RUTH R. ARMSTRONG, MBA, is President of Vision Management Services, a management consulting firm committed to creating healthy organizations. Ruth is on the faculty of York University, Schulich School of Business-Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program.
SANDRA CHASE, CGA, with over thirty years experience in many sectors of Health Care is an enterprising and innovative leader. Possessing both strong financial, administrative and interpersonal skills, Sandra has a solid track record in managing and implementing change.
Sandra was a founding member of the Provincial Committee that developed the Ontario Healthcare Reporting Standards (OHRS) Version 1 standards for hospital reporting. She subsequently served as Chair of the Chart of Accounts Committee and worked in close collaboration with the Joint Policy and Planning Committee (JPPC).
Prior to becoming a consultant with Healthtech Inc., Sandra was the Provincial Management Information Systems (MIS) Coordinator at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC). Responsible for championing and introducing the MIS reporting standards and written documentation, (OHRS) into acute care hospitals and other health care sectors including the Community Care Access Centres (CCAC) and Community Mental Health. Sandra provided regular education sessions and presentations throughout Ontario. Sandra’s development of early MOHLTC comparison reports to improve data quality directly led to the creation of value added, timely and meaningful reports which lead to the development of the Healthcare Indicator Tool from health care data. Sandra also worked with the National MIS committee enhancing and augmenting Ontario’s MIS reporting to be of the highest quality in Canada.
STEPHEN D. P. DIXON, B.Sc., M.A.Sc, is a freelance technical consultant. As Principal of TdS Dixon Inc., of Waterloo Ontario, he brings a practical hands-on approach to energy management serving a broad range of clients including industrial, commercial, government and utility organizations. Stephen has accumulated more than twenty years of energy management experience, including 500+ energy audits, the facilitation of over 300 energy management workshops and the design/development of a variety of energy training systems currently used on at least 4 continents. Stephen holds a Masters of Applied Science from the University of Waterloo in Systems Design Engineering, a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Prince Edward Island and a Gold Medal in the Engineering division of the Canada Wide Science Fair.
NORM FERRIER has been involved in healthcare for the past thirty years in both the EMS and hospital systems. He is the principal researcher for the National Assessment of Emergency Planning in Canada's general hospitals, and a coordinating lead author on the National Assessment of Natural Hazards.
PAT FRYER, R.N., C.O.H.N. (S) is a registered nurse and is the President & Senior Consultant at Patricia Fryer & Associates Inc. Patricia Fryer & Associates Inc. is an independent organization specializing in consulting and teaching in the areas of risk management, quality and patient safety and accreditation readiness and follow up as well as occupational health & safety, WSIB and disability management.
Pat was formerly the Director responsible for Risk Management, Quality and Patient Safety as well as Occupational Health & Safety and Infection Control and Wellness at a large multi-sited Toronto teaching healthcare facility.
Pat holds certificates in Occupational Health Nursing, Risk Management and Patient Safety and has more than 20 years experience in healthcare risk management and as well as in occupational health and safety with clients in both the public and private sector.
In 2001, Pat founded the Ontario Healthcare Risk Management Network (OHRMN) which in September of 2009 became a national organization – Canadian Healthcare Risk Management Network and was instrumental in assisting with the development of the Canadian Healthcare Risk Management Forum.
Pat developed and teaches the Certificate program in Healthcare Risk Management as well as the Certificate program in Patient Safety for the Ontario Hospital Association and also is on faculty speaker at Osgoode Law School Professional Development Centre.
Pat has been selected as the Chairperson of the Strategic Steering Committee on Health Care Technology (SSC-Z250) at the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
Pat has been active on two Canadian Patient Safety Institute Advisory Committees; one studying Mental Health & Patient Safety as well as the Advisory Committee for a study titled “Exploration of Near Misses in Mental Health Settings”.
Pat is a frequent workshop and conference speaker and contributor to professional publications
CLAUDE B. HALPIN is President of The Halpin Group, a consulting practice specializing in organizational redesign, educational programs, strategic planning and management and board team building. During his career, Mr. Halpin was CEO of three major health care facilities ranging from 270 to 2,000 beds. His work with boards is extensive and he has assisted numerous boards across Ontario in general board development, board evaluation, goal setting, and CEO relationships and evaluation processes.
CHRISTINA HOY is currently the Director of the Health Data Branch at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. She has held a number of positions within the Ministry of Health and hospital sector. Christina and her team lead a number of provincial initiatives such as the Ontario Case Costing, Ontario Cost Distribution Methodology, Case Mix, Data Quality, Standards development and Tool Development. Her previous experience in a number of positions at the MOH and hospital sector, has helped bring a well rounded view to the new information management strategy within the health care sector.
DR. DAVID SHERIDAN holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University, a Master of Arts from York University and a Doctor of Education from the University of Toronto. In the past 16 years, David has operated an active consulting practice that has provided on-site training and consultations to public and private sector organizations across Canada, the United States and in Asia. His firm has offered research, planning, facilitation and organizational development services to hospitals, community health agencies, long term care facilities, health associations and municipal health departments.
ERIC SPARKS, CHE is the President of EKS Associates Inc., a health care financial management consulting company established in 1986. Since then, Mr. Sparks has consulted in health care focusing on: Program Costing; Revenue Maximization; Government Funding Formulas; Benchmarking ; Operational/Process Reviews; CFO/Director of Finance Vacancy/Illness Replacement
Mr. Sparks is a Certified Health Services Executive (CHE) and has been a member of the Canadian College of Health Leaders since 1980. He attended Laurentian University in the B. Comm Program and completed the Health Services Management Program of the CHA in 1980.
