Alberta's Dr. Hinshaw to be replaced by interim chief medical officer of health

The Alberta provincial government appointed Dr. Mark Joffe as the new chief medical officer of health on an interim basis, effective Monday.

Dr. Joffe is currently the vice president and medical director for Cancer Care Alberta clinical support services and has more than 25 years of experience working with the former Capital Health and now Alberta Health Services.

On her first day in office as Alberta's premier last month, Danielle Smith pledged she would replace the previous chief medical officer of health with a new team of public health advisors.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw was appointed to the top job in January 2019 for a fixed term to end on Jan. 26, 2024.

“Dr. Joffe has dedicated himself to improving the health of Albertans throughout his career," said Jason Copping, health minister, in a statement late Monday afternoon.

"He brings this wealth of experience and knowledge to the role of chief medical officer of health. I look forward to working with him," Copping added. "I also wish to thank Dr. Deena Hinshaw for her service and dedication to Albertans through the past several years.”

According to the province, Dr. Joffe will continue in his current employment contract with AHS with no additional compensation.

Dr. Joffe, a Calgary native, says he is honoured to be asked to take on the role of the province's top doctor.

"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," Dr. Joffe said in a statement. "I want to thank Minister Copping for giving me this opportunity."

Dr. Joffe takes the helm of public health direction in Alberta at a time when hospital wait times are surging, and the number of kids absent from classrooms has surpassed levels recorded during the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He is an infectious disease specialist and University of Alberta department of medicine professor who played a behind-the-scenes role in AHS' pandemic response.

At a news conference Monday before the new appointment announcement was made, Smith said she would soon be unveiling her doctor's advisory committee and that Albertans would hear from the chief medical officer of health in the coming days.

She also signalled that "significant reforms" to Alberta Health Services were coming.

Opposition health critic David Shepherd said he hopes Albertans hear from Dr. Joffe "as soon as possible."

"Albertans deserve transparency from their government on how they will address the spread of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, while hospitals continue to operate over capacity and children miss school due to illness at significant rates," Shepherd said.

"Smith, Jason Copping, and Mark Joffe must all agree on the need to promote vaccination and condemn misinformation including any suggestion that COVID-19 vaccines are anything other than safe and proven to be effective at helping to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19," he added in a statement. 

According to Dr. Hinshaw's employment agreement, the province's top doctor's employment can be terminated "at any time," given written notice is provided to her that totals four weeks for each full year of continuous work, maxed at 26 weeks.

Dr. Hinshaw began her fixed-term employment on Jan. 21, 2019, with her contract set to end on Jan. 26, 2024.

In place of a termination notice, the province can provide the chief medical officer of health with a severance payment equal to the base salary for the notice period.

CTV News Edmonton reached out to Alberta Health for further comment.

'GREATEST PRIVILEGE'

On Tuesday, Hinshaw said it was the "greatest privilege" of her life to serve as the chief medical officer of health.

"While I am no longer in that role, my priority has been and continues to be supporting the health of all Albertans," Hinshaw told CTV News Edmonton in a statement.

"I encourage all of us to continue caring for the health of our communities and looking out for each other."