HSN and HSNRI 2019-2024 Strategic Plan
This 2019-2024 strategic plan for Health Sciences North (HSN) and the Health Sciences North Research Institute (HSNRI) was developed by engaging patients, families, employees, medical staff, learners, volunteers, health, social service, primary care and academic partners, partnering hospitals and funders.
In 2018, we gathered over 3,100 stakeholder views and validated the plan with 730 of these same participants.
They also told us that it is the people of HSN and HSNRI, the 4,000 dedicated employees, 500 highly-skilled medical staff and scientists, 2,100 learners and 700 active volunteers who bring this value to Northerners. With 13 sites in Greater Sudbury and an additional 25 across the region where our staff provides care and information technology supports, we heard how important seamless flow of information and care delivery is to patients and families, community-based and regional partners.
With 13 sites in Greater Sudbury and an additional 25 across the region where our staff provides care and information technology supports, we heard how important seamless flow of information and care delivery is to patients and families, community-based and regional partners.
As a relatively new academic health science centre working in partnership with Laurentian and Lakehead Universities and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, HSN and HSNRI have a unique opportunity and, as our consultations reinforced, an obligation to focus on addressing priority health concerns of northerners.
We acknowledge that we are providing services in Robinson-Huron Treaty territory on the traditional lands of the Anishinabek, the original Peoples of this land. Through this plan, we will strengthen relationships with Anishinabek, Métis, Cree and Moose Cree Peoples.
We proudly remain committed to actively offering French-language health services and meeting the needs of diverse populations in culturally safe and inclusive ways.
We are replacing our previous mission and vision statements with a purpose statement for HSN and HSNRI. We are renewing our values and making new commitments. We will focus on achieving five key goals and 19 specific outcomes by 2024, while sustaining balanced budgets.
Our Purpose
To provide high quality health services, support learning and generate research that improves health outcomes for the people of Northeastern Ontario.
Our Commitments
Showing positive regard for each person’s strengths, qualities and values.
We will partner with humility, valuing each person’s and each community’s strengths and ideas to bring the best care, education and research solutions forward.
We will provide a physically, psychologically and culturally safe environment that promotes a positive care, working and learning experience.
Our Values
Respect
Showing positive regard for each person’s strengths, qualities and values.
Quality
Providing patient and family-focused services that are safe, reliable, accessible (timely), efficient, effective and equitable.
Transparency
Sharing information that is timely and truthful, working within the limits of law and policy.
Accountability
Taking personal responsibility for our actions, behaviours and decisions.
Compassion
Responding to the needs of others, showing kindness and empathy.
Our Key Goals
The health care system is complex. We will make it seamless for patients and families.
Jessica Grenier
Patient and Family Advisor, Health Sciences North & Strategic Plan Steering Committee Member
“A better wayfinding system will allow patients and families to focus on what matters most.”
Outcome 1 – By 2024 we will:
Begin implementation of a capital plan: creating new bed spaces, meeting future space demand in particular for mental health and addictions care, clustering programs for kids and youth and reducing where we can their need to travel outside the region for care, reducing our number of sites in Greater Sudbury, improving way-finding and 24/7 access to healthy retail food options for outpatients and visitors.
“In the years to come, we look forward to the expansion of our Emergency Department to better serve all our patients.”
Dr. Rob Lepage
Emergency Physician, Medical Director, Emergency Services, Health Sciences North
Outcome 2 – By 2024 we will:
Learn through simulation and implement communication approaches that improve satisfaction of patients and families about their involvement in decisions about their care. We will ensure that patients understand their medical condition, expected health trajectory and prognosis and that we understand their goals and values. Plans of care will be developed and documented with patients and families, involving primary and community care partners where appropriate.
“Sharing my final care wishes with my family and physician in advance, led to better care decisions when I got sick.”
Charles Ketter
Patient and Family Advisor, Health Sciences North
Outcome 3 – By 2024 we will:
Reduce wait times for medical imaging through acquiring a second MRI. We will adopt provincial best practices with other hospitals in the region to reduce wait times for procedures and for CT, MRI and PET scans.
