Edmonton – Alberta’s advocate for healthy rural communities is moving forward with a new leader at the helm.
Dr. Bert Reitsma, chairman of the board of directors of the Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan (RPAP) announced Thursday that Mr. Bernard Anderson has accepted the position of RPAP Executive Director, effective 17 November 2016.
Mr. Anderson is currently the Executive Director of Research and Labour Analytics with the Alberta Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance, and brings over 20 years of progressive experience in public sector leadership to his new role. While working for the Government of Alberta, Mr. Anderson has served in several executive roles within the Ministry of Health, including acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Director of Health Workforce Research and Planning, and Executive Director of Health Workforce Strategy.
According to Dr. Reitsma, Anderson is the ideal candidate to align the organization with the Ministry of Health’s new mandate for RPAP, involving a shift from physician-centered rural healthcare, to a more integrated rural healthcare system.
“RPAP has enjoyed a 25 year history of providing strategic support for rural communities with physician attraction and retention strategies, and with Mr. Anderson’s experience in healthcare planning, we believe RPAP is well equipped to deliver on the Ministry’s mandate,” says Dr. Reitsma.
In addition to his experience within healthcare, Mr. Anderson has served in several leadership roles within the social and education sectors, and possesses almost a decade of teaching experience at both the college and university level. Bernard is passionate about improving quality of service delivery and outcomes, and has enjoyed success in building collaborative partnerships and strategic alliances to support key initiatives.
The Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan (RPAP) is an independent, not-for-profit company funded by the Alberta Ministry of Health. Established in 1991 by the Government of Alberta, RPAP supports the ongoing efforts of Alberta’s rural physicians, their families and communities to improve the quality of rural health care.
Media inquiries may be directed to:
Jonathan Koch
Senior Communications and Marketing Consultant
Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan
Tel: 587-525-6625
Email: jonathan.koch @rpap.ab.ca