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Transforming health care: Insights from Telfer’s First Health System Summit

Last December 5, the Telfer School of Management held its first Health System Summit. Marking the 60th anniversary of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program, the event brought together MHA, EMHA, MBA and Executive program alumni, along with professors and seasoned administrators from the region to discuss major challenges and new solutions for Canadian health systems. It featured keynote addresses, interactive discussions and actionable takeaways, all centred on sustainable health-care leadership and transformative health innovation. 

A commitment to sustainable health systems

At the heart of Telfer’s mission lies a commitment to driving positive change in Canada’s health-care system. “Our four foundational pillars—greener, healthier, happier and wealthier—are not merely academic principles but a strategic framework for transformative health-care leadership,” said Telfer dean Stéphane Brutus in his address. Telfer is committed to health innovation, including research in sustainability, digital health care and mental health the workplace.

Dean speaking in front of a large crowd

 

“Our comprehensive educational ecosystem, spanning from undergraduate health-care analytics to advanced Masters in Health Administration and Executive Leadership programs, ensures we are continuously nurturing the next generation of health-care leaders,” said Brutus. By forging strong relationships with health and community organizations locally and nationally, and providing students with experiential learning through residencies, field projects and internships, Telfer is bridging academic knowledge and real-world health-care challenges.

Dealing with legacy policy

Dr. Michael Gardam opened the evening with a sweeping 60-year review of the Canadian health-care system. Highlighting some current challenges of governance and collaborative models, he said, “we have become addicted to quick wins that don’t deal with the fundamental challenges facing our system.”

Micheal speaking in front of a crowd and the numbers 60 behind himA look at the evolution of Canadian health care over six decades reveals a system weighed down by legacy policy struggling to adapt to changing needs and grappling with issues of access, cost and quality.

Key areas

Speakers drew a link among the following:

Access and equity: Over 2.5 million Ontarians lack family doctors, highlighting significant systemic gaps.

Cost pressures: Health care now consumes 14% of overall government budgets in Canada (40% of provincial budgets), driven partially by technological advancement and pharmaceutical innovation.

Health-care human resources: The health-care sector faces an unprecedented human resources crisis, with burnout and mental health challenges threatening system stability.

New leadership models

Ian Cullwick, a retired partner at Mercer Canada, discussed an organizational governance study he led with Renée Légaré, revealing insights about governance and leadership dynamics in health-care institutions.

Cullwick highlighted three emerging governance models:

  • Fully balanced / collaborative with mature roles, structures and practices 

  • Chair/CEO-led primarily supported by mature internal governance practices, such as enhanced enterprise risk management

  • CEO / Chief of staff (CoS)-led with less mature governance practices

The study examined the evolving and integrated roles of CEOs, chiefs of staff and executive teams, and these positions’ relationship with boards of directors.  Key findings highlighted the importance of role clarity, dynamic interdependency, delegated authority and enabling management practices led by the board chair, CEO and CoS.

The emerging importance of the chief human resources officer (CHRO) and related support and direct accountability to the CEO were also highlighted.  Additionally, Cullwick’s research shows that strategic human resources have become a governance priority for most boards of governors, along with the need for a more  sophisticated human resources approach, particularly in planning for an integrated, and employee attraction and retention, especially in nursing and other clinical disciplines. 

A call for systemic innovation

The overarching message was clear: Canadian health care requires fundamental reimagination. This means:

  • Embracing a collaborative, integrated “system” approach to governance and strategic leadership 

  • Prioritizing a human capital paradigm 

  • Creating more adaptive, responsive key internal governance and management practices

Mental health: A cornerstone of organizational resilience

Dr. Jennifer Dimoff’s keynote on workplace mental health offered a transformative yet applicable perspective. As she noted, “Healthy systems support healthy people.”

Jennifer speaking with the number 60 and Telfer banner behind herKey mental health findings (The so-called “Great Exhaustion”)

  • One in four Canadians experience a serious mental health problem annually.

  • Half of all individuals will receive a diagnosis of a mental illness in their lifetime.

  • The pandemic has significantly exacerbated these challenges.

 

Dimoff introduced a three-pillar approach to workplace mental health:

  • Prevention: Identifying and eliminating mental health risk factors

  • Recognition: Educating teams and training leaders to spot warning signs

  • Support: Creating accommodating, stigma-free environments

More than an academic success

The success of Telfer’s first Health System Conversation was made possible by the dedication and vision of four program leaders:

  • Renée Légaré, PhD, director of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program

  • Karen Nelson, MSW, MBA, associate director of the Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) program 

  • Jennifer Gordon, MEd, CAE, CPC (HC), executive director of Telfer Executive Programs 

  • Elizabeth Tanguay, MHA, executive in residence and executive director of the Archipel Ontario Health Team 

Together, they brought their expertise, experience and passion for health-care leadership to create an engaging, high-impact experience for attendees.

In conclusion, the event was more than an academic exercise—it was a shared commitment to reimagining health-care leadership.

In her closing remarks, Gordon said, “We all have a role to play in the system. When we work together, even imperfectly, we can make extraordinary things happen.”

Learn about our programs

To learn more about how Telfer can help you become a leader in transforming health care, explore our programs: