Sandy Critchley
Sandy Critchley is a regulated healthcare professional and trusted healthcare leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing patient safety, quality, and patient-centred care across a wide range of healthcare settings. Her career includes leadership roles in physiotherapy, acute care, long-term care, adult day programs, paramedic services, and municipal healthcare, where she supports the delivery of safe, high-quality care for diverse populations.
Sandy holds undergraduate degrees in Kinesiology and Physiotherapy, along with a Master’s degree in Health Studies Leadership. She has further strengthened her expertise through post-degree certifications in patient safety, quality improvement, risk management, emergency management, and advanced health leadership.
Throughout her career, Sandy has been committed to improving healthcare systems through evidence-informed practice. She has published research and presented at leading conferences on topics including exercise patterns, medication safety, quality improvement, and even golf.
As an educator, Sandy is passionate about partnering with learners to help them build practical skills, strengthen their competencies, and apply course concepts in real-world healthcare settings. She believes continuous learning is essential to improving healthcare and empowering professionals to create safer, higher-quality experiences for patients and families.
Outside of work, Sandy enjoys running, swimming, skiing, and cheering on her children at their sporting events.
Education
- Master of Health Studies Leadership, Athabasca University, 2013
- Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy, Western University, 2001
- Honours Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology, Western University, 1998
- Advanced Health Leadership Program, Rotman School of Management
- ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
- Board Facilitation, KPMG
- Board Leadership in Risk Governance, Ontario Hospital Association
- Canadian Patient Safety Officer Designation, former Canadian Patient Safety Institute
- CBRNE Trainer, EMAT
- Certificate in Clinical Risk, Negligence and Claims Management, Osgoode School of Law
- Certificate in Health Services Management, Canadian Healthcare Association
- Courage to Lead Certificate, Canadian Institute of Cultural Affairs
- Emergency Management 125, 200, Emergency Management Ontario
- Enterprise Risk Management Certificate, Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada
- Health Care Risk Management, Ontario Hospital Association
- Health Informatics Training – Level 1
- Incident Management Systems 100, 200 and 250, Emergency Management Ontario
- Institute of Healthcare Improvement Passport, Institute of Healthcare Improvement
- Lean Green Belt for Health Care, KPMG
- Management of Aggressive Behaviour, Basic Program – MOAB Training International
- Mental Health Structural Stigma in Healthcare, CHA Learning
- Mindfulness at Work, Mindfulness Without Borders
- Nonlinear Incident Review Certificate
- Patient Safety, Ontario Hospital Association
- Privacy and Security for Clinical Users, Connecting Ontario
- Project Management – Practical Project Management Level 1 and 2, University of Toronto
- Psychological PPE, Psychological PPE Canada
- Root Cause Analysis Certificate, Ontario Hospital Association
- School for Change Agents, National Health System Horizons
- Studer Leadership Development Certificate, Studer Group
- Trauma Informed Care (underway)
- Trillium Gift of Life Train the Trainer, Ontario
Professional Experience
- Program Manager, Continuous Quality Improvement & Compliance, Paramedic and Seniors Services, Regional Municipality of York, 2022–present
- Director of Quality Improvement, Planning and Performance/Patient Safety and Risk Management, Headwaters Health Care Centre, 2016–2021
- Interim Vice President of Patient Services, Headwaters Health Care Centre, 2016–2017
- Director of Patient Safety, Quality and Risk Management, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, 2015–2016
- Director, Quality, Practice & Patient Services, Headwaters Health Care Centre, 2014–2015
- Corporate Quality & Patient Safety Leader, Headwaters Health Care Centre, 2012–2014
- Professional Practice Coordinator, Headwaters Health Care Centre, 2010–2012
- Physiotherapist, Headwaters Health Care Centre, 2001–2010
Areas of Expertise
- Accreditation
- Acute Care
- Adult Day Program
- Complex Continuing Care
- Continuous Quality Improvement
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Emergency Care
- Emergency Management
- Enterprise Risk Management
- Governance
- Healthcare Systems
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Laboratory Services
- Leadership
- Lean
- Long Term Care
- Paramedicine/Pre-hospital Care
- Patient Experience
- Patient Safety
- Performance Measurement
- Policy
- Project Management
- Rehabilitation
- Seniors Services
Research Interests
- Healthcare Leadership
- Patient Experience
- Patient Safety
- Quality Improvement
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Physiotherapy Association
- Ontario Physiotherapy Association
- Canadian College of Health Care Leaders