Waypoint expands access to ECT to help more people with severe mental illnesses

Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care is expanding the availability of a highly effective therapy for people with severe forms of depression and other illnesses. As of September 6, the hospital is offering electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) five days a week – helping more patients access this vital treatment. 

“ECT has long been used for treating severe and treatment-resistant cases of mood and psychotic illnesses,” says Dr. Plabon Ismail, Waypoint Medical Director of Regional Programs and ECT Lead Psychiatrist. “Because of its effectiveness and improved side effect profile, we are seeing an overall trend where patients and physicians are opting for ECT early in the treatment course, especially in outpatient settings. Increasing our service from three to five days per week will allow us to meet these increasing demands while providing appropriate follow-up treatment promptly.”

Performed for over 80 years, the effectiveness of ECT is well documented in the medical literature but its uptake has been limited by stigma and fear. While this stigma persists, there have been many advances in the practice evolving it to a modern, safe and well-established medical procedure that can be live-saving and transforming for those who need it.

Recent research suggests that ECT works by stimulating brain cells (neurons) to grow and develop healthy connections to each other. It works similar to how a defibrillator or pacemaker helps restore a normal rhythm to a person’s heart, the electrical stimulation can help restore proper function to the brain.

“ECT is part of Waypoint’s role as the specialty mental health hospital for our region and is central to our providing both acute inpatient mental health services and outpatient services with a goal to keeping people well in our community. We are committed to improving access to high quality care and this ECT expansion as well as the additional 14 acute mental health beds we are operating are priorities in these challenging times, with emergency departments overburdened from the pandemic impacts and staffing pressures,” notes Dr. Nadiya Sunderji, Waypoint’s CEO. “I want to share my appreciation to our staff for making this happen for our patients and clients.”

Despite widespread staffing challenges throughout the pandemic, Waypoint was able to maintain ECT services during these times of critical need. The hospital has also been collaborating with the Ontario Health Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence and other experts across the province to identify the need and are now at the forefront of developing standards for high quality delivery of ECT. Expanding access at Waypoint takes the pressure off acute care partners and allows them to focus on restoring surgical volumes and reducing wait times.

Waypoint’s ECT clinic is located at the hospital’s Penetanguishene campus and is available for both inpatients and outpatients. A team of trained medical professionals that includes psychiatrists, anesthesiologists, and nurses assess patients, educate patients and families, and administer the treatment. 

Not sure if ECT is the right treatment for you or your loved one? “Our team is happy to speak with anyone, patients, families, healthcare providers and students who are looking for more information on ECT and the services we provide,” says Jackie Watt, Program Director. “Our Central Intake Office staff manage referrals and can assist in identifying the right supports.”

For more information, please visit our page about ECT.