Thank you, Chair.
I'd like to thank all the witnesses who have agreed, and so willingly volunteered their time and expertise, to contribute to today's discussions and the democracy of Canada.
I'd like to start by directing questions towards our witness Dr. Pichora, from Kingston. However, before I get into specific questions, allow me a few minutes to highlight that under his leadership, Kingston Health Sciences Centre has successfully brought together two of Canada's oldest operating hospitals. Dr. Pichora serves, as he mentioned, as president and CEO of Kingston Health Sciences Centre, an academic tertiary care centre serving people all across Ontario. He's a respected orthopaedic surgeon, CEO and professor, and a true pioneer in his field.
Congratulations and thank you for all the work you have done, Dr. Pichora.
As to my first question today, could you perhaps speak to the complexity and the costs of hospital services? The physicians shortage is most acutely appreciated in rural areas of our country, like my home riding of Hastings—Lennox and Addington. The need for highly specialized individuals has never been higher.
Furthermore, could you possibly elaborate on and speak to the interconnectedness of our health care system, along with the mutual dependencies of hospitals and those of community services?