About CHAO
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
We are a provincial association of the Ontario Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the aged and community nursing services represented by 29 organizations on 35 sites. Our membership also includes 6 Roman Catholic congregations and lay groups that sponsor these facilities and the Association of Catholic Bishops of Ontario.
The Catholic health ministry offers a holistic approach to health care where the emphasis is on a respect for the innate dignity of the person. The focus of care is the total person meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the individual.
We were founded in 1931 primarily as a meeting place for the Roman Catholic religious congregations of sisters involved in health care. Today Catholic health facilities in Ontario comprise approximately 15% of all institutional health services in Ontario with total revenues of approximately $2.5 billion dollars.
We serve our residents and patients through community-based, nursing homes, homes for the aged, continuing complex care, mental health services in addition to acute care programming in community and teaching hospitals.
The Catholic health ministry is a partner in the broader health care system. It brings a distinctive approach to the provision of health care by offering all Ontario residents whatever their origin, religion, socio-economic status or culture, a faith-based approach to the provision of health care.
MISSION
To provide a unified voice to the ministry of health care in the tradition of the Church’s mission of Christ the Healer.
To promote and advance the role of Catholic health care as a distinctive and vital component of Ontario’s health care system, with a particular focus on vulnerable, marginalized and disadvantaged populations.
To facilitate collaboration to enable the positive transformation of the Ontario health care system.
VISION
CHAO is the unified voice of Catholic health care in Ontario and through its members demonstrates the added value of the Catholic health ministry to society and the Ontario health care system.
VALUES
Catholic health care delivers a unique blend of care and caring centred on the whole person — body, mind and spirit. As the voice of that health care system, CHAO celebrates and is guided by the following values in the service of our membership and their patient populations:
Commitment – We are committed to the growth and recognition of Catholic health care.
Integrity – We are committed to inclusive, respectful and ethical practices.
Collaboration – We believe that the best results are achieved through collaboration and teamwork with others to enable the positive transformation of the Ontario health care system.
Accountability – We believe in being accountable to our membership, our faith, and the publics we serve.
Our History
- Roman Catholic religious women with a commitment to gospel values began their health care ministry in Ontario over 160 years ago, treating the poor and disadvantaged in the tradition of Jesus Christ’s healing ministry.
- Most, if not all, Catholic hospitals and homes for the aged were started in communities at the invitation of the local community and most were the first and only hospital in that community.
- Over the years, Catholic health care providers have played an integral role in advancing the health care of Ontarians at all stages of life.
- Some of the Country’s largest and most prestigious acute care hospitals were founded by religious orders and remain today as centres of excellence, combining “high tech with high touch.”
- With a flexibility to change with the times, Catholic health care has evolved from a time when the majority of our members provided acute care services to the present where a majority of our members now care for the elderly in a variety of settings. Notwithstanding this change in programming, a strong minority of our members retain an important role in the provision of acute care and Catholic hospitals have added undertaken an increased role in the provision of mental health.
- Catholic health care providers have a proud history of working productively with government and colleague providers. We believe strongly that the principles of Medicare should be preserved and that the province and its residents profit from a continued and authentic Catholic presence in Ontario’s health care system.
MEMBERS, ASSOCIATES & SPONSORS
Members
Bruyère Continuing Care
Foyer Richelieu Welland
St. Elizabeth Health Care Toronto
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton
Members
Hôpital de Mattawa Hospital Inc.
Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare
Hotel Dieu Hospital Kingston
Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre
Marianhill Inc.
Pembroke Regional Hospital Inc.
Providence Care Centre
Unity Health Toronto (Providence, St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s Hospital)
St. Gabriel Villa of Sudbury
Members
St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre of Sudbury
Associate Members
St. Joseph’s Hospice Sarnia
Members
St. Joseph’s Health Care London
St. Joseph’s Health System, Diocese of Hamilton
St. Mary’s General Hospital Kitchener
St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph
St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre Cornwall
St. Joseph’s at Fleming
St. Patrick’s Home Ottawa Inc.
St. Joseph’s Villa of Sudbury
Unity Health Toronto (Providence, St. Joseph’s, St. Michael’s Hospital)
Unity Health Toronto (Providence, St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s Hospital)
St. Joseph’s Villa
St. Joseph’s Health Centre of Sudbury
St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake
St Joseph’s Care Group (Thunder Bay)
St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre Cornwall
Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
Mariann Home
Associate Members
Good Shepherd Centre Hamilton
Sisters of Charity of Ottawa
Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul
Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie
Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto
Sponsors
St. Joseph’s Health System Hamilton
Catholic Health International Inc.
Catholic Health Corporation of Ontario
St. Joseph’s Health Care Society London
Members
Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Vice Chair
Ms. Janice Kaffer
President and CEO
Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Windsor
Board Chair
Mr. John Woods
President
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Villa, Dundas
Treasurer
Mr. Gary Johnson
Trustee
St. Joseph’s Care Group Thunder Bay
Past Chair
Dr. Gillian Kernaghan
President and CEO
St. Joseph’s Health Care, London
Secretary
Mr. Ron Noble
President and CEO
Catholic Health Association of Ontario
DIRECTORS
The Most. Rev. Wayne Lobsinger
Bishop of Hamilton
Hamilton Diocese
Mr. Guy Chartrand
President & CEO
Bruyere Continuing Care
The Most Rev. Vincent Nguyen
Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto
Archdiocese of Toronto
Ms. Betty Valentine
Board Chair – Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
Ms. Caroline Manley
Board Chair – Hotel Dieu Hospital Kingston
Hotel Dieu Hospital Kingston
Dr. Thomas Parker
VP Clinical Programs and Chief Medical Officer
Unity Health Toronto
Mr. David Ceglie
Vice President of Clinical Operations
Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre
Ms. Jo-Anne Palkovits
President & CEO
St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Sudbury
Mr. Glen Wood
Trustee
Catholic Health Corporation of Ontario New Hamburg
Mr. David Nash
Partner
McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP