1. McGill Cardiology Towards (closer) collaboration
Lawrence Rudski MD FRCPC FACC FASE
Professor of Medicine
Director, Division of Cardiology
Director, Azrieli Heart Center
Jewish General Hospital
McGill University

2. Collaboration is: Not natural – id/ego/superego
Evolutionarily advanced
Evolutionarily necessary
Evolutionarily satisfying, if successful
But SOMETIMES HARD

3. Why Collaborate?
1 + 1 = 3
1 vs. 1 = < 2

4. Ingredients for Successful Collaboration
Understand your own situation
Have a willing partner for collaboration – need to understand that the process is based on mutual respect and that the end-game is a win- win
Strategic Planning Exercise:
Establish Goals for Collaboration – for you and for the collective
Develop strategies of Attaining Goals
Develop Benchmarks
Get buy-in from players – make it fun and make them believe that the collaboration is a natural evolution of their goals

5. Top Down or Bottom Up Yes
(Un)fortunately highly motivated physicians who all know what is right and won’t be told otherwise
So…they need to pool/pull together and have their epiphany that collaboration will improve their personal state and the state of their missions
Overall General Guidance and Benchmarks from above
Centralized Authority and Decentralized Decision-Making

6. Blockers – What is Needed?
Time…we don’t have enough time to go into this
Trust… Are we there yet?
Communication – lack thereof
Leadership
$$$ - sadly, probably the least important first step

7. Not So Depressing Clinical Teaching Research
Missions - To our members – ALL 3 are just and important and fully intertwined. Cannot focus on one without the others
Clinical
Teaching
Research

8. Internationally Renowned
Structural Program (MUHC)
Frailty (JGH)
Transplant (MUHC)
Lipids (MUHC)
Vascular Biology (JGH)
Pulmonary Hypertension (JGH)
Cardiac Imaging – Echo (JGH) and MRI (MUHC)
Electrophysiology (MUHC)
Epidemiology and Epigenetics (Both)
ACHD ( Both)

9. Clinical CROSS APPOINTMENTS
Essential Services at Both, Complementarity to some extent, but lack of recognition that two (or three) stronger sites better than one – like for U de M
Offre de Services for ministry – Not a fun exercise
Congenital *
Heart Failure/Transplant/Mechanical Support – issues to work out
Interventional/Structural – including imaging *
Pulmonary Hypertension
Electrophysiology
CVICU *
CROSS APPOINTMENTS

10. Teaching
Combined Training Program offering complementary learning opportunities
Strong interest from both sites to contribute
Harmonization of roles and responsibilities for Attending MD for rotations in CVICU, consults, clinic
Combined/Collaborative Fellowships – High Risk PCI, Echo, Beth Raby ACHD, Core trainees (Incl. funded positions)
Retreat to get everyone together to discuss challenges
Significant Improvements since, under leadership of Annabel Chen- Tournoux and Natalie Bottega

11. Beth Raby Fellowship in ACHD

12. Ongoing Research Collaboration
Frailty – Cardiac Surgery and TAVR - Funding
ACHD – Fully Integrated
Interventional cardiology – minor CTO
MRI – Nascent

13. Empowerment - Life’s Hard Enough
Mission
Vision
Goals & Objectives
Action Plan

14. Familiarity Breeds…
SUCCESS

15. Research – Opportunities – Working Groups
Directive to be INCLUSIVE – Other partners and sites welcome – St. Mary’s LGH etc

16. The Glass is Fillable Looking for a Sommelier…

17. Let’s Make Cardiology Great(er) Again