Date: May 15-16, 2014

Venue: Sheraton Centre, Toronto

Presented by Queen's University, Creating Strategic Change in Canadian Healthcare is the second in a series of three focused annual conferences aimed at transformational change in Canadian healthcare. In the Canadian multi-jurisdictional context, developing a strategy together requires a broad perspective, clarity, collaboration and a desire to act.

Approximately 150 senior-level participants, the conference draws together healthcare, government, academe and business. Engage with international perspectives on change; thematic panels (Pharmacare, Health Human Resources, Electronic Health Records & Integrated Care) and conversations with Canadian thought leaders. Participate in a facilitated collective strategy development process.

The conference addressed the question:
What should be the form and substance of a Canadian healthcare strategy?

The first conference in June 2013, Toward a Canadian Healthcare Strategy, explored the extent of existing high-level consensus. We found much agreement and we now move on to deal with different models that could form the overall shape and content of a strategic framework.

An acceptable Canadian model would need to respect the autonomy and jurisdictional authority of the provinces and territories and build on shared values, principles and objectives to create feasible approaches to Canadian healthcare. The most recent conferenceCreating Strategic Change in Canadian Healthcare conference sought to generate constructive debate and discussion, not only about the form and substance of a Canadian healthcare strategy, but also alternative, inclusive and collaborative ways for implementation.

Three major themes were covered to explore this question: designing, building and implementing strategic change in Canadian healthcare respectively. Within the “building a strategic change in Canadian healthcare” theme, health human resources was explored in greater depth among three additional sub-themes.

Dr. Ivy Lynn Bourgeault was tasked with preparing a white paper on this topic—a draft of which is available for download at:  http://moniesonhealth.com/resources/2014-WhitePaper-Bourgeault.pdf