“A second MRI at HSN will greatly reduce the wait times for patients and family members so that we can make informed decisions about our healthcare.”
Nick Dominelli
Patient and Family Advisor, Health Sciences North
Outcome 4 – By 2024 we will:
Expand virtual care models and remote patient monitoring with our patients and their primary and community care partners to reduce patient travel. Our focus will be in mental health, addictions, pediatric care and chronic disease programs.
“Expanding virtual care models and remote patient monitoring is the future of healthcare, especially for regions like Northeastern Ontario. HSN is proud to be leading the way in Virtual Critical Care.”
Dr. Derek Manchuk
Medical Director, Critical Care, Health Sciences North
Outcome 5 – By 2024 we will:
Make patient, family, employee and medical staff engagement visible in our daily pursuit of continuous quality improvement across the continuum of care. Inter-professional proactive external reviews will take place in a majority of our 10 Medical Departments. We will secure “Accreditation with Exemplary Standing”, achieving the highest rating of hospital quality in Canada.
“Our plan is to engage with, not only patients and families, but staff and physicians to ensure that our pursuit of quality improvement is visible throughout the organization.”
Dr. John Fenton
Vascular Surgeon, Chief of Staff, Health Sciences North
Outcome 6 – By 2024 we will:
Improve patient satisfaction with admission and discharge, involving primary and community care partners to support effective care transitions.
Be Digitally-Enabled
We will expand the use of technology, data and analytics to improve care.
Outcome 7 – By 2024 we will:
Implement and sustain an integrated regional electronic medical record (EMR). This will make care safer, make health information available to health providers throughout Northeast Ontario and reduce the need for patients to re-tell their stories or repeat tests.
“We will expand the use of technology to improve care within our region.”
Dr. Tyler Christie
Emergency Physician, Chief Medical Information Officer, Health Sciences North
Outcome 8 – By 2024 we will:
Launch a secure Patient Portal, putting patients’ information in their own hands. The portal will provide access to test results, health education tools and scheduling for follow-up care.
“If I could speak to my doctor or check my meds with my pharmacist, in an easy and accessible way, let’s say online through a portal, that would be great.”
Gerald Jean
Patient
Outcome 9 – By 2024 we will:
Implement a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) that forecasts staffing and leadership gaps, streamlines scheduling and supports succession planning. We will gain reliable data to balance front-line staff and managers’ workloads, meet service expectations and be proactive in recruitment and retention.
“A Human Resources Information System will ensure we have the right staff for patient care at all times and that we’re fiscally responsible with everything we do. Most importantly, it will free up my time to be at the bedside to speak to patients and families, and know where we need to focus our time for process improvement.”
Lisa Zeman
Clinical Manager, General Internal Medicine, Health Sciences North
Be Socially Accountable
We will seek and value community engagement and stakeholder participation to address the priority health concerns and health equity gaps for Northerners.
Outcome 10 – By 2024 we will:
Adopt and promote the Regional Geriatric Programs of Ontario’s Senior Friendly Care Framework prioritizing improvements for hospitalized seniors. Staff will gain knowledge and skills to deliver evidence-based care, improving outcomes for seniors while they are in hospital and when transitioning home.
“Having a Senior Friendly Care Framework is paramount to meet the health care needs of Northeastern Ontario. ”
Dr. Jo-Anne Clarke
Geriatrician, Clinical Lead, NESGC and Regional Geriatric Clinics & Strategic Plan Steering Committee Member
Outcome 11 – By 2024 we will:
Improve access to mental health and addictions care at HSN and in the community. Timely consultation and treatment support will be made available regardless of where patients are located at HSN, with clear pathways for follow up in the community upon discharge. Mental health and addictions practitioners will develop the capacity of care providers in the use of evidence-based guidelines to treat mental illness and reduce the harms of alcohol and substance use.
“There are many different ways that people need help. If we can work together to connect our services to offer someone the best care possible, then we’re behind it.”
