impact
t h e p o s i t i v e o u t c o m e s o f f o c u s i n g o n qua l i t y
A n n u a l
R e p o r t
2 0 1 2 – 2 0 1 3
t a b l e
o f
c o n t e n t s
3
29
42
Letter from the Leaders
Research Institute
Finances
4
34
46
Quality with STEEEP
Learning Institute
SickKids Leaders
Safe
Timely
Effective
Efficient
36
47
Industry Partnerships
Performance
and Commercialization
Equitable
38
Patient-centred
SickKids Foundation
28
39
At a Glance
Global Child Health
40
SickKids International
48
Milestones
50
Our People
letter
from the
leaders
Measuring Impact
Measuring the impact of what we do at The Hospital
for Sick Children is an important commitment to
quality and improvement. At SickKids, we pride
ourselves in putting children and families first – at
the centre of our mission, our care delivery model
and in the spaces where we provide services.
SickKids touches millions of lives. We are actively
engaged in many communities in Ontario and
around the globe providing care, collaborating
on research or expanding capacity for improved
child health. Our stories are told far and wide.
Children and families speak about their
experience at SickKids for a lifetime.
Last summer, SickKids commissioned an
independent study to quantify the socio-economic
impact of our organization. The results reaffirmed
our belief that SickKids contributes significantly
to children’s health and to economic and social
prosperity in Toronto, Ontario and Canada. It noted
that SickKids is a world-class patient-care organization, knowledge generator and educator, with five
unique differentiators. These are key assets you
could call “Avenues to Innovation” and include our
human capital and brand as well as our approaches
to integration, partnership and technology.
We are indebted to our tremendously talented
and engaged staff whose commitment to our
shared values of excellence, collaboration,
innovation and integrity enable a culture of
commitment to doing our very best. Once
again this year, we were pleased to be recognized
as one of Canada’s top 100 employers, and
one of Canada’s top 40 research hospitals.
We are grateful to our thousands of community
supporters who enable our vision through
partnership, collaboration and philanthropy.
We are immensely proud to lead such a strong,
vibrant, resilient and innovative organization and
remain focused and committed to doing our best
on behalf of children and children’s health.
Gratefully,
Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO
Robert Harding, Chair, Board of Trustees
This year’s annual report shares the stories of
the past year that reflect our accomplishments
through the lens of the six dimensions of quality:
Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable and
Patient-centred. Using this framework has helped
us to illustrate our commitment to quality for our
staff, the patients and families we serve, for the
trainees who come to SickKids to learn and for
our collaborators who partner with us for health
system improvement.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 3
q u a l i t y
i s
b e i n g
safe
Safety above all – it is at the centre of excellent care.
At SickKids we think of safety inside the hospital and at home,
preventing hospitalization, if we can, and helping families stay healthy.
Feeling safe
at SickKids.
Rebate
falls
SickKids prevents
fall-related injuries with
guidelines for a safe sleep
environment for infants,
fall risk assessments,
and by ensuring a
safe environment.
Workplace injury rates at
SickKids were below the
average for Ontario hospitals
in 2012 and SickKids
received a rebate of
$778,827 in WSIB premiums.
bacteria
Early exposure to GI-tract
bacteria protects against
autoimmune disease in
mice, SickKids scientists
say. Their study may also
explain why females are at
greater risk than males of
such diseases as multiple
sclerosis and lupus.
Molecule
probiotics
SickKids researchers use
imaging, biochemical and
genetic tools to analyze
a molecule that can help
or harm. Further work
may lead to prevention
or treatment of malaria,
atherosclerosis and
cardiovascular disease.
Medical use of probiotics
could be significant in
minimizing C. difficile
infection among hospitalized
patients taking antibiotics,
according to collaborative
research from SickKids and
McMaster University.
Parachute
Safe Kids Canada, founded
by SickKids in 1992 to help
parents keep their kids safe,
became part of a new national
organization, “Parachute –
Leaders in Injury Prevention.”
quality
is
safety
Patient Safety
How we handle the flu
Safety is something families and patients should
not have to be concerned about at SickKids.
That’s because staff are keenly aware of safety
and consider safety in everything they do.
Every winter when influenza hits, the Emergency
Department at SickKids is inundated with patients.
To reduce the number of cases, we try to prevent
the spread of the flu and to minimize its effects.
