It was an ''unprecedented and extraordinary'' opportunity to speak directly to the head of the organisation, an email to all Otago specialists from acting patient services medical director Dr Brendon Rae, obtained by the Otago Daily Times, said.
In the email, Dr Rae said he had told the board's executive last week a considerable number of senior doctors were not pleased with how the organisation was run, and their ability to function in it.
Ms Heatly was to have gone on three weeks' leave this week, which was cancelled for other reasons. She would spend that time listening to senior doctors.
''We have had listening clinics in the past run for an afternoon a month by some second-tier managers, but this is an opportunity to talk directly with the CEO for a sustained period.
''If there is a consistent message, it has a high chance of being heard,'' Dr Rae's email said.
Approached for comment, Ms Heatly played down the situation. In a statement, she said she wanted to hear the views of staff ''as much as I did when I started over two years ago''.
''The opportunity for [senior doctors] to provide feedback is all part of the DHB engaging with and listening to staff, and there's been a very positive response so far.''
She declined to answer questions about the doctors' concerns, instead issuing a second statement acknowledging the DHB faced ''big challenges''.
Health board chairman Joe Butterfield, of Timaru, said when contacted he had been advised of the move but referred the ODT to Ms Heatly for further information.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell said when contacted the board's ''biggest problem'' was the culture of its senior leadership.
''Until that is resolved, this sort of dissatisfaction will get worse and worse. We have advised our members electronically to get involved in the process, to participate in it, and express to her what they genuinely believe, and not hold back.''
Earlier this year, Mr Powell said Southern was in ''serious trouble, not helped by the chief executive mistakenly focusing on structural rather than cultural change, and failing to use the opportunity available to her as a new chief executive to completely rejig her senior management team''.
