Community & Culture

We Are IH: Clinical manager self-reflects to help those in need

A 1969 photo of Barry and his family in Winfield, AB. From left to right: Brother Rick, brother Greg, Barry (in the red overalls), mom Calista, sister Maureen and dad Lowell.

Name: Barry Hengel (he/him/his)
Job Title: Manager, Clinical Operations
Years of Service:  6
Worksite: Westview Place
Community: Penticton
Ancestral Territory: Syilx
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle

Barry was born and raised in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Cranbrook, B.C., home to five Stanley Cup champions – as he proudly points out.

Today, Barry lives in Summerland and is also proud to be leading the clinical operations team at Westview Place long-term care. “I’m inspired by all the great people I get to work with, and the positivity they bring,” he says.

Learn more about his journey with IH

A young child in a red toque and mittens, and blue ski jacket, stands on skis on a hill with a mountain range in the background
Barry at Kimberley’s Northstar Mountain Village Resort in 1970 when skis had bear trap bindings and were made of wood, and boots were laced up.

Barry has had many moments to celebrate since he joined Interior Health in 2017.

In early 2022, Westview Place was identified as having one of the best staff retention and recruitment rates for all of IH. “I credit the inclusive, energetic and positive team atmosphere that we’ve created here,” he says.

In 2020, his team was also recognized with an Interior Health Quality Award for increasing the efficiency of the access to and flow of the six short-stay rehabilitation beds.

Barry also highlights the success of his occupational health and safety (OSH) team. Following an intensive audit, his OSH team put together and executed a plan that helped decrease WorkSafeBC claims by more than 70 per cent between 2019 and 2021.

“In this business, you meet a lot of folks who have experienced significant trauma and/or chaotic stress. I am fortunate that I have such an amazing family who are very loving and supportive. I often reflect back on my own educated heart to help those in need resolve their stress and hopefully get to a better place – that's satisfaction defined.”

-- Barry Hengel
A whiteboard of messages around the words peace love happiness
A picture of Barry’s going away gift from staff at Mariposa Gardens in Osoyoos. Barry joined IH in 2017 as the manager of McKinney Place and Sunnybank Centre in Oliver. Peace, love and happiness are words Barry appreciates.

When Barry isn’t at work, he enjoys spending time at his family’s cottage on Kootenay Lake. Like many who grew up in the 1970s and saw the movie Jaws, the movie left an impression on the young Barry. “Jaws scarred me for life,” he says. “To this day, even though I love water and am a good swimmer, I still keep looking down in the deep water waiting for a big set of teeth to take me under,” he jokes.

An overhead view of a blue lake and white sand beach with pine trees in the foreground and a mountain in the background
A view of Armstrong Bay at the south end of Kootenay Lake from the family cottage.

He also enjoys winter vacations in Anna Maria Island, Florida, and golfing, camping and relaxing on the beach. “Work hard, have fun, help each other out, go home, relax and repeat” is a philosophy Barry likes to live by. When he retires, Barry looks forward to travelling and spending more time with his three – soon to be four – grandchildren.

A married couple in white clothes stand next to two people in cream dresses holding bouquets of roses
Barry and his wife Lori were married in Summerland in 2016. Pictured here are Barry and Lori, and Lori’s daughters Brea, left, and Shea, far right. Barry and his stepdaughters lovingly refer to each other as “pets dad” and “pets daughter” (“step” spelled backwards).

 

Barry nominates Penny Spink, care coordinator, to keep We Are IH going:

“Exceptional skillset, always goes above and beyond. Tremendous insight and feedback capabilities. Staff adore her and respect her.” – Barry Hengel

Explore Clinical Operations Careers@IH

Have you thought about a career in clinical operations at IH?

Explore career opportunities

 

A logo with the words 2023 written out in blue, in front of various graphics including a white maple leaf, grey and green mountains and a yellow sun. The words BC's Top Employers is underneath.A logo featuring a green letter y in the middle with parallel blue lines surrounding it. Circling the graphic are the words Canada's Top Employers For Young People 2023.

Stories@IH

Read our latest stories

View All Stories

4 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
How a primary care team changed one woman’s chronic pain journey

Jasmine Mingaud found relief and stability after connecting with the Central Okanagan PCN where a team helped her manage chronic pain and life challenges.

/stories/how-primary-care-team-changed-one-womans-chronic-pain-journey

4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Saving time, improving patient care with intelligent automation

Behind every appointment, lab test and medical imaging test are a complex set of processes. A small but mighty team is transforming how that work gets done.

/stories/saving-time-improving-patient-care-intelligent-automation

3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Celebrating and honouring Indigenous languages

March 31 marks National Indigenous Languages Day, a day to celebrate and honour Indigenous languages in Canada and the voices of the land..

/stories/celebrating-and-honouring-indigenous-languages

4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: Sully brings joy to patients, staff at Royal Inland

Sully is a certified therapy dog who, with his handler Mike, visits patients and staff at RIH bringing comfort and moments of joy to those who need it most.

/stories/we-are-ih-sully-brings-joy-patients-staff-royal-inland

4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: Pharmacy leader grateful to make a difference

Inspired by her patients and colleagues and driven by a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, Kaitlyn finds daily meaning in her work in pharmacy.

/stories/we-are-ih-pharmacy-leader-grateful-make-difference

3 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
How to prevent tick bites and tick-borne diseases

Learn about the precautions you can take to prevent tick bites and illnesses, and how to remove a tick on yourself, a family member or pet.

/stories/how-prevent-tick-bites-and-tick-borne-diseases

STAY CONNECTED

Receive news, alerts, public service announcements and articles right to your inbox.

Sign up today
mail