Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) Narrative for Health Care Organizations in Ontario

3/25/2019

This document is intended to provide health care organizations in Ontario with guidance as to how they can develop a Quality Improvement Plan. While much effort and care has gone into preparing this document, this document should not be relied on as legal advice and organizations should consult with their legal, governance and other relevant advisors as appropriate in preparing their quality improvement plans. Furthermore, organizations are free to design their own public quality improvement plans using alternative formats and contents, provided that they submit a version of their quality improvement plan to Health Quality Ontario (if required) in the format described herein.

Guelph Community Health Centre

OverviewThe Guelph Community Health Centre (Guelph CHC) is a not-for-profit organization that is committed to reducing health inequities within the City of Guelph. This is accomplished through our delivery of comprehensive primary health programs and services that are uniquely tailed to meet the needs of both individuals and neighbourhoods facing the greatest barriers to health in our community.

For 30 years, Guelph CHC’s interprofessional team of family physicians, nurse practitioners, health promoters, outreach workers, social workers, early years staff, dietitians, and others have worked to deliver services centring around the needs of our priority populations. Most recently reviewed in 2012, our priority populations include people who are: homeless; living on limited incomes; New Canadians with language barriers; those with moderate to severe mental health, addictions and/or disabilities; those without access to primary care; Indigenous community members; vulnerable children and their families and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Our health equity focus is not one that is undertaken in isolation – rather, the Guelph CHC is part of a growing provincial network- the Alliance for Healthier Communities- that is comprised of over 100 community governed Community Health Centres, Aboriginal Health Access Centres and Nurse Practitioner-led Clinics. Together we are striving to improve the health and well-being of those who experience barriers in our communities across the province.

The Guelph CHC is guided by a community-based Board of Directors whose membership reflects the individuals and communities that we serve. The Board determines our mission, vision, values, priority groups, and strategic directions, which are continually reviewed and adapted these to meet the changing needs of our community. Our Board and staff are equally committed to the organization’s values of innovation, accessibility, accountability, sustainability, excellence and healthy communities.

Guelph CHC operations, including our focus on quality improvement, are guided by our organization’s Strategic Plan, which includes six priority aims including:1. Engage in Collective Action to Improve Health and Well-Being For All2. Build Capacity In Priority Neighbourhooods3. Deliver Help and Prevention for Vulnerable Children and Families4. Provide Hope-Inspiring Person-Centered Care5. Strengthen our Culture of Excellence6. Demonstrate Continual Quality Improvement

Describe your organization's greatest QI achievement from the past yearThis year, our organization’s focus on enhancing organizational health and safety was our greatest QI improvement investment, and the area where many advancements have been made, including:1. Implementation of a comprehensive access control system throughout our Downtown and Shelldale sites;2. Improvements to our Emergency Code Response procedures;3. Comprehensive training for our specialized team of Emergency Code Coordinator team4. Improved building mapping and signage to enhance streamlined response in the event of an emergency5. Policy development and testing protocols for panic buttons6. Control access on building washrooms to help reduce risks of accidental overdose onsite

Guelph Community Health Centre

7. Testing and launch of Health Connect volunteer programming to support timely responses to client need and8. Testing and sustainability of a dedicated In-Reach worker to support early intervention and support for complex clients, including those experiencing crisis.

Patient/client/resident partnering and relationsThis year, we have used our Health Connect volunteers, who are one of the enablers of our Social Prescribing work at our Centre, to also engage directly with clients in order to maximize our client experience survey completion.

This year we also partnered with our clients through program evaluations and subsequent program/service improvement strategies, with comprehensive evaluations being completed for our:1. Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) program;2. Post-Partum Mood Disorder (PPMD);3. Welcoming Streets Downtown Outreach Worker Program;4. Overdose Prevention Site and the5. Supported Recovery Room program.

Clients have also been engaged to inform all program development opportunities this year and our Board of Directors continues to have a client representative to bring client voice to our governance table.

Workplace violence preventionThis year’s focus will be one of monitoring the advancements made above, many of which were implemented in q4 of 2019. Additionally, we will work through our Joint Health and Safety Committee, and via our survey implementation in April 2019 to assess for priority areas to further enhance staff and client safety.

Contact InformationRaechelle DevereauxExecutive DirectorGuelph CHC519-821-6638 ext 353rdevereaux@guelphchc.ca

Sign-offIt is recommended that the following individuals review and sign-off on your organization’s Quality Improvement Plan (where applicable):

I have reviewed and approved our organization’s Quality Improvement Plan

Board Chair ____Melanie Hill___________ (signature)Quality Committee Chair or delegate __________Gary Male_____ (signature)Executive Director/Administrative Lead __Raechelle Devereaux_____________ (signature)Other leadership as appropriate _______________ (signature)

Guelph Community Health Centre