William Osler Healthcare System advances to new heights in 2019-24 Strategic Plan

BY: KAYLA KARIM 

Hospitals are constantly searching for new ways to execute their programs and services to communities today and for future generations.

William Osler Health System is taking strides to improve that.

“This isn’t just Osler’s plan. It’s everyone’s plan because it’s about how people in our communities access and experience the quality health care they need, when and where they need it, and we all have a role to play in making that happen,” Dr. Brendan Carr, Osler’s President, and CEO shared.

Dr. Carr also stated that the 2019-24 Strategic Plan “Going Beyond for Healthier Communities” outlines the priorities that the William Osler Health System has for the next five years.

“The population in our communities is growing, people are aging, and incidence of chronic disease and complex illnesses are rising.” Dr. Carr said.

“Faced with increasing patient volumes and precious resources, we recognize the need to re-imagine the way we deliver health care in our hospitals and in partnership with other health service providers, across the health system. Our new strategic plan is directed at pushing the boundaries to champion sustainable change that alters the way patients access, engage and experience the health system.”

Osler’s five-year plan looks to have a lot of potential with realistic priorities that focus on delivering safe, high-quality patient care. The plan will make the best use of human and financial resources while leveraging today’s technology. By doing so, this will also improve access to services and support self-care and attract employees who are experts in their respective fields.

Patients will witness technology playing a much bigger role in how they receive care and how services are accessed across the health system, ranging from virtual face-to-face conversations with clinicians to reporting symptoms to a care team via mobile phone apps.

Osler expects that by 2024 the following goals will be achieved:

• Patients and families are sitting at Osler’s key planning tables and regularly contributing their ideas to help shape programs and services that reflect their needs
• People will be better able to manage their chronic diseases at home because they have the tools, education, and resources to confidently manage their chronic diseases, minimizing unnecessary hospital admissions and visits to the emergency department
• Patients will have greater access to the services they need, when they need them, due to a better-coordinated health system and the use of virtual technologies
• Osler will become an employer of choice and a hub for innovation thanks to a culture that inspires people to actively contribute, champion and model new, effective and more efficient ways of using Osler’s valuable resources to deliver safe, compassionate, high-quality care.

Dr. Carr wanted communities to know that “this isn’t just Osler’s plan. It’s everyone’s plan because it’s about how people in our communities access and experience the quality health care they need, when and where they need it.”

For more information about Osler’s strategic plan, please visit www.williamoslerhs.ca.