Fonds KGH 5999-640 - Kingston General Hospital Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology fonds

As early as 1855, the medical department at Queen's had a professor of midwifery and the diseases of women and children who invariably had attending privileges at the Hospital. Dr. M. Lavell held that position at Queen's in 1860 and was appointed surgeon at KGH in the same year. In 1894, the Doran Building was officially opened as a women's hospital with separate wards for maternity cases, women's diseases, isolation plus its own operating room. In 1885, Dr. K. Fenwick was appointed professor of obstetrics and gynaecology and by 1892 was restricting his clinical activities to gynaecology. Paediatrics was recognized as a distinct speciality around 1904. The primary functions of the department are patient care, teaching and research. As a university department, they provide undergraduate, graduate and continuing education in Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Staff conduct research related to their divisions. The Department provides both inpatient and outpatient services. Ambulatory patient care occurs in a number of clinics. Obstetrics and Gynaecology is a Department of Kingston General Hospital and the Queen's University Faculty of Health Sciences. The Head of the Department is responsible to both the Chief of Staff of the hospital and the Dean of the Faculty of Health Science at Queen's University. The department has strong links with Paediatrics, Radiation Oncology and Psychiatry Dr. E. Robertson was appointed first full-time chairman of the Department at both KGH and Queen's in 1939. Under the Department Head and hospital Deputy Chief the Department is organized into divisions. Each division is lead by a division head who is a member of the attending staff. Attending staff work under a division related to their speciality. During Dr. J. Low's tenure (1965-1985), the department's speciality divisions increased and expanded, Urodynamics, Maternal & Fetal Medicine, Gynaecologic Oncology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and Sexual Medicine (1980-1989). The Perinatal Intensive Care Unit, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Antenatal Educational Program and the Birthing Centre added to the range of services provided to KGH patients. Each division is lead by a division head who is a member of the attending staff. Attending staff work under a division related to their speciality. Monthly staff meetings are the primary decision-making forum for the department. A committee structure is used to gather information and make recommendations. Departmental committees include Patient Care, Ambulatory, Gynaecologic Operating Room, Administrative, Medical Audit, Chart Audit and Quality Assurance and Therapeutic Abortion Unit. Over the years the names of the committees have changed slightly, new committees have been formed and old ones disbanded as needed.