Dr. John Cowell, once the province’s outspoken health care watchdog, is replacing the Alberta Health Services (AHS) Board of Directors as ordered by Premier Danielle Smith..On Thursday, Smith fired the AHS board and appointed Cowell to replace them..“We are pleased to have Dr. Cowell leading this important work. He has extensive knowledge of Alberta’s existing health-care system and AHS. I also wish to thank all the members of the AHS board of directors for their service and dedication to Albertans," Minister of Health Jason Copping said..Cowell has extensive experience as an executive leader in the fields of health and safety. He has served as official administrator for AHS, chief executive officer for the Health Quality Council of Alberta, and president and CEO of the Workers' Compensation Board..Prior to these appointments he held the position of corporate vice-president with NOVA Corporation of Alberta, where he was responsible for health, safety, and environment..According to Livingworks webiste, Cowell is also no stranger to education, he taught for more than 30 years as a clinical professor at the University of Calgary’s department of community health services, and published numerous papers on injury prevention. His focuses were on ways of improving access to safety, suicide prevention, and mental health resources at the population level..READ MORE: Smith fires entire AHS board, brings in Cowell to whip health care into shape.Cowell was charged with ensuring for years and generations to come, Albertans will be able to rely on their publicly funded health care system being there when and where they need it..To do that, Smith said Cowell will work on the following initiatives:.• Restore decision making to the local level and local health professionals..• Incentivize regional innovation to provide more medical services..• Attract substantially more health care professionals to Alberta..Long term reforms will mean results are not immediately available. However, progress and success on developing long-term reforms will be tracked by health service wait times and health professional-to-population ratios..During the news conference on Thursday Cowell spoke of an experience he had this past February with a broken leg.."Yes, I had an unfortunate fall. And a very bad fracture of my left leg," Cowell said.."And one of the things that struck me as I lay there in the mud, getting hypothermia waiting for the arrival of the ambulance was how is this? What's the big deal with the system? Am I going to get help soon.? And what's it going to look like? And how fast am I going to get into proper care? That's where the patient's coming from.".Cowell told reporters his pathway with AHS after his fall.."From 911 first contact, into the ground ambulance, into the ER, out of the ER, into a bed, waiting for surgery, getting surgery, back to home," Cowell said about his ordeal.."Well I don't recommend you try it, but it's one heck of a good way to find out what you're up against. And I'm glad to be in that position. And I actually didn't like the experience but I'm grateful in some weird way that I had it.".As the official administrator of AHS, Alberta's government says Cowell will be able to drive much-needed change faster than the current AHS governance model, while keeping the health of Albertans as the top priority..Cowell will report back to Albertans in 90 days on the progress made through the AHS Reform Plan..“I am ready to get to work on behalf of Albertans, building a better system to support patients needing care. I look forward to working with the AHS team and taking tangible actions to drive much-needed change," Cowell said.
