MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 25, 2017
LONDON, Ont. –Ramona Robinson, Chair of LHSC’s Board of Directors, announced today that Dr. Paul Woods has been named the hospital’s new President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 15, 2018. In addition to his medical expertise, Dr. Woods brings extensive management experience and a record of successfully leading positive change in complex environments.
“After a comprehensive search process, the Board unanimously selected Dr. Woods to lead LHSC through the next chapter of health system transformation,” says Robinson. “We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Woods, who has the skills, knowledge and abilities needed to take the excellent foundational work the hospital has undertaken over the past several years to the next level.”
Dr. Woods brings a unique perspective to health care leadership thanks to his experience across a wide range of leadership roles in both the Canadian and American health systems. Most recently, Dr. Woods was the Senior Vice President, Provider Network Organization for Trinity Health – a multi-institutional health care organization comprised of over 120,000 people, including over 7,000 physicians and advanced practice providers, across more than 1,700 sites in the United States.
In this role, Dr. Woods had clinical, operational and financial accountability for medical practices in primary care, specialty care and hospital-based physician practices. Under his leadership, multiple system-wide service delivery redesign initiatives were successfully implemented that achieved improved health outcomes, better patient and provider experiences, and reduced costs to deliver care.
“Dr. Woods is a systems thinker and driver of positive change. He values collaboration and partnerships to improve health care delivery and foster innovation, making him an excellent fit to advance LHSC’s care, teaching and research mandate,” noted Robinson.
“It is with great pride and excitement that I return to London to join the incredible team at LHSC,” says Woods. “I look forward to working with staff, physicians, researchers, learners, volunteers, system partners, as well as patients and their families to build on LHSC’s rich legacy of providing compassionate, high quality care. I know we can continue to improve patient experiences every day and help shape and advance a more effective system of health for the future.”
About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been at the forefront of medicine in Canada for 142 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, the Kidney Care Centre, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 70 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca
Ramona Robinson, Chair, LHSC Board of Directors and Dr. Paul Woods, incoming President and CEO, will be available for media interviews October 25 between 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
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For media inquiries contact:
Kathy Leblanc
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 74772
Pager: 14772
kathy.leblanc@lhsc.on.ca
After-hours assistance:
Call LHSC Switchboard at 519-685-8500 and ask to page the communication consultant on-call.
Dr. Paul Woods is a senior health care leader with a wide range of clinical and administrative experience in both Canada and the United States, highly regarded for his understanding of health system dynamics and proven ability to lead positive change in complex environments.
Prior to joining LHSC, Dr. Woods was Senior Vice President, Provider Network Organization (PNO) for Trinity Health in Livonia, Michigan where he provided executive leadership and direction to the Trinity Health employed physician network. In this role he was responsible for the financial, quality and operational performance of this $3 billion enterprise encompassing sites across 22 states – each with their own local challenges and regulatory frameworks.
Dr. Woods successfully led strategies which improved quality of care and system standardization through the design and operationalization of an advanced care delivery model for people-centered care. This was a massive change initiative which engaged more than 7,000 physicians and advanced practice partners. Utilizing inter-disciplinary care models, Trinity’s PNO was able to serve more patients, improve health outcomes, create better patient and provider experiences, and reduce the overall cost of care delivery.
Dr. Woods has held various roles in the health system including: University of Calgary, Department of Family Medicine; Alberta Health Services; as well as Spectrum Health Medical Group and Michigan Center for Clinical Systems Improvement both in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
His insights have been sought through Board appointments, most recently as President of the Board of Directors for Trinity Health Coordinated Care, a four state Accountable Care Organization. He has also served as a Board member of Chicago Mercy Hospital, the first chartered hospital in Chicago which focuses on serving disadvantaged populations.
Originally from Ontario, Dr. Woods obtained his medical degree from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University in London and his Master of Science degree from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Hanover, New Hampshire.
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