COUNCIL AWARD
a new formulary that allowed for efficient and effective
resource utilization.
When the Supreme Court overturned the prohibition
on MAID, Trillium, like all hospitals, undertook the task
of determining the principles, protocols and procedures
needed to respond to patients’ requests for a medically
assisted death. Dr. Wong led this effort as the Co-chair
of Trillium’s Assistance in Dying Working Group (along
with hospital ethicist, Dianne Godkin) and brought the
project to a place in which the final policy received near
unanimous approval across the hospital.
Dr. Morra says that Dr. Wong “embodies clinical
excellence, conduct becoming a physician and genuine
human goodness. He is a quiet and warm-natured man
who is humble, compassionate and deeply approachable.
His belief in people and their rights is witnessed in every
interaction he has with everyone he encounters.”
We recently spoke to Dr. Wong about his life and
work:
Tell us about your childhood.
I had what some might say was an unusual childhood be-
cause, in addition to mom and dad and my siblings, my
aunt, uncle and their children lived in the same house.
In essence, I had two sets of parents and eight brothers
and sisters! It was a great way to grow up because we were
our own little community and my best friends were my
siblings and cousins. Growing up with so many people
taught me lessons that have stood me well throughout
my life: tolerance, respect for differences and a sense of
community.
Is it true that medicine was not your first career
choice?
Yes. I actually spent my first year of university studying
architecture. I had a keen interest in the field, as did my
cousin, and he and I went to architecture school together.
However, after a year of study, I came to believe that I
didn’t quite have the same level of artistry as other stu-
dents in my class. I used to marvel at their presentations
and designs, and I knew I did not have their flair. So, the
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following year I moved on to my next interest, which was
medicine.
When did you start to take an interest in hospital
systems and patient outcomes?
I did my fellowship in cardiac anesthesia at Sunnybrook
Health Sciences Centre in Toronto and I was very lucky
to be mentored there by Drs. Richard McLean and
Jean-Paul Koch in the Cardiac ICU. They taught me
what patient care could be in the context of the way
we organized the unit to maximize patient outcomes.
My experience at Sunnybrook got me thinking more
broadly about how system decisions made at various
levels of a hospital can have a direct impact on patient
outcomes. I was also strongly influenced by Dr. Gerald
Edelist, the past Chair of the University of Toronto’s
anesthesiology department.
Why did you choose to co-chair the Assistance
in Dying Working Group?
I felt that my experience as an anesthesiologist in the
Cardiac ICU brought an understanding of some of the
issues and complexities with MAID. I often have to help
families through some difficult times, especially when a
patient isn’t doing well. I found, over the years, that one
of the most important things in these situations is good
communication. Patients can be in the unit for weeks
or months and it helps them and their families when
you take the time to talk to them, say hello and simply
get to know them as people. And then, if it gets to that
time where they have to hear bad news or make tough
decisions, you’ve already set a foundation of trust that
can help them. I wanted to bring that perspective to
the discussions. I should also add that my son, Mathieu
influenced my decision to get involved when he shared
with me his experiences working with the Quality Dying
Initiative at Sunnybrook.
What do you do to relax?
I love spending time with my family. My wife Kathy and I
have three grown sons and now that we have two grand-
children, it’s even more fun spending time together.
MD