Hamilton Health Sciences
Chief of Critical Care
September 20, 2011
Position Profile
The Opportunity
Hamilton Health Sciences is seeking applications and nominations for a new Chief of Critical
Care. The new Chief will provide leadership to the Department of Critical Care, working with
Hamilton Health Sciences to ensure the provision of excellence in Critical Care Medicine
across our acute care sites. In collaboration with the Academic Chairs of Critical Care,
Medicine and Anesthesia, along with the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University,
the Chief will promote and support the academic mission of the Critical Care. He or she will
also work in a collaborative manner with Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN) partners
to address regional critical care issues.
Hamilton Health Sciences
Hamilton Health Sciences is a family of six hospitals (Hamilton General, Chedoke, Juravinski,
McMaster Children’s, McMaster University Medical Centre, and St. Peter’s Hospital) and the
Juravinski Cancer Centre, serving more than 2.3 million residents of Hamilton and central
south and central west Ontario. As the second largest hospital in Ontario, Hamilton Health
Sciences is the regional centre for burns, trauma, cardiac, stroke, pediatrics, digestive
diseases, high-risk obstetrics, orthopedics and rehabilitation. With more than 900 beds in
operation, 40,000 annual inpatient visits, 25,000 OR cases, and 515,000 ambulatory care
visits, Hamilton Health Sciences offers an exciting and challenging work environment.
Through affiliation with McMaster University and partnerships with many health care
providers and community agencies, Hamilton Health Sciences is at the forefront of
innovation and excellence in care, service and research. Please see
www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca.
Department of Critical Care
The Department of Critical Care Medicine has 18 members, 10 of whom have primary
appointments and 8 secondary appointments in Critical Care.
The current McMaster Critical Care Fellowship Program Director is from the HHS
Department of Critical Care. Seventeen of the 18 Intensivists provide traditional 24/7 ICU
weeks of call and all 18 provide non-traditional or Rapid Response Team type critical care
services.
The clinical services covered by the medical Department members include:
Juravinski Hospital ICU : (4 Intensivists)
19 Level 3 beds + 1 arrest bed in two geographically separate locations (14 in ICU and 5 +1
in the CICU). Mixed medical-surgical ICU
General Hospital ICU’s:
ICU West– 16 Level 3 beds. Cardiac Surgical ICU. (7 Intensivists)
ICU East – 16 Level 3 beds. Mixed medical-surgical ICU but predominantly NeuroSurgery and
Trauma. (6 Intensivists)
ICU South – 12 Level 3 beds + 2 Burns Level 3 beds. Same patient population as ICU East. (All
13 Intensivists above)
McMaster University Medical Centre Women’s Health Program has 1 Level 3 ICU and 2
Level 2 Step-down beds and is staffed by an Intensivist-led hospital funded Rapid Response
Team/Code Blue Team. Weekly coverage is provided by 1 Intensivist (who restricts his
practice to this site) and other Intensivists from both the Juravinski and Hamilton General
sites, as well as from St. Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton.
The Hamilton General Hospital has a provincially funded Rapid Response Team which is
staffed by the remainder of this site’s Department members.
There is a Site Lead for Juravinski, ICU West, ICU East/South and each Rapid Response
Team.
Key Strategic Issues:
1. Department Leadership Profile: Continue to develop and build on the leadership
profile the Department has locally, provincially and nationally.
2. Hospital Leadership: The Department of Critical Care interfaces with a wide range of
programmes across our acute care sites. The Chief needs to develop strong working
relationships with the medical and administrative leadership of these programmes.
He/she needs to provide leadership and advice to the organization and the
programmes around the organization and delivery of Critical Care across HHS,
particularly with respect to standardization of care and resource utilization.
3. Visibility: The Chief will need to be visible to all areas of the Department. With 6
adult Critical Care Units, the Chief needs to develop a leadership presence across the
organization, and to actively reach out and engage the entire department in its
functioning..
4. Multidisciplinary Care: Working with the Medical Leadership the Chief of Critical
Care needs to develop a Human Resource Plan which promotes the multidiscipline
nature of Critical Care.
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The Position
The Chief of the Critical Care is responsible for patient care, education and research within the
Department and for management of the affairs of the Department.
Accountability
The Board through the Medical Advisory Committee with respect to medical diagnosis, care and
treatment of patients;
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine through the Chair of the Department for academic matters
related to McMaster University of Hamilton; and
The VP Medical & CEO or delegate on matters of planning, management and administration of
the Department.
General Responsibilities

Promotes the hospital's Mission, Vision and Values within the organization and the health
system.

