Tell us about yourself!

I’m Dr. Daniela Caprara and I have been an OBGYN at Humber River Hospital for almost 7 years now.

“As an OBGYN I work with so many different aspects of women’s health,” says Dr. Caprara. “That is important to me, and a big reason I entered this field.”

One of the things I was most excited about when I had the opportunity to join the team at Humber is that I actually grew up in the area. It has been exciting to be able to give back to the community where I grew up.

How would you explain your job to a friend?

My job is to provide specialized care for women throughout different points in their lives, including women having issues with their menstrual cycles, women in their reproductive years who we help deliver safely, and women who may be having issues related to menopause.

As an OBGYN I work with so many different aspects of women’s health. That is important to me, and a big reason I entered this field.

What makes you proud of our Obstetrics & Gynaecology Program at Humber?

Our department, including our nurses, administrative staff, physicians, and beyond, works as one cohesive team. We treat each other with respect and the environment is very collegial. At Humber, we are all very focused on patient-centered care and providing our patients with the safest and most enjoyable experience they can have in Labour & Delivery. Our work can be stressful, but it is joyful.

I am also really proud of the clinics that we have added to expand care. Our Early Pregnancy Clinic offers women with early pregnancy complications a one-stop shop for their care. We also started the Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic for women with higher-risk pregnancies. Many of those women would have had to commute downtown before our clinic opened. We have been working on these clinics for many years so that our department can be a place where women in our community can have all of their obstetrical needs met, without having to go to another hospital.

How is technology being used in Obstetrics?

At Humber River Hospital our Command Centre started with the goal of facilitating the smooth and efficient flow of patients between departments. Now we are expanding the Command Centre’s role to help us predict negative outcomes using AI technology. The Command Centre is now tracking fetal heartrates and vitals, and alerting us when things could start going in the wrong direction. We can get busy, so having the Command Centre play a role in identifying these issues has allowed us to provide even safer care for our patients.

“Our department, including our nurses, administrative staff, physicians, and beyond, works as one cohesive team,” says Dr. Caprara. “At Humber, we are all very focused on patient-centered care and providing our patients with the safest and most enjoyable experience they can have in Labour & Delivery.”

What do you love about your job?

I love that I have the opportunity to be part of such a meaningful moment in someone’s life when a child is born. For the most part, we get to be part of super happy moments with our patients. Sometimes there are sad outcomes, and it is a privilege and an honour to share those moments with our patients too. That’s what makes me happy. To share these moments, and to maybe be a little part of those memories.

How has COVID-19 impacted the Program?

The lockdown didn’t stop babies from coming, so our care has been continuous! At the beginning, it was definitely scary for everyone when we didn’t know much about the virus yet. As time went on and we learned more, we put processes in place to keep everyone safe from exposure that are now second nature. We are working together as a team to care for our patients efficiently and safely within our guidelines. COVID has changed our processes but it hasn’t changed how we work as a team.

What’s one awesome thing you’ve done in the last year?

I really enjoyed my summer. Instead of going away this year, we stayed in Ontario and it was a really nice opportunity to discover local beaches, walks, hikes, and activities that we would have never explored. I really appreciated the time with my family and my kids.

What inspires you?

As a doctor, I am inspired by making sure my patients are safely looked after. I am inspired by happy outcomes and seeing the joy on their faces in the delivery room. It is such a beautiful moment for parents.

On a more personal level, I am inspired seeing my kids smile. I want to do the best I can for them.