The Families as Partners in Patient Safety Committee
works collaboratively with patients, families and
staff to create a safe atmosphere and environment.
In our public flu advisory message we emphasize
the importance of vaccination for adults and
children. Indeed, paediatric and public health
leaders across Canada recommend that children
over the age of six months receive the influenza
vaccine. Since our Emergency Department does
not provide flu shots, we recommend that people
go to their family doctor or local public health unit.
The committee identifies safety issues at SickKids;
makes recommendations to improve patient safety,
such as new hospital policies or procedures;
implements and evaluates changes made to
improve patient safety; increases awareness
and promotes the partnership between patients/
families and staff in patient safety; and shares new
knowledge locally, nationally and internationally.
SickKids is required to report the results of certain
patient safety indicators to the Ontario government.
In December 2012, patient safety indicator results,
as reported by Ontario hospitals, as well as other
patient safety information, were made available
on the Health Quality Ontario website.
Reporting on patient safety indicators is an important
and positive step in creating a better SickKids
and strengthening confidence in hospitals.
Nine patient safety indicators related to infection
prevention and control and surgical safety are listed
on our site. The description for each indicator
includes additional links and resources for those
who would like more detailed information. It is
important to note that the public reporting of
rates across Ontario is not intended to serve
as a way for the public to compare hospitals, but
as an opportunity to inspire improved performance
and reduce the number of health-care-associated
infections and enhance surgical safety.
6 | the hospital for sick children
The flu campaign for staff starts in the fall.
Dr. Upton Allen, Chief, Division of Infectious
Diseases, says he has many reasons to get
the influenza vaccine, “but I cannot think of
a single reason why I shouldn’t.
“It is well recognized that the flu can be a
serious illness that can lead to hospitalization
and sometimes even death among people with
normal immune systems. Each year the virus
changes and one cannot predict how the immune
system will react to the circulating strain of the
virus. The annual influenza vaccine is the best
way to ensure that our immune systems are best
prepared to fight the flu. Vaccination also lessens
the chances that health-care workers will spread
the influenza virus to others, including patients,
family members and friends.”
Handwashing, “coughing into your elbow,” and
other strategies to reduce the risk of infection
are also important. Indeed, compliance with
hand hygiene guidelines is a patient safety
indicator at SickKids. Our target in 2012
was 80 per cent compliance, which we met,
but there is still room for improvement.
SickKids poison prevention
service extended to Manitoba
When the Manitoba Poison Centre wanted to
improve its services, it initiated a competitive
process and invited bids from all over North
America. The Ontario Poison Centre was
awarded the contract and developed the
program in less than three months.
The OPC at SickKids began to provide the Province
of Manitoba with enhanced poison services in
2012. Known as the Manitoba Poison Centre,
the new 24/7 service was launched on July 1
with a new toll-free number that provides clinical
toxicology consultations to the public and
health-care providers throughout Manitoba.
“Key leaders travelled to Manitoba
throughout the planning process
to establish and build on
collaborative relationships.”
During the first three months of the service,
the OPC managed a total of 2,278 calls from
Manitoba, freeing up Manitoba emergency room
physicians who previously fielded the calls. In
the same period of time, the OPC effectively
managed 27,457 poison calls from across Ontario.
“The Ontario Poison Centre is excited about
our new relationship with physicians and
health-care providers in Manitoba,” says
Karen Fontana Chow, Director of Clinical
Programs, OPC, Telemedicine and Motherisk.
“Key leaders travelled to Manitoba throughout
the planning process to establish and build
on collaborative relationships. We recognize
the wonderful efforts of stakeholders within
SickKids and the Winnipeg Health Authority.”
The partnership represents optimum utilization
of health-care resources. Previously, the level of
service in Manitoba was determined in part by how
busy emergency room physicians were on any given
day. With the introduction of the toll-free number,
many patients are treated in their home with the
help of one of the SickKids specialists in poison
information, thereby freeing up emergency resources
and allowing physicians to focus on the needs of
patients in their busy emergency departments.
The interdisciplinary team is able to respond to the
needs of the poisoned patient with expert, timely,
and evidence-based treatment recommendations.
A public awareness campaign took place in March
2013 in Manitoba to coincide with Poison Prevention
Week. Staff from Toronto offered train-the-trainer
sessions in Winnipeg and Thompson, increasing
the visibility of the service in northern Manitoba.
