Strategic Plan
Together with our community and government partners, as well as our patients, staff, physicians, volunteers, and donors, Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is charting a new course to create a healthier tomorrow.
Our 2018-2023 strategic plan places a strong focus on teaching and research to provide the very best care, train the next generation of health care professionals, and foster a culture that celebrates our team’s ideas and creativity.
We’re equally dedicated to being an organization that creates a seamless experience for everyone in our care, and setting new standards with caregivers who love what they do and see providing care not just as their job, but as their privilege.
Together we’re shaping the future of care
Watch our President and CEO, Elizabeth Buller, (former) Chief of Staff, Dick Zoutman, and Vice President, People and Transformation, Michele James, talk about our strategic plan as the “roadmap” that guides us as we re-imagine the future of health care in Scarborough.
Our Vision
Canada’s leading community teaching health network – transforming your health experience
It’s a Vision that reflects the opportunities before us to work with our extensive network of community partners to become a leader within our health system and a trusted ally among those we collaborate with.
Our Vision also serves as a commitment to our patients to deliver more than just treatment, but a health experience that responds to our patients’ needs along their entire journey – from when they access our services, to the care we provide, and when they transition from our care.
Our Mission
Improving lives through exceptional care
It is a guarantee of what patients and families can expect each and every time they walk through our doors.
They can expect a place where patients and families feel welcomed and where staff take pride in their work.
A place where providing exceptional care is our core business and reason for being, and where it’s delivered with a broader community health perspective that truly improves the lives of our patients.
Our Values
In all our interactions we will be:
We show empathy for our patients, families, and each other. We listen openly and speak respectfully. We provide a compassionate and safe care experience every day.
We are inspired by the diversity of our community. We make everyone feel welcome, respected, supported, valued and able to fully participate.
We inspire each other to act boldly, to make a difference. We advocate for each other and the needs of our community. We work together to overcome challenges. We take accountability for our actions.
We demonstrate excellence by embracing new ways of thinking, acting, leading, and teaching.
Build Our Culture to Empower and Inspire People

We will harness the dedication of our staff, doctors, and volunteers and build a culture where everyone finds joy in their work.
We are building a culture where everyone finds joy in their work. A place that encourages our people to be courageous in their acts, inclusive in their hearts, compassionate to those around them, and innovative in their thinking. Together, we embrace our shared Vision, Mission, and Values.
Our staff, physicians, and volunteers represent the rich diversity of our community. They are dedicated people who come to work wanting to make a difference and to go above and beyond in everything they do. A cohesive culture of excellence will allow us to attract and retain outstanding team members who are integral in our journey as we shape the future of care.
Year-over-year increase in patient satisfaction
Year-over-year increase in employee, professional staff, and volunteer satisfaction/engagement scores
Improve Population Health, Health Equity, and System Integration

We’re working with our partners to build a better Scarborough by understanding our community’s health needs and eliminating gaps in their care experience.
By working closely with our community partners, we are playing a role in health education and health promotion activities, while also providing care that is more accessible to everyone. We are making it easier for people to access services and move from one provider to the next, throughout their journey.
Over half of our population are newcomers to Canada, many do not speak English or French, and our percentage of low income households is almost twice as high as the national average. What’s more, people in Scarborough access hospital services at a lower rate than any community in Canada, and many of the City of Toronto’s high priority neighbourhoods are located here, where residents often have a lack of access to affordable housing, steady employment, and enough food to eat. We must work collaboratively with our service provider partners – in health care and beyond – to address these unique challenges.
Alleviate identified problems/gaps in our community related to social determinants of health
Reduce rates of chronic disease in the Scarborough community
Transform the Patient Experience through Innovation, Education and Research

We will ensure our patients and families get the best care and feel well informed by going further with technology, teaching and applied research.
We learn from the rich diversity of our patients, families, and teams and discover new ways to improve the care experience. Together with our academic partners, we work to offer best-in-class teaching and research opportunities in the community hospital setting to help train the next generation of health care professionals. And, we are creating a culture that empowers everyone within our organization to contribute and implement new ideas that will help us achieve our goals.
Nothing is more important than our patient’s care experience. For many of our patients and families, we are their first interaction with Canadian health care and how we care for them is central to their ability to take power over their own health. In order to offer the best care and help our patients and families feel informed throughout their care journey, we must continue to be at the forefront of the latest developments in technology, harnessing its tremendous power in education and applied research.
SHN employees and professional staff have faculty appointments at post-secondary institutions
Frontline staff are routinely contributing to innovation
Leading innovation, education and research that transforms the patient experience in priority areas as informed by population health and health equity and quality and safety
Set a New Standard for Exceptional Quality and Patient Safety

We will build on our success in meeting and exceeding provincial and national standards, and focus our culture on continuous learning and improvement.
We are committed to working with our patients, families, and partners to find bold new ways to provide exceptional quality, and to be a place where patients are not only physically safe, but also mentally and culturally safe. As well, we are building on our reputation for quality and patient safety to create a culture focused on continuous learning and improvement.
Each and every patient expects and deserves the very best quality and safest care. A focus on quality and safety is also one of the ways we can make the best use of our resources.
Zero Never Events
All patients that were admitted to the hospital and discharged get post-discharge contact
Implementation of a High Reliability Organization (HRO) framework within the next five years
Engaging our many hospital and community stakeholders to hear what you want in your health network was an essential part of creating and launching SHN’s first-ever Strategic Plan been.
90
Community service providers and health partners participated in focus groups and interviews
20
Primary care physicians participated in interviews and surveys
600
Staff, physicians, and volunteers at internal Town Hall meetings
1,500
Community and hospital team members participated in survey series
40
Patient and family members interviewed
257
Strategy Wallpapers posted for staff huddles & engagement
120
Attendees at Community Forums
30
Patient Family Advisors engaged
50
Hospital physicians and medical leadership engaged