Vickie Kaminski resigns as CEO of Alberta Health Services

Alberta Health Services president and CEO VickieKaminskiis leaving her position effectiveJan. 1.

Kasminskisaid in a news releaseher decision to resignwas a personal decision.

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Her departure comes shortly aftera new AHSboard was appointed.

Health Minister Sarah Hoffman thanked Kaminski.

"I appreciate the range of experience Vickie brought to the table, from her work as a front line nurse, to hospital administrator, and then as CEO," she said in statement.

During Kaminiski's tenure,AHSawarded an Australian company a$3-billioncontract to run lab services in central and northern Alberta, a decision heavily criticized by the NDP.

The NDP reversed the decision shortly after winningthe provincialelection last spring.

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Friends of Medicare called Kaminski'sdeparturea "welcomed step."

"We have a new government but AHS had not changed," said Sandra Azocar, executive director, in a release Friday.

"There are many challenges ahead for AHS, and we urge the minister to take the time to seek a replacement who will share in the priorities that this government was elected on," she said.

"We hope Kaminski's replacement means a move away from an often distant and confusing bureaucracy."

Kaminski, aregistered nurse with twoMBAsand 35 years of experience in health care and administration,joined AHS in May 2014.

Her contract was for a three-year term and an annual salary of$540,000.

Kaminski is not the first senior health official to leave office since the NDP won the spring election.Dr. James Talbot, Alberta'schief medical officer of health,left in June after the government declined to renew his contract.

In September, theprovince said it would notrenewthe contract ofDr. Michael Trew,Alberta's chief addiction and mental health officer.