The History and Evolution of our Medical Device Reprocessing Association
The MDRAO is a provincial non-profit Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) Association and Member Organization of the World Forum for Hospital Sterile Supply. On March 14, 2016 our group changed its name from CSAO (Central Services Association of Ontario) to MDRAO (Medical Device Reprocessing Association of Ontario). This decision was supported by members and aligns us with the “MDR” theme that has been and is transitioning across the country. As a result of this evolution, we changed our website domain to: www.mdrao.ca. The current MDRAO logo was designed in 2015. This new Logo reflects a crisp, clean new image yet has many important and symbolic representations built within:
The three leaves and three flower petals represent the 6 provincial Chapters. At the center of the flower lies a reprocessing circle that revolves as part of the three petals which represent the 3 functional zones of MDR: Decontamination, Assembly & Sterilization, and Storage & Distribution. Furthermore, this reprocessing circle represents the Letter O for Ontario. The Trillium is also well known to represent Ontario. The red color of the letters MDR represents the nation-wide impact the MDRAO has across Canada as a leader in providing MDR Education.
The association has roots dating back to 1963 and these changes reflect an evolution of our position in this field as well as a fresh new look in moving forward. Our web site contains a look back at the history of our association. The founding executive of our group include Sister Mary Rose, Isobel Campbell, Marjorie Brown, Theda McCrae and Florence Donohue. The Toronto Central Supply Room Group was started in 1963. The first President was Phyllis Norton of the Hospital for Sick Children with Marjorie Brown of Toronto General and Helen Blue of Mount Sinai on the executive. In 1967 & 1968 the C. S. R. Managers from across the province began promoting an Ontario Association. In October of 1968 a meeting took place in the Johnson & Johnson suite at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto at the O. H. A. convention. This meeting ended up in a stalemate with the Toronto group electing to stay as is. We owe a debt of gratitude to Marjorie Brown of Oshawa, Isobel Campbell of Hamilton and Sister Rose of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton as they “bit the bullet” and with the assistance of about a dozen supply companies, held the first seminar in September 1969 at the Muskoka Sands Hotel near Gravenhurst. Since then, 46 consecutive annual conferences have been held dating to 2015.
The first event was a great success and the first executive members of the CSAO were Marjorie Brown as President, Isobel Campbell, Secretary/Treasurer, Sister Rose Vice President, Florence Donahue, Vice President from Kitchener/Waterloo & Theda McCrae, Vice President from Sudbury. The Toronto Group continued on their own over the next few years and eventually ceased as their members began joining the provincial CSAO. In 1974 an adhoc committee was formed to establish the Board of Directors for the CSAO. This consisted of: Mildred Asling (Ajax), Jean Morgan (Lindsay), Decima Gorman (Trenton), Gordon Taylor (Toronto) and Marjorie Brown (Oshawa) who was the chairperson.
The original CSAO crest was designed and developed by Miss Marie Bernard of Oshawa.
The colors of the old emblem were blue and white. Blue represented peaceful, calm, quiet, unobtrusive service. White represented purity, sterility, cleanliness. The S represented service, our most important duty; to doctors, nurses and most importantly patients. There was a motto: Ministerio Dedicate, written on the “S” meaning service with dedication. The founding function and philosophy of the association was: The patient being the recipient of care is our prime concern and always remember the teachings of the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” As an important member of the Health Care team, remember, your dedicated service to the patients through the expertise of the nurse, physician and paramedical personnel, enabling them to give optimum patient care.
In the 1980s, the province was divided into chapters using the Greek Alphabet. Originally there were two chapters and in the late 1980?s GAMMA and SIGMA were formed. In 1989 the north was organized with the help of Marg Valcour and Colleen Landers and the north east area was named THETA chapter. In 1990, the far north west was organized and Lambda was added. Today the province is divided into 6 chapters with boundaries that have been adjusted over the years.
