Tammy DeGiovanni
Ottawa
Summary
Experienced and motivated healthcare professional with a background as a Senior Vice-President of a tertiary, academic health center and Vice-Chair of the Board for a large health unit. Committed to fostering connections and partnerships to advance health from various perspectives. Known for collaborative leadership and systemic thinking, I solve practical problems by actively engaging staff, physicians, and families to drive positive change. With a strong clinical background as a Registered Nurse in both adult and pediatric settings, I possess expertise in program development based on population needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, and governance. As a senior executive leader, I have a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives and delivering impactful results. My strengths lie in fostering team collaboration and navigating complex organizational challenges. Skilled in strategic planning, financial management, and operations oversight. Valued for reliability, adaptability, and a results-oriented approach.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Vice President, Clinical Services and Chief Nurse Executive
CHEO
03.2021 - Current
- Accountable for all clinical services areas across the organization to advance the integrated delivery of care ensure a consistent organizational approach to clinical quality
- Establish strategic direction and implementation for all patient services across Acute Care, Mental Health and Addictions, Child Development and Community Services
- As Chief Nursing Executive, responsible for developing and leading the implementation of a vision and strategic goals for nursing and health professionals
- Strengthened partnership with University of Ottawa, School of Nursing through guest lectures and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students
Director, Ambulatory Care and Chief Nurse Information Officer
CHEO
01.2017 - Current
- Joint role providing operational leadership to Outpatient Medical and Surgical Clinics as well as strategic leadership at the Governance level for our Electronic Health Record
- Set and delivered on the vision of e-health at CHEO. Worked with cross-appointed team to establish governance and privacy standards across shared Electronic Health Record between CHEO and Sick Kids
- Assumed operational responsibility for COVID-19 Assessment Centre as well as other COVID response endeavours including the rapid expansion of COVID-19 Assessment Centre from 30 tests/day to over 600 tests/day over a period of 4 weeks including launch of online appointments
- Provided visible and credible leadership to the team through time of crisis while representing CHEO through media channels
- Leveraged donor donation to develop a new approach to population health evaluation for children and youth with asthma in our catchment area
Interim Director, Emergency, Inpatient Medicine and Clinical Operations Centre
CHEO
01.2020 - 07.2020
- Provided interim leadership to support and stabilize the teams through leadership changes during the intensity of viral season and ultimately COVID 19
- Served as Operations Section Chief in Command Centre Structure
- Transitioned the Patient Flow Command Centre pilot to be fully operational including rebranding as the Clinical Operations Centre, recruitment of leadership and introduction of support roles to ensure daily communication of priorities and situational awareness
- Supported leadership changes at the local level to allow for stability within the team and a smooth transition to newly recruited Director
Director, Ambulatory Care and Corporate Lead for EHR Benefits Realization
CHEO
05.2015 - 01.2017
- Portfolio included medical and surgical subspecialty clinics with over 110,000 visits and diagnostic tests per year
- Co-leadership with Medical Directors for proactive strategic planning, budgeting and focusing teams on increasing access
- Led the implementation of the corporate governance structure for Benefit Realization of our Electronic Health Record with an aim to drive the quantifiable clinical and financial benefits while also promoting the Electronic Health Record as an enabler and support for CHEO’s strategic initiatives
- Moved from 56% of patients seen within target wait times to over 78% seen within target
- Successfully transitioned EHR from project to operational status establishing a governance structure, Key Performance Indicators, and plan for optimization
- Provided operational leadership for roll-out of MyChart (patient portal) to highest risk patient populations and then to CHEO community at large
- Led the implementation team for lowering the age of consent for controlling access to personal health information
Interim Director, e-Health
CHEO
07.2014 - 05.2015
- Provided interim leadership within the Information Services portfolio for staff leading and supporting the clinical software applications as well as Health Records
- Responsible for the project team implementing the EHR as well as the negotiation of maintenance agreements for operational software
- Contributed to development of a solid capital and operational budget as well as establishing the Total Cost of Ownership for EHR through all phases of the project
- Spearheaded the CHEO certification at HIMSS Level 6 for Ambulatory Care EHR, becoming first in Canada to do so
- Established management structure and budgetary controls within the portfolio and drove under-variance in both capital and operational budget
