Many Ontario clinicians from across the province hold formal leadership positions within our clinical programs, including doctors, nurses and other clinical care providers. Their contributions are essential to our success in building a clinically led, connected health system that ensures quality of care for patients.
Depending on the type of leadership or advisory role they take on, these clinicians may help:
- shape our strategy
- establish best practices, clinical standards and guidelines
- design and implement system improvements
- translate knowledge into practice
- measure and evaluate programs, clinical practices and performance
Hundreds more clinicians participate on committees, and in case reviews and other initiatives.
Clinical Council
The Ontario Health Clinical Council is a group of seasoned clinical leaders, and patient and caregiver advisors from across Ontario. The clinician members represent various areas and professions within health care.
Objective: To serve as the voice of clinical leadership in the province
Chair: Dr. Jon Irish, Vice President, Clinical, Cancer Programs
Clinical Council Role
The Clinical Council advises our clinical executives on areas including the following:
- The development of system-level clinical strategies to:
- increase access
- improve patient experience
- reduce health inequities
- drive clinical excellence
- enhance system efficiencies
- deliver value-based care
- The development of evidence-informed clinical advice to guide response to health system issues, pressures and priorities
- Emerging health care trends, evidence and innovations
Clinical Council Members
- Jon Irish (Chair), Vice President, Clinical, Cancer Programs, Ontario Health; and Head, Division of Head and Neck Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery, University Health Network
- Andrew Baker, Provincial Critical Care Lead, Ontario Health; and Chief of the Departments of Critical Care and Anesthesia, and the Medical Director of the Surgery and Critical Care Program, Unity Health
- Anne Newman, Patient/Caregiver Advisor
- Benoit Robert, Chief Medical Officer, Perley Health
- Connie Clerici, Founder/Executive Chair of the Board, Closing the Gap Healthcare Group
- David Kaplan, Vice President, Quality, Ontario Health
- Elaine Yeung, Chief of Staff, Scarborough Health Network
- Fahad Razak, Clinical Lead, General Medicine Quality Improvement Network, Ontario Health; and Internist, Unity Health
- Howard Ovens, Provincial Emergency Department Lead, Ontario Health; and Chief Medical Strategy Officer, Sinai Health System
- Hsiu-Li Wang, Commissioner and Medical Officer of Health, Region of Waterloo Public Health and Paramedic Services
- Joan Ludwig, Chief Nursing Officer, Timmins and District Hospital
- Julia Orkin, Associate Chief Medical Officer – System Integration and Clinical Operations, SickKids; and Regional Pediatric Clinical Lead, Ontario Health Toronto
- Julian Dobranowski, Provincial Lead, Cancer Imaging, Ontario Health; and Chief of Diagnostic Imaging, Niagara Health
- Kelly Grindrod, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo, School of Pharmacy
- Liz Muggah, Senior Clinical Advisor, Primary Care, Ontario Health
- Mae Katt, Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care
- Mark Lachmann, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Sinai Health
- Paul Kurdyak, Vice-President, Medical, Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence, Ontario Health; and Director Health Outcomes and Performance Evaluation, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Paula Doering, Senior Vice President, Clinical Programs, Chief Nursing Executive and Allied Health Professionals, Bruyere Continuing Care
- Peter Blake, Provincial Medical Director, Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Health; and Nephrologist, London Health Sciences Centre
- Mira Backo-Shannon, Vice President, Clinical Programs and Innovation, Ontario Health Central
- Sacha Bhatia, Senior Vice President, Population Health and Value-Based Health Systems, Ontario Health
- Stephanie Nixon, Vice-Dean (Health Sciences) and Director, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University
- Subi Bhandari, Patient/Caregiver Advisor
- Suzanne Madore, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive, The Ottawa Hospital
- Tim Jackson, Provincial Surgeon Lead, Ontario Surgical Quality Improvement Network, Ontario Health; and General Surgeon, University Health Network
- Vanessa Allen, Medical Director, Provincial Diagnostic Network, Ontario Health
- Varun Kapila, Provincial Clinical Lead, Vascular, Ontario Health; and Site Chief of Surgery, William Osler Health Centre – Brampton Civic Hospital