New hospital boss knows both sides of system

The new president and CEO of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is returning to a hospital setting after spending time in communitybased health care.

Lori Marshall, CEO of the Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre, was announced Friday as the new leader of the Health Alliance. She starts her new job on March 1, 2017, and will spend a month with interim CEO Ken Deane, who will assist with the transition.

“The majority of my health care experience has been in the hospital sector,” Marshall told The Chatham Daily News Friday.

A pharmacist by training, along with being a certified health executive, this is Marshall’s third appointment as a CEO, with the first being in 2005 with the Nipigon District Memorial Hospital. She also held vice-president roles at Oshawa General Hospital and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

She said the Health Alliance’s reputation for high quality care and a familiarity with the team at the Alliance drew her interest.

“I knew ... with confidence there would be some wonderful folks to work with from the medical staff, through the hospital staff and the volunteers and the Foundation (of CKHA),” Marshall said.

From a personal perspective, she said her family made the decision to move here a few years ago “and have come to love the Chatham-Kent area.”

Rob Devitt, the supervisor appointed to the CKHA after an investigator was brought in last summer regarding concerns with governance and financial issues, said Marshall stood out from the other candidates for her experience, and more importantly, her leadership style.

“Leadership is both a science and art and what Lori brings to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is, I think, just outstanding experience on both the scientific part of leadership and the artistic side,” Devitt said.

He cited the work Marshall did to turn around the CCAC, which was a “very challenged organization when she stepped in a few years ago and has completely turned it around.”

Devitt noted the Erie St. Clair CCAC is now a top performer in the province thanks to Marshall, adding, “I’m confident she’ll bring that to the hospitals.”

With the push for more community-based health care, Marshall brings a perspective from both sides of the health-care system.

“One of the things that we know is that we really need to pay a lot of attention to transitions of care when someone moves from hospital into the home,” she said. “That’s a point where we need to make sure we’re always doing our best and I think that my experience will help to build that bridge even better.”

Marshall said she’s learned “it’s important that the people who deliver the care and service are involved in identifying the answers to any of the questions” that exist.

She added it’s also important to have the engagement and involvement with patients and family members, “to understand what their needs and expectations are.”

Marshall said her first priorities will be to ensure that “I truly understand both the organization and the community from the hospital’s perspective.”

She added she will also get a handle on where the Alliance is sitting financially, as well as existing growth opportunities.

Marshall said it’s too soon to wade into the conversation about the hospital’s $2-million deficit, noting the issue is being addressed.

However, she added, “I very much support a benchmarking approach ... looking at how the hospital compares with other hospitals that offer similar services.”