The following has been sent on behalf Dr. Ben Williams, Vice President Medicine, Quality, Research and Chief Medical Officer
It is with mixed emotions that I am sharing Dr. Keith Menard will be leaving his role as Executive Medical Director [EMD], Medical Staff Governance, effective July 31, to take on an exciting medical leadership opportunity outside of British Columbia. Keith has been an outstanding medical leader, and while I and Island Health will miss him, I am glad that he will continue to contribute to medical leadership in the Canadian public healthcare system.
Dr. Menard has accepted the role of Territorial Medical Director with Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA). In this role, Dr. Menard will be providing strategic direction to all health and social programs for the territories, as well as governance oversight for all medical staff.
Dr. Menard has been with Island Health since 2004 as a consultant paediatrician and has held many leadership roles within the organization. During this time, Dr. Menard has led several key initiatives. As the EMD for Medical Staff Governance he has been leading important work underway to redesign our medical leadership structure, to redefine our approach to respectful workplace concerns, and to improve engagement and open communication with medical staff across the island. As Department Head and Medical Director, Dr. Menard created the first departmental policies for governance and privileging, as well as our first departmental medical staff human resource plan. Through his work with HAMAC, Dr. Menard created the Medical Education Resource Committee to better support the educational needs of our medical staff, and our first education schedule for medical staff. Dr. Menard’s thoughtful approach to complex and difficult work, as well as his excellent repertoire of dad jokes, has been an incredible asset for Island Health, and he will be greatly missed.
Discussions are underway on how to best support the work of the Medical Staff Governance portfolio going forward.
Please join me in thanking Dr. Menard as well as wishing him well in his new role in the Northwest Territories.