News: Web resource supports emergency staff
By Emily Leighton, MA'13
First-year medical student Max Stone has helped create a web resource for emergency staff at a Toronto hospital that will support their essential work on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The independent website serves North York General Hospital’s Emergency Department, providing updates, messages and information to physicians and health workers.
Stone responded to a request for help from Dr. Meeta Patel at NYGH, who was looking to create a website for emergency staff to centralize resources and keep the team connected. He worked for about a week to get the framework for the site up and running, under the guidance of Dr. Patel and Dr. Sidney Chiu.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to help out in a small way and provide them with a resource to share information with one another, keeping their team connected and collaborative in a time when the entire planet is feeling isolated and lonely,” he said. “I am glad that I could help the team keep each other and their patients safe.”
The medical student was motivated by his peers across the country who are organizing a number of student-led initiatives. Living with his parents and sister, he decided to limit contact with other families, but still wanted to contribute from home.
“My classmates and colleagues have shown so much leadership in response to COVID-19. It makes me feel really optimistic about the future of health care in this country,” he said.
As a future physician, Stone is also deeply inspired by the efforts of health care workers.
“This story isn’t really about me. It is about the health care workers at North York General Hospital (NYGH) and across the world who are on the frontlines fighting COVID-19,” he said. “They have family, friends and lives outside the hospital and, just like everyone else, they aren’t sure what to expect over the next little while. We owe them more gratitude than we can provide for their courage and hard work during this unprecedented time.”
