Canadian healthcare is ailing, and board service is key to its recovery
Canada performed better than most G10 countries when it came to infection, double vaccination, and death rates during the pandemic, an outcome that was only possible due to the extraordinary individual contributions of Canadians across the country.
As you would expect, healthcare providers, governments and their civil services, and public health agencies were instrumental in limiting and treating COVID-19 infections and provided much-needed leadership in the face of a novel threat. Members of the public did their part by wearing masks, staying home, getting vaccinated, and clanging pots in support of healthcare providers on the front lines. Canadian citizens were critical in helping us collectively get through the pandemic, and now we need you again to aid in the recovery of our struggling health systems.
This time we’re not asking for masks or social distancing. One of the most impactful ways Canadians, even those without healthcare experience or clinical training, can contribute to the recovery of our health systems is by volunteering their skills, leadership, and curiosity on a health sector board.
The path to recovery requires that we address the lingering problems of the past and prepare for future demands. While no part of our society was left unscathed, our healthcare systems took the brunt, and now its recovery is taking place in the context of lingering challenges both related and unrelated to the pandemic. Longstanding challenges like antibiotic resistance and the opioid crisis still need addressing, while others like health equity, system integration and scaling innovations, have been amplified. There is also a growing tide of emerging changes that are reshaping the health system, like the ethical adoption of A.I., precision medicine, and the need to reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare. Meanwhile, healthcare workers are burnt out, and many have left the system, resulting in critical human resource shortages.
Our provincial healthcare systems are ailing, facing challenges that feel enormous and, at times, insurmountable. The healthcare sector is struggling to implement the lessons of the recent past and is no more prepared to seize future opportunities.
These difficult circumstances have not gone unnoticed, and efforts are being made to help improve the situation. Internationally, the world’s nations, NGOs and global pharmaceutical and medical device companies are at the table trying to reach an agreement on the terms of the first global treaty to deal with the inevitable next infectious disease outbreaks. Meanwhile, in February 2023, Canadian premiers accepted a federal health funding deal that will see $46.2 billion in new money injected into health systems over the next 10 years. Provinces have been working with their federal counterparts to work out the details of the funding goals and conditions ever since, with some provinces having announced agreements. While welcome, the Canadian Medical Association at the time the funding deal was announced cautioned that “[i]t will take efficiency, innovation and flexibility — as well as increased accountability — to improve delivery of care.”
We celebrate the positive steps forward, but more is needed. Canadians can have an enormous positive impact on our healthcare systems by volunteering for the boards of health organizations. There are many non-profit and charitable organizations engaged in the delivery and support of healthcare systems across the country. These include mental health agencies, non-profit home care, assisted living and long-term care providers, hospice homes, community agencies, hospitals, health authorities, as well as the many national and provincial health charities that raise and oversee the investment of critical research funding for cures and prevention of pernicious diseases. All these organizations rely on the voluntarism of committed, skilled, and diverse Canadians to achieve their missions and purposes. Volunteers are essential to ensure that healthcare boards reflect the needs of the communities they serve.
At Watson Board Advisors, we believe the role of the board is to shape the future of the organization, and in 20+ years of advising boards and recruiting directors, we’ve learned that people are at the root of effective governance and organizational performance. A powerful force emerges when qualified and diverse leaders collaborate effectively and focus on the future and purpose of an organization. This is what makes each single act of volunteerism so consequential. Watson is in boardrooms every day and we see the positive impact volunteers have: asking questions that respectfully challenge assumptions, broadening the scope of possible solutions and supporting senior leaders when tough decisions need to be made, to name just a few. In turn, these volunteers become informed champions for health systems improvement, extending a volunteer’s impact beyond a single boardroom to the broader systems in which their organizations operate.
When we consider the nature of the issues our health systems face – technology, human health resources, capital allocation, innovation and efficiency challenges – patients and clinicians alone cannot and should not have to bear the burden of overseeing solutions. There is a vital role for any Canadian with transferrable skills and lived experience, curious about opportunities for continuous improvement and committed to the purpose of an organization. Healthcare boards need people with experience in change management, data analytics, risk sharing and finances, public-private partnerships, human resources, capacity and strategic planning, community engagement and co-design, cultural sensitivity, critical thinking, business integration, and more. When combined with a commitment to the purpose of the organization, this experience can be applied with massive impact on the critical issues facing our healthcare systems.
The barriers to health systems recovery demand our greater engagement for our health systems to be as robust and resilient as needed by current and future patients. Canadians stepped up across the country during the pandemic, and they can do it again. Their goodwill and support for frontline workers were an inspiration and comfort during the pandemic. Their skills, care and volunteerism can be a game changer in the recovery of our health systems and beyond.
Jodi Butts is a Partner at Watson Board Advisors where she leads governance reviews, board/director evaluations and board director searches, and advises boards and executives on a broad range of governance matters across Canada. She is the former Senior Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Operations at Mount Sinai Hospital and continues to serve on health sector boards today. She brings more than 20 years of experience in governance and law, working with public and private corporations, public sector entities, member-based organizations, regulatory bodies, and not-for-profit organizations. Jodi is the former Governance Chair of The Wellesley Institute, a registered non-profit charity which works in research and policy to improve health and health equity in the GTA through action on the social determinants of health, and the Chair of The Walrus board of directors.
Jessica Katul is a Consultant at Watson Board Advisors working out of Watson’s Toronto office. Her practice includes governance reviews, board and director evaluations and board education. She is a lawyer with over 15 years experience working in the health and life science sectors, including senior roles at Ontario Health and the Ontario Medical Association. Jessica is also a volunteer board member with Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK), which works to promote and achieve optimal mental health in kids and families.
Cameron Wilson is an Associate at Watson Board Advisors, specializing in Director and Executive Search, working out of Watson’s Vancouver office. Immediately prior to his role with Watson, Cameron served as an Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, managing key government appointments such as Director and executive roles for Federal organizations including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. Cameron is a volunteer member of the board of directors of the Vancouver International Children’s Festival.
Watson Board Advisors helps boards be more effective so they can positively shape the future of their organizations. As the most experienced Board advisory firm in Canada, we’ve supported more than 500 Boards, across the full spectrum of sectors, organizations, and stages of evolution. In partnership with our clients, we are tailored and practical in helping recruit and select the right Directors and CEO, strengthen governance, and navigate strategy and risk in a rapidly changing world. Founded in 2005, Watson is a fully independent Benefit Company. We do this work because we believe Boards play a uniquely critical role in shaping a better world.