Faculty

Samantha Hamilton

CHA Learning Faculty | Canadian Patient Safety Program

Samantha Hamilton is a senior healthcare quality, patient safety, and risk management leader with more than 25 years of experience across the pharmaceutical, medical device, biologics, diagnostics, blood, home care, long-term care, and acute care sectors. She is the Vice-President, Strategy, Quality and Performance at Bruyere Health and has dedicated her career to advancing healthcare quality, patient safety, and organizational excellence.

Samantha holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a specialization in Microbiology, a Master of Health Administration, and a Master’s Certificate in Risk Management. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and has extensive expertise in quality management systems, risk management, quality improvement methodologies, and healthcare innovation.

She is the founder of The Ottawa Hospital Innovation Framework for Healthcare Quality Improvement and the primary author of the Innovation Framework for Healthcare Quality Improvement, the foundational methodology taught in this program and adopted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada for quality improvement education. Throughout her career, Samantha has presented at provincial and national conferences and has contributed to healthcare through community board service and provincial committees.

In addition to her healthcare leadership roles, Samantha is an educator dedicated to developing the next generation of healthcare leaders. She serves as faculty with CHA Learning, teaches in the Executive Health Administration program at the University of Ottawa, and is Co-Program Director and lead faculty for the Telfer Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Leadership Program. She is passionate about equipping learners with the practical knowledge and confidence to lead meaningful quality improvement and patient safety initiatives in their own organizations.

A picture of Samantha Hamilton, faculty at CHA Learning.

Education

  • Master of Health Administration, University of Ottawa, 2007
  • Bachelor of Science, University of Waterloo, 1998
  • Master’s Certificate in Operational Risk Management, Carleton University, Sprott School of Business, Ottawa, Ontario, 2008
  • ISO Lead Auditor, STAT-A-MATRIX Group, March 2002
  • Kaplan-Norton Balanced Scorecard Strategy Management Certification, March 2010
  • Leadership Development Program, The Niagara Institute, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, November 2010
  • Just Culture Champion Certification, Outcome Engenuity (Just Culture Company), April 2015
  • Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), April 2016
  • Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, June 2016
  • Infection Control & Epidemiology, IC800, The Michener Institute, October 2021
  • The Osgoode Certificate in Health Law, May 2021
  • PROSCI Change Management Certification, April 2023

Professional Experience

Positions Held

  • Vice-President, Strategy, Quality & Performance, Bruyere Health, January 2025 to present
  • Director, Quality Management System (Quality, Patient Safety, IPAC), The Ottawa Hospital, September 2014 to March 2024
  • National Director, Operational Support, Quality and Risk, ParaMed Home Health Care, June 2011 to September 2014
  • National Manager, Enterprise Process and Risk Management Department, Canadian Blood Services, August 2007 to June 2011
  • National Quality Assurance Manager, Medical, Scientific & Research Affairs Division, Canadian Blood Services, March 2005 to August 2007
  • Project QA Manager, National Quality Management System Project, Canadian Blood Services, September 2001 to March 2005
  • Quality Systems Lead (Canadian Division), BD Canada, January 2001 to September 2001
  • Microbiologist (Canadian Division), Kolmar Canada (OTC Pharmaceutical Manufacturer), April 1998 to January 2001

Academic / Teaching Positions

  • Academic Director, Telfer Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Leadership Program, University of Ottawa, September 2017 to present
  • Program Faculty, Telfer Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Leadership Program, University of Ottawa, September 2017 to present
  • Part-time Professor, Quality & Performance Management Course, Telfer Executive Health Administration Degree, University of Ottawa, March 2023 to August 2023
  • Program Faculty, Canadian Patient Safety Officer Program, HealthCareCAN, April 2020 to present
  • Subject Matter Expert Content Lead, Canadian Patient Safety Officer Program Redesign, HealthCareCAN, December 2022 to present
  • Academic Developer, Health Quality Innovation Program, HealthCareCAN, June 2020 to present
  • Program Faculty, Health Quality Innovation Program, HealthCareCAN, June 2020 to present

Volunteer Board Positions

  • Board Member, VON Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, September 2024 to present
  • Board Chair, Ottawa Christmas Cheer Foundation, Ottawa, Ontario, February 2023 to present
  • Member, Board Quality Committee, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, September 2014 to March 2024
  • Member, Board Patient Safety and Quality Committee, Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory (EORLA), Ottawa, Ontario, December 2015 to December 2023
  • Member, Governance Advisory Council, Champlain LHIN, Ottawa, Ontario, April 2010 to September 2011
  • Board Member, South East Ottawa Community Health Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, September 2009 to September 2011
  • Board Member, Canadian Red Cross Society, Ottawa, Ontario, April 2008 to January 2011
  • Member, CCSAC Committee, Ontario Zone, Canadian Red Cross Society
  • President, Ottawa Branch Council, Canadian Red Cross Society, Ottawa, Ontario
  • Board Member, Nelson House Women’s Shelter, Ottawa, Ontario, 2006 to 2008

Areas of Expertise

  • Healthcare Quality Management Systems
  • Patient Safety
  • Just Culture and Cultures for Heightened Quality and Safety Outcomes
  • Quality Improvement
  • Quality Assurance
  • Risk Management
  • Patient Relations
  • Health Law
  • Governance
  • Healthcare Operations
  • Team Leadership and Budget Management
  • Academic Program Development
  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programs for Professionals
  • Accreditation
  • Regulatory Affairs, Audits and Compliance

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, VON Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, September 2024 to present
  • Board Chair, Ottawa Christmas Cheer Foundation, Ottawa, Ontario, February 2023 to present
  • Member, Board Quality Committee, University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI), Ottawa, Ontario, September 2014 to March 2024
  • Member, Board Patient Safety and Quality Committee, Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory (EORLA), Ottawa, Ontario, December 2015 to December 2023
  • Member, Governance Advisory Council, Champlain LHIN, Ottawa, Ontario, April 2010 to September 2011
  • Board Member, South East Ottawa Community Health Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, September 2009 to September 2011
  • Board Member, Canadian Red Cross Society, Ottawa, Ontario, April 2008 to January 2011
  • Member, CCSAC Committee, Ontario Zone, Canadian Red Cross Society
  • President, Ottawa Branch Council, Canadian Red Cross Society, Ottawa, Ontario
  • Board Member, Nelson House Women’s Shelter, Ottawa, Ontario, 2006 to 2008

Research Interests

  • Healthcare Quality and Associated Outcomes
  • Patient Safety and Just Cultures
  • High Reliability Organizations
  • Quality Management Systems
  • Intersection of AI to Quality and Safety

Professional Affiliations

  • CPHQ