Interior Health has officially appointed Sylvia Weir as its new permanent CEO, following her interim leadership since June.
“I am thrilled to take on this opportunity on a full-time basis,” said Weir, who is taking over the position previously held by Susan Brown.
Weir has experience working with healthcare authorities, having previously led IH's finance and infrastructure teams and managed relationships with external partners.
Weir says so far she has spent her time interacting with communities, doctors and staff throughout the Southern Inland region. Despite her optimism, she admits the road ahead will not be easy.
“There are problems – there's no doubt about that,” she said.
These issues have brought Interior health care under scrutiny in recent years. From hospital staffing shortages to service disruptions, health authorities are facing increasing pressure to rebuild trust.
BC Conservative MP Gavin Dew, who represents Kelowna-Mission, says it's time for a fresh start.
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“I choose to be optimistic and believe this is an opportunity for a reset,” Dew said. “We clearly need to restore trust and confidence in the system, both for the people within it and those who depend on it.”
Kelowna General Hospital's pediatric ward was forced to close this summer due to staffing shortages, part of a broader problem also affecting the maternity ward. Weir says health authorities are rolling out a new mat-child-youth program aimed directly at meeting these needs.
“This program covers infants from the beginning of life through childhood and adolescence,” Weir said. “We have problems with the mental health of young people and also with parents and mothers who need care.”
But the problems lie deeper. A physician shortage continues to close emergency departments across the region. Weir says she has been meeting with local leaders to better tailor recruitment and care models to each community's unique needs.
“I met with mayors and asked: “Which model is right for you?” – she said. “What do you want to tell potential recruits about your community? We create unique programs in different locations.”
Burnout, safety concerns and the sacrifices of caring for patients also weigh down frontline staff, especially emergency physicians, who say their concerns often go unheard.
“I am very aware of these issues,” Weir said. “And there are very real safety concerns, particularly in some of our departments. Those will be a focus as we move forward.”
For Dew, that commitment can't come soon enough.
“I'm not going to stop advocating that the people who work in the system and the people who rely on it can have confidence that it actually works correctly,” he said.
And this message may finally find a response. Repairing relationships and restoring trust is exactly what Weir says she strives for as the new CEO of Interior Health.
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