Regional CMIO selected for Central East Ontario CIS

OSHAWA, Ont. – Dr. Ilan Lenga (pictured), chief information officer (CIO) and chief medical information officer (CMIO) at Lakeridge Health, has been selected as the regional CMIO for the Central East Ontario Clinical Information System (CIS). The CMIO is the most senior clinical operational role on the regional CIS team, providing clinical leadership for the partnership of seven hospital organizations that went live with the Epic CIS in December 2021.

These include Campbellford Memorial Hospital, Haliburton Highlands Health Services, Lakeridge Health, Northumberland Hills Hospital, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Ross Memorial Hospital, and Scarborough Health Network.

Dr. Lenga played a lead executive role throughout the implementation of Epic across the region, which provides a single, unified personal health record for each patient that is shared across the seven hospital organizations. This new CIS is already transforming the way healthcare is being delivered to more than 1.5 million patients across the region and will continue to do so for generations to come.

“Dr. Lenga is an established and well-respected physician and information technology (IT) executive with extensive experience leading clinical digital transformation at provincial and regional levels,” said Dr. Tony Stone, chief of staff, Lakeridge Health. “His vast knowledge will help each organization derive the maximum clinical benefit from the Epic CIS.”

In this newly established role, Dr. Lenga will be responsible for providing strategic and operational direction on the development, standardization, and optimization of the support tools within Epic. He will also work collaboratively with clinical leaders across the region to drive clinical engagement and alignment in the use of Epic to support safety, quality, and effective patient care.

“Dr. Lenga is a talented clinician, strong collaborator, and innovative thinker who has been a champion for an integrated regional health system,” said Cynthia Davis, president and CEO, Lakeridge Health. “His efforts have been integral in helping Lakeridge Health move forward with our vision of One System. Best Health. and no doubt he will continue to advocate for system-wide approaches in his new role.”

Andrew Kelly, chief digital officer for the Central East Regional Operations Team, added, “I personally have had the privilege of working with Dr. Lenga for a number of years, including during the rollout of Epic across the Central East Region. I have firsthand experience of his proven record to deliver as a clinical executive and am very excited to have him join the regional team in his new role. Dr. Lenga’s history and knowledge of our implementation journey will be instrumental, and I am confident that he will offer new ideas and strategies to move our regional agenda forward.”

A practicing nephrologist at Lakeridge Health since 2004, as well as a lecturer at the University of Toronto and an adjunct assistant professor at Queen’s University, Dr. Lenga has held numerous leadership roles at regional and provincial levels. This includes several during the regional Epic launch and implementation, as well as Ontario Health initiatives, COVID-19 response tables, the Durham Region Ontario Health Team, and multiple provincial working groups.

In addition to the new regional CMIO role, Dr. Lenga will continue to serve as the CIO at Lakeridge Health. Recruitment efforts are underway to fill the local CMIO role at Lakeridge Health that Dr. Lenga has held since 2011.

About Lakeridge Health
With five hospitals, four emergency departments, three critical care units, a long-term care home, a full range of medical and surgical specialties, and more than 20 community healthcare locations, Lakeridge Health offers some of the broadest and most comprehensive range of acute care, ambulatory care, and long-term care services in Ontario. Lakeridge Health is home to several regional specialty centres and services, including the Central East Regional Cancer Program, R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre, The Shoulder Centre, and eye care and chronic kidney disease services. Guided by the vision of One System. Best Health. and supported by a dedicated team of more than 7,700 staff, physicians, and volunteers, Lakeridge Health is working in collaboration with its Durham Ontario Health Team, primary care, and community partners to foster a truly integrated, regional system of care.