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HEALTH CARE - Wednesday, May 21, 2008 76 HEALTH CARE - Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Halton Physician Appreciation Week May 20 - May 24 Halton Healthcare Services Georgetown Hospital Recognizing Haltons Physicians Each year we encourage residents to join us during Halton Physician Appreciation Week to refl ect on how much we value the quality of the medical care that is available to us. We believe it is important to recognize Halton physicians for their contributions to the health and well-being of our community and so we designate a week each year to thank them for the commitment they make to us by choosing to practise within Halton Region. The profi les on these pages feature just two of the many skilled and dedicated physicians in Halton Hills, providing an insight into their backgrounds and their connection to their patients and the community. If you would like to fi nd out more about Halton Physician Appreciation Week or Halton Regions Physician Recruitment Program, contact Angela Sugden-Praysner, Physician Recruitment Coordinator, at 905-825-6000, toll free at 1-866-4HALTON, or go to www.halton.ca Gary Carr Halton Regional Chair Dr. Kiran Cherla considers service to others and his country both an honour and a privilege and it is with this strong sense of social responsibility that he approaches life and his calling to medicine. He has earned the respect of both his colleagues and his patients for his professionalism and outstanding leadership. In his youth, Kiran moved around and traveled extensively both in Canada and in Asia with his family. Born in Vancouver, he moved to the Maritimes and then lived in both Toronto and Ottawa. He attended kindergarten in Malaysia, fi nished high school in Singapore, and had the opportunity to explore his familys Indian heritage on countless trips to India. My father worked for the International Development Research Centre. He made it his lifes work to improve the quality of life for people in developing countries. He always stressed how it was important to be part of the solution, not the problem, recalls Dr. Cherla. Canadians abroad have a great reputation for being leaders in bettering the world. With a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton (University), and a Masters of Public Health from Yale (University), Dr. Cherla completed both his medical degree and Internship at the University of Toronto in 2003 but not before he met and married wife, Sai. Dr. Cherla joined the Georgetown Medical Associates Family Practice at 1A Princess Anne Drive in Georgetown. Georgetown is an up and coming, friendly community with great family values and a progressive medical community, explains Dr. Cherla. I get a real charge out of getting to know and helping my patients deal with whatever life throws at them. My neighbours become my patients and then my friends. I fi nd these long-term relationships particularly rewarding. I can easily see my patients in my offi ce, deliver a baby, work in the Georgetown Hospitals Emergency room and check in with my senior patients on the Hospitals Complex Continuing Care Unit - all in the same day here. You just dont get that broad scope of practice in a larger hospital centre! noted Dr. Cherla. The doctors and staff at Georgetown Hospital are known for both their compassion and commitment to excellence. We have a strong network of collegiality here. Dr. Cherla is currently the President of the Georgetown Hospital Medical Staff, Vice- President of the Halton Healthcare Services Professional Staff Association, and the appointed medical staff representative on the HHS Board of Directors. He is also one of the Hospitalists at GH, managing the care of inpatients who do not have a physician with hospital privileges. In addition, he works in Obstetrics, Emergency and he provides palliative care. Dr. Cherla has served as Vice-President of the Georgetown Hospital Medical Staff (2005/06), and is currently the Family Practice Delegate for Georgetown Hospital to the Ontario Medical Association, and a member of the Georgetown Family Health Team Board. Dr. Kiran Cherla: The Regional Municipality of Halton 1151 Bronte Rd., Oakville, ON L6M 3L1 905-825-6000 1-866-4HALTON (1-866-442-5866) TTY 905-827-9833 www.halton.ca One of my earliest impressions of Georgetown Hospital was the commitment of the medical staff to their patients, the hospital and the community of Halton Hills. This commitment is refl ected in the patient satisfaction survey results which consistently show high scores. I have continued to be impressed with the dedication of both our family physicians and specialists they are a great team to work with. -Cindy McDonell, Chief Operating Offi cer of Georgetown Hospital and Program Leader of Georgetown Hospital Family Practice We would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Iskander and his surgical team, the on-call doctor and the nursing staff in the emergency department and in the wardGeorgetown Hospital is a hospital where people care about people. -Grateful patient at Georgetown Hospital We have a fi rst-rate team of specialists, family doctors and Hospitalists at Halton Healthcare Services. We are very fortunate to be able to attract some of the most talented doctors in the province. The infl ux of these new doctors and specialists and the rapidly evolving medical communities in Georgetown, Milton and Oakville enable us to grow with our populations. -Dr. Lorne Martin, HHS Chief of Staff The level of physician engagement and clinical leadership at HHS is exemplary. Their professionalism, commitment and loyalty ensure that the residents of our three communities receive quality care. -Denise Hardenne, Senior Vice-President, HHS The Day Surgery nurses were very, very caring and highly professional. The OR nurses were excellent and the Surgeon and Anaesthesiologist were amazing. I cannot get over my fast recovery. -Grateful patient at Georgetown Hospital Doctor profi les provided by the Public Relations Department of Halton Healthcare Services A positive, proactive approach and a strong sense of determination have made Dr. Farragos an exceptional leader and a tireless champion of quality community healthcare. Always a strong proponent of Georgetown Hospital (GH), this prominent Georgetown family physician invites residents to get to know and become more involved with their community hospital. Georgetown Hospital is constantly evolving, introducing new technology and expanding its scope of services so it can better provide for the healthcare needs of Georgetown. It is truly a community hospital both in name and spirit, explains Dr. Farragos. The medical staff here exemplify what it is to be a modern family doctor in a smaller, rural community. The teamwork and collegial atmosphere is refl ected in the conscientious patient-focused care our hospital provides. Anthony Farragos was born in Toronto into a Portuguese culture and grew up in Mississauga as an only child. He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree, with a major in Human Biology and minor in Philosophy at the University of Toronto. After graduating with his medical degree in 1999 from Queens University, and trying an internship in Orthopaedic Medicine at McGill University, Dr. Farragos decided on family medicine and completed his residency in Family Practice in 2003. I really enjoy the interpersonal aspect of being a family physician. You have a chance to follow and provide your patients with continuous, comprehensive care. I have the privilege of looking after many multi-generational families - seeing them through the more diffi cult times and celebrating their happy moments like the birth of their fi rst great grandchild, notes Dr. Farragos. Family practice especially in a smaller centre like Georgetown tends to have a wider scope. You have more opportunities to expand your practice in many different aspects of patient care. Dr. Farragos is currently the Vice President of the Georgetown Hospital Medical Staff, and an active Board member of the Georgetown Family Health Team. He was instrumental in establishing a very successful Hospitalist Program in 2004 an initiative which ensures that all inpatients - even those who do not have a family physician with privileges to GH are provided with a family physician to manage their care during their hospital stay. In addition, Dr. Farragos also sits on the Halton Healthcare Services Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, is an active member of the Georgetown Hospital Foundations Gala Committee and is involved with the Georgetown Kinsmen Club. Dr. Farragos is married to Dr. Krista Bartlett, who is also a very popular Georgetown physician. The couple settled in Georgetown and set up their family practices at Super Centre at 171 Guelph Street in Georgetown. Currently, they have two children - four-year-old Nadia and two- year-old Noah and are expecting their third child. We were looking for a smaller family-centred community and a hospital where we could make a positive contribution. We fell in love with the hometown fl avour and the natural beauty of the Georgetown area and never looked back. Now its home. Dr. Anthony Farragos: