Champion of the North wins OHA Award of Excellence

The Ontario Hospital Association chose Kirkland and District Hospital's president and CEO Hal Fjeldsted as the winner of the Small, Rural and Northern Award of Excellence for his dedication to promoting the interests and challenges of hospitals in Northern Ontario.

Fjeldsted accepted the annual award in November at the OHA's Health Achieve 2009 conference and exhibition in Toronto.

Described as a "champion of the North," Fjeldsted was recognized as a "doer," a person who keeps Northern issues in the forefront. 

His involvement in the OHA began as a member of the Regional Council Executive Committee, of which he is now chair. Six years ago, he became an OHA board member.

Fjeldsted is also chair of the Small, Rural and Northern Panel.

More recently, he chaired the OHA governance committee. Under his leadership, an audit of OHA governance was completed and approved with 18 recommendations. As of October, all of the new policies and recommendations have been addressed.

"He has a real ability to get people to champion a cause and get things moving," said Lorraine Lahda, OHA's director, regional, and board affairs. "He is a supporter of the North who would identify the need to arrange meetings with northern government officials and present issues specific to the North in a way that would help them understand and want to help resolve some of the challenges northern hospitals face."