Health care providers to take on senior Health PEI roles, focus on patient care and access

The Health PEI senior management group has been redesigned to better support patients and front-line staff, while improving access to health care services.

“We are moving to a co-management model where the larger divisions are co-led by both an administrative executive and a health care provider,” said Health PEI CEO Dr. Michael Mayne. “The inclusion of clinical leaders, who bring a wealth of training and experience and a deep understanding of physical and mental health care, will ensure greater involvement from health care providers in the decisions we make every day.”

Under the new structure, health care providers will oversee four clinical divisions, including:

·        Family & Community Medicine and Hospital Services West

·        Emergency Health Services, Long-Term Care and Hospital Services East

·        Mental Health and Addictions Services

·        Nursing, Allied Health and Patient Experience

Designed as a co-management model, the three largest health care divisions under the new structure – Family & Community Medicine and Hospital Services West; Emergency Health Services, Long-Term Care and Hospital Services East; and, Mental Health and Addictions Services – will be co-led by a practicing clinician and senior health executive with expertise and experience in that area.

A new Nursing, Allied Health and Patient Experience division will be a critical resource to fellow senior management members overseeing health care services.
The organizational structure will also include corporate portfolios that support day-to-day functions such as operations, quality, safety and accreditation.  
“The new team will focus on better outcomes for Islanders, enhancing patient care and front-line support, and identifying opportunities to be more innovative in the way we deliver health care to improve access for Islanders,” added Dr. Mayne. The new team will be working on priority areas such as acute and primary care.

The operational changes will come into effect on Monday, June 20.

Background:

The new Senior Management Group members overseeing the clinical divisions are:

Dr. Andre Celliers, MBChB, CCFP
Chief – Family & Community Medicine and Hospital Services West

Dr. Andre Celliers received his medical training in South Africa, where he was born and raised. He has been a practicing family medicine in Canada since 1998, first in the province of Manitoba before he moved to Summerside in 2003.

Working as a family physician in Summerside, Dr. Celliers carried a family practice and supported in-patient care as a hospitalist. He has held such administrative positions as Medical Director for Primary Care, Medical Director for Prince County Hospital and, most recently, Medical Director – PEI West.  In this most recent administrative role, Dr. Celliers was responsible for overseeing physician services at Prince County Hospital, Community Hospital in O’Leary, Western Hospital in Alberton and for the primary care networks in both East and West Prince.

Currently, Dr. Celliers is the Chair of the Provincial Medical Advisory Committee. He is also involved in various Health PEI programs. He has a passion for sustainable health care and strengthening primary care.

Arlene Gallant-Bernard, BScN, RN, MEd, CHE, EC
Chief Administrative Officer – Family & Community Medicine and Hospital Services West

Arlene began her health care career in nursing over 35 years ago.  She holds a registered nursing diploma, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Masters in Adult Education and Certification in Operating Room Technique and Management. She is also a Certified Health Executive, an Executive Coach and Accreditation Consultant.

During her career, Arlene has held a variety of leadership positions in health care systems across Canada, including her present role as Chief Administrative Officer for Prince County Hospital and Community Hospitals – West.

Arlene has served in leadership roles on several provincial and national boards including the Canadian Nurses Association, Canadian Nurse Protective Society, Canadian Home Care Association, Canadian College of Health Leaders and the Association of Registered Nurses PEI.  She also has extensive experience educating and accrediting in health systems, both at a national and international level in more than ten countries. She is also a consultant surveyor with Accreditation Canada.

Dr. Tom Dorran, BSc, MBA, MD, CCFP (EM), FCFPC
Chief - Emergency Health Services, Long-Term Care and Hospital Services East
* Dr. Dorran will also be assuming the role of Executive Director of Medical Affairs in the interim

Born and raised in Victoria, BC, Dr. Dorran received a Doctor of Medicine from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, in 1994, followed by a Master of Business Administration in Executive Management from Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC, in 2005.

Throughout his 22-year career, Dr. Dorran has worked as an emergency department physician at hospitals in Sudbury (ON), Kamloops (BC) and Nanaimo (BC). He has also held senior administrative positions, including Chief of Emergency Department Medicine for the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, BC, Executive Director of Patient Safety, Clinical Innovation and Integration for the British Columbia Ministry of Health. He is also the former Executive Director for Medicine, Hospitalist, Emergency and Trauma programs for the Vancouver Island Health Authority, and former instructor for military Search and Rescue Technician program and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia.

