Southlake Regional Health Centre was proud to welcome Dr. Andrew Park, President of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), on Tuesday, September 26. Following a visit to Newmarket in June 2023 to advocate for fixing “cracks” in the health-care system, Dr. Park returned to the community to visit Southlake, tour the hospital with Dr. Charmaine van Schaik, Chief of Staff, Dr. Eddie Chan President of Southlake’s Medical Staff Association, Dr. David Makary, Vice President, Medical Affairs, and CEO Arden Krystal. Dr. Park also met with Southlake’s Medical Staff Association to discuss the current healthcare landscape.
“Providing our physicians an opportunity to meet with Dr. Park and share their personal experiences was important to us,” said Dr. Eddie Chan, President of Southlake’s Medical Staff Association. “The insights our physicians offer into the care provided and the healthcare landscape was essential to inform the OMA and their advocacy so we can continue to provide leading edge care.”
“We were thrilled to have Dr. Park visit us at Southlake to discuss healthcare in northern York Region and Ontario,” said Dr. Charmaine van Schaik, Chief of Staff at Southlake. “Having an opportunity to collaborate with the OMA by highlighting Southlake’s successes and challenges directly to Dr. Park ensures Southlake is communicating the needs of our patients, staff and community.”
The visit is part of the OMA’s ongoing advocacy work, connecting with local hospitals and physicians. Dr. Park’s priorities for his presidency include working with the government to implement the OMA’s roadmap to fixing the cracks in the health-care system.
“I was struck during my visit to Newmarket by the massive growth in the region, which is putting huge demands on an already stretched health-care system,” said Dr. Park. “Doctors, including those I met with at Southlake Regional Health Centre, are committed to working with the government and others to fix the cracks in our health-care system that grew wider during the pandemic. The OMA has a detailed plan called the Prescription for Ontario: Doctors’ 5-Point Plan for Better Health Care.”
“As a fellow physician, Dr. Park understands the daily challenges physicians face in a hospital setting and why a new hospital is so critical for our communities,” said Dr. David Makary, Vice President, Medical Affairs at Southlake. “Through his visits, Dr. Park is enabling Southlake’s physicians to address important issues and provide insight into how to improve access to care for the communities we serve.”
Southlake will continue to be a supportive advocate for medical staff and a collaborative effort to deliver leading edge care to patients.
