Susan Walsh is not new to Northumberland Hills Hospital, having been Vice-President of Patient Services, Chief Nursing Executive and Chief Clinical Information Officer since 2017.
Effective Aug. 3, the Port Hope resident also replaces retiring predecessor Linda Davis as President and Chief Executive Officer.
The move comes after a thorough recruitment process supported by an external search firm, board chair Pam Went said in the announcement. In the end, both the board of directors and its CEO Recruitment Committee endorsed Walsh unanimously as the successful candidate.
“An integral member of NHH’s Senior Management Team since November, 2017, Susan Walsh has proven herself to be a skilled senior health-care leader committed to quality patient- and family-centred care, collaborative multi-disciplinary teams and organizational excellence grounded in evidence,” the press release stated.
Walsh's work at NHH has built on her previous expertise, which spans an acute academic hospital, a national community-care organization and a leading social-sector agency.
A former Chief Operations Officer with the Geneva Centre for Autism in Toronto and Vice President, Operations Innovation for the head office of Saint Elizabeth, Walsh began her career as a Registered Nurse. She holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Nursing and a Master of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management.
A surveyor with Accreditation Canada since 2008, she is well versed in the principles and practices of continuous quality improvement and brings a passion for and knowledge in digital clinical information transformation.
“Passionate about Northumberland Hills Hospital, Susan will build on the legacy of our outgoing CEO, Linda Davis,” Went stated.
“I am confident she will continue to lead Northumberland Hills Hospital toward the vision of exceptional patient care, every time for every patient and family we serve. When she moves into the President and CEO position on Aug. 3, Susan will bring with her not only a strong knowledge of the organization but also a unique combination of community and hospital expertise.
“Please join me in congratulating Susan Walsh on her appointment and, again, thanking Linda Davis for her exceptional service to NHH and the community we exist to serve.”
Walsh cited the hospital's rich history, “built by strong leaders and a generous, engaged community.
“It is an honour to be entrusted by the board with this new opportunity to carry that work forward at such an exciting time in NHH history, with a truly wonderful team, and a trusted network of partners.
“I feel a strong personal alignment with the NHH values (integrity, quality, respect, compassion and teamwork), and I look forward, humbly, to becoming NHH’s next President and CEO in August,” she added.
“Linda Davis has left a strong and lasting legacy at NHH, and I want to take this opportunity to personal recognize and say thank you for all she has done for this hospital, this community and for me, as a member of her senior management team.”