Women's College Hospital
Encyclopedia
Women's College Hospital, or The New Women's College Hospital is a teaching hospital
in downtown Toronto
. It currently functions as an independent ambulatory care
hospital. The Physician-in-chief is Dr. Jim Ruderman.
Women's College Hospital maintains a focus on women's health
, research
in women's health, and ambulatory care
. It was given the distinction of being the only 'collaborating centre' in the Western Hemisphere
designated by the World Health Organization
.
It moved to its current location in Toronto
in 1935, and became a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto
in 1961. Women's College Hospital merged with Sunnybrook Hospital
and the Orthopedic and Arthritic Hospital in 1998 under the provisions of Ontario Bill 51, and became Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre. Women's College Hospital de-amalgamated in 2006 to become The New Women's College Hospital. In 2003, while still part of the erstwhile "Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre", the Women's College site housed the first ambulatory SARS clinic in Canada
, (while the Sunnybrook site housed both the first in-patient SARS unit and Intensive Care Unit for SARS in Canada).
The hospital was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995. A plaque was erected by Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada at the Women's College Hospital, Grenville St., Toronto.
There was a dark period when unwed mothers were not welcome at Women's College Hospital. It was believed that unwed mothers needed to be taught a lesson and should be punished by having their children taken from them, according to Dr. Marion Hilliard , Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Women’s College Hospital, in a Toronto Telegram article of November 1956:
This laid the foundation for the Unwed Mother Punishment Policy which was actively employed from the mid 1950's to the early 1980s. Other hospitals followed this policy shortly after this announcement.
Victims of this policy filed a formal complaint to the UN when Women's College Hospital refused to acknowledge that abuse had taken place.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in downtown Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. It currently functions as an independent ambulatory care
Ambulatory care
Ambulatory care is a personal health care consultation, treatment or intervention using advanced medical technology or procedures delivered on an outpatient basis Ambulatory care is a personal health care consultation, treatment or intervention using advanced medical technology or procedures...
hospital. The Physician-in-chief is Dr. Jim Ruderman.
Women's College Hospital maintains a focus on women's health
Women's health
Women's health refers to health issues specific to human female anatomy. These often relate to structures such as female genitalia and breasts or to conditions caused by hormones specific to, or most notable in, females. Women's health issues include menstruation, contraception, maternal health,...
, research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
in women's health, and ambulatory care
Ambulatory care
Ambulatory care is a personal health care consultation, treatment or intervention using advanced medical technology or procedures delivered on an outpatient basis Ambulatory care is a personal health care consultation, treatment or intervention using advanced medical technology or procedures...
. It was given the distinction of being the only 'collaborating centre' in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
designated by the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
.
History
The hospital was cofounded on October 1, 1883 as Women's Medical College, by Jennis Smillie Robertson (1878-1981). It was the first medical school in Toronto to admit women as students. The first female doctor to graduate from a Canadian medical school was Augusta Stowe-Cullen (1847-1943), who graduated from Women's College Hospital in 1883.It moved to its current location in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1935, and became a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto
University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
The Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto is the medical school of the University of Toronto. The faculty is based in the Discovery District of Downtown Toronto along with most of its teaching hospitals and research institutes. Founded in 1843, it is one of Canada's oldest institutions of...
in 1961. Women's College Hospital merged with Sunnybrook Hospital
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, abbreviated SHSC and known simply as Sunnybrook, is an academic health sciences centre located in Toronto, Ontario....
and the Orthopedic and Arthritic Hospital in 1998 under the provisions of Ontario Bill 51, and became Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre. Women's College Hospital de-amalgamated in 2006 to become The New Women's College Hospital. In 2003, while still part of the erstwhile "Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre", the Women's College site housed the first ambulatory SARS clinic in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, (while the Sunnybrook site housed both the first in-patient SARS unit and Intensive Care Unit for SARS in Canada).
The hospital was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995. A plaque was erected by Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada at the Women's College Hospital, Grenville St., Toronto.
There was a dark period when unwed mothers were not welcome at Women's College Hospital. It was believed that unwed mothers needed to be taught a lesson and should be punished by having their children taken from them, according to Dr. Marion Hilliard , Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Women’s College Hospital, in a Toronto Telegram article of November 1956:
This laid the foundation for the Unwed Mother Punishment Policy which was actively employed from the mid 1950's to the early 1980s. Other hospitals followed this policy shortly after this announcement.
Victims of this policy filed a formal complaint to the UN when Women's College Hospital refused to acknowledge that abuse had taken place.