NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO COLLEGE OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS
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Two family doctors from Barrie are being recognized for their medical and community leadership by the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP).
Drs. James Shaver and Peter Kizoff have been named recipients of a 2019 Award of Excellence.
“Through their vision and leadership, Drs. Shaver and Kizoff have succeeded in developing patient-centered programs that have enhanced the medical care available in Barrie and the surrounding areas,” said Jennifer Young, president, OCFP. “I congratulate these family doctors on their accomplishments that have enhanced the health and well-being of their community.”
Nominated by peers or the public, the College of Family Physicians of Canada Awards of Excellence recognize family doctors who have demonstrated an exceptional achievement within the past 24 months pertaining to the specialty of family medicine. Nominations are submitted to the provincial Chapter of which the nominee is a member. The Barrie physicians received their awards at the OCFP Awards Ceremony on Nov. 28, 2019 in Toronto. A list of all awardees is posted on the OCFP’s website.
Dr. James Shaver – Streamlining cancer diagnosis to limit patient anxiety and incorrect referrals
Dr. Shaver has served the Barrie community for over 20 years as a family physician, teacher and leader at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), where he provides inpatient and palliative care. Recognizing a specific need in his community, he established a new and innovative service - the Suspicion of Cancer Diagnostic Assessment Program within the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre. Through this program, physicians can refer patients to the specialized clinic where they can rule out or diagnose patients with cancer. This has significantly reduced the number of patients being referred directly to the Cancer Centre without a confirmed diagnosis, reducing the number of hospital admissions and resources spent on incorrect referrals. The clinic has drastically shortened wait times for patients thereby reducing their anxiety and stress over diagnosis, all while keeping their family physician involved.
Dr. Shaver has held many senior leadership roles at RVH, including chief of staff and president of medical staff. Currently, he is the director of the Mental Health Program and the only family physician to provide inpatient primary care for patients admitted to psychiatry. As one of the original founding physicians to develop the Family Medicine Teaching Unit site, affiliated with the University of Toronto, he has served as coordinator for the palliative care rotation for this site. His service to his community has been recognized by Cancer Care Ontario, and he was named one of OCFP’s Regional Family Physicians of the Year in 2013.
“Dr. Shaver’s family medicine career has been focused on improving the lives of the patients entrusted in his care and to ensuring system changes that affect more than the patients he serves,” said Dr. Kerstin Mossman, Barrie Community Health Centre. “My colleagues and I are always inspired by Dr. Shaver’s humility and his willingness to find common ground and participate in new initiatives that improve patient care.”
Dr. Peter Kizoff – Providing access to compassionate MAiD care in the Barrie community
After 32 years of full-time family practice, Dr. Kizoff retired from office practice in 2016 to focus on providing palliative and medical assistance in dying (MAiD) care. One of the first physicians in Barrie to be a member of the Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers and perform MAiD, he developed a healthcare program that provides a needed community service in patients’ homes, in local hospices and at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH). He was also one of the first family physicians to register with the Ministry of Health’s MAiD provider database.
Dr. Kizoff is known for his willingness to travel significant distances, even outside of Simcoe County, to perform end of life care in communities with no access. He is an active member of the North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN group of clinician providers who meet to discuss cases, review legislation and regulatory requirements faced by MAiD providers. As the community’s unofficial leader in MAiD care, Dr. Kizoff is actively involved in teaching family medicine residents and engaging in simulation workshops at RVH, participating in community meetings on the topic as well as mentoring registered nurses at hospices and supporting physicians providing MAiD care for the first time.
“Dr. Peter Kizoff embodies the qualities of a compassionate and hardworking practitioner who shows dedication to community service,” said Dr. Matthew Follwell, chief of oncology at the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Program at RVH. “A thoughtful contributor who provides insightful and quiet leadership to his peers, Dr. Kizoff’s work has been instrumental in the development of our hospital and regional MAiD service.”
About the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP)
The Ontario College of Family Physicians represents more than 13,500 family physicians across the province. We support our members by providing evidence-based education and professional development, promoting and recognizing leadership excellence in family medicine, and advocating for the vital role family physicians play in delivering the highest quality care to patients and families across Ontario.
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