Sault Area Hospital issues statement on CEO's trip west

Sault Area Hospital CEO Wendy Hansson traveled to British Columbia to visit immediate family and attend medical appointments, according to a statement from the hospital issued to the public Sunday evening after SooToday issued a request for information to the hospital over the weekend. 

A timeline for the out-of-province trip was not disclosed. 

The hospital says it will not be commenting further at this time. 

A statement from Sault Area Hospital follows: 

Sault Area Hospital (SAH) President and CEO, Wendy Hansson, who lives alone in Sault Ste. Marie travelled to visit her immediate family in British Columbia and attend prearranged medical appointments with clinicians with whom she has had long-standing relationships.

Sault Area Hospital’s Board Chair was aware and supportive of the travel arrangements, given the separation from her immediate family and for medical purposes. 

Hansson followed public health guidelines and mitigated risk by isolating with her immediate household and is following post-travel self-isolation.Prior to travel, plans were developed to ensure that the CEO would immediately return to the community if hospital operational requirements shifted. SAH has protocols and practices to ensure continuity of operations in the event of absences by leadership.