Supervisor to oversee Brockville hospital

A longtime hospital administrator will oversee Brockville General Hospital for the immediate future, the Ontario government announced Thursday.

Kevin Empey, whose track record includes senior roles at Toronto and area institutions University Health Network, Peel Memorial Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital and Lakeridge Health, has been appointed BGH’s supervisor.

Empey’s appointment aims “to address the organizational challenges identified by the South East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) Board,” the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced on Thursday morning.

“Mr. Empey will take the necessary steps to improve the functioning of the hospital, which includes re-establishing a board,” the ministry added in a media release.

A chartered accountant and graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program, as well as a guest lecturer at the University of Toronto and York University, Empey served most recently as president and chief executive officer of Lakeridge Health in Oshawa from 2008 to 2016.

“In his role as Hospital Supervisor, Mr. Empey will have the authority to exercise all of the powers of the hospital board, the corporation, its officers and employees. He will start his work immediately and will report directly to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care,” the statement says. “Under Mr. Empey’s supervision, all hospital operations will continue.”

The appointment, initiated by the hospital’s board of governors, follows news the hospital has borrowed $5.3 million from the South East LHIN to cover its bills. The hospital faces an additional $4.2-million deficit for 2016.