CEO Messages 2009

Thank you for visiting the website.

 I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Mr. Dale Small and Mr. Bill Dinwoody to the WWLHIN Board of Directors. Both gentlemen will bring their keen interest in our health care system and their extensive professional expertise (both having a background in banking) to our board table. 

While you are visiting our website, I would like to draw your attention to two areas.  The first is the Integrated Health Service Plan, 2010 - 2013.  This plan  has just been completed and outlines the areas we will be focusing on, and what we plan to achieve, over the next three years.  I urge you to review the document.

 Also, please have a look at the Rural Health Draft Report – Findings and Recommendations, for information about the challenges and solutions around providing health services to individuals in our rural areas (which make up almost 90% of the WWLHIN’s geographic area).

 I hope that you experience the specialness of this holiday season.  For me, and my family, the holidays are defined by traditions – the things we count on doing each year. 

 One such tradition is building gingerbread houses.  My daughters have always been involved in sports, belonging to many teams over the years.  Every year, we invite a team over to the house where we all build gingerbread houses – each girl builds and decorates her own, then they get together as a team to build and decorate a house that we donate to charity (this year, Mary’s Place, a women's shelter in Waterloo Region, was the recipient). 

 As you can imagine, it is a fun filled afternoon as almost 20 girls get together to talk and laugh, and munch on traditional holiday goodies.  Creativity fills the kitchen as these gingerbread houses are decorated – with stunning results.  We wouldn’t miss it for the world!  I hope that you have special moments like this woven into your holiday plans.

Happy, healthy, holiday!

We all – residents, health service providers and the WWLHIN – want our best possible local health system – for today and for tomorrow.

We are well on our way to this accomplishment! Early in the history of the WWLHIN, much work was done to create what is called an Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP).

This three year plan, for 2007-2010, was the result of extensive consultation with our community to find out "what are your ideas for our health system – what works, what does not, where should we put our focus?" This original IHSP gave us the direction for our decision making and the work that has been carried out to date.

The time has come to build on that first IHSP and that’s a project we have been working on for the past year or so. Again, we’ve gone to our community – to our residents, health service providers and other stakeholders and asked the question "where should we be focusing our attention in the next three years?"

With the input we received and continue to seek, extensive research, and aligning with the Province’s priorities, we identified eight broad areas that "bubbled up to the surface."   The WWLHIN Board-approved IHSP for  2010 - 2013 can be found on this site by following the graphic link found on our home page.

It is clear that we must focus on the availability, and length of time, it takes to receive health services. We are looking at the time spent in an emergency department or waiting for an MRI; having access to long term care, primary care, or addictions and mental health services; and at specific areas of need such as stroke patient programs, alternate levels of care, and chronic disease prevention and management. The IHSP 2010-2013 will be the foundation upon which plans and investments will be made to improve these areas. There is much work to be done and I am confident that together we can make great strides forward.

I urge you to continue to visit our website for updates on our activities around the IHSP 2010-2013 and information about other activities of the WWLHIN.

There is something about this time of year that feels like a beginning - maybe it's the energy of our routines changing as the season changes.

There has been a change at the WWLHIN recently. Two of our nine board members have completed their tenure on the Board of Directors and retired at the end of August.

Members Bill Blackie and Ken Whyte, who both joined the board in 2006, are moving on - Bill to pursue other interests including his passion for boating, while Ken will remain associated with the WWLHIN on our Community Council.

Bill brought to the WWLHIN his balanced approach to decision making and was instrumental in the creation of our decision-making framework. He is exceptionally skilled in governance leadership and has knowledge of government policy that was valuable when the board had the opportunity to provide input on policies and regulations. He will be missed.

"It was a pleasure to work with this board.  The passion that each of the directors brings to the table in terms of improving the health care system made each and every activity or decision a joy.  This, plus an outstanding staff, leaves me with great memories of a truly terrific team that will ensure that ‘We Live and Live Well in Waterloo Wellington’."     Bill Blackie

 We could always count on Ken to bring a 'general-citizen' view to our board. He made sure that every decision we made focused on the people whose needs were being addressed. Ken also took the lead in making sure that our decisions included ample opportunity for community input and engagement. I am happy that Ken will continue at the WWLHIN through a role on our Community Council.

