Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Care

Dr. Sandy Buchman

Dr. Sandy Buchman, inaugural Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Care

North York General Hospital (NYGH) proudly announces Dr. Sandy Buchman as the inaugural Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Care. This endowed Chair is a clinical position and the first of its kind in a community hospital in Canada made possible by the Freeman family. As part of his role, Dr. Buchman is also the new Medical Director of NYGH's Freeman Centre for the Advancement of Palliative Care.

Dr. Buchman is trained in family medicine and specializes in palliative care. For the past 15 years he has been an integral member of the care team at Sinai Health System's Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care as both a physician and educational lead. Throughout his career, which spans more than 30 years, Dr. Buchman has held a number of leadership positions and is currently the President-elect of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). He has received numerous national and provincial awards and has pursued clinical research in cancer and palliative care, as well as chronic disease prevention.

“We are excited Dr. Buchman is joining our palliative care team and bringing his expertise and vision for advancing palliative medicine to the hospital,” says Dr. Joshua Tepper, NYGH President and CEO. “As the inaugural Chair, he will act as a catalyst for reimagining palliative care delivery and research at the Freeman Centre, in our surrounding community, and across Canada.”

The Freeman Centre for the Advancement of Palliative Care was established in 2000 through visionary funding by the Freeman family. They believed in a group of dedicated family physicians who identified the need for a community-based service to support palliative cancer patients and their families at home — something unheard of at the time.

Recognized as a “Leading Practice” by Accreditation Canada for its unique model of palliative care delivery, the Freeman Centre is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with life limiting illness. Patients receive care through a consistent clinical team in the most appropriate setting, including inpatient, ambulatory clinics and home. This important model includes a clinical nurse specialist who works in partnership with a family physician dedicated to patients who wish end of life care at home.

“The Freeman family's tireless commitment for the past 20 years to palliative care is unparalleled,” says Terry Pursell, President and CEO of the North York General Foundation. “Our community is blessed by their philanthropy, which has touched the lives of so many patients and families.”

The creation of the Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Care is part of the Centre's goal to transform the future of palliative care delivery and supportive care at home. As the Chairholder, Dr. Buchman will have the opportunity to advance the program by translating research into practice through the adoption and implementation of innovative models of care delivery to improve palliative care medicine.

“It is an honour to be the first Chair holder at the Freeman Centre, where the team has created a system of palliative care that works seamlessly between the hospital, the community, and home,” says Dr. Buchman. “Together we will work to connect all health care providers, patients and families with timely palliative care medicine and support services.”

Dr. Buchman will assume his full role as the Freeman Family Chair and Medical Director of the Freeman Centre for the Advancement of Palliative Care upon completion of his term as President of the CMA in summer 2020. 

North York General Hospital, affiliated with the University of Toronto, is one of Canada's leading community academic hospitals. In a global ranking of hospitals, NYGH placed second in Canada and among the top 100 in the world. We offer our diverse community a wide range of acute care, ambulatory and long-term care services across multiple sites. Through partnerships, collaboration and academic endeavours, we seek to set new standards for patient- and family-centred care. Working together with our patients and their families, we are making a world of difference.

 

This article appeared in the July-August 2019 issue of The Pulse. Subscribe now. 

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