March 4, 2022
-Global News
Dr. Vernu Yiu is no longer the president and CEO of Alberta Health Services.
AHS announced in a news release Monday morning the departure of Yiu and the beginning of a process to replace her as president and CEO of AHS “as the health-care system shifts to pandemic recovery and renewal.”
“We are very grateful for Dr. Yiu’s tireless leadership through the worst days of the pandemic, and we thank her for her years of dedicated service and commitment to AHS and to Albertans,” board chair Gregory Turnbull said in a news release.
“We have been planning for an orderly transition.”
Yiu has been the president and CEO of AHS since 2016. Her contract was extended in June 2021 for an additional two years. At the time, AHS said it could be further extended. Her annual salary was $573,841.
“I have had the extraordinary privilege to lead Alberta Health Services for the past six plus years,” Yiu said in a news release. “I would like to thank all staff, physicians and volunteers for their steadfast care of Albertans and their ability to put patients and families first, particularly as we have navigated through the past two pandemic years.
“I took on this role in 2016 because I saw an opportunity to further solidify culture, teamwork, and excellence within the organization. I believed that we could develop better relationships with our patients and families, and with Alberta communities. I am so proud and grateful for all AHS team members as well as our advisory groups and councils, and all the foundations who support AHS.”
Further details of Yiu’s departure were not released by AHS.
AHS said a committee was formed several months ago and a search for Yiu’s replacement is already underway.
“There has always been a plan to transition leadership, and on behalf of the board, we thank Dr. Yiu, her leadership team, and every AHS employee,” Turnbull said.
“We are excited about the future, and in particular, we look forward to delivering on key priorities such as the expansion of surgical and acute care services, continuing care, the EMS improvement plan, enhanced mental health programs and services and workforce recruitment and retention.”
Before her appointment as president and CEO, Yiu was the vice president of quality and chief medical officer at AHS.
Mauro Chies, vice president of Cancer Care Alberta and Clinical Support Services, has been appointed to serve as interim CEO on a temporary basis.
In a statement, Health Minister Jason Copping thanked Yiu for her leadership over the past six years.
“It’s time to move forward with an ambitious agenda to improve and modernize the health system, and renewed leadership in Alberta Health Services will support delivering those changes,” Copping said.
“The AHS board has been planning for some time to start the recruitment process for a new CEO at the end of Dr. Yiu’s extended term. The agreement with Dr. Yiu that the board announced today will bump up the timeline for the transition and help the system move forward.
“We promised Albertans better access to surgery and a stronger publicly funded health system with better access overall. The pandemic has changed the timelines but it hasn’t changed the goals. They’re multi-year commitments and we need to move forward on them, supported by renewed leadership at AHS.”
