TEAM Clinic recognized by the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario at their Quality Awards
The TEAM Clinic is run by four faculty members in our Department: Dr. Alysha Nensi, Dr. Andrea Simpson, Dr. Deborah Robertson and Dr. Sari Kives
The Treatment of Endometrial Atypia and Malignancy (TEAM) Clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital was recently recognized by the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario (CQCO) with an honourable mention at their annual Quality Awards.
The TEAM Clinic is run by four faculty members in our Department — Dr. Alysha Nensi, Dr. Andrea Simpson, Dr. Deborah Robertson and Dr. Sari Kives — and addresses a critical need in healthcare, focusing on the intersection of early endometrial cancer and obesity. The clinic addresses the unique challenges faced by this patient population including weight bias, negative patient-provider interactions, and healthcare avoidance.
The clinic's three-pronged approach focuses on centralizing referrals, employing a multidisciplinary team for optimized patient care, and implementing an intraoperative pathway to streamline surgical procedures. Before the clinic's inception, patients in Ontario experienced delays in treatment due to a lack of awareness, education, and geographical barriers. Since 2020, the clinic has operated on a monthly basis, treating over 200 patients from across the province.
“We are so thrilled that this clinic has been recognized with a quality award, since our aim over the last few years has really been to try and streamline the process by which patients with obesity and hyperplasia or low-grade endometrial cancer can access timely medical and surgical care in a clinic which is comprehensive and patient-centred,” Nensi said.
“This award will hopefully serve as a catalyst for ongoing positive change by bringing attention to this group of patients, who often face significant social and geographic barriers to accessing surgical care. We hope that this award will also have a ripple effect of increasing public awareness, attracting collaboration opportunities, and encouraging ongoing systemic changes to improve the care for these patients.”
Notably, the clinic has reduced the time between diagnosis and the first visit from 4.5 months to 2.25 months, enhancing patient satisfaction and comfort. Referring providers also benefit from a streamlined process, eliminating the need for multiple referrals and providing comprehensive information through an online portal. The clinic's initiatives have resulted in shorter hospital stays, reduced complications, and faster recovery times, thanks to increased access to minimally invasive and robotic surgery.
The clinic's commitment to knowledge translation is evident through efforts to disseminate clinical outcomes via local and regional Grand Rounds, peer-reviewed publications, national conferences, and educational webinars. Actively sharing their approach with medical centres across Ontario and Canada, the clinic aims to standardize practices and improve the efficiency of care on a national scale.
