After more than 20 years of service as Chief of Staff at Blanche River Health (BRH), Dr. Mark Spiller is passing the role onto Dr. Brian McPherson, announced Jorge VanSlyke, President and CEO.

The Chief of Staff oversees the overall quality of patient care at the Kirkland Lake and Englehart hospital sites and is accountable to the hospital’s Board of Directors. 

“Dr. Spiller has done a tremendous job of shepherding BRH clinicians through numerous changes in leadership, direction and strategies over the three decades he has served, and he has worked tirelessly to ensure our emergency doors remain open, despite the physician recruitment and retention challenges we have faced,” she said. “I thank Dr. Spiller for his dedication. I look forward to working more closely with Dr. McPherson, as he begins his tenure as Chief of Staff. I know the employees will support him and I wish him much success in his new role.”

“Kirkland Lake has been my home for more than 30 years, and I appreciate the opportunity to have served as Chief of Staff with a talented, hard-working team of medical professionals,” said Dr. Spiller. “I have full confidence that Dr. McPherson will accomplish great things for local patients in his new role.”

Dr. McPherson looks forward to collaborating with Dr. Spiller, who will retain his role as Chief of Emergency Medicine at BRH. 

“When I moved my family to Kirkland Lake 12 years ago, it was the vibrant community and scope of practice that made us want to stay long-term,” said Dr. McPherson. “I’m honoured to be invited to step into the Chief of Staff role, and look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to contribute to the delivery of health care in the communities we serve.” 

Blanche River Health is a 74-bed hospital corporation with two sites serving the North Eastern Ontario communities of Englehart (26 beds) and Kirkland Lake (48 beds) as well as residents in surrounding areas. Our mission is to make health care work for you. BRH values people and continuous improvement and we demonstrate this through accountability, respect, and courage to excel.