Updates and Information for VHA’s Valued Clients and Families

Issue 53, April 2023

Client Choice Award Nominations are OPEN until May 31!

Does your VHA Personal Support Worker (PSW), Nurse, Rehab Therapist, Scheduling Coordinator, Home Support Worker or Extreme Cleaner provide spectacular care? Nominate them for a Client Choice Award!

VHA is committed to bringing the voices, feedback and ideas of clients and their families into everything we do. That’s why we want YOU to help us pick our 2023 Client Choice Award winners by nominating an outstanding care team member!

 Longwoods Breakfast Series: Connected Care. Creating Better Healthcare Experiences

University Health Network (UHN), a health system in Canada’s largest urban centre, launched a new model of care to improve the care experience with a focus on integrating all aspects of care whether in or outside of a hospital. This Program is developed and delivered in partnership with VHA Home HealthCare as lead agency, home care provider, and collaborative partner to improve patient experience and outcomes. The Program launched rapidly with great results serving +13,000 patients. 

Last month, VHA's President & CEO Dr. Kathryn Nichol and Dr. Kevin Smith, President and CEO, University Health Network presented the program at a Longwoods Breakfast Series to share how trust, effective governance and leadership helped navigate challenges and partner with organizations, to transform how patient care is delivered.  

Weaving Us Together: Celebrating the Volunteers of VHA

Each year, National Volunteer Week recognizes the dedication and generosity of the over 24 million volunteers across Canada who offer their time, talent and energy to make a positive difference. For the 2023 Recognition Week (April 16-22), the theme Volunteering Weaves Us Together, reveals the importance of volunteering to the strength and vibrancy of our communities.

At VHA, the individual and collective actions of volunteers strengthen the fabric of our organization. The important contributions of volunteers can take place in many different ways, which may include administrative support in community clinics, contributing their expertise as a member of our volunteer Board, delivering essential items to vulnerable clients, providing emotional and coaching support to those struggling with hoarding, or relieving family caregivers or supporting new moms.

“Our volunteers develop vital partnerships with our clients and staff that enhance the work that we do and create opportunities for more independence,” said Dawn Ashford, Supervisor of Volunteer Services at VHA.

“In 2022 we had 92 active volunteers who provided 4,000 hours of service. They are truly outstanding examples of empathy, compassion, skill and commitment and make a difference in the lives of our clients and families every day,” Dawn added.

Here’s a glimpse into the kindness of our volunteers and how their roles are impacting the VHA community.

Design Day: Bringing VHA’s team together to develop a collaborative approach for clinical leaders so they can offer better support to their teams and provide even greater person-centred care to clients

Last month, more than 90 participants from different roles and teams across VHA, including staff, service providers, and client partners gathered at St. James Cathedral Event Centre, for Design Day.

At this fun and informative day-long event, participants learned about interprofessional care, explored what VHA can do to enhance leadership and interprofessional competency for leaders, and offered important feedback to help kick start the co-design of a "One Team" model at VHA.

Led by members of VHA’s Integrated Client & Community Care, Quality, Best Practice & Education, and Research & Innovation departments, the One Team initiative is a multi-phase project that will develop and implement a new and improved interprofessional care model for VHA.

Although VHA already embraces an interprofessional approach to care, the initiative aims to strengthen and create foundational components such as refreshed clinical leadership competencies that will result in better client outcomes and enhanced client and employee experiences.

Quality Improvement and Mental Health Initiatives Drive VHA’s Best Practice Spotlight Organization Designation

Since 2015, VHA has been designated a Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). This credential recognizes providers of the highest level of professional practice and evidence-based care across all disciplines as well as the successful implementation of Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) over a three-year period. Every two years the designation is reviewed for potential renewal based on the achievement of required deliverables.

“The BPSO designation highlights our organization-wide commitment to ensuring that staff and service providers’ practice is informed by research evidence. Our back-to-back designations over nearly a decade show that we are always focused on continuous improvement,” said Matt Wong, VHA’s Manager of Professional Practice and BPSO Lead.

“By identifying the opportunities that will further align our structures and processes to new and emerging best practices, we will continue to effect change and have a positive impact on client care,” Matt said.

As VHA moves forward to the 2023-2025 designation cycle, here is a look at the guidelines that were most recently implemented as well as the BPGs we plan to work towards in our fifth term.

Recognizing National Caregiver Day

Every year in April, organizations across the country recognize and celebrate the essential role of unpaid caregivers on National Caregiver Day. Caregivers play a critical role in the health system, yet their efforts often go unsung, unseen and uncelebrated. But in home care, care providers see these efforts firsthand and are often a first point of contact for caregivers and their loved ones. From all of us at VHA, we wanted to extend our thanks to caregivers everywhere for all that you do. Your partnership is essential.

New free videos available to support caregivers

A series of free educational videos to support unpaid caregivers has been made available by VHA’s partners WoodGreen Community Services and East Toronto Health Partners Ontario Health Team. Twenty different short videos have been created to help caregivers navigate Ontario’s healthcare system and access the care and support they need. Topics include What to do if your care recipient is in the hospital, How to find subsidies and other financial support, and many more. The videos were all created in collaboration with experienced caregivers and will be translated into languages other than English soon. 

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