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This story is part of William Osler Health System’s (Osler) Doctors Making a Difference campaign featuring Osler doctors who are going beyond to improve our community’s health.
From the moment Dr. Shira Brown stepped into the Emergency Department (ED) at Brampton Civic Hospital, Nurse Practitioner (NP) Natasha Parmar knew patients and staff were in exceptional hands.
Dr. Brown joined Osler in February 2024 as Corporate Chief and Medical Director of Emergency Services, bringing 22 years of experience and a visionary, collaborative leadership style. Her impact is already evident across Osler's Brampton Civic, Etobicoke General Hospital, and Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness.
“Walking into one of the busiest emergency departments in the country, she quickly made us all feel like we’d known her for years,” said Natasha. “She values input from all team members and makes patient care a truly collaborative effort. Since coming into this role, she has boosted my confidence as an NP by listening to my views on patient cases and taking those into consideration in her patients’ care plans.”
Proud to lead one of Canada’s busiest emergency services, Dr. Brown believes her role is one of the most exciting leadership opportunities in emergency medicine today.
“Osler has incredible emergency services staff and physicians.” said Dr. Brown. “Osler has one of the best ‘physician initial assessment time’ rankings in the province – this is the amount of time it takes for a patient to be seen by a physician after they have been registered or triaged - and shows how efficiently the department runs.”
Dr. Brown works shifts in the EDs and Urgent Care Centre (UCC) while prioritizing system improvements to enhance patient access and outcomes. “When a patient or team member says they were able to get a test or procedure more quickly, I find real joy in that. What drives me as a leader is making sure we have the best possible clinicians and the tools and education to succeed.”
Dr. Brown is quick to praise her leadership colleagues: Francesca Fiumara, Director, Emergency Services, Osler’s Emergency Medicine Site Chiefs – Dr. Michael Garay (Brampton Civic), Dr. Tajinder Kaura (Peel Memorial), and Dr. Gaurav Tyagi (Etobicoke General) – and Dr. Isabelle Imamedjian, Osler’s ED Quality Lead, for sharing a highly collaborative, solutions-focused approach to leadership. “I love working with our leadership team who are pillars in our EDs and UCC. They are relentless in pursuing opportunities that provide our patients with the best possible care. For example, we developed a system for organizing and analyzing feedback from patients, care partners, physicians and staff, allowing us to quickly make improvements that benefit both patients and staff.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Brown is excited about Osler’s partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University’s new School of Medicine, set to welcome its first students in the fall of 2025. “Our dynamic, culturally diverse and complex environment will help shape world-class doctors,” she said.
Dr. Brown’s advice to the community: “Emergency services are always here for urgent, life-threatening conditions. For other needs, there are great health care options available in the community that provide timely care.”
Above all, she cherishes the privilege of helping patients and families through their most challenging moments. “It’s truly an honour to support patients during this time, to help them get answers, and to get them to the next stage of care – this is what drives our team every day.”
Natasha believes Dr. Brown’s presence has made a world of difference at Osler. “As Maya Angelou famously said, ‘People will never forget how you made them feel’. Dr. Brown really embodies this sentiment. She empowers team members to share ideas, challenges us thoughtfully and respectfully, and is always quick to recognize and celebrate our successes. I can’t wait to see how her visionary leadership continues to grow and elevate Osler’s emergency teams.”
Read about more Osler doctors making a difference.
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