A healthcare worker in protective gear takes nose swab test from a person.

Responding to
COVID-19

We’re working with partners to respond to, and recover from, COVID-19 by contributing resources, expertise, and bringing people together to help put quality and safety evidence into action.

Even before the pandemic, Canada faced challenges achieving safe, high-quality healthcare for all. COVID-19 has surfaced gaps in both care and equity, and shone a light on creative, highly effective responses.

We have an opportunity to expand the reach of proven innovations so more people can benefit. We also remain committed to helping the people we work with find meaningful and effective ways to partner with those with lived experience who are essential to improving experiences, outcomes and policies in a pandemic context.

We all have an important role in defining what excellence looks like for everyone across the country. Please join us in supporting pandemic response in long-term care, the reintegration of essential care partners into health and care facilities, safe virtual care, and more.

Action we can take, together.

Essential Together

Through Essential Together, we’re working with health and care organizations to support them to re-integrate, welcome and engage essential care partners as part of care teams during COVID-19 and beyond. Essential Together takes a balanced approach to support the safe reintegration of essential care partners, even during an outbreak. The program offers learning bundles, huddles, access to coaching, ongoing peer learning, and other support.

Learn more about Essential Together

Virtual Learning Together Series

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency to share learning across care settings in real-time. The need to move quickly to improve support for underserved people, and the people who care for them, is especially critical as existing gaps in health and care widen. In response, Healthcare Excellence Canada launched a Learning Together to connect residential substance use centres and emergency shelters to share lessons learned. The Virtual Learning Together Series includes webinars, huddles, discussion forums and workshops. Together, we can expand the reach of what’s working so more people can benefit.

Learn more about the Virtual Learning Together Series

LTC+ Webinar Series: Next Steps in COVID-19 Response in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes Webinar Series

As long-term care and retirement homes continue to adapt to COVID-19, collaborative learning is needed now more than ever. The Next Steps in COVID-19 Response webinar series brings people together so they can share with, and learn from, others facing similar challenges and opportunities in long-term care and retirement homes during the pandemic. This webinar series focuses on six key areas that can strengthen pandemic response: preparation, prevention, people in the workforce, pandemic response and surge capacity, plan for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 care, and presence of family.

Learn more about COVID-19 Response in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes Webinar Series

LTC+ Acting on Pandemic Learning Together

LTC+ is a community of long-term care and retirement homes working together to strengthen ongoing pandemic response. Participants include those delivering healthcare for older adults in congregate settings – staff, managers, policy-makers, residents, family, caregiver partners and others – working hard to manage tough situations while also looking and planning ahead. Through LTC+, homes work with Implementation Science Teams and have access to potential funding, coaching, peer support and virtual learning.

Learn more about LTC+ Acting on Pandemic Learning Together

Health Workforce Strategies in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

We partnered with the Canadian Health Workforce Network to identify health workforce strategies that reduce the effects of COVID-19 for patients, healthcare workers and others. To access the searchable database of more than 650 innovations from around the world, visit the CHWN website.

Resources

Here are some COVID-19 related resources developed by Healthcare Excellence Canada and partners.

Creating a Safe Space: Psychological Safety of Healthcare Workers

Virtual care resources for members of the public

Virtual care resources for Healthcare Providers and Healthcare Leaders

Hand Hygiene Fact Sheets

Guidance for Health Care Leaders During the Recovery Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic

After the Shot: Guidance Supporting the Re-opening of Canada’s LTC Homes Following COVID-19 Vaccination

Safely Re-entering Long-Term Care Homes During COVID-19: A Resource for Essential Care Partners

Podcast: Not Just a Land of Pilot Projects: Excellence in Care with and for Everyone with Jennifer Zelmer (Longwoods)

Home and Community-Based Palliative Care: Shaping the future from lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic

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For information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, please refer to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the World Health Organization, and provincial, territorial, and local public health authorities.