- Recommended cost savings initiatives to reduce expenses by negotiating third-party vendor support for legacy EHR system
- Prepared successful business case for transition of legacy Radiology Information System to the enterprise EHR over an 18 month period
Director, Ambulatory Care
CHEO
01.2008 - 01.2015
- Established a new portfolio of all medical and surgical outpatient clinics including the affiliated diagnostic testing
- Corporate lead for Oncology and Dialysis with links to Regional and Provincial networks
- Established the Dental Clinic as a Business unit and profit centre for the hospital through improved revenue cycle management
- Implemented referral management system for tracking of incoming referrals, standardizing triage process and enabling wait times reporting by urgency level
- Successful implementation of Epic across all clinics
- Met or exceeded Canada Health Infoway milestones for sustained grant funding
- Initiated family focus groups within Oncology population culminating in more formal co-design process where staff and families work together to improve care and the patient experience
- Launched the CHEO Centre for Healthy Active Living following extensive work to develop evidence-based model for success
Acting Director, Health Records and Patient Registration
CHEO
07.2007 - 12.2007
- Led teams through significant change in leadership following an external operational review
- Portfolio included the Admitting Department, Health Records as well as liaison for legal counsel
- Established a new organizational structure to support the corporate EHR initiative, bed management and alignment of the risk and safety portfolio
- Worked with the Health Records Team to ensure that the impact of their services on our ability to provide excellent patient care was recognized by the team, thus improving staff recruitment and retention
- Established and improved key indicators and processes for turnaround times and chart deficiencies
- Initiated planning for department’s move to new building
Operations Director, Pediatrics Patient Service Unit
CHEO
01.2000 - 01.2007
- Worked collaboratively with the Medical Director to provide leadership for a key patient service unit which included two medical inpatient units as well as numerous outpatient clinics and diagnostic services
- Responsible for managing a budget of $13 million including a staff of over 190 full-time equivalents
- Worked with a team to create a model for bed configuration of the inpatient units to increase efficiency and decrease off-service patients
Consultant, Nursing Shortage Task Force
The Perley-Rideau Veterans Health Care Centre
06.2000 - 11.2000
- Contract position to assess staffing problems, formulate potential solutions and lead committee to formulate short and long term action plans
- Also worked with Executive Director to update strategic plan
Registered Nurse
CHEO
01.1995 - 01.2000
- Worked on a surgical inpatient unit and the emergency department providing nursing care as well as participating in committees and special projects
- Performed Nurse in Charge role within Emergency Department including rotation through triage, trauma, and observations areas
- Implemented workload measurement system in the emergency department
- Updated hospital disaster plan including emergency departmental plan and helped to co-ordinate regional mock disaster
- Presented research and educational topics at local and provincial conferences
- Conducted research to assess usefulness of an internal educational program
Clinical Instructor, Paramedic Program
La Cite Collegiale
01.1999 - 12.1999
- Responsible for lectures, supervision and evaluation of 30 paramedic students through the pediatric portion of the program
Registered Nurse
Ottawa General Hospital
01.1995 - 01.1996
- Staff nurse on a neurology and neurosurgery unit
- Provided for the physical, mental and emotional needs of patients and their families
- Contributed to the development and initiation of the Registered Practical Nurse orientation program
Customer Service
Toronto Dominion Bank
01.1993 - 01.1995
- Handled a range of financial transactions while incorporating exceptional public relation skills
- Received excellent performance reviews and developed skills in marketing bank products and working one-on-one with clients to counsel related to their banking options
Accounting Department
Christie Transport Limited
01.1988 - 01.1995
- Held various positions including accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll for a mid-sized corporation
Education
Nurse Executive Leadership Academy -
RNAO
Toronto, ON01-2016
Champlain LHIN Senior Leadership Program -
University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management
Ottawa, ON01.2011
Ottawa Academic Health Sciences Leadership Program -
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine
Ottawa, ON01.2004
Master in Health Administration -
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, ON01.2001
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, ON01.1994
Skills
- Strategic leadership
- Clinical leadership
- People management
- Nursing expertise
Accomplishments
Successful recruitment of Endowed Chair in Nursing Care of Children, Youth and their Families and establishment of the first Nursing Research Scientist position at CHEO in partnership with the CHEO Research Institute. Strengthened partnership with University of Ottawa, School of Nursing through guest lectures and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students.