"It’s been a fabulous time to be involved at the board level, with the entire WWLHIN learning how to work together as a system.  This is a very hard-working, talented board, the WWLHIN staff is excellent – it’s been a real pleasure to have been part of this journey.  It’s also been a wonderful opportunity to meet members of other health provider boards, their teams, and many, many citizens of our WWLHIN who all take great pride in the quality of health care.  And, while the challenges ahead are great, I believe that everyone is feeling that real transformation is not only possible, it’s underway!"  Ken Whyte

Remaining board members include Kathy Durst, Chair; Paul Truex, Vice-chair; and Paul Holyoke, Secretary. They have been board members since the beginning of the WWLHIN in 2005! The other remaining members - Mary D'Alton, Glenna Heggie, Don Ross, and Bruce Schieck all joined the board in 2006. More information about the Board of Directors and each member can be found on the Board of Directors page located on this website...

Our nine member Board of Directors is selected by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and appointed through Order in Council. Replacements for Bill and Ken have yet to be appointed but we expect the selection to be finalized soon.

Our board members are hard working individuals who bring to the board a variety of skills, expertise and experience. They are well equipped to make informed and thoughtful decisions about health care changes that benefit our community - both now and with a look to the future. I thank every member for their unwavering commitment and their many contributions, and I look forward to the ideas that new members will inevitably bring to the WWLHIN and our community.

I hope that you are enjoying these summer months with your family and friends, having a relaxing or adventurous holiday, and taking full advantage of the longed-for hot and sunny days!

At the WWLHIN, we have been busy using this time to update our strategic plan for health care for Waterloo Wellington. Let me begin, by going back a bit.

One of the very first things we did when the WWLHIN came into being in 2005, was to talk to our community about its priorities for health care. From these early discussions, and a great deal of supporting research, we developed a plan of action - documented in our publication, the Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP) 2007-2010. This plan has served us well. Over the past years, we addressed the priorities as we made decisions that would positively transform our local health system.

Now, it is time for an update - and this is where I am asking for your participation. Our next three-year plan (2010-2013) will define our future direction. So far, our research and input from the community tells us the priorities include the need to improve access to primary care, to addictions and mental health services, to stroke care, and to emergency department care.

As well, there is a need to improve wait times for MRI tests, and for long-term care placement.

There is also a need to reduce patients' stay in alternate level of care beds and the need to improve chronic disease prevention and management.

What do you think of these priorities? Do you have other ideas for improving health care in Waterloo Wellington? We'd like to know.

Please share your ideas by completing the survey on this website - click on Integrated Health Service Planning 2010-2013. It does not take much time to fill out and your comments will be very important as we develop our next strategic plan.

While you are visiting our site, have a look at our Summer Bulletin. It will give you highlights of our activities during fiscal 2008-2009.

Thanks for visiting…and enjoy your summer.

Our Waterloo Wellington Road Trip

Since the beginning of 2009, Kathy Durst, Chair of the WWLHIN Board of Directors, and I have been travelling across Waterloo Wellington and making presentations to 20 municipal councils. Often joined by other board and community council members, we covered more than 2000 kms…and I am happy to say, did not get lost en-route even once!

Twice a year, at council meetings, we have the opportunity to meet and talk with our local elected officials and members of the public who attend. In the past, we have given our 'WWLHIN 101' presentation - basic information about the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network.

This past year, we moved beyond the basics and gave councilors information about our accomplishments, none of which would be possible without the cooperation, imagination, and enthusiasm of our local health service providers.

Accomplishments include:

• Through our Aging at Home strategy, $37 million is being invested in programs and services that will enable seniors to remain safely in their homes.
• We increased funding for youth addictions' treatment programs - $2.5 million between Portage and Ray of Hope.
• We implemented transition beds and rural mental health beds.
• Wait times for hip/knee surgeries, cataracts, MRI and CT scans were reduced.
• Investments were made in eHealth initiatives.
• Initiatives were undertaken to resolve issues in hospital emergency departments and move patients to their most appropriate level of care.

These are just a few examples of the accomplishments in the WWLHIN. A sample of the presentation to Municipal Councils can be found below along with a list of presentation dates and locations.

So, what did we learn at these presentations? People in our community, whether rural or urban, have the same concerns. Highest on the list is access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Funding that reflects the health needs of each community was also a concern. Unique to the rural communities is availability of affordable transportation services for patients.

