From the Kingston Whig Standard:
An organization that supports specialists’ medical research in southeastern Ontario has new leadership, and he hopes to grow its integrated approach to health care as it evolves.
“We got a big organization to run, we’ve got day-to-day and week-to-week responsibilities that are critical, but where are we trying to take this organization in the future?” said John Sheridan who was named chair of the Southeastern Ontario Academic Medical Organization (SEAMO) governing committee this month.
“SEAMO can really demonstrate a different approach to health care over time and I think the province needs that to happen, and hopefully we’re successful in doing that.”
Sheridan called SEAMO a secret that everyone should know about as it can draw more top medical talent to the region. The organization provides funding for additional research projects conducted by health-care specialists who usually work on a fee-for-service basis.
“SEAMO operates in what’s called an alternative funding plan with Ministry of Health and what that means instead of fee for service our clinicians receive an income that gives them the flexibility to do their clinical work and, in addition, to do research work and academic world,” Sheridan said. “What that means is we’re in a better position to recruit top medical talent from around the world, because now you’ve got people that can come here and realize that part of their income provides them the time, the flexibility and the support to do the world-leading research work.”
Sheridan is joined by Susan Fitzpatrick who will be vice-chair of the committee, the position Sheridan previously held. Dr. Jane Philpott, dean of the faculty of Health Sciences and director of the School of Medicine, is also the chief executive officer of SEAMO.
“SEAMO is an entirely unique entity in the Canadian health-care landscape and has the potential to grow the profile of our incredible physicians and the work they do in research, education, and clinical care,” Philpott said in a news release. “Our five-year strategic plan will guide SEAMO as a health-care leader in Ontario and I am thrilled to work with John, Susan, and the SEAMO management team to ensure that continues.”
Sheridan comes to SEAMO from the business world, working as a president, chief operating officer, and chief executive officer for various companies including Bell Canada and Ballard Power Systems. He decided that when he retired in Kingston, he wanted to get involved in organizations that could make a difference. He is also a director on boards for Payments Canada, Elentra Corp and the Centre for Health Innovation.
His business experience will help him guide SEAMO to develop strategies that drive change. He suggested that because Ontario’s health-care system is being challenged on all sides, they need to develop new strategies to address patient and community needs.
“That takes an effort just kind of sit back, take a higher-level strategic view, think about where we are, what the problems are, and where we need to go, what the enablers are to get there, what the challenges are to overcome, how we align different groups, how we secure funding, and how we drive that type of change,” Sheridan said. “That’s very much what leadership in business is all about, so that’s what I’ve done this three different companies in different sectors over my career.”