Information booths were set up to distribute poison
prevention materials, tweets were retweeted, and
news media covered the story.
“Ontario and Manitoba toxicologists are now
working together to ensure the best care for the
poisoned patient in their environment,” says
Fontana Chow. “The long-term goal is to create a
national system of interconnected poison centres
with a national poison database. Tracking national
statistics, identifying trends, forecasting issues
and developing national prevention strategies
are important next steps.”
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 7
q u a l i t y
i s
b e i n g
timely
Waiting is a serious matter when you’re a growing child and need hospital care
as soon as possible. Every child deserves timely access to quality care;
that’s our vision for healthier children and a better world.
Surgical wait times:
Alexander Mosoiu
learning
innovation
Innovation is how
we do things better.
To speed up the process
of innovation, SickKids
established the Innovation
Fund to implement
new ideas that can be
used at SickKids and
other hospitals.
Access to online learning
is growing at SickKids. The
staff learning site, iLearn,
offers 200 modules of varying
length; 105 of those were
developed in 2012-2013.
Priorities
SickKids marks Global
Child Health Day, which
raises awareness about
diseases and deaths
of millions of children
and provides a forum
for discussion about
children’s health.
genes
transplants
Access to individualized
medicine: genetic screening
can be done at birth to
identify risk factors and
conditions, which is the focus
of the new SickKids Centre
for Genetic Medicine.
When a child requires
a heart transplant, any
wait feels too long.
Researchers find that
a device known as the
“Berlin Heart,” used
during the waiting period,
significantly increases
survival rates.
Outreach
SickKids is a trailblazer
among Ontario public sector
organizations in establishing
international consultancy
roles, which increases
access to high-quality
health-care expertise.
quality
is timely
Free online service
about kids’ health
If you have a computer with access to the Internet,
you also have access to SickKids’ highly trusted,
round-the-clock advice about child health.
AboutKidsHealth.ca is the world’s leading
non-profit information source for children’s health.
Its mission is to improve the health and well-being
of children in Canada and around the world.
In 2011-2012, the website had more than
1.5 million visits from over 200 countries, and
from about 600 towns and cities throughout
Canada. Its 3,000 pages are available in English
and select pages have been translated into eight
other languages: Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese,
Punjabi, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, and Urdu.
AboutKidsHealth is available on other websites,
among them BC Children’s Hospital and IWK
Health Centre in Halifax. With the help of social
media, AboutKidsHealth had written 3,636 tweets
and counted 2,726 Twitter followers as of
March 31, 2013. Its 52 public-view videos
on YouTube had 70,000 views in 2012-2013,
up from 5,000 views the year before.
Phenomenal improvements
At the Annual General Meeting of the Board of
Trustees in 2012, Mary Jo Haddad, President
and CEO, presented Dinarte Viveiros, Director of
Emergency Medicine, 7BCD, and Access Initiatives,
with the President’s Award for his outstanding
commitment to quality, continuous process
improvement and service excellence, which
has created transformational change in
Emergency Services and Patient Access.
10 | the hospital for sick children
“Dinarte’s leadership has had a profound impact
on those around him, enabling them to grow,
develop and see opportunities in every challenge
they face,” says Haddad. “The result has been
phenomenal improvements in patient access and
flow, employee engagement, patient satisfaction
and our financial health.”
Viveiros was recognized for leading the Emergency
Department in achieving significant reductions
in length of stay for discharged patients. He has
also established the Nurse Practitioner role in
the Emergency Department, which contributed to
significant decreases in times for initial provider
assessment. Under his leadership, SickKids is
now the Toronto Central LHIN leader in ED wait
times, having achieved a remarkable 49 per cent
improvement across the three pay-for-results fixed
funding indicators. Despite an 11 per cent increase
in emergency patient volumes in 2011-2012, the
improvement margin at SickKids more than
doubled that of the next best performing hospital
in the LHIN and exceeded the required 10 per cent
improvement margin more than four times over.
Viveiros began his career at SickKids in 2000
as an RN in the Emergency Department and
Paediatric Medicine Unit. In 2010, he became
Senior Manager in the Emergency Department,
before being promoted to director of the
department in March 2011.
“Dinarte lives the values of SickKids,” says Haddad.
