CEO Report

June 2026

Table of contents

1.0 Strategy in Action

Excellence in Care: Powered by Discovery

  • Canada’s first BIOGRAPH One PET/MRI unveiled 
  • Catalyst grants support rehabilitation research
  • Medical Affairs improves process for ‘routine’ test
  • Summit advances professional development in nursing care
  • Code Orange tabletop exercise at Finch Family Mental Health site

A Vibrant Workforce

  • Pride 2025 launch
  • Summit advances professional development in nursing care

Partnering for Impact

  • Collaboration advancing action on anti-Black racism

2.0 Operational Updates

  • Local response to Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa

3.0 Recognition

  • President’s Awards recipients named
  • Best Practice Spotlight Organization at Mount Hope
  • VP Lori Higgs to become new vice-chair of Western University board of governors

4.0 CEO Activity

  • Spring newsletter; Mission Leadership Development; Foundation cornerstone event; Professional Staff Organization event; flag-raising to support Our London Family; OHA board meeting; Bishop Fabbro farewell; HIS cabinet meeting 

5.0 Federal/Provincial Updates

  • Ontario: Legislature now on 21-week break; new ambulatory care centre at St. Michael’s Toronto

**The CEO Report to the Board of Directors Report also includes links to health care focused media stories that have been published within the month. For a list of these links for the current report, please contact @email. 

1.0 Strategy in Action

Excellence in Care: Powered by Discovery

Canada’s first Siemens BIOGRAPH One PET/MRI unveiled
Researchers are seeing the human body more clearly than ever, thanks to transformative new imaging technology at Lawson Research Institute. The $8-million, first-in-Canada Siemens BIOGRAPH One PET/MRI scanner was unveiled for researchers and scientific partners on June 11 and showcased to other dignitaries on June 12.

The machine combines two technologies – positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – to allow Lawson’s world-class imaging team a faster, more accurate understanding of pervasive health issues too complex to detect through more conventional scans. It will be used to conduct leading-edge research into human health problems such as chronic pain, musculoskeletal conditions, cancer, mood disorders, and inflammation and neuroinflammatory diseases.

Acquiring the BIOGRAPH One PET/MRI was made possible through a $65.75-million investment from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), in partnership with the WorkSafe Ontario Fund. The landmark investment launched Lawson’s game-changing Workplace Injury Research Network, which brings people, technology and science-backed innovation together to solve occupational injury and illness.

Code Orange tabletop exercise at Finch Family Mental Health site
Emergency Management conducted a Code Orange tabletop exercise at Finch Family Mental Health using a real-world–based scenario involving a contaminated drug supply circulating within the unhoused population in London, resulting in increased overdoses and hospitalizations with the potential to overwhelm surge capacity. The exercise was designed as an after-hours scenario to support the Lead After Hours decision-making and provide education on how St. Joseph’s can apply the Incident Management System during emergencies. It also included an overview of the ENS and the different levels of emergency colour code activation and included a review of St. Joseph’s role in supporting LHSC through patient offloading including appropriate patient placement options, staffing and safety considerations, and surge capacity strategies.

Catalyst grants support rehabilitation research
The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity is supporting five new Catalyst Grants that will help advance innovative, early-stage, patient-centred research across Parkwood Institute. These grants demonstrate how targeted investment can help transform strong clinical questions into actionable research that have the potential to improve mobility, independence, and quality of life for the patients and communities we serve:

  • Drs. Laura Brunton, Caitlin Cassidy, and Rachel Reardon, to study whether non-invasive brain stimulation can help reduce severe fatigue in adults with cerebral palsy.
  • Drs. Jamie Fleet, Ricardo Viana, and Michael Payne, to examine bone and muscle loss after lower-limb amputation using new DXA scanning technology supported by the Gray Centre.
  • Dr. Eldon Loh and colleagues will use wearable brain imaging to better predict which patients with knee osteoarthritis are most likely to benefit from a minimally invasive procedure called genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation.
  • Drs. Siobhan Schabrun and Ashley Lowndes, who are testing whether early non-invasive brain stimulation can stop acute low back pain from becoming chronic.
  • Drs. Janelle Unger and Natasha Benn will evaluate the use of the FLOAT system to deliver safer and more practical reactive balance training for people with incomplete spinal cord injury.

Medical Affairs improves process for ‘routine’ test 
St. Joseph’s Medical Affairs, in collaboration with London Health Sciences Centre, has implemented an evidence-based quality improvement initiative to reduce unnecessary or inappropriate and costly urine culture tests. This involves requiring a provider to note on a patient’s/resident’s electronic medical record if a urine culture is required and, if it is, to identify why the testing is being sought. There’s also a minimum of 48 hours for a re-test.

These steps are intended to reinforce appropriate and necessary testing, deliver high-quality care and raise awareness about the harms of unnecessary tests and treatments. There are often safer options available that should be communicated to help patients make informed choices about their care. Dr. Ali Bateman is supporting physician leaders across multiple programs including Geriatrics, Complex Care, and Rehabilitation. Although physicians supporting Long-Term Care (Veterans and Mount Hope) do not use the same EMR, Dr. Bateman is working with these physician groups to help them identify opportunities to reduce testing.

A Vibrant Workforce

Pride 2026 launch 
This year's Pride programming offers staff and physicians practical learning opportunities focused on creating safe and affirming spaces for 2SLGBTQ+ patients and colleagues. Two sessions led by Rainbow Health Ontario — on June 17 and July 8 — will cover inclusive communication and documentation practices, areas where staff at St. Joseph’s are increasingly seeking guidance. Additional Pride events include the Pride Parade on July 19, with staff encouraged to march alongside colleagues in a show of organizational solidarity. 

