Emergency Medicine Research Series: Shaping the future of emergency care at North York General Hospital
“In this Emergency Medicine Research Series, the Department of Medicine will be highlighting the work of dedicated physicians and researchers who are shaping the future of patient care. These features will delve into the research and clinical advancements of leaders in the field of emergency medicine, focusing on how they address some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare today. From improving patient outcomes in high-pressure environments to incorporating cutting-edge technologies, these researchers are at the forefront of transforming emergency care.” – Dr. Erin O’Connor, Department Division Director for Emergency Medicine
As an emergency medicine (EM) physician and researcher focusing on refugee health, cardiac arrest care in marginalized populations and artificial intelligence (AI) in EM, Dr. Rohit Mohindra is dedicated to ensuring that patients receive the best possible care when they need it most.
“I was encouraged to consider emergency medicine by mentors and residents in medical school,” he says. “I enjoy the chance to solve problems for patients, work efficiently and the opportunity to work with all populations, from babies to geriatrics.”
Having a research background prior to becoming a physician, Dr. Mohindra was always intent on integrating research into his medical career. Today, he serves as the research lead at North York General Hospital (NYGH) for the Schwartz/Reisman Emergency Medicine Institute (SREMI). His research focuses on improving patient care and experiences, particularly within the unique community served by NYGH’s emergency department (ED).
In the fall of 2022, Dr. Mohindra and his team brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from NYGH, SREMI, patient partners and research experts from the University of Toronto. Together, they developed three core research pillars designed to address the needs of their patient population while aligning with the goals of the hospital and its research institutions.
“These pillars are the refugee care experience in the ED, minority and under-represented patient populations in cardiac arrest and using machine learning tools to improve emergency medicine care,” he explains.
As research lead, Dr. Mohindra is building new infrastructure to support high-quality, impactful research, as well as providing guidance and mentorship to physicians and trainees interested in pursuing research in ED care. He is also dedicated to increasing the visibility of the outstanding care provided at NYGH.
“The experiences of refugee patients in EDs can vary based on language barriers, cultural differences, past traumatic experiences and healthcare system understanding,” he says. “The information available to patients to guide their decision to seek emergency care and to explain their care experience is minimal. Additionally, most emergency care providers don’t receive any formal training in providing care to refugee patients or understand what resources may be available for this patient population.”
To address these challenges, Dr. Mohindra and his team are developing a structured model of care for refugee patients in the ED, with the goal of improving health outcomes, patient satisfaction and reducing unnecessary ED visits. The team is forming a working group to identify key gaps in care and develop innovative solutions for approaching these issues.
Dr. Mohindra also uses AI as a tool to make care more efficient, reduce patient harms and find patterns that are hard to see during a chaotic ED shift. One such example is the use of large language models to assist providers in managing patients experiencing a mental health crisis. By scanning patient charts, the model generates summaries of past treatments and services, offering recommendations for new services or community programs that may be beneficial.
“This means our providers don’t have to review a large number of charts, saving them valuable time and giving them some options to discuss with patients,” he says.
Dr. Mohindra believes that modern healthcare requires physicians to embrace continuous learning.
“We are ready for a new paradigm regarding community medicine and academic medicine,” he says. “We can no longer see them as separate, but rather, as parts of the same network that provide care to our patients.”
As many patients seek care at community hospitals like NYGH, clinician-researchers like Dr. Mohindra play a crucial role in delivering exceptional, innovative care that meets the evolving needs of their communities.
