Abitibi -Témiscamingue hosts two-day 2014 event

Photo: Jacques Mercier
Photo: Jacques Mercier

The 250 delegates that attended the 2nd McGill Réseau Universitaire Intégré de Santé (RUIS) Symposium left with positive memories of their sojourn in Rouyn -Noranda on May 12 and 13.  Following the success of its first symposium, held in Montreal in 2012, RUIS McGill – a consortium comprising the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University and its affiliated teaching hospitals of the McGill University Health Centre, the Jewish General Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital Center and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute – took on the ambitious challenge of  holding its second iteration  in a region, an event made possible through close collaboration with l’Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

” We were honoured to hold the 2nd RUIS Symposium here in Abitibi -Témiscamingue, along with our partners in the health sector from the region, leaders who are working to put forward priorities in terms of health care , teaching and research. We are extremely proud of the response we received,” said Dr. David Eidelman , President of RUIS McGill.

“The Symposium is the result of an exemplary collaboration between l’Agence and RUIS McGill. A collaboration that reflects both the large and small things that we can achieve to the greatest benefit to the health of the population when we join forces, “added the CEO of l’Agence, Mr. Jacques Boissonneault .

The event, which was held under the theme “The ties that empower us”, helped to strengthen existing partnerships and gain new knowledge while allowing participants to share their common concerns on topics including the continuum of services in primary care , aging, chronic pain and illness, accessibility and equity of care, as well as  potential clinical telehealth projects . This second symposium was rigorously planned to meet the needs of the professionals attending,  resulting in many high-level discussions with presentations offered of the highest quality. Offering twenty workshops presented by some sixty sought after and experienced speakers is in itself a feat.

The RUIS McGill network extends to 63% of the Quebec land mass and is home to 1.8 million people. It involves collaboration with 19 Centres de santé et de services sociaux and with four other health centres in the seven different administrative regions which it covers.  The symposium brought together delegates from many walks of life. Some work directly with the population within the RUIS McGill network, while others focus on research. In addition to representatives from the Montreal area, there were participants from the Montérégie, Nunavik, Northern Quebec, Outaouais, James Bay as well as of from Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

Management at both RUIS McGill and l’Agence thank all partners and volunteers who made the event possible.

Click here for access to the presentations from the symposium (in French)
Related Coverage

Hebdos régionaux-Abitibi-Témiscamingue (French only)
Hebdos régionaux-Abitibi-Témiscamingue (French only)
Radio-Canada (French only)
AbitibiExpress.ca (French only)

May 16, 2014