“His calm, collaborative approach and relentless
focus on utilizing data to drive performance is
well recognized across the organization and the
results speak for themselves.”
Surgical wait times
improve at SickKids
Wait times for surgery are improving at SickKids.
As part of SickKids’ Quality Improvement Plan, the
hospital is implementing innovative strategies to
ensure that the percentage of “out-of-window”
surgical wait times (nationally accepted timelines)
is consistently declining. This commitment to lead
in world-class quality and service excellence is
paying off – there have been significant improvements
in surgical wait times, with an improvement of over
40 percentage points at SickKids since 2009.
“Every year is better than the year
before. We’re doing better, serving
patients and families better.”
“The Paediatric Canadian Access Targets for
Surgery, developed with the involvement of more
than 200 physicians from across Canada, allows
a child anywhere at one of the nation’s children’s
hospitals to receive the same priority for surgery,”
says Dr. James Wright, Chief of Peri-operative
Services and Surgeon-in-Chief. “Not meeting
access targets for surgery has real and meaningful
effects on the outcome of treatment for children.
Our goal is to ensure that all children receive
their surgery within target.”
SickKids remains committed to improving
surgical access and has recently tightened
its target from 30 per cent to 15 per cent.
In 2011-2012, eighteen per cent of surgeries
were out of window at SickKids.
“Executive sets a target each year based on the
previous year and various initiatives,” says Alexander
Mosoiu, Site Lead, Surgical Wait Times. “Every year
is better than the year before. We’re doing better,
serving patients and families better.”
Next, Mosoiu and his team will look at process
redesign and audit and feedback systems. By
blocking times for unexpected high-urgency cases,
less urgent or other elective surgeries will not
be adversely affected. These next steps require
careful analysis of demand, surgical access
targets, historical utilization, and other systemic
issues to ensure that operating room resources
are maximized.
“Quality improvement in the area of surgical
wait times is critical because it impacts health
outcomes,” says Mosoiu. “Ensuring that surgeries
are ‘in window’ improves health outcomes in terms
of both physical and psychosocial outcomes. There
is stress involved with waiting that affects entire
families – the sooner treatment occurs, the sooner
that stress is relieved and kids may be able to
participate more fully in regular development,
things as obvious as hanging out with friends
and going to gym class.”
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 11
q u a l i t y
i s
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effective
As an academic health sciences centre, SickKids is dedicated to both basic and clinical
research to improve health outcomes. We embrace transparency and accountability
measures that help us to make our programs and services effective.
Nursing:
Charis Kelly and
Laura Beacock
Vitamin D
TB
Dr. Daniel Roth wins
$2 million grant to
study how vitamin D
and parathyroid hormone
influence fetal and infant
growth in Dhaka,
Bangladesh.
Researchers have
recovered viable tuberculosis
bacteria from stem cells in the
bone marrow of individuals
who thought they had been
cured of TB.
Mobility
A SickKids researcher
has found that a known protein
is also key in maintaining
muscle mass, offering hope to
those coping with immobility
caused by illness or
genetic conditions.
Leukemia
Memory
Study reveals possible method
of removing leukemia stem
cells, preventing relapse of
acute myeloid leukemia,
a rapidly progressive
cancer of the blood
affecting immature cells
of bone marrow.
Neuroscientists discover
key molecular steps in
the way a single protein
disrupts the connections
between brain cells. This
adds another clue to how
memory is formed.
brain
Recreational drug use tends
to start in adolescence, a time
when cocaine may change
the part of the brain involved
in reward and learning,
SickKids scientists say.
quality
is
effective
Best learning
experience ever
SickKids is moving forward with knowledge
translation initiatives. Knowledge translation, or KT,
is the action of moving beyond the dissemination
of knowledge into the actual use of knowledge.
Through the use of KT, SickKids is strengthening
health services and the health-care system.
The knowledge translation team at the SickKids
Learning Institute offers a workshop for scientists,
the Scientist Knowledge Translation Training,
as well as a course that grants a Knowledge
Translation Professional Certificate. The
five-day KTPC course is the only one of
its kind in North America.
The leadership and value that the course offers
have been demonstrated by a growing number
of applicants locally and from across the country,
and by positive evaluations from participants
after the course.
“The best learning experience I have ever had,”
one participant commented.