Dinah Laprairie
Executive Director, Northern Initiative for Social Action (NISA)
Outcome 12 – By 2024 we will:
Provide cultural safety and diversity training programs for our employees, medical staff, learners and volunteers to meet the needs and expectations of disadvantaged and diverse populations (including Indigenous, Francophone, multicultural, LGBTQ2S, street-involved and homeless people). Individuals from these populations will co-design and deliver these training programs.
“Health Sciences North has to be a leader in the active offer of French language services to Francophone patients and families.”
Monique Rocheleau
Associate Executive Director, Réseau du mieux-être francophone du Nord de l'Ontario
Outcome 13 – By 2024 we will:
Develop and implement, with our care partners and the support of our funders, innovative models that offer alternatives to hospitalization.
“The Northeast LHIN is committed to working with system partners to develop and implement locally-tailored innovative models of care.”
Kate Fyfe
Vice President, Performance and Accountability North East Local Health Integration Network
Outcome 14 – By 2024 we will:
Be an active participant in bringing health and social service partners together with Indigenous communities and organizations for the shared purpose of improving health outcomes of Indigenous Peoples. Through the formation of, and active participation in an Indigenous Advisory Council, we will have a deeper understanding of Indigenous Peoples and a mutually established action plan framed by the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“Through the formation of and active participation in an Indigenous Advisory Council, we will have a deeper understanding of Indigenous peoples and a mutually established action plan, formed by the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”
Rosella Kinoshameg
Board Member, Health Sciences North & Strategic Plan Steering Committee Member
Support and Develop our People
We will invest in our staff so that we can be there when you need us most.
Outcome 15 – By 2024 we will:
Implement a staff and physician wellness program, with particular focus on promoting good mental health, daily physical activity and healthy choices, resulting in a resilient, energized workforce.
“We’re excited to invest in our people with a focus on promoting good mental health, daily physical activity, and healthy choices.”
Dr. Chris Bourdon
Emergency Physician Vice-President Medical & Academic Affairs, Health Sciences North
Outcome 16 – By 2024 we will:
Double our annual investment in staff and leadership development. We will engage employees in allocating these investments to maximize their impact.
“HSN already provides great care to our patients, but being able to support our staff and give them the tools they need to do even better, is a win-win. It’s a win for our staff, and it’s a win for our patients and families.”
Gillyan Gravelle
Registered Nurse, Health Sciences North & Strategic Plan Steering Committee Member
Strengthen our Academic and Research Impact
We will progress as an academic health sciences centre, through regional, provincial, national and international collaborations.
Outcome 17 – By 2024 we will:
Foster an inter-professional learning culture where every learner is welcomed and supported. Expectations around patient care, teaching and research will be embedded in all relevant performance plans and job descriptions. Medical leadership roles will have a dual accountability to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
“I’m excited to be part of a culture where every learner is welcome and accepted. It’s the best way we learn from each other and from our preceptors.”
Sarah Slack
Nursing Student, Laurentian University & Strategic Plan Steering Committee Member
Outcome 18 – By 2024 we will:
Champion a regional health innovation cluster starting with Laurentian University, Lakehead University, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Thunder Bay Regional Health Institute and the newly-launched Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) North.
“Leveraging and connecting the work that we’re all doing will allow us to get a bigger picture, have more results, and be more effective in bringing in funds we need to do research.”
Pierre Zundel, PhD
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor, Laurentian University
Outcome 19 – By 2024 we will:
Support research efforts of researchers and medical staff that are favourably peer-reviewed, partially funded through external sources and involve collaborations. Support will include space and access to HSNRI scientists, inclusive of ICES North, statisticians, grant-writers and administrative staff. Collaborative research towards Cancer Solutions, Cardiovascular Health, Healthy Aging and Indigenous Health will be advanced.
“We will collaborate to create a critical mass around our shared vision for what we want to accomplish in Northern Ontario.”
Dr. Janet McElhaney
Geriatrician, Health Sciences North, Vice-President, Research and Scientific Director, Health Sciences North Research Institute