VPSA/VMDAS board and staff meet regularly with VCH senior leaders to develop a collaborative relationship between medical staff and the health authority. The May meeting included presentations on both VCH’s and VPSA’s latest strategic plans and how they align with each other.
VCH’s renewed 2024-2029 Strategic Plan
VCH Director, Strategy Deployment Lori Benning provided an overview of the health authority’s renewed plan, which is rolling out across the organization this month and next.
The new VCH plan builds on the previous one in that the vision, values, pillars, and goals remain much the same. The pillars (Indigenous cultural safety, equity, diversity and inclusion, anti-racism, and planetary health) align closely with VPSA’s priorities.
One new strategic goal has been added: healthy people. This means VCH will support optimal health and well-being for all, including addressing the social determinants of health. Watch for VCH to invest in health prevention and health promotion.
The plan’s other goals are exceptional care, research and innovation for impact, and great place to work. Realizing these goals also fits well with VPSA’s objectives.
VCH’s plan relies on advanced data and analytics, technology, healthy facilities and infrastructure, and partnerships to realize its goals. Partnerships with groups like VPSA and VMDAS are vital to its success.
VPSA’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan
VPSA President Dr. Ka Wai Cheung led the discussion on the association’s new strategic plan. VPSA’s mission remains to represent member interests through engaging with VCH and its physician community to build a more collaborative, inclusive, caring, and connected community at work to support best patient care.
New in this report is VPSA’s vision:
An environment where all physicians are fully engaged, feel valued, and are supported to reach their full potential through:
- A healthy workplace culture
- Application of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles
- Physician wellness, and
- A robust engagement with senior leadership
To achieve the plan’s new strategic priorities, members of VPSA’s task groups and committees will be assessing how their activities align with changes members would like to see in the health authority over the coming years. VPSA is also identifying which departments and divisions it needs to engage with more to garner higher awareness and participation.
Those attending the meeting agreed that VCH and VPSA are stronger when working together and noted several of both groups’ strategic priorities align. Engaging members is always challenging and there may be ways for both organizations to find synergies.
Other business
Dr. Cheung raised the idea of leveraging VPSA monthly lunches at VGH to increase VCH leadership visibility. The suggestion of offering a separate monthly lunch showcasing different leaders that members could attend in person or online was met with enthusiasm. Dr. Cheung also proposed creating a poster of senior VCH leaders with images and job profiles.
VCH Vice President, Vancouver Acute Services Michelle de Moor had a question about process. The VA/VC Medical Staff Planetary Health Committee has submitted a request for a pollinator garden in a green space. While the idea is intriguing, Michelle suggested it would be better if requests such as this were first made to those attending the senior leadership meetings. That way, questions could be asked prior to a formal application being made.
Next meeting
The group next meets on June 13. If you have an item you wish to be brought forward at these meetings, please contact VPSA Operations Director Andrew Pinfold.