News: Dr. Scott McKay appointed Chair, Medical Advisory Committee at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC)

The Department of Family Medicine would like to congratulate Dr. Scott McKay on his appointment as Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). The MAC Chair is a senior leadership position within the hospital at LHSC.

As chair of the LHSC MAC, Dr. McKay will be accountable to the Board of Directors on issues regarding the quality of medical diagnosis, care and treatment, and chair and oversee the work of the Medical Advisory Committee and its subcommittees, ensuring there is a comprehensive and effective credentialing process, and championing the mandate of the MAC, the teaching and research mission of LHSC, and inter-professional care.

Dr. McKay, in collaboration with Department Chiefs and the Integrated Vice President, Medical Affairs, will also be responsible for patient concerns regarding medical care, as well as matters of discipline related to the professional staff (physicians, dentists and midwives).

As Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. McKay hopes to support the evolution and improvement of the healthcare services delivered at LHSC. “With the quadruple aim as a guiding framework, I believe we can improve patient outcomes and experience, control or decrease health delivery costs, while also improving the healthcare provider experience in the delivery of care,” he said.

It is Dr. McKay’s expectation to use his unique position of MAC Chair to be a conduit for the sharing of opinions, ideas, expertise and knowledge between the LHSC Board of Directors, the professional staff, and the hospital executive leadership.

“In the current environment with the infancy of Ontario Health Teams, I expect many changes to the way healthcare is delivered and received… this could be change from the “top-down” or “bottom-up,” and as the MAC chair, I see myself as a bridge to help link these visions/ideas,” said Dr. McKay.

As he looks towards the future development of Ontario Health Teams (OHT), Dr. McKay expects LHSC to increase partnerships and deliver coordinated care outside the walls of the hospital, and having a primary care physician involved from inside those walls, will allow for a primary care perspective to hold a spot at the planning table on the hospital side.

“Since I work in the community, already coordinate care with community organizations, work in Long Term Care, as well as understand delivery of hospital based services, I would hope this provides value to the OHT model,” he said.

Lastly, Dr. McKay sees an even greater benefit to primary care stemming from his appointment, in raising the profile of the types of leadership positions available for primary care physicians to get involved with.

“I have heard primary care physicians voice concerns about how they can work and collaborate with large tertiary care hospitals like LHSC,” said Dr. McKay. “Over time, this has caused an erosion of the relationships between primary care physicians and LHSC. Perhaps a primary care physician in this role with encourage some re-developing of relationships for the betterment of our common patients.”

Dr. McKay has been the site chief of family medicine at Victoria hospital since 2010, and is currently Associate Chair of the Department of Family Medicine, Undergrad Education Program Director and an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry.