Cultural chemistry: A winning formula for patients and employees

In late 2015, a critically ill patient and his partner asked if they could be married at the hospital. With the consent of the Spanish-speaking couple, the chaplain recruited a colleague who speaks Spanish to be an interpreter during the ceremony. Surrounded by family and loved ones, the couple were married and later expressed the joy they felt in having the wedding in their native language.

Staff, physicians and volunteers know that a small act like this can have a meaningful impact on the patient experience. At North York General Hospital (NYGH) there is a general understanding that putting patients first sometimes means going beyond the scope of a job description.

This attitude towards patient care is possible because the corporate culture within the hospital is one which supports employees to continually grow, learn and maintain the passion they have for their role in health care.

“A supportive and collaborative culture is a foundation to providing patients with exceptional care,” says Gabrielle Bochynek, Vice President, People Services and Organizational Development. “North York General is proud to be an organization that promotes a culture of innovation, creativity, and learning and development at every level and within every discipline.”

At NYGH, a supportive and collaborative culture is a foundation to providing patients with exceptional care.

Front row: Gabrielle Bochynek, Vice President, People Services and Organizational Development; second row: Dr. Everton Gooden, Chair, Medical Advisory Committee, and Sandra Appiah, student nurse; back row: Peter Spencer, Service Volunteer, and Marcia Stevenson, Environmental Services.

Together staff, physicians, volunteers and students at North York General Hospital build a corporate culture that is based on excellence, respect, integrity and compassion.

Fostering a culture of continuous improvement

The corporate culture is best summarized in the hospital's values: excellence, respect, integrity and compassion.

“We are constantly questioning the status quo to drive improvement,” says Gabrielle. “Capacity building for managers and staff; inspiring and welcoming diversity of thought and ensuring every staff, physician and volunteer member is confident in bringing ideas to the table and being listened to – these are important components of our culture.”

Some of the initiatives driving this success include:

  • The creation of the hospital's Centre for Education which advances health professional education by supporting and enhancing the student and teacher experience and fostering education scholarship among students, staff and physicians, supporting a culture of learning creativity and thought leadership within the hospital and beyond
     

  • The continued journey of Patient- and Family-Centred Care and actively seeking the advice of Patient and Family Advisors in an increasing number of programs and initiatives
     

  • External partnerships dedicated to system impact learning, including the Leadership and Organizational Development Consortium (LODC) and Joint Centres for Transformative Healthcare Innovation,
     

  • A focus on helping each individual become the best version of themselves through health and wellness initiatives with a focus on physical (fitness rooms and classes, sit/stand desks), and psychological wellbeing – with a particular focus on mental health support
     

  • A commitment not just to welcoming a diverse workforce, but moving to an inclusive workplace where we encourage individuals to bring their true selves to work

In February 2016, NYGH was honoured to be formally recognized as one of Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2015: Broader Public Sector. The award is founded and presented by Waterstone Human Capital and organizations' submissions are scored on six categories: vision and leadership, recruitment and hiring for fit, cultural alignment and measurement, retention, rewards and recognition, organizational performance and corporate social responsibility.

As part of the award and recognition, the hospital was also featured in a special supplement in the National Post. North York General is honoured by this recognition for its corporate culture and its impact on making a world of difference in the lives of employees and patients.

This article first appeared in the March 2016 issue of The Pulse.

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