Dr. David Harrison received an unexpected surprise for his birthday this year. The medical manager of the VGH Hyperbaric Unit was attending the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Chapter of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) in Quebec City last month. The chapter’s awards ceremony coincided with his birthday on October 18, when he was presented with the Dr. Michael Lepawsky Award for Clinical Excellence and Leadership in Hyperbaric Medicine.

“I can’t believe they surprised me!” laughs David, who recently stepped down as vice-president of the UHMS Board. “This award is significant for me on many levels. Not only is it an honour to be recognized by your peers, but I also worked closely with Dr. Lepawsky for whom the award is named.”

In fact, David is only the second person to receive the award, which was established four years ago. The first recipient was Dr. Lepawsky himself, who ran the Hyperbaric Unit at VGH for 25 years before his retirement in 2003. David took over from him and continues his legacy of clinical excellence and leadership.

Taking hyperbaric medicine to the next level

Dr. Ken LeDez, founder and first president of the Canadian Chapter of UHMS, says “Dr. Harrison has provided an example for all clinical hyperbaric physicians to strive to emulate. He has provided extraordinary leadership in clinical hyperbaric medicine through his efforts to develop protocols and standards that are an example for hyperbaric chambers elsewhere in Canada and world-wide.”

Medical director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Service at Eastern Health in Newfoundland and Labrador, Dr. LeDez adds that David “has stood firm in support of approved uses of hyperbaric oxygen treatment and in opposing inappropriate uses and unsafe practices. Where Dr. Lepawsky led the way, Dr. Harrison has taken hyperbaric medicine to the next level. It is remarkable that both recipients of the award are from the same hospital hyperbaric medicine unit.”

A new specialty still in development

Hyperbaric medicine was established as a medical specialty by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2013. As a new speciality it’s still in development and no one has fully qualified yet.

“This is a significant step to have hyperbaric medicine recognized as an area of focused competence,” David explains. “Most clinicians come from other specialities and develop hyperbaric medicine as a niche area.”

There are 15 conditions recognized as valid indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, including emergencies such as carbon monoxide poisoning and decompression sickness, as well as non-emergency treatment of foot ulcers and delayed radiation injury following radiotherapy for cancer.

The VGH Hyperbaric Medicine Unit has just received funding for stroke research and a team is being established for the study Hyperbaric Oxygen Post Established Strokes, with the apt acronym of HOPES. They expect to treat the first patient in April 2015.

Our congratulations to David on his award and his continued commitment to Dr. Michael Lepawsky’s legacy of clinical excellence and leadership.