SMH Announces new Chief of Staff
[New Tecumseth, ON – December 6, 2021] Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) is pleased to announce Dr. Jaco Scheeres MBChB, Dip(OBS)SA, FRCS(C), as its new Chief of Staff. Dr. Scheeres is currently the Chief of Obstetrics at SMH and will transition to his new role in January, 2022. Dr. Scheeres will continue to support the Obstetrics Unit while in his role as Chief of Staff, as well as Gynecology Clinic and limited surgeries, providing high quality health care services to the community.
“I am very happy to bring Dr. Scheeres on board as part of our Senior Leadership Team at SMH,” says Jody Levac, President and CEO, SMH. “Dr. Scheeres is a well-respected physician in our community and beyond with over 30 years of experience in practicing obstetrics. He has held numerous leadership roles in his health care career that will be beneficial to the expertise he will bring to the table, and I know he will continue to champion and support the much-needed redevelopment of our hospital. It was a unanimous decision by our Board of Directors and I thank the members of the selection committee for their diligence and hard work during the recruitment and selection process,” he adds.
Under the leadership of Dr. Scheeres, with the help of dedicated nurses, midwives, respiratory therapists and physicians, the obstetrics department has continued to provide excellent care to the community and has almost doubled the number of deliveries per year since he joined SMH in 2015. As Chief of Staff, Dr. Scheeres will provide medical leadership to SMH’s clinical departments and will be responsible for ensuring the efficient management and high quality medical services that align with the hospital’s strategic plan.
Dr. Scheeres was born and raised in South Africa and moved to Canada in 1995. He established a busy family practice in Manitoba where he had a large obstetrical patient population. He completed five years of residency at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Scheeres developed an interest in Maternal-Fetal medicine and in 2002 was awarded for the best resident research paper in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University of Manitoba. His work was recognized nationally by the Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health. His research was published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Canada. He is currently practicing in family medicine in Barrie and is a consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology at SMH. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at McMaster University.
Dr. Scheeres will be replacing Dr. Barry Nathanson as Chief of Staff at SMH who has held the role since December, 2016. The hospital thanks Dr. Nathanson for his dedication as an instrumental leader during his tenure, in particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the opening of the new HAU (High Acuity Unit). Dr. Nathanson will continue his role as Medical Director, Critical Care Services at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket.
