Healthcare Excellence Canada was born of a belief that everyone in Canada wants and deserves excellent healthcare. From our vantage points, which span the country and the continuum of care, it’s clear that despite the tireless commitment of people working in health systems, we still have work to do to shape a future where everyone in Canada has safe and high-quality healthcare. Unintended harm in the health sector is a leading cause of death in Canada, and there are gaps in patient experience and outcomes, care team well-being, and value.
Today we’re launching our strategy for 2021-26 – to help us get closer to where we want to be. This is one of many milestones worth celebrating in our first year as a new organization. Our strategy journey began over a year ago. In a time when we were unable to meet face-to-face, we found a way to meaningfully engage with over 1,100 people across the country about what excellence in healthcare means to them, the issues that matter most and how we can help. To everyone who contributed, we want to say thanks; through a global pandemic, you made the time to help us set a course for this new organization and quality and safety across Canada.
The strategy we developed from this engagement sets us up well for success. It’s ambitious in purpose but focused in scope, tackling some of our most pressing challenges – improving care of older people, care closer to home, and acting on lessons learned as we move through the pandemic to create more resilience in our system.
The pandemic has highlighted and enhanced pre-existing gaps and inequalities in our healthcare system. Yet it has also demonstrated how innovation can take tremendous leaps forward – whether in virtual care, vaccination or COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care - the focus of our LTC+: Acting on Pandemic Learning Together program. Working together with partners, this strategy will help us deliver lasting improvement in patient safety and experience, work-life of healthcare providers, value for money, and the health of everyone in Canada.
We’re excited to work with people across the country to spread innovations, build capabilities and catalyze policy change to support large-scale system improvement. And as members of the Board, we’re looking forward to working towards these aims with all of you, and our five new Board directors.
So, please take a look at our new strategy, participate in the conversation on social media, and join us in shaping a future where everyone in Canada has safe and high-quality healthcare.
Erik Sande, Board Chair, Healthcare Excellence Canada, and President of Medavie Health Services
Blair O’Neill, Board Vice-Chair Healthcare Excellence Canada, practicing cardiologist with Alberta Health Services and professor of medicine with University of Alberta
