title: Building sector-wide bridges to improve patient flow and care.
abstract: Healthcare system transformation relies upon innovative solutions that build sector-wide bridges and challenge conventional thinking to benefit patients and families. Providence Healthcare - a Toronto leader in rehabilitation - is doing this by partnering with the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), community care access centres and four acute care hospitals to improve system-wide patient flow. This article explains how Providence's Transformation by Design demonstration project was launched and sustained through engaging key stakeholders, and is now demonstrating positive, measurable results on key metrics in patient flow in Toronto.
authors.affiliation: Thelma Horwitz, RN, BScN, MN, is the director of quality and process improvement at Providence Healthcare, in Toronto, Ontario. She has over eight years' experience at Providence, working in a variety of areas such as infection prevention and control, nursing practice and Lean. She is currently the project lead of the Transformation by Design project and is a Health Care Black Belt candidate.
authors.forename: Thelma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.affiliation: Josie Walsh, RN, MHSc, has been the president and chief executive officer of Providence Healthcare since June 2011. Walsh joined Providence in 2001 as vice-president and chief nurse executive. She has a master's degree in health sciences (health administration) and is also a certified health executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Walsh's expertise was honed first on the front lines and later in a number of progressively senior positions.
authors.forename: Josie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D018166:Health Care Reform; D006739:Hospital Administration; D009864:Ontario; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000592:standards*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*