St. Mary’s President Stepping Down to Re-Join Queensway Carleton Hospital as Chief Executive Officer
With regret, the Board of St. Mary’s General Hospital announces that hospital President, Dr. Andrew Falconer, will step down from his role and return to Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) in Ottawa as its new President and Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Falconer spent more than 30 years at QCH, first working as an Emergency Physician, and then for the past 10 years in administrative roles, including Chief of Staff and Vice President. He was the successful candidate in an extensive national search at QCH following the sudden death in February of the hospital’s then-CEO, one week after Dr. Falconer’s arrival at St. Mary’s.
“In his short tenure, Dr. Falconer has embraced the vision, values and goals of St. Mary’s and the St. Joseph’s Health System,” says Dr. Tom Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of St. Mary’s General Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health System. “Both organizations were extremely fortunate to have a leader of his caliber and we congratulate him on this well-deserved appointment.”
“With his strategic expertise, Dr. Falconer has moved St. Mary’s forward on many key priorities, and positioned us well for the future,” adds Tom Motz, Chair of St. Mary’s Board of Trustees. “Partnerships are more important than ever and Dr. Falconer was very active in connecting with healthcare, government and community partners across Waterloo-Wellington to discuss how we can best work together to serve the patients in our communities.”
Dr. Falconer also played a key role in advancing urgent cardiac priority projects at St. Mary’s through the approval process with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and in moving forward on the hospital’s strategic priorities for 2019-20, with a focus on financial stewardship and maintaining safety and quality.
Dr. Falconer says his time at St. Mary’s has been inspiring and he is returning to Ottawa to be closer to family.
“The staff, physicians, volunteers and board members at St. Mary’s and the St. Joseph’s Health System are second to none,” he says. “St. Mary’s punches well above its weight, achieving top national quality care and safety standards as it strives to be the safest and most effective hospital in Canada, characterized by compassion, innovation and respect.”
“Although the decision to step down has been difficult, St. Mary’s will be well supported by its very competent leadership team. I will cherish my time here and wish our people and patients the very best.”
A national search for Dr. Falconer’s successor will begin immediately. His departure date will be announced soon, as will a plan for interim leadership until a new President is in place.
About St. Mary’s General Hospital
St. Mary’s General Hospital, in Kitchener, is the second-largest acute care hospital in the St. Joseph’s Health System and one of Canada’s top Regional Cardiac Care Centres. Nearly 2,000 staff, physicians and volunteers provide innovative, compassionate care to approximately one million residents of Waterloo Wellington and beyond. Key areas of clinical focus include cardiac care, respiratory care and thoracic surgery, outpatient day surgery, general medicine and emergency care.
About St. Joseph’s Health System
St. Joseph’s Health System is a unique 15-site health system partnership dedicated to pioneering innovative ways to improve the health of communities and a system-wide approach to health care through citizen-centred integrated care. We serve Niagara to Kitchener and beyond, and a population of more than 2 million.
St. Joseph’s Health System introduced its internationally recognized Integrated Comprehensive Care (ICC) program to the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network in 2013, providing patients smoother transitions from hospital to home accompanied by one health care team and a 24/7 access to a clinician.
Contact:
Anne Kelly, Manager, Communications
T: 519-749-6578 ext. 1501
M: 226-339-1903
akelly@smgh.ca