Key Influencer Profile - Dr. Verna Yiu
The fourth wave of COVID-19 has created the most strain our province’s health care system has ever experienced in its history. As a result, CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS) Dr. Verna Yiu has become a regular speaker during healthcare related announcements to provide some insight into how Alberta’s largest healthcare provider is working to continue caring for residents.
Dr. Yiu is a graduate of both Harvard (pediatric nephrology) and the University of Alberta (medical doctorate) followed by 27 years of experience working with the University of Alberta where she is currently a professor of pediatrics in the division of pediatric nephrology. She also possesses many years of experience serving as the Specialty Chair of Nephrology with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in addition to her time as a director with the Canadian Institute of Health Information.
Prior to being appointed into her current role, Dr. Yiu joined AHS in 2012 as Vice President, Quality and Chief Medical Officer. She was appointed as the interim-CEO of Alberta Health Services in late-2015 following the resignation of her predecessor, Vickie Kaminski. This role became a permanent appointment on June 3, 2016. On June 2, 2021, she accepted a two-year extension in her current role.
During her term as President and CEO of AHS, she has overseen the development of Connect Care and led the health care response to the 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray. Medical Post ranked Dr. Yiu as the second most influential and impactful physician in the country, sitting behind only Dr. Theresa Tam.
