Dr. James Murdoch

Today’s #MondayMotivation demonstrates that outcomes can be improved when we collaborate with others for an opinion or advice.

Dr. James Murdoch is an Infectious Diseases Consultant and new member of Guelph General Hospital’s healthcare team.

Any physician caring for patients at our Hospital can now call upon Dr. Murdoch for help when they need an expert opinion on patients with a confirmed or suspected infection.

Dr. Murdoch summarized his role: “My job is to pick the right drug for the right bug for the right length of time.”

While this summary may sound simple, the patients Dr. Murdoch helps with often present as complex cases where the diagnosis and treatment decisions are not clear. Having an expert on hand with specialized training in infectious diseases and antimicrobial use can lead to better patient outcomes.

Quick access to this to expert knowledge means patients with infections receive optimal treatment sooner, which can lead to faster recovery, fewer antibiotic side effects, and shorter hospital stays.

Dr. Murdoch says that reducing use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials and narrowing to more targeted therapy whenever possible helps reduce rates of C. difficile and antimicrobial resistance.

As a long-awaited and much welcomed addition to the GGH team, Dr. Murdoch is already helping GGH to provide the safest and highest quality care.