Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) in Lindsay has announced that Dr. Michel Boivin will assume the role of chief of staff effective Monday (September 15).
Dr. Boivin will join the hospital a week after Veronica Nelson began her role as the hospital’s president and CEO.
In June, the RMH board of directors approved the appointment of Nelson, replacing Kelly Isfan who left the position on August 29.
Previously the president and CEO of Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS), Nelson rejoined RMH after departing in June 2023 for the HHHS position on an interim basis before officially taking over in December 2023. She began her career at RMH 25 years ago as a medical radiation technologist and worked her way up over the years, most recently serving as vice-president and chief operating officer.
“Ross Memorial Hospital holds a special place in my heart, and I am immensely proud to serve as its president and CEO,” Nelson says in a media release.
“I’ve seen firsthand how talented, compassionate, and dedicated to providing exceptional care the team members within the organization are. I look forward to bringing leadership that maximizes those traits to deliver on the promise of a better healthcare experience and remain the trusted hospital our community relies on.”
As for Dr. Boivin, he is succeeding Dr. Bharat Chawla, who served as chief of staff for a decade and will continue in his role as RMH’s chief of psychiatry.
In his role as chief of staff, Dr. Boivin will serve as the primary liaison between the medical staff and hospital administration, overseeing the quality of patient care, managing the medical staff’s professional and ethical conduct, and facilitating communication and collaboration between departments.
Dr. Boivin is no stranger to RMH, having previously worked on a temporary basis as a locum at the hospital.
“In my time working as a locum at Ross Memorial Hospital, I’ve been struck by the dedication team members have displayed in providing great care, close to home,” Dr. Boivin says.
“I’m excited to take on this chief of staff position to help grow our services by supporting our physicians and hospital as we improve the overall health of the Kawartha Lakes community.”
He most recently served as a staff intensivist at Northumberland Hills Hospital and has also worked as a locum at Brockville General Hospital.
Dr. Boivin’s academic and clinical leadership background includes 20 years on faculty at the University of New Mexico, where he was a professor of medicine, director of the medical intensive care unit (ICU), and program director of the critical care fellowship.
Dr. Boivin also led the ICU at the Heart Hospital of New Mexico, where he developed their ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) program and helped guide the hospital’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. An internationally recognized expert in the use of ultrasound in critical care, Dr. Boivin has lectured and taught across North America.
Located at 10 Angeline Street North in Lindsay, Ross Memorial Hospital provides care for a catchment area of more 80,000 local residents and 35,000 seasonal visitors.
