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.
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.
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.
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.