Mission Statement

Our Mission

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is Canada's largest and foremost cardiovascular health centre dedicated to understanding, treating and preventing heart disease.

By combining the practice, science and teaching of cardiovascular medicine, we apply the latest insights, newest technology and most advanced expertise to deliver outstanding patient care, train the best cardiac specialists, coach allied health institutions in cardiac best practices, and pursue breakthrough research.

We serve the local, national and international community through cross-disciplinary cardiac caring, teaching and discovering, while placing the highest priority on the improved detection, management and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

We shape Canadian and global health care practices and standards by rethinking how cardiac care is administered, by developing and proving new therapies, and by putting proven treatment and prevention methods into wider use. We consider the human and economic toll of cardiovascular disease in shaping public and economic health policy, education and research.

Our Vision

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute strives to revolutionize our understanding and treatment of heart disease, and to play a leading role in eradicating it altogether.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in Canada and around the world. While survival rates are gradually increasing, the effects of heart disease and the need for long-term medical treatment diminish the quality of life for many people. We aim to develop effective, efficient and lasting heart disease management strategies.

We are at the forefront of modern cardiovascular science and medicine to understand better the causes of heart disease, including population risk factors, genetic predisposition and lifestyle. When heart disease is no longer considered an inevitable consequence of genetics or aging, it is ultimately preventable.

We seek to make a lasting contribution by developing new knowledge and translating discoveries into advanced treatment, detection and prevention of heart disease.

It Takes a Team

Today's cardiovascular health services take place in a complex and fast-changing medical and technological environment, with high expectations from a well-informed public. To move forward in this environment, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute has made collaboration and group practice the foundation of our work.

• All staff work as a team in delivering the highest quality cardiac care. This dedicated focus encompasses families as an integral component of the patient's health care.
• Multidisciplinary teams, whose members are experts in their field and at the forefront of medical and technical advances, carry out specialized caring, teaching and research.
• Specialists in every branch of cardiac care work in tandem to design and deliver heart health services that improve the survival rate and quality of life of heart disease patients.

What Sets Us Apart

We are passionate about curbing and eradicating heart disease. To put our passion into practice, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute is committed to the following principles:

• Patients come first: We measure success by our ability to respond to the needs of the patients, families and communities we serve. For instance, we provide services in English and French, we foster a warm, caring environment, and we ensure that we listen to and respect the needs of those whose health is entrusted to us.
• Inspiration is key: We recognize and rely upon the power of innovation and scientific discovery to make a difference in the lives of people and their communities.
• Collaboration is critical: All staff work together as a team based on mutual trust and respect. We exchange ideas, information and experiences as part of a dynamic group practice to complement diverse skills and knowledge and to take combined action.
• Build knowledge networks: We seek and maintain alliances with other health facilities, research institutions, universities, industry, government, and the private sector to better serve our patients and to advance all aspects of health care.
• Drive to succeed: We set and live up to the highest standards, while we embrace change as an opportunity to do better.