Letter from the CEO
The world has certainly changed since we last sent you a CorHealth Ontario (CorHealth) Quarterly newsletter. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has presented us with an unprecedented crisis that has challenged our healthcare system, front-line workers, patients, families, and community. Since the start of the pandemic in Ontario, CorHealth has been actively engaging our cardiac, stroke, vascular, heart failure and rehabilitation stakeholders across the province. I would like to acknowledge and thank all of the COVID-19 Stakeholder Forum Chairs for their time and effort in making these Forums and subsequent activities a success: Dr. Madhu Natarajan (Cardiac), Dr. Leanne Casaubon (Stroke), Dr. Sudhir Nagpal (Vascular), Dr. Heather Ross (Heart Failure), Dr. Mark Bailey and Dr. Paul Oh (Rehabilitation). Through this engagement, stakeholders have had an opportunity to share creative solutions, discuss innovations and transfer knowledge regarding strategies to put in place in order to deliver high quality cardiac, stroke, and vascular care during the pandemic and beyond. I would like to thank the many experts and stakeholders who led and contributed to over 21 guidance memos, as well as data analysis and modelling activities. We continue to be grateful and inspired by the work you do in the healthcare system. Thank you.
Fiscal year 2020/21 has been extremely busy and we have a number of updates for you in this newsletter; including a new initiative CorHealth is working on to establish and promote best practices as it relates to virtual care for providers, patients and caregivers. This work was identified by all of the COVID-19 Stakeholder Forums and recommended by Dr. Chris Simpson, Clinical Lead for Ontario Health's COVID-19 Health System Response Oversight Table and Vice-Dean (Clinical), School of Medicine at Queen’s University, in his report, Recommendations for Regional Health Care Delivery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Outpatient Care, Primary Care, and Home and Community Care (June, 8, 2020). In addition, CorHealth’s measurement and reporting engagement continues with the inaugural Vascular Performance Report’s release in March 2020, and the updated Stroke Report earlier in June. CorHealth has also been working with system partners on data analysis and modelling during COVID-19 to support cardiac, stroke, and vascular stakeholders, particularly as it relates to the management of the backlog.
As the end of June wraps up the fiscal year 19/20, the Board of Directors held a Board meeting, along with their Annual General Meeting, to receive and approve the 19/20 audited statements and CEO Annual Board Report: 2019/20 Completed Initiatives. Mr. Matt Anderson, President and CEO of Ontario Health, attended the first portion of the Board meeting and provided an update on Ontario Health. At this time, CorHealth anticipates being integrated into Ontario Health in the near future, and Dr. Kevin Smith, Chair of our Board, Mr. Anderson and I, will continue to be in contact in regards to this transition. We will provide an update as soon as it becomes available.
We will share updates through Bulletins as required but, in the meantime, please call me if you have any questions at 416-512-7472 ext. 222.
Ms. Sheila Jarvis
Chief Executive Officer, CorHealth Ontario