Niagara Health is excited to announce the appointments of two members of our physician team, Dr. Johan Viljoen and Dr. Rafi Setrak, to key roles in our organization.
- Dr. Viljoen assumes the new role of Deputy Chief of Staff, in addition to his responsibilities as Chief of Obstetrics/Gynecology.
- Dr. Setrak, Site Chief of Emergency Medicine at our St. Catharines Site, is our new Chief of Emergency Medicine.
We launched national searches for both positions and found the best candidates to be at Niagara Health.
“Dr. Viljoen and Dr. Setrak are well-known and respected physicians in our communities, with impressive backgrounds as healthcare leaders and clinicians,” says Dr. Tom Stewart, Chief of Staff and Executive Vice President Medical. “Their appointments reflect the accomplished, talented and dedicated team of physicians at Niagara Health.”
In his new role, Dr. Viljoen will work in partnership with Dr. Stewart and our President, Dr. Suzanne Johnston, to realize our Board of Directors' vision.
Dr. Viljoen is an experienced Obstetrician/Gynecologist and certified physician executive with extensive clinical leadership experience. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University.
“I am looking forward to being a contributing member of a leadership team within the NHS that is committed to realizing every opportunity to enhance healthcare in Niagara both as an organization and with its valued partners in the community,” says Dr. Viljoen.
In his role as Chief of the regional Emergency Medicine Program, Dr. Setrak will manage one of the busiest emergency services in the province, and will take on many other responsibilities, including assisting in physician recruitment and retention and improving patient flow.
Dr. Setrak, who has been an Emergency Department Physician at Niagara Health since 2007, is also a Clinical Education Co-ordinator at McMaster University.
“Having set roots in Niagara with my young family nine years ago, it has been humbling and honouring to find myself a part of this exciting journey of growth in healthcare and medical education in Niagara,” says Dr. Setrak. “At the heart of this journey is a strong dedication to service, both to our patients and community at large. It is exhilarating to take this to new heights as part of a remarkable team."
Media contact: Steven Gallagher, Interim Communications Manager, 905-378-4647, ext. 43879; steven.gallagher@niagarahealth.on.ca
