguard patiENtS cOME firSt i BEliEvE WE SHOuld lEavE tHE WOrld a littlE BEttEr tHaN WE fOuNd it. By dr. JaN cHriStilaW pHOtOgrapHy By BriaN HOWEll I've seen the state of women's health and maternity care elsewhere in the world, and know how tragic it can be when things don't go well. That's why BC Women's hospital is so important – because I really believe we can be world leaders: set the bar for safety and excellence in women's care. WOrld-lEadiNg carE There are few places in the world that even come close to BC Women's in terms of safe maternity care. BC Women's is also a centre of worldleading care for hIV-positive women "We seT The Bar FOr saFeTY anD exCeLLenCe In WOMen's Care." – Dr. Jan Christilaw and their babies, and our newborn ICu is among the best in the world. every day, our doctors, nurses and staff use their skilled hands and giving hearts to assure our patients get the best clinical care possible as well as great personal and emotional support. While we are excellent at what we do, I believe our goal should be to get even better over time – whether it be better operating room checklists, better surgical skills or better communication. That's why we continually examine what we do, evaluate outcomes, and then search for ways of improving care. not only does it benefit our own patients, it also leaves the world a little better than we found it. iMprOviNg OutcOMES Improving health outcomes takes many forms at BC Women's. We empower our staff by providing them with opportunities for continuous learning and skills development. as a teaching hospital we pass our knowledge and values to the next generation, and as a research centre we're in a position to break new ground for even better medical treatments. ultimately, everything we do at BC Women's is about patient safety. That is the most important thing: having a safe birth and a healthy baby. 4 WOMEN'S SPRING 2013 BCW-Spring 2013.indd 4 13-04-30 11:51 AM

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