Vickie Kaminski has left the building.
The Eastern Health CEO has moved offices from the Waterford Hospital to the frontlines of trauma and major medical testing - the Health Sciences Centre.
Kaminski, who took the job as CEO nearly a year ago, broke with tradition this month by moving out of the Waterford Bridge Road corporate offices, part of the Waterford Hospital complex.
The location has been home to Eastern Health's CEO since it was formed in 2005, and before that the CEO of the St. John's Health Care Corp. since the early 1990s.
Kaminski told The Telegram she made the move because that's what her employees wanted her to do.
"A corporate office is just a corporate office," Kaminski said.
"You walk in and see the receptionist and the cleaning lady and nobody else."
Her office is now in the administration area of the Health Sciences Centre (HSC), which includes the General Hospital - the largest St. John's hospital as well as the provincial trauma centre and where the most complex tests are done for the province - the Janeway Hospital and Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre.
"I come in through here now it takes about 25 minutes to get to my office, I see that many patients, visitors and staff physicians," Kaminski said.
"A corporate office now is pretty cold and remote. We're patient-centred care (at the Health Sciences). It's just where there are more people and where there's more opportunity to find out what's happening."
The move came just as Eastern Health was dealing with the backlash of errors in its biochemistry lab at the General Hospital and the resignations of a number of doctors from administrative duties. And when Kaminski took the job last summer, the authority was reeling from the Cameron Inquiry and scandal involving breast cancer testing.
Kaminski's was accompanied in her move to the Health Sciences Centre by her vice-president of communications, Carmel Turpin, but the rest of the communications team remains at the Waterford.
Kaminski said an employee survey that Eastern Health conducted recently clearly showed employees wanted her in the thick of things.
"I get approached in the hallways now as I walk through, by patients and staff - 'did you know' and 'have you heard?' - That's the kind of thing that will build communication," she said.
"(The employees) wanted to know we knew who they were. They wanted to feel they were connected."
Kaminski said while her office is located downstairs in the complex, she'd rather be "upfront and visible on the first floor."
She said that could change through the proposed hospital redevelopment for metro, a report that is only in draft form.
Kaminski is also looking at ways to put in face time at other major health facilities within the Eastern Health Authority, the largest in the province.
Eastern Health couldn't provide the cost of moving Kaminski to the Health Sciences, but a spokeswoman said there was no new furniture purchased for the relocation.
bsweet@thetelegram.com
Kaminski moves office to HSC
Vickie Kaminski
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Published on
April 30, 2010
- Published on July 1, 2010
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Barb Sweet
Health
Vickie Kaminski has left the building.
The Eastern Health CEO has moved offices from the Waterford Hospital to the frontlines of trauma and major medical testing - the Health Sciences Centre.
Kaminski, who took the job as CEO nearly a year ago, broke with tradition this month by moving out of the Waterford Bridge Road corporate offices, part of the Waterford Hospital complex.
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Comments
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- Taxpayer
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:04:36
Having the CEO office at the Waterford was quite appropriate. Does she think she is going to handing out thermometers to the patients. What about the other senior staff? Where are they located? She must deal with them and not instruct each individual doctor and nurse.
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- quack quack
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:02:32
'I come in through here now it takes about 25 minutes to get to my office, I see that many patients, visitors and staff physicians,' Kaminski said. br br Then Ms. Kaminski I suggest you leave to come to work 25 minutes earlier in the morning to not be late. br br Kaminski said while her office is located downstairs in the complex, she'd rather be 'upfront and visible on the first floor.' br br Not good enough for you ? Ms. Kaminski I can't believe you've started complaining about your new office already. I guess the move wasn't voluntary.
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- DB
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:54:38
And this made news why, big deal must be a slow day.
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- Into
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:47:58
Into the pit are we? About time. Now we can locate you when needed rather then requesting an appointment. Keep your door open, I am sure it will be lined with people you have been ducking out on for quite sometime.
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- David
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:44:55
With what she makes, I hope she tipped the movers.
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- W
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:44:41
Excellent move............
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- Perception is
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:44:13
Her colleagues on the mainland had a great chuckle that the office of the Chief Executive of the largest health care board in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador was located in a hospital for the mentally ill.
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- member of the 20%
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:41:40
More secrets; her personal move to the provice couldn't be found on EH tender site either. All part of that open, transparent and accountibilty that we keep hearing about. Sounds nice verbally and on paper; but, hardly, if ever, followed.
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- Taxpayer
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:53:59
Having the CEO office at the Waterford was quite appropriate. Does she think she is going to handing out thermometers to the patients. What about the other senior staff? Where are they located? She must deal with them and not instruct each individual doctor and nurse.
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- quack quack
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:51:24
'I come in through here now it takes about 25 minutes to get to my office, I see that many patients, visitors and staff physicians,' Kaminski said. br br Then Ms. Kaminski I suggest you leave to come to work 25 minutes earlier in the morning to not be late. br br Kaminski said while her office is located downstairs in the complex, she'd rather be 'upfront and visible on the first floor.' br br Not good enough for you ? Ms. Kaminski I can't believe you've started complaining about your new office already. I guess the move wasn't voluntary.
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- DB
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:40:27
And this made news why, big deal must be a slow day.
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- Into
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:28:59
Into the pit are we? About time. Now we can locate you when needed rather then requesting an appointment. Keep your door open, I am sure it will be lined with people you have been ducking out on for quite sometime.
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- David
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:24:06
With what she makes, I hope she tipped the movers.
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- W
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:23:42
Excellent move............
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- Perception is
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:22:58
Her colleagues on the mainland had a great chuckle that the office of the Chief Executive of the largest health care board in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador was located in a hospital for the mentally ill.
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- member of the 20%
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:18:21
More secrets; her personal move to the provice couldn't be found on EH tender site either. All part of that open, transparent and accountibilty that we keep hearing about. Sounds nice verbally and on paper; but, hardly, if ever, followed.
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