Although health care is not a municipal jurisdiction, councilors were very interested in making sure that needed resources are available for their community. I know that they are keenly interested, as we have been invited back again!

One of the most exciting results of the meetings is that Wellington County Mayors asked for a follow up meeting with Kathy and I. It was held on May 25. We talked about how to ensure they receive on-going information about the WWLHIN, our work, and opportunities for health care funding that may be available in the future. To that end, there will be a designated person to be the link between the WWLHIN and each Council - a great way to ensure everyone remains informed.

For more information about the WWLHIN's activities, I urge you to visit this website often.

Engaging Our Community

Thank you for visiting our website. It is so important that we stay in touch with each other!

A very high priority for me is to be sure that your ideas are heard by the WWLHIN. From the beginning of the LHINs (in 2005), we have been actively engaging the community; that is, encouraging residents to give us input and to participate in identifying the priorities for health care services for this area. From those early discussions, we developed the Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP) The IHSP reflects the community's priorities and has directed the activities of the WWLHIN over these past years.

It's time for the IHSP to be updated to ensure that our plans and activities continue to reflect the priorities of our community. You will find more information about our IHSP and our 'updating' activities on this website throughout the next few months. Please be sure to visit our IHSP 2010 - 2013 planning page.

Community engagement is ongoing. It is important that our community understands what the WWLHIN is all about - to that end, we look for opportunities to present what I call 'WWLHIN 101'. It's an informative overview of our local health care priorities, activities and the investments made by the WWLHIN to support the IHSP priorities.

It is my privilege to meet and speak with groups, clubs and organizations. Through 'WWLHIN 101', there is information sharing. The questions that I am asked, and the feedback I receive, all provide valuable information. If your group would like to learn more about the WWLHIN please contact me, sandra.hanmer@lhins.on.ca, and I will be happy to meet, talk and listen to your group.

Recently we've focused on receiving feedback from our rural communities about their unique health care needs. Five rural health care forums were held. These forums were designed to look at the key issues for rural residents and how our local health care system can be more responsive. The presentations and feedback of those sessions can be found on the Current Projects page of the website.

I, along with the Chair of our Board of Directors, Kathy Durst and other board members, have been visiting elected municipal officials throughout the area. We have quite a schedule of meetings! Perhaps you are able to attend? These meetings are a great way to hear the voice of the community through our elected council members. I'll tell you more about these meetings in my message next month.

The WWLHIN staff has also been busy with community engagement activities. These have included participation in Health and Wellness, Aging at Home, and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Innovation Expos. We've organized Champions of Change Symposiums - held twice yearly to bring health service providers together to address specific topics.

We have hosted Chairs' Forum, bringing together health service providers' board chairs to talk about system-wide transformation. We also have the expectation that our local health care service providers will seek the community's input.

We've been keeping you informed through a wide distribution of our bulletins, available throughout the community or on our News & Information page. We've had appearances on local television, interviews on radio programs and coverage in area newspapers.

This website, redesigned just a few months ago, is also an important way that we can ensure that the community and our health care providers are aware of the WWLHIN's activities and have the opportunity to provide a point of view. I encourage you to visit often.

I've told you about some of the WWLHIN's efforts to reach out, engage, and inform the community. Now I am asking for your participation. When you have ideas, praise or concerns about our local health care system, please let me know. Send me an email, give me a phone call, send a letter, or have a chat with me in the grocery store! Your point of view makes a difference but only when your voice is heard.

April 2009

As spring follows winter, we begin to feel energized and optimistic about the possibilities the next months will bring. The WWLHIN has been working with specific sectors of health service providers over the past winter months to reach service agreements - and we have had invigorating success!

These agreements, called Multi-sector Service Accountability Agreements (M-SAAs) outline exactly what these providers will do (that is, their operating plans), what it will cost (their budget) and how people will benefit (their targets).

I am pleased to say that, at the March meeting of the WWLHIN Board of Directors, 100% of these agreements were approved for April 1, 2009 through to March 31, 2011.

The service provider sectors involved are the Community Care Access Centre, community health centres, community support agencies and community mental health and addiction agencies. This is the first time these providers negotiated service agreements with the WWLHIN; in the past, these were negotiated with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Bringing these service agreement decisions closer to home supports the WWLHIN's role as a health system manager.

