On January 1, 2016, we launched a new initiative called We Are AHS. Every day throughout the year, we profiled one person by sharing their picture and telling their story. We are adventurers, animal lovers, sports enthusiasts, artists, and mentors. We are family and friends. Most of all, we’re passionate about helping others. We Are AHS. We love what we do.
It will take all of us working together to help our people feel safe, healthy, and valued which leads to our collective goal — to advance patient- and family-centred care.
Todd Gilchrist, Vice President Alberta Health Services, People, Legal & Privacy
Our greatest asset is our people — they make the difference. By living our values, we are building a workplace that welcomes diversity and respects participation. We know that being our true selves at work and being valued for our contributions are two qualities vital to the success of our patient - and family-centred care system — the ultimate goal of Our People Strategy.
We define diversity to include race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, sexual orientation, education or diversity of perspective.
Women are well-represented in our leadership. Five of our eight Board members are women, including the Board Chair and newest Board member (‘New Indigenous member appointed to AHS Board’). On our Executive Leadership Team, seven of our 13 vice presidents are women, including our President & CEO. Overall, 84 per cent of AHS employees are female, and 71 per cent of managers are female.
When things go wrong, we learn from it. We support our staff and treat them with care, compassion, respect and dignity. We continue to improve patient safety by doing our best to manage the everyday risks our patients face.
No matter how careful we are, there is always the potential that something might go wrong and lead to a quality or safety concern. What’s important is that when things go wrong, we talk about it, learn from it and improve quality and safety.
Sean Chilton, Vice President Collaborative Practice, Nursing & Health Professions Alberta Health Services
This is an exciting time to be part of Aboriginal Health. Our team is growing and our services are expanding in a meaningful way for aboriginal people in the South Zone.
Harley Crowshoe, Senior Advisor Alberta Health Services, Indigenous Health Program, PPIH
On April 4, 2016, we celebrated Change Day. A worldwide movement with roots in the British health system, Change Day has spread to countries across the globe with involvement from healthcare providers and the public. People pledged to make a positive difference in the care and well-being of our patients. At the kickoff to the Quality Summit, 5,941 pledges were made. With such great success, we are making Change Day an annual celebration.
I made a Change Day pledge to wear a patient gown and robe to all of my meetings for one day to experience the vulnerability. At first, people gave me questioning looks as if to say, ‘Are you sure you’re in the right place?’ But when I explained why I was doing it, that it was about my Change Day pledge and about really thinking about issues from the patient perspective, people were very receptive.
Theresa Patenaude, Nurse and Integrated Quality Management Project Director Alberta Health Services
We love to get the word out about our team’s programs, initiatives and achievements. At the Core is a monthly vlog (video blog) hosted by the President & CEO, Dr. Verna Yiu, designed to connect our people to initiatives at AHS that put patients and their families at the core of everything we do.
Every week we send new posters to our Bulletin Board Network. Through our ELT Notables, launched in 2016, we inform staff of decisions made by our Executive Leadership Team. Interchange, our weekly e-newsletter, shares the latest news, invites people to join our online conversations, and directs them to need-to-know information. We also have an e-newsletter, Leadership Matters, to keep our leaders informed, flag action items and share updates they can pass along to their teams.
Every year, we celebrate the individuals and teams who make our exceptional care possible. We hold a contest to showcase select teams for their spirit, creativity and commitment to patient care.
It takes a team to care for our patients and their families. We continually reach out to our people to join the conversation through social media.
I’m a former accountant, so I tell people that I must love blood more than money! It’s so nice to interact with our clients, especially the continuing care residents we see every day. I try to put people at ease before their little poke.
Nelvie. Medical Lab Assistant Claresholm General Hospital
The best part of what I do as a technician is problem-solving for others and getting to play the part of ‘technical hero,’ which is a good feeling when nervous presenters need reassurance. Remember: an inflatable shark will not attack unless provoked by either direct eye contact or sarcastic commentary.
Kevin Murray, Telehealth Technician, Calgary Alberta Health Services
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