Posted on May 23, 2019
Forty physicians and health care workers involved with two flagship initiatives of the Specialist Services Committee (SSC) – Facility Engagement (supporting MSAs) and Physician Quality Improvement – came together in May to break down silos and find mutual grounds for collaboration with the Fraser Health Authority.
“Bringing together these three diverse groups was not simple,” said Jag Sandhu, the SSC leader for Fraser Health, “because each one of the entities is autonomous in their operations.” Sandhu also acknowledged that at the beginning stages of the SSC initiatives, there wasn’t a burning need to connect and collaborate. “But after some maturation, we now realize that our purpose is the same and we work within the same system, so we must create and use any opportunity to bring about teamwork,” he noted.
Having come together for the first time as a group, the senior leaders, specialists and family doctors all discussed how to renew supportive relationships and create a culture of open dialogue. This was done through panel discussions and breakouts sessions.
The participants generally acknowledged that because health care in our province is large and complex, it creates the ideal breeding ground for silos. They also discussed how overcoming the comfort of working within silos can be daunting, but is necessary for improving the health care system.
The CEO of Fraser Health, Dr Victoria Lee, agreed that collaboration is key. “It is not what I say or the executive team does, but all of us working together that is going to fundamentally improve the quality of care for patients, families and communities.”
For more information on this session and the next steps, please contact Jag Sandhu, SSC leader for Fraser Health at: Jag.Sandhu@fraserhealth.ca.
