VICTORIA, B.C.- Two mediators have been appointed to address the issues surrounding Island Health’s IHealth system.
Jane Morley and Jean Greatbatch will work with John Bethel from Ernst & Young to guide the process and develop the groundwork for productive discussion.
Late last week, a report was released on the authority’s electronic health record system, which is based at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
The Ernst & Young review made nine recommendations for improvement.
One of the major problems was listed as a “deep mismanagement of the project”.
It was also revealed that delays will up the cost of implementing the program by at least $54 million above the $173 million budget.
“To succeed with IHealth and meet the recommendations of the report, a completely different approach is required – one based on working together,” said Adrian Dix, B.C.’s Health Minister, in a provincial release.
“Mediators are very good at determining the root causes why there are difficulties or challenges in a work environment, and finding the solutions that bring stakeholders together. I am confident that, together with the continuity EY brings to the process, Jane Morley, Jean Greatbatch and John Bethel have the skills and experience to take on this work.”
Morley is a Quebec-based lawyer and mediator.
She has held a variety of public positions, including child and youth office of B.C. and commissioner on Canada’s initial Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
For eight years, she also served as a public representative with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and as an executive member for six of those years.
Greatbatch has worked as a mediator and investigator with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry. According to the release, she has conducted over 300 workplace interventions.
Morley is set to first attend briefings by Ernst & Young, and then begin working with stakeholders. Greatbatch will be joining the process at a later date.
The IHealth report by Ernst & Young can be seen through this link.