Provides organizational leadership consistent with the hospital's Vision and Values.

Facilitates the development of partnerships with other bodies within the health system and
the academic community.

Fosters an environment that promotes research and education.

Promotes an inter-disciplinary approach to patient care, education and research and
supports organizational effectiveness through a commitment to teamwork.

Contributes to the effective clinical and financial operation of the hospital.

Supports the Board, its committees and the activities of the hospital's Foundations.

Collaborates with medical leaders to ensure optimal functioning of their areas of
responsibility.

Provides assistance in ensuring compliance with accreditation standards throughout the
hospital
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
Aligns personal goals with those of the Organization, as identified by the Board of Directors,
the President and Chief Executive Officer, and senior planning committees.
Specific Responsibilities
Patient Care

Demonstrates high professional standards in delivering care to patients

Supervises the professional care provided to patients of the hospital by members of the
Department's medical staff.

Represents the Department on the Medical Advisory Committee.

Advises the Medical Advisory Committee and the President & CEO with respect to the quality
of medical diagnosis, care and treatment provided to patients of the Department.

Ensures that the Department maintains a quality assurance program and that it undertakes
initiatives to improve the quality of medical care.

Organizes medical staff within the Department to ensure the provision of optimum care to
all patients treated by members of the Department.
Academics

Ensures an effective system for supporting academic activities within the Department in
collaboration with the respective Academic Chairs.

Supports the organization and co-ordination of educational programs within the Department
for undergraduate, postgraduate and practising physicians and for other health professionals
in co-operation with McMaster University of Hamilton and its affiliated institutions.

Ensures that members of the Department undertake continuing education to maintain an
acceptable level of clinical and academic competency.

Encourages, supports and monitors research consistent with the hospital's vision and
strategic plan for research.
Management

Advises hospital management regarding effective utilization of hospital resources related to
clinical practice, while ensuring optimal patient care and consistency with Departmental
academic objectives.

Reports to the Medical Advisory Committee on management policies affecting medical care.
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
Organizes the activities and functions of the Department and ensures effective mechanisms
of communication with members of the Department to inform and seek input on hospital and
University policies and procedures, rules, goals and objectives, strategic planning activities
and resource allocation.

Develops and implements policies and programs within the Department.
Planning

Participates in the ongoing formulation of the mission, strategic plan, objectives and goals of
the hospital.

Undertakes human resource planning for the Department that is consistent with the
hospital's Strategic Plan.

Reviews proposals for new appointments to the Medical-Dental-Midwifery Staff and make
recommendations for approval to the Medical Advisory Committee within the context of
approved medical staffing plans.
Staff Responsibilities

Recruits qualified medical staff and ensures that ongoing practice patterns, including resource
and income considerations, are consistent with and further the realization of the mission,
objectives and goals of the hospital and the academic objectives of the University.

Ensures orientation and support of new staff members.

Encourages, supports, motivate and supervises members of the Department, and fosters an
atmosphere of collegiality within the Department and the hospital.

Implements disciplinary measures where a member of the Department contravenes the
requirements of the Bylaws, the Rules or hospital and Department policies, procedures and
rules.

Oversees the competency of members of the Department and ensures that individuals do not
exceed the privileges granted to them or their current competence.

Reviews the performance and privileges of the members of the Department annually through
a structured review process and makes such recommendations to the Medical Advisory
Committee concerning reappointment.

Delegates responsibility to the Head of each Division within the Department, as appropriate,
and supervises that individual's activities.
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
Develop and regularly updates policies and rules for the Department.
Qualifications

Physician licensed or able to be licensed in the Province of Ontario.

Fellowship certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (or
equivalent).

Eligibility for appointment to the Medical-Dental-Midwifery Staff of the hospital.
High Level Competencies

Excels at negotiation and conflict resolution.

Demonstrates an understanding management within complex organizations.

Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills.

Ability to undertake creative and strategic thinking.

