New Health P.E.I. CEO says stabilizing the system is her top priority
Melanie Fraser began her role on March 11, taking over the job previously held by Dr. Michael Gardam
Melanie Fraser knows being the CEO of Health P.E.I. is a big job, but says she's got the experience that's needed to help transform the Island's health-care system.
Fraser started in the job March 11, replacing former CEO Dr. Michael Gardam and taking the reins from interim boss Corinne Rowswell.
She comes to the Island from Ontario, where she was the associate deputy minister of health during the time Ontario Health was created.
Fraser has experience in what she calls "system transformation."
"There's a lot of stress right now, and a lot of it related to health human resources," she said in an interview with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin. "So priority one is really going to be to think about how do we stabilize quickly so that we can get refocused on our priorities going forward."
Fraser breaks that stabilization down into three categories: recruitment and retention, critical care capacity and workforce satisfaction.
"Health-care workers are some of the most committed and hard-working people," Fraser said. "I really want to ensure that I get a chance to talk to them, hear from them and learn how we can provide some relief."
Benefits of a small Island
Despite taking over the helm a health-care system that's repeatedly been called "in crisis," Fraser said taking the job was an incredible opportunity.
"Some people may look at the Island's small population and rural geography as a challenge," she said. "I actually think it's a huge asset and a fantastic opportunity to leverage. We can be more nimble in making change."
Fraser hopes because of the Island's size, it will be easier to talk with all stakeholders in the province to work collaboratively toward solutions.
"The perfect example of that is the patient medical homes," she said. "They're an absolute feature and I think most health-care systems would be jealous to have them in such a position as they are here."
In terms of recruitment, Fraser said she's been given full authority to make changes. But the problem right now is that nearly every health-care system in the world is recruiting.
So, Fraser hopes to change the way recruitment works in the first place.
"There's a fantastic opportunity here to add an Island touch," she said. "There's a reason my family and I are coming here — this is a fantastic island, a fantastic place to live. And so I think the marketing part of this is really easy."
Building up resources
Amid a closure of the intensive care unit at Summerside's Prince County Hospital, Fraser says she doesn't have any desire to reduce the number of hospitals operating here.
"In a diverse island with small local communities, you need to make sure that services are available in the communities when and where they're needed," she said.
Fraser said in some areas, like critical care and obstetrics, there needs to be even more resources to create excess. While there's no plan for consolidating services, Fraser said she wants to look at things from a provincial perspective.
That relates back to the plans for UPEI's new medical school, which Fraser said she supports. She said the expansion of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine led to recruiting more doctors to small, rural communities.
"I do feel like this is the solution to end being in this constant cycle of needing to recruit," she said. "That being said, it's a complex undertaking."
Fraser said she'll be working closely with the faculty's dean, Dr. Preston Smith, over the coming months.
Transformational changes
Fraser said her strategy is to work collaboratively, and feels like her work navigating supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic will help in her new role.
"I mean, there's a difference between personal protective equipment and human resources. I would say human resources needs a higher touch, personal approach," she said.
"But I think some of the same concerns about making sure you can work that system from end to end, you know where all the handoffs are, and that you have all the appropriate safety mechanisms built in."
The new CEO says she had an opportunity to chat with Gardam, and that the Island was lucky to have a physician leader through the past few years of the pandemic.
"But I think my experience leading system transformation, working closely and collaboratively between governments and Crown agencies, positions me well to know how to navigate a system, to get these big transformational changes to happen."
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With files from CBC News: Compass