The role of nurses
has changed
Nursing Week was celebrated at SickKids in May,
but not a day goes by when nurses don’t prove
their worth at SickKids.
Nurses have been committed to providing the best
possible care to children and their families since
Elizabeth McMaster opened The Hospital for Sick
Children in 1875. Traditionally, the role of nurses
has been considered at the bedside but through
the years there has been an evolution and nurses
14 | the hospital for sick children
are leaders, serving integral roles in education,
research, technology, hospital management,
and global health.
As educators, nurses teach patients and families
about their condition and treatment as well as
provide guidance, knowledge and expertise to
new nurses. Their role has extended beyond
the hospital, and they are helping others in
the community and internationally.
As scientists, nurses are able to study the
condition of the patient and develop improvement
strategies. At SickKids, nurses continue to
study the effects of pain on children and through
these studies have developed web- and smartphone-based tools that can be used to improve the
assessment and management of pain in children.
Every day nurses use new technologies and
medical devices for such tasks as programming
an IV pump or using a computer application that
charts patient care. Since nurses have a great
deal of contact with patients during their hospital
stay, nurses also play a leading role in the design,
training and implementation of new technologies
and medical devices.
Participating in hospital management is a much
different role than being a nurse at the bedside.
Playing an intermediary role in patient care and
the health-care system, nurses are essential to
promoting collaboration which results in efficient
use of resources and quality patient care.
Nurses at SickKids have changed the traditional
bedside role by travelling internationally. Evolution
is a continuous process that brings progress,
improvements and new roles. Nurses will continue
to work at the bedside but they will also define
and evolve their leadership role to improve all
aspects of effective patient care.
a partnership of impakt
SickKids has started a new partnership with
Ryerson University called IMPAKT – The Ontario
Institute for Child and Youth Success. The
partnership will create a network for exchanging
information between educators, learners,
decision-makers and care providers.
The idea for IMPAKT came from SickKids’ Dr. Joanna
Anneke Rummens, Project Lead and Health Systems
Research Scientist at the Learning Institute’s
Community Health Systems Resource Group.
Rummens, whose research explores the links
between identity, diversity, health and well-being,
points out that directing the latest research
findings to front-line professionals can have a
profound impact on child and youth success.
IMPAKT will help us to achieve
optimal life outcomes for children
in Ontario and beyond.
IMPAKT helps eliminate the gap between research
and practice by connecting researchers with future
front-line professionals and getting the latest
research findings and practice-based knowledge
into the hands of tomorrow’s caregivers.
“The purpose of IMPAKT is to take what we
know about children’s health and well-being and
link it with what we actually do,” says Rummens.
IMPAKT covers everything from eating disorders
to bullying, mental health and family dynamics.
A two-day symposium, co-organized with Women’s
College Hospital, was held in February at Ryerson
University and focused on health status and
access to care for medically uninsured children
and youth, pregnant women and newborns.
The partnership between the Community Health
Systems Resource Group at SickKids and
Ryerson University is an example of SickKids’
commitment to innovation partnership and
outreach. By enabling health systems scientists
to develop and conduct research, SickKids can
share the results to improve the health and
well-being of children all over the world. It is
an example of knowledge translation in action.
“We have a wealth of research on the various
factors that affect youth life outcomes, and there
are many organizations with expertise in different
areas of child well-being,” says Mary Jo Haddad,
President and CEO. “IMPAKT will enable us to come
together to share this knowledge and implement it
into policy and practice, helping to achieve optimal
life outcomes for children in Ontario and beyond.”
The benefits of IMPAKT can be thought of as a
cyclical process. Research is carried out at SickKids,
disseminated to students as part of the IMPAKT
network, students take in the information and use
it by incorporating the research into their practice.
The building of the network is echoed in SickKids’
strategic objectives to enhance child health
systems by addressing key child health issues.
Also, the sharing of information reflects SickKids’
value of translating research to practice.
Moving forward, SickKids and Ryerson aim to expand
the network to engage more researchers, educators,
decision-makers and health-care providers in
research and practice sharing. IMPAKT also aims
to collaborate with other professional schools and
child-focused organizations to increase the range
of student and future front-line care providers.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 15
q u a l i t y
i s
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efficient
A hospital holds little attraction for a child, so we make the most of our patients’
experience. Being efficient means having respect for the time and resources
of patients, families and staff and a commitment to continuous improvement.
