Takes over this fall from Francine Dupuis, a “role model” and “inspiration”
Lucie Tremblay still vividly recalls the scene at Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre in December, 2020. In a dramatic and highly anticipated moment, teams from our CIUSSS came together to begin delivering the city’s first COVID-19 vaccines.
“We had spent so many months of darkness with no tools to face the virus,’ Ms. Tremblay says. “This was finally a ray of hope. And it was the most beautiful example of teamwork I’ve ever seen.”
That spirit of collaboration, which enabled the CIUSSS to assemble “a team of teams” from several directorates in a matter of days, continues to inspire Ms. Tremblay—and give her reassurance that she’s building on a solid foundation as she prepares to become the next Associate CEO of CIUSSS West-Central Montreal. She takes over in the fall from Francine Dupuis, who has held the position since the CIUSSS came into existence in 2015.
Ms. Tremblay’s belief in teamwork is summed up in an African proverb that she likes to quote: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
The motto has served her throughout her career. Director of Nursing for our CIUSSS since 2019 and Director of Vaccination during the pandemic, Ms. Tremblay brings a wealth of experience to her new position. She was Director of Nursing and Specialized Services at Maimonides from 1998 to 2012 and at Donald Berman Jewish Eldercare Centre on an interim basis from 2005 to 2012. She earned the Nursing Leadership Award from the Canadian College of Health Leaders and Le prix Florence, Excellence des soins from the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec. Just before joining our CIUSSS, Ms. Tremblay served as President of the nursing group.
“I love working for CIUSSS West-Central Montreal because it’s really aligned with my values.
Now she says she’s excited to take on the challenge of her new position and to pursue patient-focused care.
“For me, it’s important to put the user—the patient, the client, the resident—at the centre of our concerns,” she explains. “I love working for CIUSSS West-Central Montreal because it’s really aligned with my values. In my new role, I think I’ll be in a position to go even further in developing projects, and that makes me very enthusiastic.”
Ms. Tremblay says that while the pandemic was extremely difficult for everyone, it also opened up opportunities to develop or expand tools such as telehealth, the Command Centre and the virtual ward, as well as remote meeting platforms such as Teams.
And it demonstrated that staff was able to better weather the crisis by pulling together.
“We got through the crisis because we were able to support one another. It gives me hope for the future,” she says. “I know we can make it when we work together.”
“Ms. Dupuis is a role model for a lot of people, myself included.”
Ms. Tremblay reserves high praise for Ms. Dupuis, describing her as a woman of courage and conviction.
“Ms. Dupuis is very inspiring. All her life, she’s fought to make sure that the most vulnerable received the care they’re entitled to,” Ms. Tremblay says.
That vision was applied in numerous settings across our network—rehabilitation clients who relied on our programs, patients in the community who depended on primary care, asylum seekers who counted on the services of staff at PRAIDA, and more.
“She’s a role model for a lot of people,” Ms. Tremblay says, “myself included.”
Ms. Tremblay assumes her new role on October 1, when Ms. Dupuis begins her retirement.
* Read more about Ms. Tremblay in JGH News
* Watch Lucie Tremblay recount the turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to inspire her.