Ability to work collaboratively with medical leaders, medical staff and other members of the
hospital staff.
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Chief Job Profile
Topic
Definition
Reporting
Relationship
Department Chief
 Department Chiefs are appointed by the Board following a search process defined
by the Hospital-University Affiliation Agreement.
 Externally reports to the University Department Chair
 Internally reports to the VP Medical Affairs and Quality, (the MAC and ultimately
the Board)
Operational Planning and Management
Responsibilities
 * Responsible to the VP Medical Affairs and Quality on matters of planning,
management and administration of the Department.
 Collaborative role with the relevant Program Directors in monitoring of Program
budget and taking steps to correct variances due to individual physician activities
 * Ensures within the overall context of the Department Chief’s scope of
responsibility that decisions made within Department are supportive of the
relevant Programs and do not have negative impact on their effective resource
management.
Resource Utilization
Capital Equipment
and Facilities
Committee
Structure &
Meetings
Communication
Responsibilities
Education Activities
 Supportive and collaborative role with specific focus on issues related to medical
care
 Supportive and collaborative in the development of care plans and protocols to
standardize and optimize utilization of Program resources
 Supportive and collaborative of the Program Director in changing medical practice
where such practice is not consistent with agreed upon utilization of resources.
 Collaborative role
 Represents departmental needs for capital equipment through the annual
budgeting process
 * Holds regular meetings with the department to inform and seek input on Hospital
& University policies and procedures, rules, goals and objectives, strategic planning
activities, and resource allocation decisions
 Attends other committees as assigned
 * Communicates hospital and university issues to the department on a regular
basis
 * Communicates departmental planning and activities to the appropriate Program
Academic Mandate
 * Responsible for supporting and ensuring the fulfillment of the academic
(teaching and research) mission for their department, in co-operation with the
appropriate Department Chair


 * Responsible for supporting departmental education activities and ensuring
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(Undergrad)
appropriate participation by members
Education activities
(Postgrad)
 * Support departmental postgraduate educational activities and ensure
appropriate departmental participation.
Research
 Encourage, and support research activities within Department

Responsibilities
Quality Mandate
 * Responsible to Board for quality of care at a departmental level through the MAC
with respect to quality of medical care provided by individual departmental
members.
 Monitors and is responsible for the professional care provided to patients by
members of the Department and advises the MAC with respect to the quality of
medical care
 Responsible for clinical outcomes, to the extent that these outcomes are related to
professional performance and competence of individual members of the Medical
Dental Midwifery Staff and will collaborate with the appropriate Program
Director(s) with respect to other clinical quality issues / indicators
 Ensure that a continuous quality improvement plan is in place with regards to
physician professional activity
Strategic Planning
 * Participate in the ongoing formulation of the mission, strategic direction and
goals of the hospital, and ensuring a fit between them and the strategic plans of
the department
 * Develop annual plan for department that includes and supports Program and
organizational operating plan(s)

Human Resources
Recruitment and
 * Develop and maintain an up to date human resource plan for the Department
Medical Human
and its divisions that is consistent with the University and Hospitals strategic
Resource Planning
directions and is scoped to meet the annual operating plan parameters of the
hospital

Staff Development  * Maintains an active program for staff development including orientation for new
and Retention
members
 Take disciplinary action when needed
 * Maintains job descriptions for all members of the department, and ensures a
regular performance review is undertaken.
 Makes annual recommendations regarding re-appointment of Medical Dental
Midwifery Staff

August 2009
* Denotes – Primary Responsibility
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Hamilton:
The city is very close to some of the best urban pleasures to be had in Ontario – the
splendour of Canada’s most important gardens, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the famous
Bruce Trail, and an abundance of conservation areas, water parks and walking paths.
Overlooking the waters of Lake Ontario, Hamilton is a city whose proximity to Toronto and
the Niagara Peninsula makes it an ideal destination for the traveler who wants to get close
to the heart of the real Ontario. UNESCO named Ontario’s Escarpment a World Biosphere
Reserve in 1990. This designation recognizes the Niagara Escarpment as an internationally
significant ecosystem for its special environment and unique environmental plan. For more
information, please visit: www.tourismhamilton.com
The Search Process and the Appointment
Consideration of candidates will begin in January 2012, and the successful candidate will
take office March 1, 2012 or as soon as possible thereafter. The initial appointment will be
for five years and is renewable, following review.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their expressions of interest, however,
Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. Hamilton Health Sciences
and McMaster University are strongly committed to employment equity within their
community, and to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. They encourage submissions from
all qualified candidates, including women, members of visible minorities, Aboriginal
peoples, members of sexual minorities and persons with disabilities.
All inquiries regarding this position will be treated in strict confidence and should be
directed to Dr. Richard F McLean, Vice President of Medical Affairs and Quality, Hamilton
Health Sciences, 1200 Main Street West, Rm 2E37, Hamilton Ontario L8N 3Z5,
mcleanr@hhsc.ca .
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