MyEducation Passport:
Dr. Anna Gold and Gurpreet Saggu
dynamic
pharmacy
The Division of Pharmacy
has succeeded in
eliminating 80 hours
a month of unnecessary
work for each pharmacist
and technician.
Hospital volunteers,
including Women’s Auxiliary
members, donate more
than 100,000 hours of
their time, equivalent
to 65 full-time staff.
30 to 5
The average number
of days for the Research
Ethics Board to approve
clinical research
applications goes down
from 30 to five after the
implementation of LEAN
initiatives, a toolset for
reducing inefficiencies.
Mental health
Paperless
SickKids, the Centre
for Addiction and
Mental Health and
University of Toronto
collaborate on the
appointment of Dr. Peter
Szatmari to develop
and lead an integrated
child and youth mental
health program.
Patient care has improved
with Computers on Wheels,
a paperless initiative
that provides nurses with
up-to-date patient care
summaries from SickKids’
clinical information system.
volunteers
VSys One, SickKids’ new
volunteer system, allows
volunteers to badge in, check
their hours and receive
messages, cutting back the
work of clerical staff.
quality
is
efficient
MyEducation Passport
helps students be
their own advocate
A new tool created by SickKids, MyEducation
Passport, helps teenage patients take important
learning information with them wherever they go.
MyEducation Passport allows them or their care
providers to fill out an online form that produces
a summary outlining any learning disabilities they
may have and useful strategies to facilitate learning.
Usually, such a document would be several pages
long, but with this tool, users create a wallet-sized
passport that allows them to better communicate
their educational challenges, strengths and needs
with teachers, guidance counsellors and employers.
By the end of the year, 213 patients or former
patients had made a passport, assisted by the
SickKids Good 2 Go Transition Program. The goal
is to prepare youth who are leaving SickKids
by the age of 18 with the necessary skills for
self-advocacy, and the ability to maintain
health-promoting behaviours and successfully
use adult health-care services.
Portfolio for efficiency
Shiraz Bajwa was appointed to the new role of
Director of Innovation & Improvement, in the Strategy,
Performance and Communications portfolio.
The purpose of the role is to facilitate the journey
towards an evidence-based approach to transform
quality, service and innovation at SickKids.
Generally, this involves the use of structured
problem-solving tools, like Lean Six Sigma. Through
these tools Bajwa and his team will aim to change
how people think about processes that support the
SickKids focus on care, education and research.
18 | the hospital for sick children
“My ultimate vision for this role is that of a catalyst
helping SickKids achieve service excellence and
continuous improvement capability in every patientand employee-focused activity, regardless of
functional or departmental boundaries,” Bajwa says.
As well as a background in biological and medical
sciences and a fair bit of research experience,
Bajwa holds an MBA in operations management
and earned a Black Belt and Master Black Belt
leadership roles in aerospace and energy. “I am
used to managing complex relationships and
I hope I can bring some of that experience
with me to SickKids,” he said when he joined
SickKids in July 2012.
SickKids was already using Lean Six Sigma in
areas such as Laboratory Medicine, Emergency
and Quality & Risk Management and had
demonstrated success in improving turnaround
times, quality and employee empowerment. Bajwa
is building on these successes so that the entire
organization can use a robust in-house framework
for learning and utilizing Lean Six Sigma.
Process improvement plays a key role in the
success of any organization. At SickKids clinicians
and researchers have to approach their work from an
evidence-based perspective. “There is no reason
why we shouldn’t adopt a similar approach towards
the operation and management of everything else,”
Bajwa says. “Process improvement is about how
you run an entire organization.”
Over 80 per cent of Fortune 100 companies have
had formal Lean Six Sigma programs in place
for the past two decades. Now major health-care
providers have taken serious notice and have used
Lean Six Sigma to transform their own performance
levels with respect to patient care and quality.
Daily improvement
– a foundation for quality
SickKids encourages staff to play an active part
in service excellence. With a new program, known
as the Daily Continuous Improvement Program,
process improvement has been revolutionized
throughout the organization. The goal of the Daily
CIP is to develop a habit of problem solving.
Short meetings held every day by units across
the hospital provide each team member with
a voice and a means of organized and efficient
communication. The team meetings also recognize
the contributions of individual members.
