The Collaboration Council’s role is to provide a forum for all of the Nipissing Wellness Ontario Health Team partners to plan, design, implement, and oversee the operations of this unified team. The Collaboration Council is made up of a representative from each of our partner groups. This council establishes an overall strategic plan that will benefit the community it serves. This council has been assembled since January 2021 and continues to meet regularly to collaboratively approve on priorities, actions, and spending based on the ministry’s guidelines.
Meet our Tri-Chairs
Jaymie-Lynn Blanchard, NP
I have over 15 years of Nursing experience in the North Bay community including experience in Acute Care, Long Term Care, Public Health and Primary Care. For the Last 7 years I have worked in Primary Care as a Nurse Practitioner at the North Bay Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic and have served as the Clinic Director for the last 5 years. Working in a variety of sectors throughout the health care system has allowed me to fully understand the impact a coordinated, efficient and timely health care system can have on a patient, their loved ones, and ultimately, their health outcomes. Quality health care, that is seamless, equitable, coordinated and integrated, in its ideal state, has the ability to change lives.
I am actively engaged in the Nipissing Wellness Ontario Health Team because I believe it holds an exciting opportunity to increase wellness and improve the health outcomes and experiences for patients, families and caregivers in our community. Our NWOHT can also improve the experience for health care providers practicing in our community. As a Nurse Practitioner who is still actively practicing, this is also very important to me. I currently serve as both an active member of the Physician and Nurse Practitioner Clinical Council and as one of the Tri-chairs of the Collaboration Council. Being involved in the development of the NWOHT has allowed me to fully and actively engage in health system co-design, alignment of systems, community and partner priorities and projects, and hear from key stakeholders and advocates about what a better system could look like. It has also allowed me to contribute my experience to our collective effort in improving our local landscape for health system navigation and transformation for health system users, providers and leaders. I am passionate about using resources efficiently, and making good decisions that make sense for our community, and for the patients that we serve. Sometimes, it is truly that simple.
I look forward to continuing this work with my primary care colleagues, as well as the many other members of our NWOHT and communities who are able to contribute their input to this effort.
Dr. Anthony Giordano
I have been a family doctor at the Northern Shores Medical Clinic here in North Bay since graduating in 2017. I provide community care as well as acute inpatient care at the North Bay Regional Health Centre. I became involved with the Nipissing Wellness OHT in 2019 and since March of this year I have been one of the three Co-Chairs of the Collaboration Council, and the Physician and Nurse Practitioner Clinical Council.
As an organization we are striving to bring the many separate health care providers in our area together so we can work towards a system that provides better, more integrated health care for all the people in our region. I believe that by listening to and respecting the voices of the providers, organizers and recipients of health care we can move closer to our vision of a safe, effective and equitable health care system. For things to get better we need new ideas, new connections and new ways of doing things. I am excited to work with my physician and nurse practitioner colleagues to design and implement new ways of providing care that are informed by our community for the benefits of the patients, families and caregivers that depend on us.
Judy Cowan
Judy Cowan is a registered nurse with 40 years of experience in a variety of settings both in the hospital and in the community. Having experience in various administration, research and clinical roles, Judy brings a wealth of knowledge about the health care system and patient centered care. She has worked collaboratively with primary care physicians to implement two large electronic medical record projects to modernize the delivery of patient care in a large clinic in North Bay. Her experience has also includes leading the practicum component of the Personal Support Worker Program at Canadore College.
In addition to her clinical expertise, Judy also understands the healthcare system from the patient and caregiver perspective. Judy served as the primary caregiver for her elderly parents and in-laws both in Ottawa and North Bay. Through this experience she navigated the stresses of both aging in place and the transition into next stages of care including senior’s residences, assisted living facilities and long-term care.
This personal exposure shapes Judy’s recommendations making sure the patient and caregiver voice is at the center of collaborative decision making in the evolving health care system. Judy has served on the Patient Family Caregiver Council since 2022 and looks forward to continuing this important work.