The panel discussion on the role of entrepreneurship in transforming healthcare delivery took place at the Telfer School of Management on November 28, 2019.  The event attracted over 40 participants from academia, regional hospitals, government and private sector.  The panelists included:

• Professor Ralf Wilden, Associate Professor of Strategy & Innovation, Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Australia. Professor Wilden provided insights into the role entrepreneurship can play in healthcare.
• Dr. Robin Boushey, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Ottawa, Medical Director of the Ottawa Gastrointestinal Institute, Champlain LHIN.  Dr. Boushey, drawing on his own entrepreneurial experience, presented practical side of entrepreneurship.
• Dr. Joel Werier – Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Ottawa, Medical Director, Ontario Workers Network.  Dr. Werier discussed novel province-wide initiative called Ontario Workers Network involving multiple providers.
• Dr. Angel Arnaout – Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Ottawa, Associate Scientist, Cancer Therapeutics Program.  Dr. Arnaout shared with the audience her perpective on private-public partnerships in improving care delivery.
• Mr. Sanjay Shah – Founder and President ExecHealth Ottawa.  Mr. Shah discussed how private provider of care might coexist with publicly funded healthcare system.

The discussion that followed was moderated by Dr. Michael Fung-Kee-Fung, Co-Director, Telfer Health Transformation Exchange; Cross Appointed Professor with the Telfer School of Management; Surgical Oncologist, The Ottawa Hospital.  The audience raised questions ranging from a mix of privately and publicly-funded care delivery, through creation of specialized care delivery enterprises (i.e. imaging, colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc.) within the publicly funded system, to organizational capacity to unleash entrepreneurial spirit.  All participants agreed that there is a need for similar events in the future.