Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has removed Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw from her position..Dr. Mark Joffe is now the chief medical officer of health for the province. Joffe is currently the vice-president and medical director for Cancer Care Alberta, Clinical Support Services and Provincial Clinical Excellence for Alberta Health Services..“Dr. Joffe has dedicated himself to improving the health of Albertans throughout his career. He brings this wealth of experience and knowledge to the role of chief medical officer of health. I look forward to working with him. I also wish to thank Dr. Deena Hinshaw for her service and dedication to Albertans through the past several years,” said Health Minister Jason Copping..“I am honoured to be asked to take on the chief medical officer of health role for our province. I have always put the needs of my patients first and foremost throughout my career, which will continue as I take on this new challenge. I want to thank Minister Copping for giving me this opportunity,” said Joffe in a statement..Joffe has worked with the former Capital Health and now Alberta Health Services for more than 25 years..A Calgary native, Joffe graduated with his doctor of medicine from the University of Calgary in 1982. He achieved a specialist certificate in internal medicine and a certificate of special competence in infectious diseases from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 1986 and 1989, respectively. He pursued further studies through a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta and the Stanford University School of Medicine between 1989 and 1993..Joffe’s interim appointment takes effect Nov. 14 and will continue until the minister of health rescinds the appointment. He will continue in his current contract with AHS, with no additional compensation for the chief medical officer of health role..Smith hinted she would be replacing Hinshaw at a press conference on Monday. .“We’ll be making an announcement in that regard in the coming days, and we’ll make sure that the advice that school boards and parents need to receive will be received by the chief medical officer of health,” she said. .A reporter asked if people will be hearing from Hinshaw. She said people will be hearing from the Alberta chief medical officer of health, not naming her. .She said more changes to AHS will be coming this week..Smith said on Oct. 11 her first order of business is to to relieve Hinshaw of her duties and stated she will no longer be taking advice from her. .READ MORE: Smith says she won't be listening to Hinshaw for advice.She said she was looking for a new chief medical officer and reinforcements would be coming for frontline healthcare workers. ."We cannot continue understaffing our hospitals and then forcing our frontline workers to work mandatory overtime and be called in on days off and have to cancel their holidays," she said. .Smith released her plan to make changes to AHS in September, which would prevent patients from being treated on hospital floors as staff and ICU shortages continue..READ MORE: Smith releases overview of proposed AHS reform.“AHS executive management failed Albertans during the COVID response,” she said. .She said she would hire a new, competent, and capable AHS CEO. The AHS board would be replaced with an interim health commissioner for at least the next year, who will report to the premier and health minister.
