Leaders named for London hospitals

Leaders named for London hospitals

Bonnie Adamson has been named the new President and CEO of London Health Sciences Centre, while Dr. Gillian Kernaghan will take over as President and CEO of St. Joseph's Health Care.

Adamson has been the President and CEO of North York General Hospital since 2002. She was also the founding President and CEO of the Huron Perth Partnership in 1998, leading eight independent hospitals into an integrated service delivery system. Prior to that, she enjoyed a 20-year career at LHSC and the former Victoria Hospital, serving in a variety of roles including Clinical Educator, Nurse Supervisor, Head Nurse, Director of Nursing and Vice President of Nursing. She will assume her new role on October 25.

"Bonnie is a highly respected and valued colleague. She is a very experienced and skilled hospital leader with a strong record of success and a commitment to quality and patient safety. I am very pleased that she is joining London Health Sciences Centre and I am confident that she will provide the leadership required for the future," says Cliff Nordal, current President and CEO, LHSC.

Dr. Michael Strong, Dean of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and LHSC CEO selection committee member says "Bonnie shares my passion for London's future as a leader in medical education and research. I am very much looking forward to working closely with not only Bonnie, but also the new President and CEO for St. Joseph's Health Care, in translating this passion into positioning London as a national and international leader in health care."

"I am honoured to lead London Health Sciences Centre into the future and to build on the work of those before us," says Adamson. "The strength of London Health Sciences Centre is its people - staff, physicians, nurses, volunteers and Board. I look forward to working with them to advance London Health Sciences Centre's mission of care, research and teaching."

Dr. Gillian Kernaghan will take over as President and CEO of St. Joseph's Health Care effective October 4, 2010. Dr. Kernaghan has been integrated vice president, medical education and medical affairs for both London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph's since 2006.

Dr. Rob McFadden, chair of St. Joseph's medical advisory committee and a member of the CEO selection team states, "I have worked with Gillian for 13 years and during this time, I have witnessed her drive for excellence and her compassion for people. She is committed to health care excellence and is a seeker of solutions, having worked on some of the most challenging issues facing our system today."

Nordal says, "Gillian's medical, professional practice and patient care leadership at Parkwood Hospital and then St. Joseph's has helped to lay the strong foundation on which our hospitals deliver care today. In her leadership capacity at LHSC and St. Joseph's, Gillian has been instrumental in integrating our practices to better serve patients, staff and students. She is a great choice for this role."

Dr. Kernaghan is an assistant professor at the University of Western Ontario and is currently on faculty teaching an advanced physician manager institute course for the Canadian Medical Association.

"It is a privilege to have been selected to lead St. Joseph's as President and CEO," says Dr. Kernaghan. "I trained as a family medicine resident at St. Joseph's and provided care to patients at both St. Joseph's and Parkwood Hospital. Having worked for 17 years as a senior medical leader committed to the development of our academic health sciences centre in London, I look forward to leading St. Joseph's as we forge new roles within the health care system and continue to provide excellent compassionate care to the community."

Dr. Kernaghan has been a family practice physician in London for more than 25 years. While holding very busy hospital leadership responsibilities, she continues to be a highly regarded family physician. With the responsibilities of the new CEO role, her one regret is the need to stop direct clinical practice. Gillian will work with physicians and staff at the St. Joseph's Family Medical Centre to ensure her patients have continued family practice care.