Navigated through various phases of COVID-19 and subsequent pediatric viral surge to support the region and province including the rapid preparation of our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit to receive adult COVID patients in 2021, expansion of Kids Come First COVID Care clinics in cooperation with community primary care providers and rapid expansion to double the capacity of our Intensive Care unit to meet the pediatric critical care needs of the region and province.
Secured over $40 Million in annual funding towards the permanent expansion of our critical care services and investment across all clinical areas to right-size the pediatric health system.
Launched of Ministry-funded Clinical Extern Program as part of the first cohort for pediatric hospitals.
Affiliations
- Canadian College of Health Leaders
- Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
- Canadian Nurses Association
- Nursing Leadership Network
- Canadian Association of Pediatric Nurses
- Pediatric Nurses Special Interest Group
- College of Nurses of Ontario
Select Awards
CHEO Shining Star Award for Inspiration and Leadership, 05/01/18
Select Committee Activity
- Provincial Health Disciplines Academic Practice Committee of Ontario, 01/01/24-present
- Ontario Health-Pediatric Council for Maternal Child Health Neonatal Pediatric Transport Committee, 01/01/24-present
- Ontario Health Pediatric Clinical Council, 01/01/23-present
- Ontario Health CEO Health System Advisory Council Member, 01/01/21-present
- Member, Ottawa Academic Health Network Leadership Committee, 01/01/24-present
- CHEO Board of Trustees, 01/01/21-present
- Chair, Nursing Advisory Council, 01/01/21-present
- Member, Medical Advisory Committee, 01/01/21-present
- Member, Champlain Regional Planning Table for TransHealth, 01/01/16-01/01/21
- Member, Champlain Regional Vision Network, 01/01/15-01/01/21
- Chair/Member EHR Executive/EHR Program Management Team, 01/01/13-01/01/23
Community Service
- Board Member, Association of Local Public Health Agencies, June 2024-present
- Vice Chair, Boards of Health Section, Association of Local Public Health Agencies, June 2024-present
- Vice-Chair, Ottawa Board of Health, January 2019-present
- Board Member, Roger Neilson Children's Hospice, September 2024 to present
- Trainer, Nepean Raven’s Ringette Association, September 2018-March 2021
- Active Member, Country Place Community Association, May 2005-present
- Active Member, St. Monica’s School Council, September 2009-June 2017
- Big Sister, Big Sister’s Association of Ottawa-Carleton, May 1987-June 1994
- Founding Member, Nepean All-City Jazz Band, September 1987-June 1995
Academic Preparation
- Master in Health Administration, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Business and Administration June, 2001
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Ottawa, June, 1995 Graduated Cum Laude
Languages
French
Professional Working
Certification
Registered Nurse
Certified Health Executive
Timeline
Senior Vice President, Clinical Services and Chief Nurse Executive
CHEO
03.2021 - Current
Interim Director, Emergency, Inpatient Medicine and Clinical Operations Centre
CHEO
01.2020 - 07.2020
Director, Ambulatory Care and Chief Nurse Information Officer
CHEO
01.2017 - Current
Director, Ambulatory Care and Corporate Lead for EHR Benefits Realization
CHEO
05.2015 - 01.2017
Interim Director, e-Health
CHEO
07.2014 - 05.2015
Director, Ambulatory Care
CHEO
01.2008 - 01.2015
Acting Director, Health Records and Patient Registration
CHEO
07.2007 - 12.2007
Consultant, Nursing Shortage Task Force
The Perley-Rideau Veterans Health Care Centre
06.2000 - 11.2000
Operations Director, Pediatrics Patient Service Unit
CHEO
01.2000 - 01.2007
Clinical Instructor, Paramedic Program
La Cite Collegiale
01.1999 - 12.1999
Registered Nurse
CHEO
01.1995 - 01.2000
Registered Nurse
Ottawa General Hospital
01.1995 - 01.1996
Customer Service
Toronto Dominion Bank
01.1993 - 01.1995
Accounting Department
Christie Transport Limited
01.1988 - 01.1995
Nurse Executive Leadership Academy -
RNAO
Champlain LHIN Senior Leadership Program -
University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management
Ottawa Academic Health Sciences Leadership Program -
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine
Master in Health Administration -
University of Ottawa
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Ottawa
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