It was quieter last week because of March break. Welcome back to those who were off—I hope you had the chance to spend quality time with your families and loved ones. On my end, I managed to catch up on some work in my Chief Medical Officer portfolio. I have to say it felt really nice.

I know our Emergency Departments remained busy, though. It seems that medical illnesses don't like taking time off. We were at OCP 2-3 many days even during March break. I want to extend a huge thanks to the staff who have been working tirelessly to make headway on our OCP levels. I am grateful for the dedication you bring every day to work and know our patients would say the same if they knew what was going on behind-the-scenes. 

On another note, our CEO Town Hall was over a week ago and I'm still getting feedback in the halls and through email. For those who attended, please take a minute to fill out this survey (you can submit additional questions here, too). My impression is that it was useful and that many of you appreciated the ability to watch via livestream. Given that we're such a large organization and spread across so many sites, it's important we use technology for conversations like these so everyone stays on the same page—especially when it comes to our approach on managing key issues and challenges. As I mentioned last week, a video recording and written responses to questions asked are on their way.

I'll end this message with my personal thoughts on the announcement of our incoming President & CEO: ​ Dr. Kevin Smith will do an excellent job of leading UHN. I've known Kevin for many years through our work on various CAHO (Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario) and OHA (Ontario Hospital Association) committees and he brings a lot of experience to the table. He's a seasoned CEO who has managed complex Canadian hospital networks and is well connected with other healthcare and government leaders (including LIHN and the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care – meaning he's in a great position to advocate on behalf of all of us). Beyond this, he's an incredibly friendly and approachable guy. I suspect it won't take him long to familiarize himself with this place.

I've started my countdown as Interim CEO and look forward to welcoming Kevin alongside you all on May 22.

Thanks,

Charlie ​

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