Stanton's new exec reflects on five months on the job
'I don't want to be the best hospital in the territory - we want to be a national leader'
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The still relatively new chief operating officer for Stanton Territorial Hospital is striving for the facility become a national leader in health care.
Colin Goodfellow, Stanton Territorial Hospital's chief operating officer, sits at his desk on Jan. 11. Goodfellow took over the day-to-day operation of the facility back in September. He believes the hospital's staff is dedicated and talented but says he wants to do more to demonstrate that to the public. - John McFadden/NNSL photo |
Colin Goodfellow took over the day-to-day operation of Stanton in September. He comes from Kemptville, Ont. - just south of Ottawa - where he had been the chief executive officer of that community's hospital since 2005. He said he has been in the health-care business in one position or another for about a quarter century now.
Goodfellow said he's seen a shift in focus toward illness prevention versus treatment and is encouraged by the new approach, which is why he was attracted to the Stanton position.
"I was attracted to what they were doing, what we are now doing. That's why I'm here," he said.
He said he feels Stanton is extremely well operated, but having said that, he still wants to hear from patients, particularly if they have complaints or concerns about their treatment.
To that end, he said the hospital is in the process of adding staff to its quality review department, which currently has just one full-time worker.
"Every two years a fairly extensive review of the hospital is done. But if we want to constantly get better - we need constant feedback," Goodfellow said. "I don't want to be the best hospital in the territory - we want to be a national leader."
To that end, Goodfellow said they've taken on health-care consultants - the Canadian Institute of Health Information - to measure how the hospital is doing. Right now, he said, they are currently reviewing operations in the emergency department.
"Every organization can get better. We want to know how well we are doing - not just by my opinion," Goodfellow said.
The 56-year-old said he has thoroughly enjoyed overseeing the hospital and its roughly 560 full and part-time employees for the past five months.
"It's a great gig - an absolutely fantastic opportunity," he said, adding he is excited about the move into the new Stanton Hospital as well. That move is expected to start in 2018.
As for acclimatizing to the city, he said he feels he has settled in quite nicely. Goodfellow said he does not have a vehicle here but the bus takes him from near his home right to the hospital's front door.
He said he is looking forward to his partner joining him on a full-time basis - likely in the fall. She has remained in the Ottawa area for the time being.
He also said, as he looked out his office window over the city on a -35 C Jan. 11 day, he is looking forward to spending an entire summer in Yellowknife.
