CFN welcomes prominent Canadian health care leaders to Board of Directors

KINGSTON, ON, Oct. 8, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ – Canadian Frailty Network (CFN) is announcing the election of Dr. Jeff Blackmer and Mr. Fred Horne to the CFN Board of Directors. Both are renowned policy innovators in health services reform, medical ethics, and patient and public engagement in health care decision making.

Jeff Blackmer, MD, MHSC, FRCPC, is Vice President, Medical Professionalism with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). He is a former Executive Director of the CMA’s Office of Ethics, Professionalism and International Affairs, and a former Director of Ethics with the Geneva-based World Medical Association.

Fred Horne is the former Minister of Health with the Government of Alberta and former MLA for Edmonton-Rutherford. A renowned speaker and panelist on health system issues, he is a health policy consultant and Adjunct Professor with the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health.

Dr. Blackmer and Mr. Horne were elected to the CFN Board at the CFN Annual General Meeting and Annual Conference, which took place in Toronto, Ontario from September 27-29, 2015.

Russell Williams, Chair of the CFN Board, says Dr. Blackmer and Mr. Horne bring tremendous experience in health policy and system planning to the CFN Board.

“Dr. Blackmer is a highly regarded international advisor on medical ethics, which is a focal point of CFN’s work in integrating improvements in frail elderly care with patient decision making that is informed and ethically sound.

“Mr. Horne’s achievements in leading the transformation of Alberta’s health care system are extensive; from the Primary Health Care Strategy, which elevated primary and community-based care, to the principle-based Alberta Health Act, and Health Advocate and Health Charter,” Mr. Williams says.