Summit advances professional development in nursing care 
This two-day nursing summit took place at Parkwood Institute in May, with almost 100 nurses from across the organization. Evaluation data indicates that the Nursing Summit was an evidence-informed, professionally relevant and valuable learning experience. Post-event surveys indicated almost all responding participants found it a valuable use of their time that contributed to meaningful, professional development and quality of care. Importantly, almost all of that number also said they intend to make at least one concrete change to their practice that supports St. Joseph’s values of respect, excellence and compassion in care delivery.

Partnering for Impact

Collaboration advancing action on anti-Black racism in health care
St. Joseph's continues to deepen its collaboration with the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion (CRHESI). Building on community data gathered last summer, St. Joseph's and regional health service partners drafted a multi-year action plan to address and eliminate anti-Black racism across health services in the London-Middlesex area.

On May 30, equity-focused health care leads and members of London's African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities, alongside health care leaders. reviewed and approved the action plan, which will now be shared with all partners for implementation. This work reflects St. Joseph's commitment to co-designing solutions with the communities most affected, strengthening regional accountability, and advancing equity-focused system change.

2.0 Operational Updates

Local response to Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa
Dr. Michael Silverman, Chair of Infectious Diseases at Western University, Head of Infectious Diseases at LHSC and Head of Infectious Diseases and Medical Director of Infection Control at St. Joseph’s, has been participating, along with Dr. Kieran Moore and Ontario Public Health, in the Ontario response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the subsequent travel advisory issued by the Government of Canada.

Following this expert direction, St. Joseph’s has implemented work restrictions that require Individuals returning from DRC, Uganda or South Sudan not to return to work for 21 days following their departure from the affected region. People who have had potential exposure without personal protective equipment must complete a 21-day quarantine.

3.0 Recognition

President’s Award recipients named
The President’s Awards recognize individuals, teams, and community partners who have made a meaningful and lasting impact on St. Joseph’s mission and strategic priorities. This year’s recipients in our areas of strategic priority: 

  • Excellence in Care: Powered by Discovery - Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Care and Research Team – Infectious Diseases Care Program, St. Joseph’s Hospital
  • A Vibrant Workforce - Katie Sciberras, Storekeeper, Food and Nutrition Services
  • Partnering for Impact - Rehabilitation Program and Southwestern Ontario YMCA Partnership (“Partners in Motion”)  
  • Mission in Leadership - Stephanie Cornell, Clinical Manager, Acquired Brain Injury Outpatient and Outreach Program. Parkwood Institute.

Another 12 individuals and teams were nominated – a measure of the excellence taking place every day at St. Joseph’s. A ceremony to celebrate award-winners is scheduled for June 22.

Best Practice Spotlight Organization at Mount Hope
Mount Hope received our BPSO-LTC designation on May 28 at the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario annual general meeting in Toronto. Mount Hope's collective team members embraced the challenge over the past three years and all played a vital role in achieving this designation focused on improving resident's lived experience and outcomes using evidence-based best practice guidelines.

The Best Practice Guidelines the home completed included Person and Family Centred Care, Palliative Care in the patients’ last 12 months and End of Life Care during their last days and hours. Mount Hope is now one of only 10 per cent of the 600 long term care homes across the province of Ontario that have achieved BPSO-LTC designation, making our Home a leader in quality resident care.

VP Lori Higgs becomes Western University vice-chair
Lori Higgs, St. Joseph’s Vice President of Clinical Support and Chief Financial Officer, will become the next vice-chair of Western University’s board of governors. Retired 3M executive Marlene McGrath, a former chair of St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, will become the new chair of Western’s board. McGrath and Higgs, both Western alumni who joined the board at Western in 2022, begin their two-year leadership terms on July 1.
 

4.0 CEO Activity

  • My Spring e-newsletter, From the CEO’s Desk, highlighted for staff and physicians our strategic plan accomplishments, EDIB achievements, our new Vice Presidents and our work in specialized mental health care.
  • It was a privilege on May 28 to address graduates of our Mission Leadership Development program 
  • I attended and addressed, along with two physicians, the Foundation cornerstone event recognizes donors whose philanthropy has inspired the best in health care at St. Joseph’s.    
  • I attended the annual general meeting of the Professional Staff Organization and was pleased to celebrate some of our most accomplished physicians during the Medical Advisory Committee Awards.
  • Along with other senior leaders, staff, physicians, volunteers and visitors, I participated in a flag-raising at St. Joseph’s Hospital June 5 to remember the Afzaal family, who were members of Our London Family killed in an Islamophobic attack in 2021.
  • I participated in a day-long strategy and advocacy session of the OHA board meeting
  • I attended a farewell dinner for Bishop Ronald Fabbro, who is retiring after 24 years serving as Bishop of the Diocese of London
  • I led my final meeting as chair of the Health Information Systems cabinet with regional hospitals. Karen Davies from St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital becomes the new cabinet chair.

5.0 Federal/Provincial Updates

Ontario

Legislature now on 21-week break
Folowing 30 days of a spring session that produced a wide range of new legislation, the Ontario legislative assembly has recessed until after the municipal election in late October. Committees will continue to sit and MPPs will be able to devote more time to their ridings and constituencies.

New ambulatory care centre at St. Michael’s Toronto
Unity Health Toronto’s new ambulatory care centre has opened at St. Michael’s Hospital’s emergency department. Supported by the province’s $204-million investment, the major renovation expands ambulatory care space to serve 70,000 walk-in patients every year. The project is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario’s health-care system by investing $64 billion in more than 50 major hospital projects across the province over the next 10 years.