Two foothills residents have been appointed to the Prairie Mountain Health Advisory Council where they will provide feedback to Alberta Health Services on the unique health care needs of their communities.
Okotoks’ Beth Kish was appointed to the council and will serve a three-year term, while High River resident Jean Quigley will serve a two-year term.
During her term, Kish said her first step on the council will be to engage with the community and determine their health care concerns.
“I hope to be able to give some strategic direction,” she said. “It’s about having a voice at the table, and making sure that Alberta Health Services are engaged with the public.”
Kish has a diverse background in health care and politics, which she said will aid in her new role on the health advisory council.
She is currently the executive director of the Foothills Country Hospice Society, was on the board for the Sheep River Health Trust, and has worked with the United Way. Kish was past president of the Okotoks and District Chamber of Commerce and a former Okotoks town councillor.
“I’m a community member through and through, and have been a strong volunteer in the community,” she said.
In order to become a member of the advisory council, Kish submitted an application and underwent an interview process. She said she wanted to apply because she thought she could help to improve Alberta’s health care system.
“Everyone has heard of the struggles that Alberta Health Services has had in their image,” she said. “I’m just not the type of person that’s going to sit back and complain. I may as well get in there and try and be of some help, and try to see what is going wrong and what is going right.”
Like Kish, Quigley also has a diverse background she said will allow her to provide some insight to the council. Quigley served for three years on the Foothills Hospice board, and has extensive volunteer experience with the Okotoks Chamber of Commerce and the curling club.
Quigley, who knows Kish well, said their acquaintance should help both to identify the needs of the entire region encompassed by the council.
“It’s a huge territory,” said Quigley. “It’s nice that the two of us will be side-by-side in the community as far as getting together and bouncing things off each other.”
As she was only recently appointed, Quigley said it’s still too early to pinpoint the health care concerns shared amongst High River residents.
“This is going to take some time listening, learning and getting the local perspective,” said Quigley.
Alberta Health Services created community health advisory councils to enhance and develop partnerships between communities and the provincial health agency, according to their website.
There are a total of 12 councils throughout the province aiming to provide feedback about what is working well within the health care system, and suggest areas for improvement.