In 2014, Dr. Dorran moved to Prince Edward Island to serve as Medical Director for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he also practices emergency department medicine. He was also recently named as Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine with Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine in Halifax, NS.  

Jamie MacDonald, B.Sc, MRT, MBA, CHE
Chief Administrative Officer - Emergency Health Services, Long-Term Care and Hospital Services East

Jamie MacDonald is the current Chief Administrative Officer for Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Community Hospitals – East. She has also held various senior Health PEI leadership positions, including Executive Director of Provincial Clinical Services and Provincial Director of Diagnostic Imaging Services.

Jamie is a registered Medical Radiation Technologist by trade. She holds a Masters of Business Administration (finance) from Ohio State University, a Bachelor of Science from Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, and a Certified Healthcare Executive designation (CHE) from the Canadian College of Health Service Executives (CCHSE).  Jamie is also a certified Lean Healthcare Black Belt practitioner, and a certified health care consultant surveyor with Accreditation Canada, having assessed health care systems across Canada and the Middle East.

Jamie brings over twenty years of clinical, educational and administrative leadership in both urban and rural settings.   She has also worked in private sector health care across North America, with extensive experience that includes health care marketing, new business development, and system integration.

Dr. Heather Keizer, BA, BSc, MD, FRCPC (Psychiatry), HPRT (Trauma)
Chief – Mental Health and Addictions Services

Raised in Charlottetown and Montague, PE, Dr. Keizer graduated from Dalhousie Medical School in Halifax, NS, with Doctor of Medicine and holds a Bachelor of Science (Nutrition) from the University of Prince Edward Island. She has also completed the Mastery Program in Refugee Trauma from Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, USA.

During her career she has worked as a faculty member with the Schools of Medicine at both Dalhousie University and the University of Western Ontario, and as the Chief of Psychiatry for Huron-Perth County in Stratford, ON. In 2006, Dr. Keizer moved back to Prince Edward Island where she has worked as a practicing psychiatrist at the Queen Elizabeth and Hillsborough Hospitals. She also serves as a consulting psychiatrist with the University of Prince Edward Island Student Health Centre, PEI Correctional Centre, McGill Centre and Murphy’s West Royalty Clinic.

Dr. Keizer has received numerous accolades throughout her career and has served as a member of several national and international boards and committees, including the Canadian Psychiatric Association Board of Directors, the Global Mental Health Network and the Fellowship Affairs Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Keizer has also been a member of the Cabinet for the Family Medicine Residency Program of Prince Edward Island since its inception in 2008 and is cross appointed to the Departments of Family Medicine and Psychiatry at Dalhousie University. Dr. Keizer has served as president of the PEI Learning Disabilities Association since 2013.

Verna Ryan, BSW, MSW, DHR
Chief Administrative Officer – Mental Health and Addictions Services

Raised in Kings County, PE, ‎Verna Ryan received her Masters in Social Work from McGill University in Montreal, QC, and a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from St. Thomas in Fredericton, NB.  She furthered her training with a certificate in Management Development from the University of Prince Edward Island and a diploma in Human Resources from Queens University in Kingston, ON.
Throughout her career with the Prince Edward Island Government, Verna has worked in the fields of child protection and corrections, where she managed adult and youth facilities for the province. Her interest in corrections led her to various roles with the federal government with Corrections Canada at the Addictions Research Centre in Montague, PE, and more recently with Veterans Affairs Canada where she worked as a national mental health consultant.

In 2014, Verna joined Health PEI to serve as Director of Mental Health and Addictions.

Marion Dowling, BScN, RN, MScN
Chief – Nursing, Allied Health and Patient Experience

Born and raised on Prince Edward Island, Marion Dowling holds a a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Prince Edward Island and Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of Ottawa in Ontario.

During her twenty year career in nursing, Marion worked as a registered nurse at Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague, PE, before beginning a nursing administrative career on Prince Edward Island that includes such roles as Director of Nursing for Kings County Memorial Hospital, Nursing Policy Consultant with the Department of Health and Social Services, Associate Director of Nursing (Clinical Services) for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Director of Nursing for the Queen Elizabeth and Hillsborough Hospitals. She is currently the Director of Nursing for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Professionally, Marion received the Canadian Nurses Association Order of Merit Award for Nursing Policy in 2008.  She also serves as chair of the Association of Registered Nurses Board of Examiners. Personally, she has many achievements in sport that includes competing and coaching nationally and internationally in hockey and ringette.

Media Contact:
Amanda Hamel
Health PEI
(902) 368-6135
ajhamel@gov.pe.ca