New endowed chairs at McMaster focus on evidence-based health care

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Panju.jpg” caption=”Akbar Panju, a professor of medicine at McMaster.”]McMaster University announced today the creation of two new endowed research chairs which will further its pursuit of providing excellence in patient care through an increased focus on evidence-based health care.

The chairs were made possible by a $4 million contribution from philanthropist Michael G. DeGroote and his family.

The Medard DeGroote Chair in Medicine will be held by Akbar Panju, a professor of medicine at McMaster, chief of medicine for Hamilton Health Sciences, and medical director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute in Pain Research and Care.

Martin O'Donnell, whose clinical and research work focuses on internal medicine, has been named to the William J. Walsh Chair in Internal Medicine. O'Donnell is an assistant professor of medicine, and has a keen interest in the education of doctors and medical specialists.

Panju was trained as a physician in Britain, and came to Canada 30 years ago. He worked as a family physician before furthering his education in internal medicine, cardiology and thrombosis at McMaster in the 1980s. He has been a faculty member at McMaster and an active physician at Hamilton hospitals since 1986.

As holder of the new endowed chair he will further his research on chest pain, cardiology, thrombosis and general internal medicine, with particular emphasis on evidence-based health care.

“I want to ensure that evidence-based research in health care is incorporated into clinical care at all levels: prevention, diagnosis, treatment and resource utilization,” says Panju.

He will also undertake an assessment and evaluation of different models of in-hospital patient care from across Canada, work in collaboration with the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine to increase public awareness of preventative measures in cardiovascular disease, and pursue the understanding and knowledge available on the mechanisms and treatment of pain.

The chair held by Panju is named for Medard DeGroote, who was a tobacco farmer in Langton, Ontario and died in 2001 at the age of 95. He was the father of Michael G. DeGroote.

The chair held by O'Donnell is named for William Walsh, a founding father of McMaster's Faculty of Health Sciences, and an active and trusted physician in Hamilton for many years. He retired in 1990.

“Internal medicine was pioneered by Dr. Walsh, and remains the backbone of hospital-based academic medicine at McMaster University,” says O'Donnell. “As holder of this chair, I will be actively involved in education in general internal medicine, promoting the vital role of bedside teaching, clinical skills and an evidence-based approach to patient care.”

O'Donnell will also expand his research in evidence-based medicine and vascular disease, particularly in the areas of stroke and venous thrombosis.

Peter George, President and Vice-Chancellor, says that the newest endowed chairs are an affirmation of the University's renowned leadership in both health care research and education.

“Generous donors such as Michael DeGroote and his family are placing their trust in McMaster's proven ability to push back the frontiers of medical discoveries and provide the highest quality training to the health care professionals of the future.”

John Kelton, dean and vice-president, Faculty of Health Sciences, and dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, says the work of the two new endowed chairholders will invigorate the most important tenet in health care: to ensure the delivery of the highest quality patient care.

“The focus on excellence in patient care is a top priority in the work of both Dr. Panju and Dr. O'Donnell,” he said. “These new chairs will allow both of these outstanding individuals to forge ahead in their quests to provide the best health care available to all patients.”

Earlier today, McMaster opened the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery and atrium, and celebrated with the unveiling of a bust of Michael DeGroote.