By Bill Callery and Meghan Sabean
Retaining and supporting healthcare professionals across Canada remains an ongoing challenge. With care quality and safety closely linked to the health of the healthcare workforce, we want to find new ways to address the situation. Enter the Health Workforce Innovation Challenge.
This initiative supports teams as they create and experiment with innovative ideas to improve the retention and support of their current workforce. It runs until July 2024 and brings together healthcare organizations and their teams across the country to share, learn, celebrate, and build on success together.
Join the innovation challenge today and go further, together, through community, networking, and knowledge-sharing. It’s easy to join, you can register anytime up until April 30, 2024, with the sooner you join, the more award opportunities you will have!
What are the benefits to joining?
- Connect with a broad community of like-minded teams.
- Receive expert coaching and resources.
- Access evidence-informed tools and best practices.
- Potentially receive monetary awards of up to $112,000.
- Raise the profile of your team and initiatives.
- Receive support in tracking progress.
Common questions about the challenge
Are you thinking of joining but have questions? Here are answers to the most common questions. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions to see the full list.
Can an organization register more than one team?
Yes. Multiple teams can come from the same organization if teams are not using or reporting on the same data. In addition, the Site Leads must be different plus any funds received must be designated to different sites, units or departments.
Will all teams receive awards?
No, awards are not guaranteed but the sooner teams register, the better chance they have to win awards. Teams can win awards through a variety of ways – from random draws, mini-challenge submissions scored by judges, or based on the progress of their initiatives.
Are there limits on what a team can use the monetary awards for?
There are no limits, but we do encourage teams to use these awards solely to support their initiatives.
Will there be opportunities for teams working on the same themes to meet and exchange ideas?
Yes. The innovation challenge gives teams the opportunity to connect with like-minded people across Canada, including those working on similar themes. Teams can participate in virtual learning sessions, peer networking opportunities, and coaching calls, plus access other ways to connect and learn from each other.
How will teams measure progress?
It's up to the teams to identify and define how they measure success. Teams need to select one primary outcome indicator, and will use that to measure against and report on quarterly, to be eligible for several of the award opportunities. Measures could include (but not limited to): less stress or burnout among staff, improved workplace culture, or others proposed by the team. The Shared Reach Challenge Award also encourages teams to report on how many health workers they have reached.
Key dates
- Registration period: Open until April 30, 2024
- Challenge dates: Runs until July 31, 2024, for all teams, regardless of when they registered
- Award dates: Various awards are available throughout the challenge
- Webinars: Offered every second month
Next Steps
If you’re already working on an innovative idea or want to try something new, the Health Workforce Innovation Challenge is here to support you along the way. Join the challenge and let’s move the dial on your initiatives:
- Register for the Health Workforce Innovation Challenge anytime up until April 30, 2024.
- Watch the virtual Q&A sessions to learn more about the challenge.
- Contact HEC if you have any questions about the challenge or registration process.
