Great care inspired by community: Michael Garron Hospital launches new Strategic Plan

More than 1,000 people contributed to hospital’s new vision, purpose and values statements  

Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) is proud to launch its brand-new Strategic Plan: Great care inspired by community, a major milestone after three years of fighting the COVID-19 health crisis. 

This new plan, which features new vision, purpose and values statements, powerfully reflects the hospital’s deep community roots grounded in health equity, inclusion and social justice.

During an extensive six-month consultation process, MGH heard it was important for the organization’s vision, purpose and values to change to reflect what is most important to the people who live, work, give and receive care at the hospital. 

“A lot has changed since 2017, when we released our previous Strategic Plan,” says Wolf Klassen, President and CEO, Interim at MGH. 

“We co-founded our Ontario Health Team, East Toronto Health Partners (ETHP), together with our exceptional community partners. During a time of rapid change and adversity, we were recognized across the country for our collaborative, community-based response to COVID-19. We opened the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre (Thomson Centre), one of Ontario’s newest healthcare facilities.” 

“This plan is a reflection of where we’ve been, where we’re going and who we want to be. We will use the momentum of the last three years to raise our standard of excellence for the communities we serve.”  

What we heard: How we created this new plan   

Beginning in spring 2022, MGH organized virtual and in-person meetings and developed surveys to hear from patients, community members, staff, physicians, volunteers and partners on what mattered most to them. More than 1,000 people contributed their valuable insights and feedback. 

Three key areas came into focus: 

1. Care: How MGH takes care of patients 
2. People: How the hospital supports its people  
3. Community: How MGH works outside hospital walls to support the health of communities 

“Community” came up repeatedly in discussions about the hospital – a word with many different meanings and woven into the fabric of the hospital’s identity and sense of purpose. 

“Everyone in a community has different abilities and needs, and deserves to be taken care of accordingly,” says Abdul Rashid Athar, Community Health Ambassador Lead at Flemingdon Health Centre, a member organization of ETHP that works frequently with MGH. 

“At Michael Garron Hospital, whether you are a patient, caregiver or staff member, everyone – irrespective of their gender, ethnicity and religion – is treated with respect and dignity. Every member of this community goes the extra mile.” 

HOW WE DEFINE COMMUNITY

“How we define community” is a new section in MGH’s new Strategic Plan that aims to capture the meaning and spirit of this essential and multidimensional word.

Community is a place. If you live in East Toronto, we are proud to be your community hospital. 

Community is our relationship with each other. When you come through our doors, we are your community. 

Community is a feeling. In our community, we all belong. 

Community is why we’re here, it’s who we are, and it’s how it feels to be at Michael Garron Hospital. 

Growth and innovation begins with a solid foundation 

In addition to three key areas of focus, MGH highlights its strong foundations in Education, Research, Digital Technology, Redevelopment and Sustainability.  

These accelerators enable and support the goals set out in the hospital’s Strategic Plan. Highlights include building strong academic partnerships, establishing a research institute, modernizing corporate technology and clinical tools, optimizing care in the new Thomson Centre and planning for the next phase of healthcare transformation in East Toronto.  

‘Equity is not just a hope, but a living intention’  

This new Strategic Plan is the hospital’s call to action. Amid the social crises of our time, the healthcare sector is challenging health inequities with courage and truth telling, even when it feels uncomfortable.  

Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) is a foundational area of focus for MGH. That means having the courage to be honest about what the hospital does well and where it can improve.  

By intentionally integrating equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging throughout this plan, MGH commits to continuously working toward a culture of safety, respect, accessibility, fairness and empathy. 

“When I walk through our doors, I feel like I belong and I know that equity is a not just a hope, but a living intention. We are part of the community, and the community is part of us,” says Rosie Sears, Behavioural Specialist and member of MGH’s Vision, Purpose and Values Refresh Team. 

“This is why I work at MGH, the reason I show up, and the intention I bring with me every day.”