This is the seventh in a series of articles in partnership with NewmarketToday highlighting 100 years of care and community as Southlake Regional Health Centre celebrates its centennial this year.
Over the past century, Southlake Regional Health Centre has undergone remarkable evolutions to deliver leading-edge care to the communities it proudly serves. These communities have grown rapidly, especially in recent years when they were recognized as some of the fastest growing communities in Canada. Southlake has never shied away from a challenge, working tirelessly to create the best experiences.
From specialized new services to state-of-the-art facilities, as well as generations of families who have received care, welcomed new members or found healing and comfort at the hands of expert medical staff, Southlake has continued to innovate, excel and thrive.
As Southlake transitioned from a local community hospital to a sought-after provider of world-class care for the entire region — even solidifying this growth by changing its name from York County Hospital in 1998 —a constant throughout its journey has been a willingness to evolve and transform. At the same time, it has remained committed to the core values and identity that have defined it from the beginning.
This balance was one Dan Carriere and Arden Krystal navigated and upheld through each of their tenures as president and CEO of Southlake.
“We needed to transform the organization, not just improve it," Carriere emphasized about his mindset upon joining Southlake in February 1994. "Instead of making incremental changes or simply sticking to the status quo, we needed to evolve the DNA of the hospital to position ourselves as a health-care leader and drive a bolder vision for our future. That was a big shift.”
During his 17 years at the helm, Carriere actively fostered this type of evolution, turning it into one of Canada’s leading health-care campuses. He rallied the community behind some of Southlake’s most significant milestones, including the creation of the regional cardiac program, the opening of the regional cancer centre and extensive physician recruitment from across Canada.
When Krystal assumed the role in 2017, she took up the mantle of driving transformation while maintaining the essence of what Southlake was known and loved for.
“Whenever I've gone into a position, I've always made it a priority to preserve what is good and revitalize what needs to be changed," she said. "There is a really important core that keeps Southlake going through good times and bad, and it is that core I strived to protect and strengthen with every decision I made.”
To build on that fundamental core, Krystal also championed improvement and innovation as CEO. From expanding the mental health unit with state-of-the-art equipment to navigating the COVID-19 pandemic to launching the innovative Southlake@Home program for seniors within the community, she put her commitment to progressive and compassionate health care into action, helping shape the organization's future.
Throughout their tenure, each CEO saw hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life come through Southlake's doors as patients, visitors, staff, medical staff and volunteers. In their roles, they sought to create the best experience for everyone, and while each CEO approached things differently thanks to their unique perspectives and experience, they both agree on what makes Southlake so special — its people.
“At the end of the day, it was the people who delivered the quality of care and services at Southlake,” Carriere shared. “We always made it a top priority to nurture a culture of open communication where our doctors, nurses and staff felt valued and heard. When people saw their input shaping our direction, they felt hope for Southlake's future. That's when real transformation took root across the organization."
Krystal added, “As a leader, your vision and plans are just words on a page if you don't have the skills, dedication and buy-in of everyone who makes up the fabric of the hospital. It’s important to listen to people and engage them directly in decision-making. Because they are the true heartbeat of Southlake, their compassion, expertise and commitment to our communities allow us to deliver outstanding care every day.”
Though both have moved on, Carriere and Krystal still consider themselves part of the Southlake community and are enthusiastic about where the organization will go in the coming years. Southlake is in the process of developing a new strategy that will guide the organization into the future and chart a course for the next 100 years of leading edge care in its communities.
As they watch with pride at the evolutions the organization will continue to make as it moves into its next century of care, the balance they each struck between transformation and tradition during their time as CEO still resonates for the Southlake of the future.
“At the end of the day, it's about creating an environment where people feel valued, heard and unified behind a shared purpose and common vision,” Krystal emphasized. “Whether it’s our team across the hospital, the patients and families we serve or the broader community who rely on our care, these voices matter and their needs must be prioritized with every step forward Southlake will take. That's when we can achieve truly remarkable things together.”
For 100 years and counting, Southlake has built healthy communities through leading edge care with an unwavering pride for people, place and performance. To celebrate its centennial anniversary, Southlake is revisiting some of its hallmark stories and achievements over the years through the Southlake 100 series. Learn more about Southlake’s esteemed history and how they’re celebrating throughout the year at www.southlake.ca.
