Introducing the new Chief of Paediatrics, Dr. Rebecca Woolnough, and her vision for paediatric care at Headwaters and in the community.
What brought you to Headwaters?
I was born at Headwaters in its earlier hospital location, and I grew up in the Caledon and Orangeville areas. During the pandemic, I learned that Headwaters was looking for a paediatrician and I felt strongly compelled to help. We happily traded our city condo and traffic for a garden and nicer pace of life in Dufferin County.
How would you describe what you do?
I am a general consulting paediatrician. I see patients from birth to 18 years of age both in the hospital and in the office. I help children with a wide range of medical, behavioural, developmental and mental health concerns.
In April 2023, I became the hospital’s Chief of Paediatrics. In this role as Chief, my primary goal is to expand services for children in our community. I have been working hard to recruit more paediatricians to Orangeville and to increase the breadth of services that we offer locally. There has already been some success on these fronts, but I have even higher aspirations for our department.
Since I came to Headwaters, we have expanded the paediatric team to two full-time and four part-time paediatricians, with plans underway to grow further. We have also initiated new programs which are at various stages of development, including a newborn jaundice follow up clinic, an Emergency Department urgent consult clinic, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunization program, and more.
Meanwhile, in fall of 2022, we opened the Orangeville Pediatric Clinic, steps away from the hospital at 150 Rolling Hills Drive. The Orangeville Pediatric Clinic represents the first time that all paediatricians affiliated with Headwaters are practicing under one roof. We offer consultations to help patients in the Dufferin County area who need a higher level of paediatric outpatient care. Within the first seven months we’ve opened our doors, we have already seen 1,000 patients. We are working hard to expand our services and to decrease our wait times.
What does it mean for you to lead the paediatric department at Headwaters?
It is highly meaningful and a privilege for me to do this work to help our patients, community and hospital.
Why do you love your job?
I have the best job! It’s a true pleasure to help children and their families. I also have the best coworkers. My paediatrician colleagues, our practice manager, Jennifer, and all the staff at Headwaters are all extremely caring and hard working.
To learn more about paediatric care at Headwaters, visit Headwaters Health Care Centre - Paediatrics