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Chapter Chair Message, December 21, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

I hope this message finds each of you safe and secure as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

It seems like only yesterday I assumed the role as Chair for the Canadian Chapter.  When I look back to the start of my term, it would have been impossible to imagine what the rest of the year would hold.

Our lives will be forever changed as we adapt to the pandemic’s constraints, both today and in the future. I hope that it will bring 

some good things to our world – better access to telemedicine, improved and more effective use of primary care, and possibly a greater appreciation for healthcare as a public good.  When I reflect back on the ensuing months I can only be amazed at what we have learned and what we have experienced.

I approach my family, my work, and my relationships guided by the belief that we are better together than we are alone. This feels truer now than any time I can remember. The power of the collective is exhibiting itself in extreme form as people from across healthcare organizations, public health institutions, government, industry, not-for-profit communities and public citizens are coming together to tackle COVID-19. To each of you, whether you are on the front line of care, scrambling to access PPE/testing/equipment, or transitioning to work at home, thank you for everything you are doing to treat the sick, flatten the curve, and keep our great nation safe.

There has been a tremendous response to interactive live sessions and other virtual programming offered by ACHE and our Canadian Chapter. The virtual platform is even creating more opportunities for regional partnering among chapters. Providing programs this way is different from traditional face to face programming, and many thanks to ACHE, who is advancing the virtual platform curriculum and assisting chapters. Please check the ACHE website as well as the http://canada.ache.org/ site frequently for opportunities.  

We have been engaged with ACHE over the past several months as ACHE elevates the approach to FACHE credentialing. Now members are eligible after one year of membership; however, greater emphasis has been placed on exam preparation and competencies demonstration. As a result, you will see in 2021 sessions being offered in regard to advancement.   Remember, the pathway to fellowship is not just about passing an exam. The aim is to see higher rates of success in passing the BOG exam on the first attempt and inspire greater numbers of individuals to pursue this important credential. 

At the recent Regent’s reception hosted by Frances Roesch I had the distinct pleasure of recognizing two very worthy recipients of the ACHE Recognition Program.  Immediate past Regent Danielle Swerhone and Eric Laycock.  It was an honour to acknowledge these two longstanding and dedicated Chapter members.  Their contribution to healthcare management excellence through volunteer service to the chapter, ACHE and to the profession is commendable.   Danielle will be receiving the highest honor bestowed “Exemplary Service Award” and Eric the “Service Award”.

By way of background, the ACHE Recognition Program celebrates members’ commitment to the healthcare management profession. Recognition is bestowed at three levels based on a range of specific volunteer activities that demonstrate leadership and contributions to furthering professional excellence. All active ACHE members are eligible to be recognized.  I will be formally recognizing Danielle and Eric at out Chapter annual meeting which will take place in March.  Stay tuned for more information regarding the annual meeting.

It is also my privilege to welcome four new members to the Chapter Board commencing January 2021:

• West Region – Timothy Foggin and Bhargav Makadia

• East Region – Tony Weeks and Archie MacKinnon

Their diverse talents will be a great addition to the Board.

Best wishes to you and your families during this very different holiday season. Stay safe and thank you for your leadership. It matters.

Merry Christmas

Todd Stepanuik

Chapter Chair

As we enter yet another month of the challenges of this pandemic, the board and I cannot help but be proud of the resiliency of our healthcare leaders across ourACHE Chapter. Change has always been a part of what we traverse as healthcare leaders, but never at this frequency or pace. It seems that throughout this pandemic change has come to us daily at times, if not hourly. As leaders in our respective healthcare organizations, we must adapt to this change, communicate this change, and own this change. And in this change, we become stronger leaders and stronger spokespersons for our industry.

Like many of you, my last six months have been filled with many emotions – worry and concern for the economy; fear for family, friends and colleagues; prayers for our political leaders to make the right decisions regarding COVID; and genuine gratitude for those who have displayed genuine caring, selfless action and leadership.

Just as individuals and organizations have adapted to change, so has the Canadian Chapter of American College of Healthcare Executives. As healthcare leaders move forward and adapt to the changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering the opportunity to receive ACHE Face-to-Face Education credits from your home or office. Virtua

l Face-to-Face Courses are being offered on a variety of timely healthcare leadership topics and consist of pre-course surveys and assessments, discussion board conversations and scheduled virtual live sessions. Further information will be shared as this is being led by our Program Committee.

The Chapter board has been working diligently in reviewing the Chapter statement (policy) regarding Diversity and Inclusion. One of my goals for the board this year was to refresh the 2014 document. The Policy and Procedure Working Group was tasked with performing a stern to stern review of the document. As a result, the Board has recently ratified an updated Inclusion and Diversity Policy. It may be found on the chapter website. We embrace inclusion and diversity within the healthcare management field and recognizes that priority as both an ethical and business imperative. As we know our Canadian population, labour market and workforce demographics have changed substantially over the years. We are a more diverse, vibrant and heterogeneous country than ever before. I encourage you to check out the new policy which can be found on the Chapter website at http://canada.ache.org/

Thank you for everything you are doing in your organizations and communities to improve and maintain the health of those you serve.

Stay safe. Stay Healthy.

Todd Stepanuik
Chapter Chair

Dear fellow members of the Canadian Chapter of ACHE:

It’s that time of year again when we begin looking ahead to next year and undertake the nominations process for the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chapter of ACHE is accepting nominations to the Board of Directors. All Canadian Chapter of ACHE members who wish to run for election must submit a Letter of Intent to Frances Roesch, Regent and Chair, Nominations Committee at froesch@gmail.com by midnight on October 7, 2020.

