Results from the 2024 Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Awards Ceremony
October 21/2024
Guests gathered at the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus at the University of Toronto, on Thursday, September 26, 2024, to celebrate the finalists of the 2024 Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Awards. Hosted by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH), the awards ceremony featured seven categories: Improved Patient Experience, Improved Population Health, Improved Value and Sustainability, Increased Equity, Improved Care Team Well-being, Improved Indigenous Health, and Excellence in Health Communications.
Over 200 nominations were received from throughout the province of Ontario, that then underwent three rounds of judging. The top three finalists from each category were selected and invited to attend the ceremony, where the winners were announced and presented with an award designed by Ontario sculptor Edward Falkenberg. The award’s design is to represent the Circle of Care hands signifying caring health workers holding their value within that circle.
Awards emcee Kellylee Evans with DLSPH’s Dean Adalsteinn Brown
“It’s nice to pause and realize that our health system should be a reflection of our best selves,” said DLSPH Dean Adalsteinn Brown. “The care we give to people when they are most vulnerable, when they are most ill at ease, reflects at a personal and at a principled level what we want to be as a society. When we make the steadfast and persistent commitment to improve this care as the nominees here have done, we give proof to these better selves. And we protect the trust that people put onto us, whether it be in the clinic or in the community, in the hospital or in the shelter, in person, or online. My thanks go… to everyone who is a nominee here tonight, and for all the people who submitted nominations.”
Congratulations to all of the inspiring and resilient finalists for their tireless commitment to improving our province’s health system!
Winners of the 2024 Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Awards
Category 1: Improved Patient Experience Award
Christine Elliott presents the Improved Patient Experience Award to the Connected Care Team at SickKids
Presented by: Christine Elliott, Health Law Counsel, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, Former Minister of Health and Deputy Premier, First Ontario Patient Ombudsman
Winner: Connected Care at SickKids (Received by representatives from the Hospital for Sick Children)
Nominees:
- Caring for the Caregiver at SickKids and Women’s College Hospital
- Connected Care at SickKids
- Integrated Care Program at UHN
Category 2: Improved Population Health Award
Michelle DiEmanuele presents the Improved Population Health Award to the SOS – Supportive Outreach Services in Ontario Health Team
Presented by: Michelle DiEmanuele, Secretary of Cabinet, Head of Public Service, and Clerk to the Executive Council, Government of Ontario
Winner: SOS – Supportive Outreach Services (Received by Heather Prescott, from the United Way of Bruce Grey)
Nominees:
- Heart Harmony: Transforming heart failure care within the Huron Perth and Area
- Hyper-local Community Health and Information Fairs
- SOS – Supportive Outreach Services
Category 3: Improved Value and Sustainability Award
Paul Dalla Lana presents the Improved Value and Sustainability Award to the Toronto Regional Arthroplasty Collaborative (TRAC) team
Presented by: Paul Dalla Lana, Canadian Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Winner: The Toronto Regional Arthroplasty Collaborative (TRAC) (Received by Amy Wainwright, from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre)
Nominees:
- Humber River Health’s Hyper-Throughput Operating Room Model
- PROTECT Connected Health Program at Hamilton Health Sciences
- The Toronto Regional Arthroplasty Collaborative (TRAC)
Category 4: Increased Equity Award
Anna Greenberg presents the Increased Equity Award to the Mobile Medical Support Team
Presented by: Anna Greenberg, Chief Operating Officer, Ontario Health
Winner: Mobile Medical Support: Bringing Quality Healthcare to Your Front Door (Received by Amanda Willms, from Erie Shores HealthCare)
Nominees:
- Breaking the Cycle of Violence (BRAVE)
- Mobile Medical Support: Bringing Quality Healthcare to Your Front Door
- Pursuing Equity Team: Addressing Barriers and Enhancing Cultural Safety
Category 5: Improved Care Team Well-being Award
Matthew Anderson presenting the Improved Care Team Well-being Award to the SHINE Wellness Program Team
Presented by: Matthew Anderson, President and CEO of Ontario Health
Winner: SHINE Wellness Program (Received by Melissa Cummings, from Hamilton Health Sciences)
Nominees:
- Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Staff Engagement and Retention at Runnymede Healthcare Centre
- SHINE Wellness Program at Hamilton Health Sciences
- Revive and Thrive: a Commitment to Workplace Wellness
Category 6: Improved Indigenous Health Award
Chief Don Maracle presents the Improved Indigenous Health Award to the Bringing Specialist Care Close to Home Team
Presented by: Chief Don Maracle, Tyendinaga Mohawk Council
Winner: Bringing Specialist Care Close to Home (Received by Kristin Beck, from the WAHA-UHN Cardiovascular Team at Weeneebayko General Hospital)
Nominees:
- Bringing Specialist Care Close to Home
- Community Based Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Utilizing AI Technology, A Province-Wide Initiative
- Miskwaa Biidaaban Team and Indigenous Health Supports at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
Category 7: Excellence in Health Communications Award
Avis Favaro presents the Excellence in Health Communications Award to the Dementia Strategic Fund Team
Presented by: Avis Favaro, Santis Health and noted Health Journalist
Winner: Dementia Strategic Fund, Apna Mind, Apna Body: A South Asian Guide to Dementia Care (Received by Navneet Dhillon, from Indus Community Services)
Nominees:
- ASKMeGOC: A novel e-tool to facilitate goals of care discussions
- Chinese Digital Health Literacy Program
- Dementia Strategic Fund
Acknowledgements
Our sincerest thanks to our event partners Ontario Health, the Ontario Hospital Association and the Ontario Medical Association, for their work and continued support, Grandmother Katsitsase Betty Maracle for offering the opening prayer, our awards’ presenters for graciously lending us their time, and to Kellylee Evans who served as the ceremony’s emcee and sang beautifully to open the ceremony. We also thank the members of our steering committee for their guidance as they helped shape the event: Helen Angus, Andrew Boozary, Adalsteinn Brown, Connie Clerici, Paul Dalla Lana, Gary Froude, Anna Greenberg, Chief Don Maracle, Kwame McKenzie, Chris Mushquash, and Sabina Vohra Miller. Additionally, we are grateful to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination, our guest judges for their expertise and thoughtful consideration, and to the special guests in the audience who joined us in celebrating the incredible accomplishments of our finalists. Finally, we would like to thank our event sponsors for their generosity and encouragement: the Clerici Family, EllisDon, Merck, the Ontario Hospital Association, and Shoppers Drug Mart.
Event Recording
As the event sold out quickly, we are pleased to invite you to watch a recording of the awards ceremony here.
