Dennis Kendel, born on May 24, 1946, in Russell, Manitoba, earned his MD with Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan in 1971 and was awarded a fellowship in the College of Family Physicians of Canada in 1993. He has served as president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association, the Medical Council of Canada, and the Federation of Medical Licensing Authorities of Canada; he has been board chair of Saskatchewan Blue Cross, and a board member of the Saskatchewan Health Information Network and of the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council. Dr. Kendel helped to raise the standard of medical care across Canada. He was instrumental in developing the policy that all Canadian physicians be required to complete a minimum of two years' accredited postgraduate medical education, as well as passing a Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination evaluating clinical and communication skills, before being eligible for medical licensure in Canada. He has worked to improve patient safety by reducing systemic medical errors. His collaborative philosophy led to the successful implementation of the Triplicate Prescription Program, designed to eliminate the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs. He continues to lead interdisciplinary enhancements to collect drug data electronically.
Dan Dattani