(Quebec) Christian Dubé sets his sights on a top gun private health sector to lead Santé Québec. The former boss of Biron Groupe Santé, Geneviève Biron, takes the reins of the state-owned company. Number 2 is a candidate of “the internal”, the CEO of the CHUM, Frédéric Abergel.
The minister’s choice came down to a top gun, which comes not only from the private sector, but from the private health sector. It’s a decision that is already raising eyebrows among the opposition and the unions, who say they fear seeing the role of the private sector in health increase.
“I have often mentioned that it is not the work of a single person, but of a team,” argued the Minister of Health on Monday during a press conference in the ministry’s offices. of Health and Social Services (MSSS), which will house the head office of Santé Québec, in Quebec.
“Ms. Biron and Mr. Abergel are the complementary duo of managers that Quebecers need,” he argued, emphasizing that one comes from the external and the other, from the internal. The council of ministers met in an extraordinary manner in the morning to give the green light to the two appointments.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Geneviève Biron, the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, and Frédéric Abergel
More than sixty candidates sent their applications to Quebec.
Geneviève Biron held various positions within Biron Groupe Santé, a company founded by her father, Denis Biron. She took charge in 2014, until her departure in 2021. Mme Biron notably set in motion the “largest network of medical imaging clinics” in Quebec, Imagix.
Since then, she has founded Propulia Capital, a capital investment platform that “participates in the growth of start-up companies”, particularly in health and life sciences.
The new boss of Santé Québec says she takes office with “a different perspective” and wants the public health network to become “even more beautiful” and “more efficient”.
I’m not embarrassed to come from the private sector. I have 30 years of experience in companies where customer service and operational excellence were at the heart of the motivations.
Geneviève Biron, President and CEO of Santé Québec
The Legault government did not skimp on the means to attract a top gun from the private sector at the head of the state corporation. At the beginning of the year, Quebec revealed that the big boss would receive a base salary of $567,000 per year, in addition to a 15% bonus for the first two years of his mandate, which is equivalent to nearly $652,000 annually.
In comparison, the annual salary of Hydro-Québec CEO Michael Sabia is $639,000.
A Chinese wall
Geneviève Biron no longer holds any interest in Biron Groupe Santé, which is now managed by her sister, Caroline. To “eliminate any potential conflict of interest”, an “ethical screen, commonly called the Chinese wall” will be put in place “between her and the members of her family”, it was indicated.
Biron Groupe Santé, which specializes in medical imaging, health laboratories and sleep care, is registered with the register of lobbyists because it makes “representations to government authorities in order to obtain contracts for the provision of services laboratory and health”. The MSSS confirmed on Monday that it had no current contract with the company.
Her husband, lawyer Sylvain Poirier, is also a senior strategic advisor for the public network. He was named Health Law Lawyer of the Year by the publication Best Lawyers in 2017, when its clientele was made up of both public and private establishments.
“In the nomination process, I was very transparent […] We agreed to set up this structure […] who will put the necessary distance,” she assured.
Mme Biron did not want to venture into developing the major priorities of his mandate. Moreover, it will last three years and not five years as initially planned. “This is what was agreed with Mr.me Biron,” the minister’s office only clarified. She says she wants to emphasize access to care.
“Listen, I’m coming here. I will start by meeting people, building the team. It’s always the same thing. We need to give ourselves a little time to look at what is happening and really identify the priority issues and implement the action plan,” she explained without providing a timetable.
A first telephone interview with the CEOs of the establishments was scheduled for Monday afternoon. Mme Biron also wants to meet MSSS employees while there is currently still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the transfer of personnel from the Ministry to Santé Québec.
A major challenge
With more than 330,000 employees, Santé Québec will become one of the largest employers in the country. It is certain that the future big boss will have to bring about a cultural change within the health and social services network.
“It’s a big challenge, no doubt. But I have the ambition to be able to offer Quebecers the health system that they deserve. It will certainly not be done without difficulty, but I will be supported by a team to support this mission,” expressed Mme Biron.
During my career, I have often been the one entrusted with the most difficult situations to find solutions and mobilize teams.