Elections will be held in the following jurisdictions:

West – 2 positions
West includes: British Columbia/Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba/Northwest Territory/Yukon Territory/Nunavut

East – 2 positions
East includes: Quebec/New Brunswick/Nova Scotia/Prince Edward Island/Newfoundland and Labrador

Please note:

• Interested individuals must be Members or Fellows in good standing with ACHE to be eligible for nomination.
• Individuals must be living or working in the jurisdiction in which they are seeking nomination
• Individuals may self-nominate or be nominated by any Affiliate of the Canadian Chapter of ACHE
• Directors will be elected by the Chapter Affiliates working in the respective jurisdictions.
• Affiliates are assigned to a jurisdiction based on their preferred mailing address with ACHE. Affiliates who are uncertain about their membership status, jurisdiction or would like additional information about the responsibilities of a Director may contact Frances Roesch, FACHE, Chair, Nominations Committee, Canadian Chapter of ACHE at froesch@gmail.com.
• Directors will each serve a three-year term on the Chapter Board of Directors beginning January 1, 2021.

For more details on the nominations process and to find the Letter of Intent please visit the Canadian Chapter of ACHE website at http://canada.ache.org. If you have any questions about the process and or the role of Director, please don’t hesitate to contact me. It’s a great opportunity to support the growth and future directions of our chapter!

Best regards,

Frances

Frances C. Roesch, M.H.A., FACHE
Regent for Canada
Chair, Nominations Committee
froesch@gmail.com
(905) 521-2100, 76899

ACHE NEWSLETTER – Chapter Chair

During this unprecedented time, I want to reach out to our chapter with a simple Thank you. Thank you for stepping up to serve our local communities through this challenging time. Thank you for the number of tireless hours you have put in to plan and provide care while keeping staff, physicians, and patients safe. Thank you for your unwavering leadership and your steadfast commitment to your staff and employees. If anyone hasn’t said thank you to you, then let me be the first and ideally not the last.

Our Chapter is lucky to count in its membership such an incredibly talented, dedicated and passionate group of leaders. In the past months our organizations where we work and communities we serve and live in, have been transformed by COVID-19. We undoubtedly shall overcome this.

One question I have been asked is “How can integrity be practised”? My answer lies in one core concept. It can indeed be nurtured via modelling of kindness, empathy and mentorship.

As I shared with you in my initial message in January, a key strategic priority for this year is the completion of a refreshed strategic plan. The current three year strategic plan was minted in 2018 by the Chapter Board and requires a renewal. Guy Bourbonniere– Chapter Vice Chair has been leading this critical process. He is using the most recent membership engagement survey results with a goal to establish a clear, compelling and actionable strategic direction and priorities that will guide the Chapter over the coming three years.

I look forward to seeing many of you hopefully soon and reflecting on our challenges, successes, and growth we have all experienced in these formative times.

On behalf of myself and the Chapter Board, thank you again for the compassion and leadership you have shown to our communities when they needed it most. We understand the sacrifices, both personally and professionally you have made to your organizations. We are profoundly proud for all you have done.

Stay strong and stay healthy

Warmly and with deepest appreciation.

Todd Stepanuik

Chapter Chair

It is with great honour that I compose this message as your new Chapter Chair for 2020. Having been a member of this great organization for many years now, I am overjoyed to be taking this position in an organization that has been an instrumental part of my professional development. I am excited and energized by the leadership team we have assembled this year! Your Chapter leaders are very excited about the upcoming year and are hard at work. Your board is a dedicated group of high energy professionals, and we are here to see our chapter grow and flourish. I want to thank Frances Roesch for her leadership over the past two years.

I encourage you to be engaged and take advantage of the many benefits of membership.

To support our efforts, I strongly encourage everyone to participate and support the chapter. Time is certainly a precious commodity that we all wish we had more of and I know that we must use it wisely. I ask that you take a moment as we start 2020 and dedicate yourself to committing some of your time to the Chapter.

Looking ahead to 2020, our committees have already been hard at work. Our future is bright and I have never been more optimistic about the road ahead for ACHE Canadian Chapter. We will strive to make our chapter as accessible as possible through better use of technology, meeting the needs of careerists at all levels and geographic locations in Canada. We are here to listen to our members; our door and ears are always open. I invite you to contact me at todd.stepanuik@mha.tvh.ca with comments, questions or suggestions at any time. We welcome the opportunity for dialogue and are here for you, our members!

Personally, the following represent areas of focus in 2020:

• Recruitment and retention – Strive to achieve a net increase of 15. Develop a robust strategy for targeted recruitment of the under-40 demographic.
• Increase the number of our chapter Fellows and increase the number of advancement sessions.
• Move the needle with respect to member communication, engagement and satisfaction. The quality and quantity of communications to the membership will grow – everything from the content of the newsletter, the website, and the LinkedIn account to my regular communication to you.
• Complete a refreshed strategic plan. The current three-year strategic plan was minted in 2018 by the Chapter board and requires renewal. The intention will be to ensure a robust and effective strategic planning process that engages members using the most recent membership engagement survey results. The goal will be to establish a clear, compelling and actionable strategic direction and priorities that will guide the Chapter over the coming three years.
• Update the Chapter Diversity statement.

We can meet these ambitious goals with your input and help. Please connect with me if you can contribute by volunteering with the Canadian Chapter of ACHE. I anticipate an exciting year and I hope to hear from you directly on ideas to move our Chapter forward. I also invite you to visit the Chapter website for information and updates at canada.ache.org

Thank you for your confidence as I serve you during this two-year term.

Thank you

Todd Stepanuik