The M-SAA process gave the WWLHIN a more complete understanding of the services provided by these agencies. It allowed us to look at our system broadly - to identify opportunities and gaps. We were able to encourage partnerships and collaborations amongst these service providers. We have begun to build a better health care system for our local community.

I want to take this opportunity to thank these service providers for their commitment to quality care and improvement, and for all their hard work in finalizing these agreements.

In the next months, as we see spring grow into summer, we will also see genuine improvements that will benefit us all and move us to our goal to 'Live and Live Well in Waterloo Wellington.'

For more information about the M-SAAs I encourage you to visit the health service providers page on this website...

March 2009 - Kudos to Guelph General Hospital!

The major challenge facing our health care system transformation is designing a high quality, affordable system that focuses on the best interests of the individuals who use the system and the greater community; we are all owners of the system.

While funding is important – we must use limited financial resources as efficiently as possible - first and foremost we must provide a quality health care system.

In any system, what one ‘member’ does can affect everyone in the system – positively or negatively. It is important that all leaders in health care recognize they cannot assume that additional funding will be available to cover deficits, or that funding will be provided without demonstrated results.

Guelph General Hospital (GGH) was facing a deficit for the current fiscal year of $2.8 million and a further $3 million deficit for 2009-2010. This was a serious situation. Like all of us (whether an organization or a family) Guelph General Hospital needed to find ways to ‘live within their means’ while continuing to provide strong programs and services.

It was clear that tough decisions would have to be made. After extensive internal scrutiny and many discussions with the WWLHIN, Guelph General Hospital sought the benefit of having ‘new eyes’ look at their operations.

GGH welcomed a review team of peers to identify opportunities for improvement, focusing on performance and the effective use of resources. Through creativity and innovation, GGH has achieved the outcomes required for itself and for an interdependent health system where all partners are held accountable for performance.

Was it easy – no, of course not. Was it necessary – absolutely. Will it benefit the community – unequivocally, yes.

I also congratulate Guelph General Hospital on the recent provincial announcement that they will become a bariatric centre of excellence for the province. Guelph General was one of four hospitals to receive this increased funding. This designation acknowledges the existing surgical expertise, facilities and resources already in place at GGH. Through this increased funding, GGH will be able to provide 240 surgeries a year - good news for the entire Waterloo Wellington area as individuals will now receive this highly specialized surgery closer to home.

The WWLHIN, as leaders in our system, continues to support our colleagues in the transformation of our health care, system-wide. Together we will champion changes and improvements to ensure that we all continue to "Live and Live Well in Waterloo Wellington."

For more information, I encourage you to visit the following links:

Guelph General Hospital

02/02/2009 - It’s fresh, it’s informative, it’s interactive! I am very excited to welcome you to the new WWLHIN website. Our goal is to have a website that provides you with up to date, easy to access information about the WWLHIN and its activities.

The WWLHIN has the responsibility, and the privilege, of partnering with our community and health service providers to create the very best local health care system for all of us.

We want to be sure that you know what has happened in the past, what we are doing now, and what the plans are for the future. This website is one of the most effective means we have for presenting you with a library of that information. Throughout this site, you will find information about our community’s priorities for health care (detailed in the Integrated Health Service Plan). You will learn about our governance and accountability, our activities to involve our community, special projects and so very much more. We have also included sections for health service providers and members of the media with information that will be of special interest to these groups.

I am pleased to say that now many of our materials are available in a variety of formats – in various languages including French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Punjabi, and CNIB format. We plan to offer more of our materials in these formats as they are developed. As well, our materials are all available in printed format – simply contact the office for a copy.

Very important to us is that we want to hear from you – about everything. Is there information you would like included on the site? Do you have any questions or suggestions about our activities? Please contact us with your comments or questions at waterloowellington@lhins.on.ca.

We will continuously update the site. Please visit us often to find out what’s new.

Right now, I want to mention that we are busy talking to our elected officials and updating them about the WWLHIN. To that end, Kathy Durst, Chair of the Board of Directors, a number of our board members, and I have planned visits to all 20 of our WWLHIN-wide municipal councils. The list of visits is presented here, as well as the presentation we will be making. I invite you to attend these meetings.

Thank you for visiting – hope you come back soon!

As CEO, I regularly engage stakeholders to share information and receive input into the LHIN’s plans and activities. At present, along with Board Chair Kathy Durst, I am making a series of presentations to local municipal councils. Here is my schedule of presentations for the coming weeks.