Dr. Tom Feasby appointed President & CEO of the Airdrie & Area Health Benefits Cooperative

AIRDRIE, AB, Jan. 19, 2017 /CNW/ - The Airdrie & Area Health Benefits Co-Op (AAHBC) today announced Dr. Tom Feasby is appointed president and chief executive officer effective January 1, 2017.

Feasby is the founding CEO of the recently formed AAHBC. He has held leadership and executive roles in health service design, medical practice in Neurology, research, and large-scale organizational administration.  He was Dean of the University of Calgary Medical School, vice-president of Edmonton's Capital Health Region, and associate dean at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

"We are fortunate and very pleased to have Tom join the AAHBC as our first leader, said Stan Grad, AAHBC chairman. "His impeccable reputation of integrity and inclusive leadership sets an excellent example of how AAHBC will conduct itself as it develops health and health care programming for citizens of Airdrie and surrounding area," added Grad. "AAHBC began as a grass roots, made-in-Airdrie effort, to realize a common goal of becoming the healthiest city in Canada - Tom's long history of community service is ideal as we pursue this goal."

Feasby will lead the AAHBC through the start-up phase where funds will be raised to build the Airdrie Health Park and health and health care services will be determined and developed.

"I am honoured to be joining AAHBC during this critical time in health service delivery in Alberta," said Feasby. "The 'model' that is being developed in Airdrie for community owned and directed provision of health and health care services is relatively unique. The Co-Op format fits well within the Canada Health Act and we expect that it will reduce pressure on the overall public burden of government health care budgets.  The needs of the patients will direct all our planning and we also hope to improve overall health status within the population of the greater Airdrie area," Feasby continued. "I look forward to working with the community and with key partners such as the physicians and other health care providers, Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services to help develop the model and realize this vision."

Feasby obtained his medical education at the Universities of Manitoba and Western Ontario.  He conducted Neuroscience research in the UK as well as at the Universities of Alberta and Calgary.  He is the recipient of the Medal of Distinguished Service from the Alberta Medical Association and received an Honourary Doctor of Science Degree from Western University. He serves on the boards of directors of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and the O'Brien Institute for Public Health. Feasby continues to serve as a professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.

About AAHBC
The Airdrie & Area Health Benefits Cooperative is a member-owned and directed organization that will address the determinants of health by enabling its members and their community to benefit from a proactive, participative, interdisciplinary and integrated approach to health and health care. It will improve the health, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, of its members and the community it serves. It will improve the quality and delivery of health and health care services to its members and the community.

Membership in the AAHBC is free and open to all residents of Airdrie and area, municipalities, and local businesses, employers, institutions and not-for-profit organizations.

SOURCE The Airdrie & Area Health Benefits Co-Op (AAHBC)

Media: Mark Seland, Tel: [phone], [email protected]