A Doctor's Day Reflection
May 1, 2026 | Leadership, Faces of HDGH
Hello everyone, I’d like to introduce myself. I am Dr. Charlene Johnston, a family physician who has been in practice for 25 years and joined the HDGH team two years ago in my role as Medical Director of Restorative Care. During my time in practice, I have worked in a variety of areas, including palliative care, acute care hospitalist medicine, surgical assisting, and have participated in various committees in the hospital setting. Outside of medicine, I have a wonderful family and am grateful to my husband and 2 children for all of their support in my career. A few things I enjoy are reading, swimming, spending time with my family, and exploring Essex County for the best latte!
A Doctor’s Day Thank You - what my colleagues and patients have taught me
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to learn from my patients and colleagues, for which I am grateful.
Most importantly, my patients have taught me that listening and taking the time to appreciate what their concerns or challenges may be, creates lasting relationships built on trust. By listening, a physician can better understand a patient’s experience with illness and appreciate the patient’s personal values, which, when combined, are important aspects that help guide decisions in the patient’s care. Having been in family practice for 25 years, I have had the unique opportunity to move with patients through their journeys, some happy but some sad, and all of these experiences have allowed me to become a more wholesome physician. Additionally, I have learned from patients that they truly appreciate that I am an advocate for their health care, which means that I will always work extra hard to provide them with the best care and best choices for their health.
My colleagues have also been helpful throughout my career journey and have taught me many things but the two most important messages have been that it is important to take care of yourself as well as you would take care of a patient, and to try and model all of the healthy recommendations that are suggested to patients, such as maintaining healthy exercise and eating habits and taking the time to restore your energy in ways you enjoy. Lastly, I have learned and continue to learn to be mindful and have gratitude on a daily basis and to slow down and appreciate what is directly in front and around you.
Behind the scenes, working as a physician at a specialty hospital
HDGH is indeed a specialty hospital and my role, and my colleagues' roles, focus primarily on rehabilitative care. Rehabilitative care allows patients to strengthen and gain independence after a medical illness or illness due to multiple complex medical issues.
Teamwork is valued at HDGH with the patient centred around a team which may consist of hospitalists, physiatrists, geriatricians, palliative care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, various consultants, and a large, varied group of allied health team members. All of these team members are dedicated to patient care and enhance the patient journey, all while working towards the patient’s goals with the best outcome in mind. From my perspective, the most rewarding experience as a physician is to watch a patient across their journey in the hospital and see them reach their goals and, in turn, celebrate these goals along the way.
I am fortunate to work with a dedicated group of skilled family physicians who are hospitalists at HDGH. Looking behind the scenes, all of our hospitalists have their own unique schedule of work, as well as professional and personal interests. All of our hospitalists have other roles in our community that they must balance with their role here at HDGH. The majority have a family practice, but other interests they may have include acute care hospitalist medicine, acute care stroke hospitalist medicine, surgical assisting, and working in Long Term Care. A typical schedule for our physicians includes rounds daily Monday to Friday on our rehab units and twice weekly on our Complex Medical Care (CMC) units. They participate in patient care meetings, team rounds, interact with team members routinely throughout the week, as well as participate in various committees and roles at HDGH. They provide 24/7 on-call care to patients through a rotating on-call schedule and are available if concerns arise. While doing all of this, they continue to explore their hobbies and interests outside of medicine to maintain enjoyment and a healthy balance.
The privilege of being trusted with the health of my patients
Being trusted with the health of patients in any aspect of medicine is both a privilege and a responsibility. In family practice, I build long-term relationships, and in hospitalist medicine, relationships are often shorter. However, no matter the length of the relationship, I aim to establish a rapport and, most importantly, trust with the patient. Trust is earned through listening, empathy, and a commitment to their well- being. Trust is important because patients often share their concerns, questions, and fears and invite me into the personal aspects of their lives, and they must have the comfort to continue to do this throughout our relationship. Establishing trust allows a patient to know that I will make the best decision that will have a positive impact on their health and well-being. It is an honour to be trusted by patients, and this trust serves as a reminder to always be respectful, honest, and provide the best care for every patient that is encountered.
Finally, I would like to thank the team at HDGH for asking me to participate in this blog for Doctor’s Day. It is a privilege to work at HDGH and I truly enjoy working here and appreciate all of the team members that I interact with!