Good afternoon, TeamUHN!
It is a pleasure to connect with you across care, research, and education through this weekly CEO update – all in service of A Healthier World.
Key reminders and updates
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Last Thursday, I had the great privilege of again visiting West Park Healthcare Centre with members of the UHN Executive Leadership Forum to officially welcome West Park's amazing staff to TeamUHN. As I've often said, every accomplishment in advancing patient care, research, and learning is due to teamwork. The coming together of UHN and West Park to form Canada's most comprehensive and specialized rehabilitation and complex continuing care centre is built on the strength of TeamUHN and the culture of collaboration forged each day. Please watch this CTV News segment on how West Park and its new facilities help patients reclaim their lives and how UHN has grown even stronger with this exciting merger.
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I'm thrilled to see that Commercialization at UHN has launched an Accelerator Fund to help mitigate the high-risk and precarious journey of turning early scientific discovery into a product with impact. In an exciting first, the fund is supported by both UHN Foundation and The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. A first for a Canadian hospital, this fund will invest in de-risking UHN and partner technologies, while tapping into the incredible expertise, infrastructure, and clinical capabilities across UHN to improve their likelihood of reaching the market and scaling for patient impact. This is expected to not only help ensure new medicines and therapeutics make it from the lab to the clinic but also to generate strong financial returns to support exceptional research at UHN. Learn more about this exciting development in today's UHN News story.
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As a leading organization dedicated to innovation and constant improvement, UHN takes seriously its duty to recognize risks and manage situations that may affect TeamUHN and the patients we are privileged to serve. All of TeamUHN plays a vital role in identifying, managing, and reporting on risks through informal and formal channels, including safety huddles and incident reporting, informed by UHN's Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) policy and Framework. ELF recently endorsed a revised list of top organizational risks at UHN. These top risks include:
- Health human resources shortages
- Workplace violence
- Aging infrastructure
- Cybersecurity threats, among others.
Targeted solutions to address and mitigate these risks will be part of our ongoing strategic plan work. As part of our continuous efforts to foster an open, accountable, and transparent risk culture, we will continue to share more about our efforts to address these risks in future communications. My thanks to the ERM Office for its leadership. Visit the ERM at UHN SharePoint Site for more information. -
UHN Foundation's annual Rally for Rehab is back and TeamUHN members who register by May 17 will be entered into a special draw. As we know, patients at Toronto Rehab undergo rehabilitation to overcome the challenges of debilitating health conditions, working with TeamUHN members who help them thrive and reach their full potential. This fundraising event on Sunday, September 8, is a day of family-friendly activities centred around an accessible walk. Register today to get a head start on your fundraising before the summer months, and rally for friends and loved ones who have been impacted by rehabilitation at some point in their lives. TeamUHN members who register by May 17 will be entered to win a Therabody Theragun Elite. Get ready to move your way and come together UHNITED to support research at Toronto Rehab.
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May 8th is Thalassemia Awareness Day. People with Thalassemia cannot produce sufficient hemoglobin and the most severe forms require lifelong blood transfusions every three to four weeks. While life-sustaining, transfusions also deposit iron in the body that can build up to dangerous levels in organs, including the heart and liver. Without proper management through medication, this buildup can lead to organ damage and endocrine problems which can result in organ damage and endocrine problems. UHN's Red Blood Cell Disorders Clinic (RBCD) is dedicated to managing Thalassemia and other red blood cell disorders using a holistic approach that recognizes the resilience, coping strategies, and dreams of those who live full lives with this condition. Learn more about Thalassemia and other red blood cell disorders by visiting the RBCD Hub – the official Blog of the RBCD Clinic!
Video of the Week
And now… our
video of the week. In this clip, TeamUHN transplant surgeon Dr. Blayne Amir Sayed shares what happens with organ donation after death.
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Have a good week,
Kevin
