Since May 1980, Dr. Gary Sibbald - a dermatologist who lives and works in Mississauga - has been holding monthly clinics as a visiting specialist for patients in Sault Ste. Marie.
In December, it was announced that Sibbald is the 2022 Sault Ste. Marie Medal of Merit recipient in recognition of his medical contributions to the community.
“I was quite surprised. It kind of came to me from left field,” Sibbald said, speaking to SooToday by phone from his Mississauga office.
Because Sibbald’s wife is from the Sault, the doctor first saw the need for a dermatologist in this community while visiting his in-laws.
It is estimated that he has made more than 400 trips to Sault Ste. Marie over the past 40 years, involving over 100,000 interactions with local residents.
He thinks of the Sault as his second home.
Still holding monthly four-day clinics in the Sault, Sibbald gave no indication of plans to slow down in his medical specialty.
In fact, he spoke enthusiastically of a new online microcredential wound care program that he has designed and now delivers to Sault College nursing program students.
“It’s another way that people can learn relevant information around what they do in their day to day healthcare professional work. This is something that we’ve been fashioning over the past two years,” Sibbald said.
The microcredential program will continue to expand and be offered to include family doctors in the Sault and other communities in Ontario, especially geared to those in northern communities with a focus on addressing the devastating effect that Type 2 diabetes can have on the feet of diabetic patients.
“People with diabetes and foot problems have a three times higher amputation rate in the north compared to people in southern Ontario and other health districts, so if we can improve prevention with the high risk foot screen and with the care of diabetic feet, we won’t end up with amputations and people can live longer and have a better quality of life,” Sibbald said.
“On January 20th and 21st we’ll have dermatology for non-dermatologists, so it’s really training family doctors and other individuals to be more competent in assessing patients with dermatological problems because there’s a limited number of dermatologists in the north.”
The Jan. 21 microcredential is dedicated to long term care.
The knowledge that is shared through the wound care microcredential program will be invaluable for those who care for long term care home residents who are bedridden or suffer from neuropathy, Sibbald said.
Other important microcredentials for saving limbs and lives include:
- Jan 27th Wound Bed Prep
- Jan 28th Leg and Foot Ulcers
- Jan 29th Skills to improve leg and foot ulcer care.
Both patients and doctors around the world have benefited from his expertise.
As a visiting specialist in Guyana, he was able to reduce foot amputations in diabetic patients in that country by 68 per cent.
Sibbald has also taught doctors in Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
As part of his work with Sault patients in the field of dermatology, Sibbald supervises the light unit- established by Dr. Gene Turgeon and in which patients are treated with ultraviolet light - now located at the Group Health Centre’s East Street location.
The recently retired Turgeon was in a family medicine practice limited to dermatology.
“I think it’s very interesting to effect change,” Sibbald said.
While general practitioners with an interest in dermatology practised medicine in the Sault, Sibbald was the only dermatological specialist to serve this community for many years.
He now holds his monthly four-day clinics in the Sault with Dr. Asfandyar Mufti - a fellow dermatologist from the GTA - and is pleased that locally-based dermatologist Dr. Sylvia Martinez started practicing in the Sault in September.
“Up until this time I really haven’t had two helpers like that and this also complements Dr. Wendy Wallace who is a family doctor with a special interest in dermatology. We’ve gotten probably for the first time a full complement of dermatological practice in the Sault with four individuals where it was really just Wendy and myself for a number of years,” Sibbald said.
The importance of caring for the flesh of patients cannot be overstated.
“20 per cent of family medicine is dermatology. The skin is the largest organ of the body and is a reflection on internal disease,” Sibbald said.
Sibbald said that there is only a 50 per cent five year survival rate for individuals who have gone through a lower limb amputation due to Type 2 diabetes and a 50 per cent chance of a second amputation.
“We also know there’s a worse prognosis than breast cancer in females or prostate cancer in males, and lymphoma overall.”
“I think you really want to look at skin health. Protection from the sun is important but it also involves a balanced diet, it’s exercise, looking after your weight, taking precautions against Type 2 diabetes, so I think the real advice is prevention.”
“As part of your physical health, maintain healthy skin,” Sibbald said.
Health care professionals can find out more about the Sault College microcredential sessions, register for them and apply for travel grants online.
Travel grant applications to attend the sessions in person can be found by clicking here.