Chief of Staff
Lead Palliative Physician for Cancer Care Ontario in Central LHIN
Chair, Hospice Palliative Care Transition Strategy Team, Central LHIN

Dr. Nancy Merrow was appointed Chief of Staff at Southlake Regional Health Centre in 2004. In her role at Southlake, Dr. Merrow is responsible for the quality of medical care provided by the medical, dental, and mid-wifery staff, and oversees their recruitment, credentialling, education, behaviour, health, and discipline. Her career at the Hospital dates back to her appointment as a family physician in 1986, and includes a term as Chief, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care at Southlake (then York County Hospital) from 1996 until 1999.

Dr. Merrow graduated with an M.D. from the University of Toronto in 1983, and completed her family medicine residency at Women’s College Hospital in 1985. In 2000, she was certified by the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and since 2004, has been a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. In 2011, Dr. Merrow successfully completed the Rotman Advanced Health Leaders Program, and became a Certified Canadian Physician Executive.

Dr. Merrow started her medical career in Holland Landing, Ontario, where she practiced comprehensive family medicine from 1986 to2004. She is a passionate advocate and champion for the advancement of interprofessional patient-centred care and access to effective hospice palliative care.

As Cancer Care Ontario (CCO)’s Palliative Lead Physician since 2005, Dr. Merrow oversees the promotion of local efforts in developing and implementing CCO’s quality agenda, which involves working with the Hospice Palliative Care Network to improve access and quality care.

Since 2007, Dr. Merrow has been the lead in the Residential Hospice Project for York Region to establish a new 10-bed residential hospice for end-of-life care. As Chair of the Hospice Palliative Care Transition Team since April 2011, she heads the extensive consultation process to develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated hospice palliative care program across the Central Local Health Integration Network.

Currently, as a member of the faculty of the Canadian Medical Association Physician Manager Institute, and having been recently selected as a Physician Executive Coach for the inaugural Coaching Connections Program at the CMA, Dr. Merrow will continue to build and develop medical leadership by working directly with physicians who take on vital roles in the advancement of health system transformation.

Dr. Merrow is a family physician by training. She was appointed as Chief of Staff in 2004. She graduated from the University of Toronto in 1983, and completed her family medicine residency at Women’s College Hospital in 1985. She is a fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Her first practice was in Holland Landing Ontario, and she practiced comprehensive family medicine for 18 years. She was certified by the American Board of Hospice Palliative Medicine in 2002, and became a certified Canadian Physician Executive in 2011. She is a graduate of the Rotman Advanced Health Leaders Program. Her commitment to leadership has led to increasing involvement in the hospital, at the regional level in the Regional Cancer Program, and the LHIN level as Lead palliative Physician for CCO in CLHIN, and as Chair of the Hospice Palliative Care Transition Strategy Team. She is a member of the faculty of the Canadian Medical Association Physician Manager Institute.

Dr. Merrow is a passionate advocate for the advancement of interprofessional patient centered care and access to effective hospice palliative care. She recently led the implementation of a new Family Medicine Residency program at the Southlake Family Health Team. Her current projects include the inception of the Interprofessional Academic Advisory Council at Southlake, the Chronic Disease Task Force, the creation of a ten bed residential hospice for York Region on the hospital campus, and the restructuring of Hospice Palliative Care across Central LHIN.