Apply now for the 2017 Minister’s Medal – Deadline to apply August 8

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (ministry) has announced the launch of the fifth annual Minister’s Medal Honouring Excellence in Health Quality and Safety. This award program showcases system champions who place the patient at the centre of the circle of care and have demonstrated exceptional work in collaboration and achieved sustainable results, while promoting system value and quality in the health care system. The program recognizes programs/initiatives that align Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care. This year’s theme is Patients as Partners, which focuses on the importance of collaborating with individuals with lived experience in healthcare decision-making at all levels. Why apply for the Minister’s Medal? The Minister’s Medal is a prestigious and competitive recognition program that aims to highlight the successes of Ontario’s health system partners in providing excellent, high-quality, and patient-centred care. It provides a platform to honour and showcase achievements of health system partners, and allows for sharing of these successes across the system. Benefits of being recognized through the Minister’s Medal include:
  • Participation in the award presentation at Health Quality Transformation, Canada’s largest conference on health care quality.
  • A short video showcasing the successes of the winners and the impact their work has had on the lives of patients.
  • Increased profile across the province and beyond, increasing potential for additional partnerships and collaboration.
  • Recognition and increased engagement of front-line staff dedicated to delivering high-quality care to patients.
“Winning the Minister’s Medal was an honour and a privilege. It was a seal of approval, demonstrating that our program achieved a high mark of distinction in quality and safety” – Dr. Linda Lee, 2014 Minister’s Medal winner (individual champion) “We have been able to use winning the Minister’s Medal as a stepping stone to scale our program at a provincial and national level” – Dr. Nathalie Fleming, 2013 Minister’s Medal winner (individual champion) New for 2017 – Expanded Patient/Caregiver Stream This year, the ministry is recognizing the important contributions of patients, families, and caregivers who deserve to be highlighted for their patient engagement in their communities. The ministry is encouraging nomination of patients, family members, and caregivers by their colleagues, peers, or by healthcare collaborators from whom they receive care. Application templates are now available for download from the Minister’s Medal webpage. Applications are due to your Local Health Integration Network office via email by 5:00pm on August 8, 2017. The awards will be presented at Health Quality Transformation 2017 on October 24, 2017. More information on the program, including profiles of previous years’ winners and honourees, is available on the Minister’s Medal webpage. AFHTO members have been recognized before at the 2014 awards presentations and at the 2016 awards presentations. Consider submitting a nomination on behalf of your team. For any questions related to the Minister’s Medal program, please contact: ECFAA@ontario.ca