Delta Chapter – West to Woodstock, East to Guelph, South to Welland
Eta Chapter – Toronto, West to Milton, East to Ajax, North to Barrie, South to Burlington
Gamma Chapter – East of Ajax to the Quebec border, North to Ottawa, West to Lindsay
Lambda Chapter – North of Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay to the Manitoba Border
Sigma Chapter – London, Sarnia, South to Windsor, West to Leamington
Theta Chapter – North of Barrie including the James Bay Coast, West to Sault Ste. Marie, East to Lindsay.
Membership in the association is offered in two types. Regular Members are those occupationally or professionally involved in instrument/medical device reprocessing in a health-care setting. Associate Members are those not actively involved in instrument/medical device reprocessing in a health-care setting. e.g. – Director of Nursing, Purchasing Agent, Infection Control Officer, Vendor Representative, other allied professions, and those members who have retired. Associate members may not vote or hold office.
As the MDRAO continues to evolve, the Central Service prayer has been an inspiring and humbling reminder of the important health care services that we all strive to provide to our communities:
Almighty God and Father of Mankind, bless we pray thee, our endeavors in the hospitals to bring guidance to use the privilege given to us, with generosity and discretion. Give us strength to labor diligently, and let us not forget the Bountiful Giver, Grant us, we beseech Thee, both wisdom and humility in directing our united efforts to do for others as Thou would have us do. These we ask in Thy Name. Amen.
The Presidents of the MDRAO were:
1963- 1969 Phyllis Norton, Toronto
1969 – 1970 Marjorie Brown, Oshawa
1970-1972 Sister Mary Rose, Hamilton
1972-1976 Isobel Campbell, Hamilton
1976-1978 Mildred (Millie) Asling, Ajax
1978-1982 Betty Jane Fielding/Tayler, Toronto
1982-1986 Muriel Shaw, Toronto
1986-1989 Pauline Fallis, Toronto
1989-1990 Larry Paquet, London
1990-1994 Nancy Hanwell, Sudbury
1994-1998 Inez McGee, Oshawa
1998-2000 Marilyn Toppozini, St. Thomas
2000-2002 Colleen Landers, Timmins
2002-2004 Bill McInerney, London
2004-2006 Jean Richmond, Kingston
2006-2008 Lorna Coutoulas, Richmond Hill
2008-2010 Michael Lacatus, Toronto
2010-2012 Lorna Coutoulas, Richmond Hill
2012-2014 Cindy Cole, Fort Frances
2014-2016 Denise Bosnjak, Hamilton
2016-2017 Louis Konstant, Toronto
2017-2018 Denise Bosnjak, Hamilton
2018-2019 Tammy Bennardo, Sault Ste. Marie
2020-2022 Jeffrey Phelps, North Bay
2022-2024 Nathalie Legault, Ottawa
Seminars were held every year from 1969 to present:
September 1969 Muskoka Sands Gravenhurst
September 1970 1971, 1972 Delawana Inn Honey Harbour
September 1973 Elgin House Port Carling as the Delewanna Inn burned down.
September 1974 1975 Delewanna Inn Honey Harbour
September 1976 Talisman Resort Kimberley
September 1977 1978 Rock Haven Motel Peterborough
September 1979 Delewanna Inn Honey Harbour
September 1980 Prudhomme’s Motel Vineland
September 1981 Delewanna Inn Honey Harbour
September 1982 Red Oak Inn Peterborough
September 1983 Delewanna Inn Honey Harbor with the Material Management “Minnoe Racing”
September 1984 Red Oak Inn Peterborough
June 1985 Delewanna Inn Honey Harbour with the Material Management
September 1986 Red Oak Inn Peterborough
September 1987 Holiday Inn Malton Toronto
September 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Clevelands House Minett
September 1994 Novotel Hotel Mississauga
September 1995 , 1996, 1997 International Plaza Toronto
September 1998 Constellation Toronto
September 1999-2015 DoubleTree International Plaza Toronto
September 2017-2022 Delta Hotels Toronto Airport and Conference Centre