We are pleased to welcome Dr. Tara Burra as the new Medical Director of Quality, Experience, and Safety at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
As CAMH’s first Medical Director of Quality, Experience, and Safety, Dr. Burra is focused on building integrated systems that strengthen patient safety, clinical quality, and overall experience. She works closely with the Director of Quality, Experience, and Safety to gather feedback from patients and families, review safety incidents, support accreditation efforts, and lead organizational change related to improving the experience of care of patients and families through data informed and evidence-based best practices. Her approach is rooted in transparency, continuous learning, and strengthening care coordination across the hospital and health system.
“At the heart of our work is the patient and family experience,” says Dr. Burra. “Our goal is to strengthen the relationship between safety, experience, and quality, and to implement services that fully integrate all three—delivering the best possible care most effectively and efficiently. By working closely with hospital teams and health system partners, we can create a truly coordinated system of care that ensures every patient can access the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
Dr. Burra’s passion for quality improvement is deeply personal. As the mother of a child with complex medical needs, she brings both professional and lived experience to her work. “Supporting my daughter has profoundly shaped who I am as a physician and inspired my commitment to quality improvement,” she shares. “I understand firsthand the challenges patients and families face, and that perspective drives my passion to make healthcare better for everyone.”
Dr. Burra brings a strong background in psychiatry, quality improvement, and patient safety. She completed her medical degree and Psychiatry residency at the University of Toronto, following a Master’s degree in health geography, and pursued additional certifications in quality improvement and patient safety. In addition to her academic work in these areas, she has held several leadership roles, including Physician Lead in Quality Improvement at Sinai Health and Service Head for Adult Ambulatory Services at Unity Health Toronto. In addition to her new role at CAMH, she is the Education Lead at the Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety at the University of Toronto and a co-lead of the Quality, Innovation, and Safety Hub in the Department of Psychiatry.
Since joining CAMH in July 2024, Dr. Burra has already introduced several key initiatives to build on CAMH’s strong foundation of quality and safety. One of her first major projects is establishing the Quality Improvement (QI) Academy—a new hub to enhance staff skills, inspire meaningful changes in care, and build upon existing quality improvement knowledge across the organization. One of its flagship initiatives, the Q-ImPaCT Fellowships, provides funding for physicians, nurses, and allied health staff to complete an advanced certificate at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety. With a strong emphasis on patient and family involvement, the academy will serve as a leading hub for innovation in mental health and addiction care, while also developing a larger group of quality improvement experts at CAMH.
When reflecting on what drew her to CAMH, Dr. Burra highlights the hospital’s longstanding commitment to involving patients and families. She points to programs like Gifts of Light, funded entirely by donations, which go beyond clinical care to meet patients’ broader wellness needs. “One of the first groups I met with was Gifts of Light,” she says. “Programs like these foster supportive connections and a sense of fulfillment, enhancing the overall care experience for patients. They are a true strength of CAMH’s community.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Burra is excited about the future. “The commitment to quality and safety here is truly inspiring,” she says. “I’m grateful for the warm welcome and look forward to continuing this important work alongside such passionate and dedicated colleagues.”
