Population and Public Health

Mackenzie Health’s Successful COVID-19 Response

Davies Award of Excellence
Hospital worker giving vaccination

Mackenzie Health operates two full-service hospitals, Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, along with community-based programs, serving over half a million people in western York Region, Ontario. These hospitals manage more than 200,000 Emergency Visits and 48,999 admissions annually, supported by a staff of 5200 and 550 credentialed physicians. Focused on enhancing clinical outcomes through technology, Mackenzie Health grapples with bed capacity challenges, particularly in densely populated urban areas. Amid the pandemic, the hospital's advanced EMR and analytics were pivotal in managing increasing patient volumes and planning creative responses to the crisis. Their coordinated approach to the pandemic led to the opening of Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital as a COVID-19 relief facility in February 2021, addressing critical care capacity concerns.

The hospitals annually handle numerous Emergency Visits and admissions, employing a substantial workforce and credentialed physicians. The organization's commitment to leveraging technology to enhance patient outcomes is evident, and they grapple with persistent bed capacity issues common in densely populated urban areas. The COVID-19 pandemic posed formidable challenges, necessitating the use of advanced EMR and analytics for managing patient volumes and devising effective strategies. This case study showcases how Mackenzie Health's strategic response to the pandemic, marked by collaboration, clinical excellence, and advanced digital health tools, led to the conversion of their new hospital site into a COVID-19 relief facility, addressing critical care needs during a period of escalated cases.