PRESS RELEASE / COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE

Regional Health Authority A introduces its new senior management team

Bathurst, July 30, 2008 – The President and CEO of Regional Health Authority A, Ms. Andrée Robichaud, today announced the organizational structure of this new entity, which will result from the amalgamation of Health Authority 4 (Edmundston), the Restigouche Health Authority, the ACADIE-BATHURST Health Authority, and the Beauséjour Regional Health Authority.

She also disclosed the names of some members of the new senior management team that will be leading Regional Health Authority A when it becomes operational on September 1, 2008.  “This team is very strong in terms of leadership and possesses in-depth experience with the New Brunswick health care system.  I am thrilled to be able to count on such a combination of remarkably talented and devoted individuals from several regions of the province,” the CEO declared.  “It’s impressive to realize that our team possesses a combined total of over 150 years of experience in the health care field.”

In addition to the President and CEO, the senior administration team will consist of the:

Executive Vice-President, Acute Care Facilities: Lise Gerrette-Daigle was Vice-President of Nursing and Patient Care for the Beauséjour Regional Health Authority from 1990 to 2008. In her new capacity, she will be responsible for managing and evaluating the acute care and clinical programs delivered by the regional hospitals. She will be supported by a team comprised of the five executive directors from Edmundston Regional Hospital, Campbellton Regional Hospital, Chaleur Regional Hospital, the Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital, and the Restigouche Hospital Centre.  

Vice-President, Planning, Quality and Privacy: Lise Roy was Vice-President of Planning and Evaluation for Regional Health Authority 4 from 2005 to 2008 for the Regional Health Authority 4.  In her new capacity, she will be responsible for strategic planning, research and innovation, the management and protection of health information, utilization management and decision support, risk management and patient safety, clinical records, emergency measures, tele-health, infection control, and accreditation.    

Vice-President, Human Resources: Aline Johanns was Director of Human Resources from 1999 to 2007 for the Beauséjour Regional Health Authority.  In her new capacity, she will be responsible for all human resource support functions such as labour relations, recruitment and retention strategies, the new employee orientation and loyalty program, the employee assistance program, wellness in the workplace, the compensation strategy, occupational health and safety, employee development and continuing education, and health care library services.

Vice-President, Primary Health Care: Suzanne Robichaud was Director of Telehealth and Research for the Beauséjour Regional Health Authority from 1998 to 2008.  In her new capacity, she will be responsible for the delivery of primary care through Regional Health Authority A’s community health centres, health clinics, and health centres, as well as its hospitals located in Grand Falls, Saint-Quentin, Caraquet, Tracadie-Sheila, Lamèque and Sainte-Anne-de-Kent. The Vice-president, Primary Health Care will be a leader in health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and chronic disease management.

Vice-President, Community Health Services:  Claire Dennie was Director of the Extra-Mural Program and Rehabilitation Services from 2000 to 2008 for the Restigouche Health Authority.  In her new capacity, she will be responsible for community mental health, addiction treatment services, the Extra-Mural Program, and public health.

Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services: Joey Caissie was Vice President of Finance and Corporate Services from 1988 to 2008 for the Beauséjour Regional Health Authority.  In his new capacity, he will be responsible for all of RHA A’s financial functions: budget, cash flow management, and financial statements.  He will also be responsible for support services such as facility management, housekeeping, food services, information systems, material management, biomedical engineering, and laundry. 

Vice-President, Professional and Diagnostic Services: Stéphane Legacy was Acting CEO from 2007 to 2008 for the ACADIE-BATHURST Health Authority. In his new capacity, he will be responsible for all professional and diagnostic services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, respiratory therapy, psychology, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, nutrition, audiology, recreology, the laboratory, and diagnostic imaging.

Vice-President, Medical Services: Doctor René LaMontagne has been practicing medicine in the Restigouche region for over 20 years.  In his new capacity, he will be responsible for the organization and administration of medical practice within Regional Health Authority A, for the Medical and Dental Staff in particular, for the clinical duties of physicians and dentists within the Health Authority’s facilities, for the medical directors of hospital facilities, for medical service secretarial support, and for liaison with the Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick.

Chief Integration Officer: Bernadette Thériault was Vice-President of Community Health Services from 2003 to 2008 for the ACADIE-BATHURST Health Authority.  In her new capacity, she will be responsible for leading Regional Health Authority A to a harmonious transition of its operating procedures and thereby help make its mission and vision a reality.  Her mandate will be to support the President and CEO in integrating key areas of the organization, such as communications, human resources, budget processes, and clinical services.

Executive Director, Communications and Public Relations: Jean-René Noël was Director of Communications from 2003 to 2008 for the Restigouche Health Authority.  In his new capacity, he will be responsible for internal and external communication strategies, public and media relations, social marketing campaigns and advertising, official languages, and official events.

Mrs. Andrée Robichaud also announced that under Regional Health Authority A’s organizational structure, an executive director will be responsible for each of the organization’s five main regional hospital facilities.  Thus, Edmundston Regional Hospital, Campbellton Regional Hospital, Chaleur Regional Hospital, the Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital, and the Restigouche Hospital Centre will each have an executive director.  These five people will be members the senior management team and will be responsible for the delivery of acute care in the hospital facilities of Regional Health Authority A in addition to managing day to day activities of these facilities and assuming a role of global management for human resources and materials.

With the CEO, a key local responsibility for the executive directors will be to maintain an effective connection with the foundations, auxiliaries, volunteers and all local stakeholders within the zone.

Executive Director of the Edmundston Regional Hospital: Pierre Verret was Vice-President of Finance and Corporate Service from 1997 to 2008 for the Regional Health Authority 4. 

Executive Director of the Chaleur Regional Hospital: Daniel Paré was Vice-President of Professional Services and Support Services from 2007 to 2008 for the ACADIE-BATHURST Health Authority.

Executive Director of the Restigouche Hospital Centre: Bertrand Collin was Director of Mental Health Services, of Addiction Treatment Services, and Facility Director of the Restigouche Hospital Centre from 2003 to 2008 for the Restigouche Health Authority.

Facility director positions will be maintained in the other hospitals.   The Vice-President of Primary Health Care will ensure that vacant positions are filled as soon as possible.

The positions of Chief Nursing Officer and Executive Director of the Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital will be filled by open competition.  As for the Campbellton Regional Hospital, the position of Executive Director should be filled shortly.