One of Northern Health's chief operating officers is leaving his role to lead the Health Employers Association of BC.
Starting Aug. 15, Michael McMillan will join the HEABC as its president and chief operating officer. While McMillan said he's excited to take on the new role, which will be based out of Vancouver, there's also sadness at the prospect of moving from an organization he's worked with for 18 years.
"Northern Health has been like working with family," said McMillan, who held the COO position for the northern interior since 2003, shortly after Northern Health was formed. "I'm proud of all the things we've accomplished together: the opening of new facilities, the creation of new services, the support for patients in the community, the working with partners like the division of family practice.
"It's just been an incredible opportunity for me to really feel like I'm part of a team that's making a difference."
HEABC's board chair said McMillan fulfilled three key categories they were looking for: relationship-building, a background that spanned employee and employer perspectives and his role as a mentor.
"Relationship building is hugely important and the ability to find solutions amongst divergent interests," said Betsy Gibbons, noting HEABC serves a diverse group.. "(References said) he was very good in building relationships, understanding others perspectives."
Both Gibbons and McMillan highlighted his experience with rural communities.
"The fact that the organization is looking for that in the CEO speaks well to the view that this is a broad role that impacts services across the province," he said. "I think it's important for the organization and important for the province to understand what the real challenges in some of these communities."
McMillan said he's proud of the work the authority has down with primary care and recruiting physicians to some communities like Quesnel and Fort St. James.
"I know there's challenges and I know there's more work to be done and I know that the work is in good hands in the people that are still going to remain in the organization," he said.
Spokesman Jonathan Dyck said Northern Health would begin the process of finding a replacement shortly.
"Michael has been an active member of the community throughout his time in northern B.C. and often speaks about the positive experiences inherent in living and working in the north," Dyck said by email. "His perspectives, knowledge, and leadership will be missed in Northern Health."
One of McMillan's proudest moments over the years was helping bring the Northern Medical Program to Prince George and seeing the support from both the medical and wider community.
"I think that support for the medical program really created new capacity and new engagement and new opportunity to support retention of physicians," he said.
Leaving that community, where he served on various boards and volunteer positions, will be hard.
"Prince George has been an incredibly good place to raise a family," said McMillan, a past Volunteer of the Year with the Prince George Youth Soccer Association, who also coached soccer and served as a member with the Canadian Ski Patrol System.
But he's also excited about his new role, where he said he sees HEABC playing an important role in health system workforce planning.
"I am honoured to take on this leadership role with HEABC at this critical time and look forward to working closely with health system partners to improve the planning, management and support for health human resources in BC, with the goal of supporting a high quality, sustainable health system."