“The innovative program stimulates idea
generation and uses structured problem solving
processes to resolve complicated issues affecting
satisfaction, efficiency and costs,” says Shiraz
Bajwa, Director of Innovation & Improvement,
who developed the program.
Service excellence is a learned behaviour and a
subject that is taught in a series of workshops,
launched in 2013. Participants learn about things
like communication, first impressions and their
impact on patients, families and staff, and
service excellence behaviours.
Service excellence can be difficult to define, a
workshop on the subject tells participants. It often
falls into the “I know it when I see it” category.
One way to define service excellence is to see
each interaction between a staff member and
patient/family/colleague as an experience. With
each interaction, there is an opportunity to provide
high-value service excellence and exceed the
other person’s expectations.
Consistency is also important. Service excellence is
the consistent delivery by everyone of a high-value
experience, day after day, year after year. In essence,
excellence is when employees feel valued and
patients feel the service and quality they receive
are extraordinary. While SickKids is recognized
for providing excellent service, there are always
opportunities to do it better and more consistently.
In 2012, ninety-nine per cent
of patients and their families
responded positively to our
questions about overall satisfaction,
ranging from good to excellent.
Our goal is to keep increasing the
number of “excellent” responses.
Some workshop participants are surprised to
discover that they have something to learn about
service excellence. “Being in my profession for
over 15 years and attending workshops, you think
you know it all and have it all covered. That’s not
true at all,” says Wayne Moore, Patient Information
Clerk, Infectious Diseases. “The workshop upgraded
my skills to a higher level, and it will benefit others,
too, giving them a foundation to provide optimal
customer service for our families.”
The goal of the Daily CIP and service excellence
training is to meet the strategic objective “To lead
in world-class quality and service excellence.”
Results will be captured in patient and family
satisfaction surveys.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 19
q u a l i t y
i s
b e i n g
equitable
We work on finding the best solutions for key child health issues affecting
our diverse population. With stronger child health systems we increase
the chances for all children to receive the medical care they deserve.
Better global health systems:
Verena Brand and Shaun Morris
CULTURAL COMPETENCE
interpreter
services
The Interpreter Services
Department at SickKids is
an on-site, service-oriented
resource that offers language
service to patients and families
whose English is limited or
who are hearing impaired.
SickKids offers cultural competence
workshops for staff to enhance
understanding of the relationships
between personal biases and
assumptions, social determinants of
health, health literacy, culture, and the
delivery of culturally competent care.
speak up
SickKids produced Keeping
Your Child Safe: Speak Up,
a pamphlet and a video
that encourage families to
ask, listen and talk to their
health-care providers.
Immigration
Reading
The goal of the New Immigrant
Support Network at SickKids
is to improve access to
quality health care and health
information for newcomer
children and families through
the provision of culturally
competent care.
Children with reading
disabilities are benefitting
from the SickKids Empower
Reading program which
has reached 19 school
boards and over 6,500
students at nearly 500
Canadian schools.
Training
The African Medical and
Research Foundation
and SickKids are working
together in an educational
project to fight the high
mortality rate of children
in rural Tanzania.
quality
is
equitable
SickKids researchers accept
challenges as rising stars
The challenges may be grand, but the solutions
are even grander! SickKids is an enthusiastic
participant in Grand Challenges Canada and
has won several grants to improve global health.
In April 2012, three SickKids researchers showcased their work in the Stars in Global Health
program, which taps into the creativity, knowledge
and skills of emerging Canadian innovators to
solve some of the most persistent health
challenges in the developing world.
The three submissions are examples of the
work that SickKids does for global health.
Shaun Morris, Clinician-Scientist, Infectious
Diseases, Department of Paediatrics, worked
on A Portable Toolkit to Save Newborn Lives.
In April 2012, GCC announced that Morris
was the recipient of a grant.
Verena Brand, Research Fellow, Molecular
Structure & Function, worked on A Metabolomics
and Proteomics approach to find Drug Targets
Against Toxoplasma Gondii.
Yan Yuqing, PhD Student, proposed Nutritional
Intervention in Southwest Nigeria to address
malnutrition and obesity among women,
children, youth and adults.
navigating the system
Every day, in various ways and throughout
clinics, labs and offices, SickKids addresses
all six dimensions of well-being that are outlined
by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) including material
22 | the hospital for sick children
well-being, housing and environment, education
well-being, quality of school life, health and
safety, and risk behaviours.
