Mark Henderson says his new role at the region’s hospital will help bridge the gap between physicians and administration.
Officials with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre announced Henderson’s new role as executive vice-president of Chronic Disease Prevention and Management as well as regional vice-president for the Northwest Regional Cancer Program at a news conference Wednesday.
Henderson joined the hospital in 2008, led the development of the Interventional Cardiology Program, and held the position of medical director of the Cardiovascular and Stroke Program.
Henderson new role will mean he will be responsible for leading a number of programs including regional cancer, integrated cancer programs as well as the chronic disease prevention and management program.
On top of his administration duties, Henderson will continue with his practice once a day per week.
“I’m apprehensive because it’s a huge portfolio but I am also looking forward to the challenge,” Henderson said.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for a physician. Over the last 30 years, physicians have become disenfranchised in their own mind from hospital administration and leadership. There has been a split in many positions. One of the ways around that is having a physician in an administrative position. That’s what excites me about this.”
He said physicians tend to think they know how to run a hospital but don’t go into administrative roles in order to take care of those operations. He said he hopes to make some improvements in how the hospital runs.
Andrée Robichaud, president and CEO of TBRHSC, said they were happy to have Henderson in his new roles.
“I think the hospital has won the 649 lottery by having Henderson move into a part-time administrative role,” Robichaud said. “He has really good experience to move this organization forward.”
