The sudden resignation of Interior Health CEO Susan Brown has sent ripples through British Columbia’s healthcare community, coming just days after the temporary closure of Kelowna General Hospital’s pediatric unit. As parents scramble for alternatives and healthcare workers voice frustration, questions emerge about leadership, accountability, and the fragility of rural healthcare systems.
At the entrance to Kelowna General Hospital last Tuesday, I watched as Melissa Tremblay, a mother of three, stood clutching discharge papers for her 4-year-old son. “We’re being sent to Kamloops,” she explained, her expression tense. “That’s two hours away. My husband has to stay here for work, and I don’t know anyone there.”
Stories like Tremblay’s became increasingly common after Interior Health announced the pediatric unit’s temporary closure on April 22, citing “unprecedented staffing challenges.” Just six days later, the health authority’s CEO Susan Brown announced her resignation, effective immediately.
The timing has raised eyebrows across the province. Brown, who led Interior Health since 2018, offered no specific reason for her abrupt departure in the organization’s press release, which thanked her for “strong leadership through challenging times” but made no mention of the pediatric unit situation.
Dr. Ramneek Dosanjh, president of Doctors of BC, expressed concern about the leadership vacuum. “When healthcare systems are under strain, stability at the top becomes even more crucial,” she told me via phone interview. “The resignation of a CEO during an active service disruption creates additional uncertainty for families and frontline providers.”
Interior Health serves over 834,000 people across British Columbia’s southern interior, covering an area larger than Greece. For many families, Kelowna General represents the only specialized pediatric care within a reasonable distance.
The health authority has been plagued by staffing challenges that mirror national trends. According to Statistics Canada, healthcare vacancies across Canada reached record highs in 2023, with rural areas bearing the heaviest burden. In British Columbia specifically, the number of vacant nursing positions increased by 24% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
“What we’re seeing in Kelowna represents a system-wide vulnerability,” explains Dr. Rita McCracken, a family physician and UBC researcher who studies healthcare sustainability. “When staffing is already stretched thin, even a small number of sick calls or resignations can trigger service disruptions.”
For the communities served by Interior Health, this vulnerability has real consequences. The pediatric unit closure means children requiring hospitalization must travel to Kamloops or Vancouver for care – journeys of two to five hours by car.
Standing in the hospital parking lot, I met Jamie Woodworth, an ICU nurse who requested a pseudonym to speak freely. “We’ve been warning administration about staffing issues for over a year,” she said, her eyes darting toward the building. “Everyone’s burning out. People are leaving faster than we can replace them, and leadership kept saying they had recruitment strategies in place.”
The BC Nurses’ Union has been vocal about working conditions throughout the pandemic. In a statement following Brown’s resignation, the union noted that Interior Health has struggled with recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, particularly in specialized areas like pediatrics.
What makes the Kelowna situation particularly concerning is that it represents one of the larger centers in Interior Health’s network. “If Kelowna can’t maintain pediatric services, what hope do smaller communities have?” asked Woodworth.
The impact extends beyond hospital walls. Amanda Swite, a Syilx Okanagan Nation member and health advocate, highlighted how service disruptions disproportionately affect Indigenous communities. “Many of our families already travel significant distances for culturally safe care,” she explained when we met at a community center in West Kelowna. “These closures compound existing barriers and trauma within the healthcare system.”
Interior Health has appointed Dr. Douglas Cochrane as interim president and CEO while the board conducts a search for Brown’s permanent replacement. Dr. Cochrane previously served as chair of the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council and brings clinical experience as a neurosurgeon.
In his first statement, Cochrane acknowledged the challenges facing the health authority, promising to “work closely with clinical teams to address immediate concerns while building toward sustainable solutions.” However, he offered no timeline for reopening the pediatric unit.
Healthcare experts suggest that addressing the current crisis requires more than just a leadership change. Dr. McCracken points to several structural issues: “We need comprehensive workforce planning that considers everything from housing affordability to workplace culture. Healthcare professionals make decisions based on quality of life and professional satisfaction, not just salary.”
The Ministry of Health has remained relatively quiet about Brown’s departure, though Health Minister Adrian Dix told reporters that ensuring continuity of care remains the priority. “We’re working closely with Interior Health to support patients and families during this transition,” he said at an unrelated press event in Victoria.
For families like the Tremblays, such assurances offer little immediate comfort. As darkness fell over the hospital parking lot, Melissa loaded her car for the drive to Kamloops. “I understand staffing problems happen,” she said, buckling her son into his car seat. “But when my child is sick, understanding doesn’t really help. We need services that work.”
As Interior Health navigates this period of uncertainty, the questions remain: Will the new leadership address the underlying issues that led to the pediatric unit closure? And can confidence be restored in a healthcare system that many residents feel is increasingly fragile?
The answers will emerge in the coming weeks and months. But for now, families across British Columbia’s interior are left waiting, watching, and wondering what other essential services might be at risk.