Geneviève Biron, President and CEO of Santé Québec
Mme Biron will be supported by the current CEO of the CHUM, Frédéric Abergel, who becomes executive vice-president of operations and transformation. The creation of this position was not planned in Christian Dubé’s reform adopted under gag order in December. This is a recommendation of the transition committee.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Frédéric Abergel becomes executive vice-president of operations and transformation
” We [nous] said that it was important to have a coordinator of our 35 CEOs, who we called our head of operations. It was not as such in the bill, but it came out clearly,” said Mr. Dubé.
“Like Geneviève, my first objective is to improve access for Quebecers. It must go through three ingredients: better coordination in the health system, global best practices and innovation,” expressed Mr. Abergel.
The latter will receive compensation of $453,000 to which is also added a 15% bonus for the first two years.
The 13 vacancies on the board of directors of Santé Québec were also coveted, with 800 people applying to sit there. Announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
With Tommy Chouinard, The Press
Geneviève Biron
- Since 2021: president and founder, Propulia Capital
- March 2021 to present: member of the board of directors of Hydro-Québec
- 2014–2021: President and CEO, Biron Groupe Santé
- 2005–2014: President and CEO, Imagix Medical Imaging Inc.
- 1998–2005: vice-president of operations, Biron Groupe Santé
- 1990–1998: director of human resources, Biron Groupe Santé
Frédéric Abergel
- Since 2023: CEO of CHUM
- 2018–2023: CEO of the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
- 2015–2018: Deputy CEO of the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
- 2008–2015: director at the Montreal Health and Social Services Agency
A nomination that provokes several reactions
For us, the stakes in relation to the creation of Santé Québec remain much more important than the person who will occupy the presidency. After months of discussions with Minister Dubé, he has still not succeeded in demonstrating that a new agency, which will further centralize powers, will have a positive effect on the quality or availability of patient care.
André Fortin, spokesperson for the Liberal Party of Quebec on health matters
This bias in favor of private health is dismaying, but the appointment of Geneviève Biron has the merit of being clear: the private sector is now in control of our health network. The proverbial welcome is that we give the runner a chance, but this turn towards the private sector makes me fear the worst.
Vincent Marissal, spokesperson for Québec solidaire in health matters
Without calling into question the qualities and skills of Mme Biron, we are concerned by the appointment of a manager from the private health sector to consolidate and relaunch the public health network in Quebec, both symbolically and operationally.
Joël Arseneau, spokesperson for the Parti Québécois on health matters
In an article published in 2020, Geneviève Biron considered in particular that the role of the private sector was complementary to the public network. Now that she is at the head of Santé Québec, they are no longer clients that Mme Biron will have to serve, but many citizens who pay his salary.
Caroline Senneville, president of the CSN
Mme Biron will need the advanced expertise of our members to carry out this titanic reform. However, the vast majority of them do not want to be transferred if working conditions are not maintained. This is a major and urgent issue and we offer our collaboration to resolve this problem.
Guillaume Bouvrette, president of the Union of Professionals of the Government of Quebec (SPGQ)
The future of our public network will be entrusted to Geneviève Biron, a person not only coming from private business, but also having directly competed with our public network, particularly in the sector of laboratories and medical imaging services. […] She has big challenges ahead of her, starting with demonstrating her understanding and adherence to the culture of the public network.
Robert Comeau, president of the Alliance of Professional and Technical Personnel in Health and Social Services (APTS)
Minister Dubé took the time to choose his team and entrust a woman with this key position which, we hope, will enhance the work of health sector personnel. The FTQ is committed to working in full cooperation with its team to achieve these common objectives.
The FTQ in a press release
We hope that Mme Geneviève Biron […] understands the immense weight that rests on his shoulders, because it is not yet another reform of the structure of the network which will make it more effective: the minister can shake the columns of the temple as much as he wants, if the professionals in care leave for the private sector because of the horrible working conditions, that will do nothing.
Julie Bouchard, president of the FIQ
Ms. Biron’s leadership will be an asset and a pillar for the establishment of Santé Québec. Indeed, its openness to innovation, its curiosity for the approaches of the future such as precision medicine, but above all its management style focused on consultation and obtaining results will make it possible to transform the health and services system. social.
The Council for Private Business in Health and Wellness
There [Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec] hopes that access to services, both on the front line of care and in establishments, will be at the heart of the priorities of their future mandate.
The FMOQ on
The College welcomes the appointment of the president and CEO and the executive vice-president of operations of the new Santé Québec agency. The task is large, but there will be plenty of support to initiate the expected changes to expand access to care.
The College of Physicians on