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Hotel Dieu Kingston appoints new CEO

KINGSTON – The Board of Directors and members of Hotel Dieu Hospital Corporation are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. David Pichora (pictured) as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dr. Pichora has been serving as Interim CEO since late November of 2008. Previously, Dr. Pichora served as Chief of Staff and Chair of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee.

During Dr. Pichora’s tenure as Interim CEO, Hotel Dieu Hospital has submitted a balanced budget plan and has signed its Hospital Services Accountability Agreement (HSAA) with the South East Local Health Integration Network (SE LHIN).

In addition and with the support of the SE LHIN, Hotel Dieu Hospital has implemented a successful new short-stay joint replacement program. The organization has also received positive feedback about quality and safety initiatives during the first part of its two-part site visit by Accreditation Canada.

Dr. Pichora is a respected orthopedic surgeon and medical leader who has made strong contributions nationally and internationally as a surgeon and as a researcher who has developed computer-assisted surgery techniques.

As Chair of the Division of Orthopedic Surgery at Queen’s University, Kingston General Hospital and Hotel Dieu Hospital, Dr. Pichora led his division through significant change and growth. During his tenure as Chief of Staff, he initiated the development of an innovative new model of “fast-tracked” total hip and knee replacement at Hotel Dieu Hospital, enhancing access for patients from across the region in need of joint replacement surgery.

“The Board of Directors and members of Hotel Dieu Hospital Corporation are delighted to welcome Dr. Pichora to the position of CEO,” says Board Chair Sherri McCullough. “We very much look forward to working with him to continue advancing our hospital’s mission of providing compassionate care to people from across this region.

“This is a very exciting time for Hotel Dieu Hospital as we work toward a major capital redevelopment project that will bring together almost all specialized outpatient services under our roof and result in further expansion of our role. The Board and members of the Hotel Dieu Hospital Corporation are very pleased to have Dr. Pichora leading us into such a bright future for Catholic healthcare.”

“Hotel Dieu Hospital is an organization with a strong tradition of caring and contributions in this community and I am honoured to serve as Chief Executive Officer,” said Dr. Pichora. “I look forward to beginning my tenure by preparing Hotel Dieu Hospital for strategic planning and budget processes for 2010-11, launching the major restructuring building project which will bring up to 100,000 additional outpatient visits to the hospital as of 2011, and looking for innovative new ways of enhancing the ambulatory care provided at Hotel Dieu.”

Hotel Dieu Hospital was founded by the Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph in 1845 and is sponsored by Catholic Health International. Dr. Pichora was selected following a national executive search conducted this spring.

Dr. Pichora completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Queen’s University and fellowships in both Toronto and Birmingham. He has been on the medical staff at Hotel Dieu Hospital since 1986. He held the position of Chief of Staff at Hotel Dieu Hospital from July 2004 through early 2009, and also served from 1994 through 2008 as Professor of Surgery at Queen’s University and Divisional Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Queen’s University, Hotel Dieu Hospital and Kingston General Hospital.

He is a founding member, lead researcher and Board member for the Human Mobility Research Centre (HMRC) at Queen’s University and KGH, and Past President of the International Society for the Study of Computer Assisted Surgery.

Hotel Dieu Hospital is the ambulatory care teaching hospital for Kingston and Southeastern Ontario, providing expert care to more than 500,000 people in the region. Our specialized services include outpatient pediatrics, ophthalmology, diabetes education, breast assessment, day surgery, urgent care and mental health programs.

Affiliated with Queen’s University, we are partners within Kingston’s university hospitals, delivering quality health care, leading innovative research and training the health care professionals of tomorrow.

Posted Aug. 27/09.