Congratulations to the team on the Addictions Medicine Unit (AMU) for their incredible approach to patient centred care! The unit was recently awarded with a Leading Practice Designation from Health Standards Organization, which is affiliated with Accreditation Canada.
This designation is awarded to organizations who exemplify innovation and patient-centred approaches to care. The first of its kind in Canada, the AMU helps patients who are admitted to hospital for medical reasons and who also suffer from a substance use issue. More than 1200 patients have been cared for in the AMU since it opened in 2021.
One of the unique features of the unit is it incorporates people with lived experiences in its approach. Patients are included in the frontline care team to ensure the patient voice is heard and supported.
“This achievement was possible because of the collaborative team efforts on AMU, proving that innovation and dedication, even though started small has led to an extensive reach. I look forward to the teams continued innovative efforts around providing positive experiences for individuals with substance use concerns.” – Catherine Watson, Clinical Manager, AMU
Organizations interested in creating a specialized alternate pathway to hospitalization like the AMU can visit: https://healthstandards.org/leading-practice/inpatient-addictions-medicine-unit/