‘I feel like I’m leaving at a point where the story is still largely unwritten,’ said Ila Watson <\/p>\n
As she approaches retirement, Ila Watson said the most challenging period of her career has been the past couple years.<\/p>\n
With limited access to primary care, and high occupancy at Sault Area Hospital in recent months, the outgoing president and CEO said the health-care system has dealt with challenges on a variety of fronts.<\/p>\n
When that happens, it\u2019s the hospital that faces pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time something else in the system isn\u2019t there to the level it needs to be, people look to the hospital,\u201d Watson told SooToday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pressure on hospitals has grown in the last two years in terms of the role they\u2019re expected to play in the health system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Set to retire during the coming summer months, Watson said it\u2019s time to \u201cpivot to spending more time with family and friends\u201d after 17 years at the hospital \u2013 including nearly five as its leader.<\/p>\n
That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s easy to walk away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love my job . . . I’ve been really fortunate in always having interesting and challenging and varied work, and great people to do it with,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I’m leaving at a point where the story is still largely unwritten on many files that I’m involved with, but you could stay forever and it would still likely feel the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her time at the hospital, Watson has been part of a leadership team that\u2019s launched numerous efforts to bolster health care locally \u2013 many of which are ongoing as challenges mount.<\/p>\n
In recent years, that includes opening the hospital\u2019s first cardiac catheterization lab in 2019 and opening the Northway Wellness Centre in 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the years, we’ve seen a tremendous growth of cardiac services,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
In 2025, the hospital launched a new virtual waiting room for patients with non-urgent conditions \u2013 which allows patients to wait for care in the comfort of their homes, rather than the emergency department.<\/p>\n
\u201c(We received) national attention on that endeavour, and it\u2019s something we can be very proud of having pioneered right here,\u201d Watson said.<\/p>\n
There have been many proud moments along the way.<\/p>\n
Watson played a key role in launching the Algoma Ontario Health Team. She vividly remembers the day when patients were finally transferred to the brand new hospital on Great Northern Road in 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great opportunity for me to join the organization at a time when we were still in the final stages of preparing for the move to the new facility,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was definitely a highlight, including the one day in March of 2011 when we actually moved all the patients from downtown up to here. I don’t think all that many people get to experience that in their career.\u201d<\/p>\n
As she prepares for retirement, Watson\u2019s message to her staff is to appreciate the good people and good things the hospital has.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of things at this hospital that many other large communities don’t,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it\u2019s a medical specialty, whether it\u2019s our laundry department, there are tremendous, great people. I think often people look for opportunities to find fault, but there’s so much good that we do here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The board of directors has initiated a comprehensive recruitment process to identify the hospital’s\u00a0next president and CEO, said a news release issued by the hospital this week.<\/a><\/p>\n