“It’s unique to have your own dedicated thoracic endoscopy unit. Most other thoracic centres in Canada don’t have anything like this.”
Dr. Gilly Akhtar-Danesh’s arrival at HSC symbolizes the profound impact of the donor-funded Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit on both patient care and doctor recruitment.
As the saying goes, ‘Build it and they will come.’ With the establishment of the donor-funded Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit at HSC Winnipeg in 2019, patient care has been positively impacted through reduced wait times and streamlined procedures. As a result, another promising new thoracic surgeon has joined the team, Dr. Gilly Akhtar-Danesh.
“It’s unique to have your own dedicated thoracic endoscopy unit. Most other thoracic centres in Canada don’t have anything like this,” she explains. “It’s essential for helping patients navigate their diagnostic journey quickly and efficiently.”
The clinic focuses on treating the thoracic area of the body, which is located between the neck and abdomen and includes the esophagus, chest cavity, lungs, and major blood vessels. The clinic is designed to provide comprehensive care for patients coping with thoracic conditions, such as esophageal and lung cancers.
Before the opening of the Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit, most thoracic procedures required one of HSC’s operating rooms (ORs), which are in high demand. Many patients had long wait times, as surgeries were frequently postponed for more urgent cases.
Today, the upgraded clinic and equipment enable faster diagnosis and allow procedures to be performed in the clinic, significantly reducing reliance on OR availability. In many cases, it also reduces the number of visits patients need to make to the clinic.
“Having a dedicated unit is even more critical at HSC because we serve a wide catchment area,” Dr. Akhtar-Danesh explains. “Being able to bring a patient in for biopsies and staging, where we conduct a series of tests and procedures to determine the extent and spread of a disease, all in one appointment is huge for making their diagnostic journey smoother and for improving patient outcomes.”
As HSC provides care for residents across Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, and Nunavut, several of the clinic’s patients travel long distances, often incurring substantial travel costs for thoracic treatment.
“It makes a tremendous difference for patients to complete everything in one day rather than making multiple trips. It allows us to provide patient care in a very seamless fashion and creates an environment where we know we’re providing good care, which is critical for doctor recruitment and retention. That improvement in patient care was a big draw for me,” she says.
Dr. Akhtar-Danesh hails from Ontario where she completed her training at McMaster University in Hamilton.
She says she was attracted to the thoracic specialty because it offers the opportunity to help patients facing serious health challenges.
“In this specialty, you can significantly impact the quality of life for patients with aggressive malignancies,” she explains, noting she also loves the collaborative nature of the field.
“Thoracic surgery relies heavily on teamwork, and it’s rewarding to work with colleagues to guide a patient through a challenging operation and treatment process,” she says.
Dr. Akhtar-Danesh recounts a recent patient whose case highlighted the collaborative nature of the unit.
“We were recently consulted on an elderly patient who had a tear or hole in the tube that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach. It is a serious condition with high morbidity and mortality rates. It was the perfect example of our team coming together, everyone working with the common goal of the patient in mind,” she says, explaining how the patient was moved efficiently through diagnosis, a CT scan, and into the OR within hours of initial assessment.
“Despite the patient’s advanced age and a bad diagnosis, he responded well to treatment and was able to be discharged from HSC a week later,” she says. “That positive patient outcome speaks to everything that led up to getting him to and through the OR, but also, every team member that helps the patient through their post-op course.”
Dr. Akhtar-Danesh’s arrival at HSC symbolizes the profound impact of the Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit on both patient care and doctor recruitment. With state-of-the-art facilities and a collaborative environment, the clinic not only enhances the efficiency of thoracic procedures but also ensures that patients receive timely, compassionate care.
As Dr. Akhtar-Danesh continues her work in this unique setting, her dedication to improving patient outcomes exemplifies the positive changes that HSC Foundation donor-funded initiatives can bring to the health care landscape in Manitoba.
Your support of the HSC Foundation’s Operation Excellence campaign will help Manitoba’s hospital reduce diagnostic and surgical waitlists and shorten recovery times. With your support, HSC can continue to improve overall patient care and attract expert health care professionals. Please donate today.
By Jen Golletz