Prior to forming EKS Associates Inc. in 1986, he held progressively more responsible Finance and Administration positions in 5 Ontario hospitals.
Mr. Sparks is also President of MedEKS Technologies Inc., established in 2001, a company specializing in Health Information Management Support Services including coding data quality audits, outsourced coding, chart documentation and utilization management, and Health Records Department process reviews.
DOUG TRIPP, M. Eng., M. Ed., P.Eng. is an independent training consultant, specializing in environmental and energy management, and Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Energy Training. He has 27 years of experience as a Professor, Chair and Dean in the Ontario College system, and a further ten years in providing marketplace training services, both in Canada and abroad. He holds Masters Degrees in Chemical Engineering and Higher Education, and is a registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario. Doug is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers and The Energy Institute (UK). He has extensive experience in the development of training curriculum on a variety of energy topics, including renewable energy, building systems, industrial and commercial building energy efficiency, water efficiency, and management systems. As an instructor, Doug focuses on the management issues related to energy management, including Energy Monitoring, Targeting and Reporting.
KRISTIN L. TAYLOR is the newly appointed General Counsel to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Formerly, she was a partner in the Toronto office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP - Health Law Group. She graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1999 and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2001. Prior to joining the firm, Kristin worked in Uganda, East Africa for an NGO, which she co-founded and coordinated.
As General Counsel to CAMH, Kristin provides leadership and oversight for all legal services to ensure the legal rights and interests of CAMH and its staff are maintained.
The scope of this advice would include corporate governance, contractual review, policy development, physician credentialing, coroners’ investigations, college investigations, privacy compliance, risk management and police disclosure. Outside of her work, Kristin also presents regularly and writes in the area of health law.
KAREN IDDON is a Human Resources Practitioner and teacher with over 19 years of experience in human resources management, labour relations, change management and organizational development. This includes experience in collective agreement negotiations, acting as counsel and nominee in labour arbitrations, strategic compensation programming pay equity, wellness programming, training and development, workplace harassment, investigation, conflict resolution, organizational design and HR management practices.
MICHELE M. WARNER is a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2005. Prior to her law degree, Ms. Warner had obtained a Master of Social Work Degree in 1996 from Wilfrid Laurier University, and had worked in the fields of psychiatric social work, child protection, and international development.
She is currently an associate in the Health Law Group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and represents hospitals and health care providers in proceedings before the courts and a variety of administrative tribunals, including the Consent and Capacity Board, the Ontario Review Board, and the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board. Her practice also involves representing hospitals at Coroner’s Inquests, and providing legal advice to hospitals, children’s mental health centres and health care providers concerning policies, risk management and statutory compliance issues.
FRANCES A. ZIESMANN is a Consultant for the Public Services Health and Safety Association in the Provincial West Region. Frances has obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Toronto. She also received a post degree diploma in Occupational Health and Safety from McMaster University. Frances has over 21 years experience in occupational health and safety in the healthcare sector with a focus on health and safety program development and implementation, musculoskeletal injury prevention and return to work programs. (She has lead multiple ergonomic projects for PSHSA including the Handle with Care - Client Handling Program revisions and she was the co-lead of EPIC participatory approach to Musculoskeletal Disorders and Slips Trips and Falls Prevention program and research pilot.)
HILLARIE KLASS, B.Sc., MS, CRSP is a Consultant in the Central West Region. Hillarie has extensive experience in the field of health and safety including private and public sector organizations. Prior to joining PSHSA, Hillarie held positions as industrial hygienist, health and safety officer and safety inspector. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Master of Science in Occupational Health and Safety, and a Teaching Certificate in Adult Education. She has had direct accountability for the design, development and implementation of health and safety programs and training. Hillarie is a CRSP and a member of the Occupational Hygiene Association of Ontario.
DR. TIM HILL, Ph.D., PMP, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt is an industrial and organizational psychologist with global expertise in human resources/human capital. While working in North America and the Far East, Dr. Hill partnered with Toyota, Matsushita, Motorola and others to study quality and production practices. He also studied at the Asian Productivity Organization, the W. Edwards Deming Institute, the Kaizen Institute (Japan), the Japanese Association of Suggestion Systems, the Quality Control Research Institute Japan and the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) in order to bring Kaizen, Lean, quality control, Six Sigma and more to production, professional and service settings.
Dr. Hill had been requested by TMMC to deliver Toyota Business Practices training in its Woodstock and Cambridge facilities. Dr. Hill is the first non-Toyota person to person to deliver Toyota Business Practice training in North America.
SAMANTHA WAYTOWICH, B.A.Sc., Lean Sigma Black Belt has been a Lean Sigma Black Belt for the past 8 years. Before becoming a consultant and trainer for the Leading Edge Group, she worked within a national healthcare organization, supporting client services and analytical operations as a coach, trainer and project lead. Her work has extended throughout the value stream, with many project outcomes replicated nationally throughout the business.
A significant piece of Sam’s work has included leading a series of Kaizen events that developed a “Provincial Model Patient Service Centre” concept. This Lean Sigma workflow redesign resulted in reducing the patient wait time by 40% during peak periods, while still maintaining expected quality/regulatory standards.
Her most recent work involved implementation of a national solution to the electronic handling of requisitions. This
process improvement initiative has reduced the lead time for troubleshooting requisitions, leveraged physical space for value added business and significantly reduced the need for long term requisition storage contracts.