Concrete applications following the Impact Study

that have been implemented and more to come

Impact Report Cover Page

The objective of the Impact Study launched in 2021 was to measure the effects of the Initiative at mid-term and to draw up a collective assessment of the main spin-offs of the projects deployed in the field, to draw lessons learned and to document the progress made in connection with the partnership work. This large-scale project involved more than 50 MUSCO collaborators and led to important decisions for the future of the Initiative and the continuation of its projects. Among these decisions, and probably the most important: the extension of the Initiative for two years to complete the collaborative projects and finalize the initial funding.

This is a mobilization of which the three representatives involved in the Initiative Office and who are supervising the MUSCO Manager, Cindy McCartney, Associate Director of Nursing & Women’s Health Mission, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Isabelle Demers, Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer, CHU Sainte-Justine, and Jacques Boissonneault, Hospital Administrator, Shriners Hospital for Children – Canada, can be particularly proud: the professionals who work with patients on a daily basis and who ensure their care and that of their families want to get involved and take the time to think about innovation and possible improvements.

All three are supportive of the work of this Initiative, which is about culture change. It’s a long-term project, and one that involves being patient and keeping in mind that the ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. It is for them that the teams within each center are mobilized and committed to improving their practices. Extending the Initiative by two years will give these teams the opportunity to push this effort further and see a more profound transformation take place.

We must be vigilant to keep the well-being of patients and families at the heart of everything, never forget to take care of the links they create with an institution, a doctor. Families must not feel abandoned or feel that there is a breakdown in service; they must be prepared, informed, reassured, and explained.

– excerpt from focus group interview during the Impact Study

More broadly, the Impact Study’s data and information gathering and synthesis process conducted by the cooperative NISKA revealed the following findings: the foundation for cross-site collaboration is in place and teams are willing to work together, but for the impact on families to be more tangible, a number of things need to be put in place. Recommendations include more fluidity in collaboration and optimizing communication, as well as better consideration of families’ needs.

Over time, we now feel that we are talking more about the patients and their experiences than about the achievements or practices of this or that institution.

– words heard in focus groups during the Impact Study

In addition to the two-year extension of the Initiative, some other concrete actions have already been taken, including the evolution of the governance structure with a merger of the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee and the addition of two Patient Experts from the Advisory Pole as decision-making members on the new merged committee.  However, in order to implement other recommendations from the Impact Study and to implement other changes, the Initiative’s strategic plan will be revised. An external agency will be selected to accompany the task force that will be appointed to address these strategic reflections and ensure the best approach to successful new strategic planning.

The involvement of the institutions in carrying out this process and ensuring that collaborative habits are sustained will be a major asset in continuing to move the Initiative in the right direction.