For example, the Haematology and Oncology
Program has introduced a new patient navigator
role to provide support and guidance during this
difficult time, assisting patients and their families
through the complexity of clinical trials, introducing
them to family-centred care, guiding them through
the Ontario health-care system, and helping them
find their way in the city.
A Canadian first, Pro Bono Law Ontario at SickKids
is a free legal service for patients and families who
are referred to the program by clinical staff. The
idea behind the initiative is to provide patients and
their families, who are already under stress from
their medical concerns, with legal assistance to
address the non-medical issues that impact a
child’s health or a family’s capacity to care for
their sick child – for example, housing concerns
of caregivers who have stopped working because
of the child’s hospital stay.
The program is the result of a partnership between
SickKids and PBLO. It covers several aspects:
training doctors, nurses and social workers so
they can identify cases that may require legal
intervention; referring families to PBLO’s triage
lawyer whose office is at the hospital; offering legal
information to families who need it; and providing
access to legal services, either by the onsite
lawyer or, through a referral, to pro bono lawyers
or other legal services in the community.
Since the office was established in 2009, it has
handled 1,531 cases, 449 of them in 2012.
Learn about SickKids Family Centre.
Supporting expecting
moms and dads in Nunavut
Using the rich aboriginal tradition of storytelling,
AboutKidsHealth.ca is helping to improve the
health and well-being of new and expecting families
among Canada’s Inuit population in Nunavut.
AboutKidsHealth.ca, the child health information
website developed by SickKids, launched a new
initiative called Inuit Health Matters in June.
The Inuit of Nunavut experience the highest
Canadian rates of teen pregnancy, pre-term births,
smoking, drug and alcohol use during pregnancy,
infection, newborn and infant death and hospital
readmission after birth.
“In order to improve health outcomes in Canada’s
Northern communities, like Nunavut, discussions
about healthy lifestyles, sex and sexuality need to
take place earlier, before the pregnancy begins,”
says Dr. Amanda Sheppard, Project Lead and
Applied Scientist at AboutKidsHealth.ca.
“Pregnancy and birth are part of a continuum
for better health.”
Using culturally relevant stories with illustrations,
Inuit Health Matters offers engaging and
informative health materials including week-byweek prenatal health guides for expecting moms,
month-by-month information for expecting dads,
a sex education teaching poster for parents and
additional resources for health care providers.
The health guides are being distributed through
the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Health
and Social Services to health centres in all territorial
communities. Materials are available in English,
French, Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun.
Highlighting the rich oral tradition of Canada’s Inuit
populations, the stories of three family relationships
are weaved through the health education content.
The characters were chosen with the goal of
reflecting realistic scenarios in the North. It was
also important that the materials had a Northern
look and feel, explains Sheppard. Not only are the
majority of the characters Inuit, but attention was
also paid to the subtle details of clothing, homes
and communities. The chosen colours reflect those
naturally occurring in the Northern landscape –
blues, purples and reds.
“Discussions about healthy lifestyles,
sex and sexuality need to take place
earlier, before the pregnancy begins.”
“Every expecting mom and dad deserves
to be informed about all aspects of their
pregnancy,” says Sheppard. “I hope the Inuit
Health Matters content will empower and educate
the soon-to-be-moms and dads about healthy
behaviours and attitudes about the pregnancy
and their baby’s development.”
When Sheppard went to Iqaluit to deliver some
of the Inuit Health Matters materials to new and
expecting families at different family-centred
programs, “There wasn’t one person who didn’t
have an enthusiastic response to seeing the
‘Pregnancy Stories,’” she says. “The dads-to-be
were impressed that there was content specific
to them too. Those who had already had their
babies said they wished they’d had the Pregnancy
Stories booklet while they were pregnant.”
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 23
q u a l i t y
i s
b e i n g
patient-centred
The ultimate goal for family-centred care is an integrated planning of health, education,
social support, and health-care services with shared accountability across the systems.
Yusuf Hirji:
treatment
in backpack
Resource
Obesity
SickKids researchers test
behavioural intervention
technique to see if it
reduces screen time
or cuts back on the
number of meals in front
of the television.
The Family Resource Centre
provides resources and services
for in- and outpatient families,
to positively influence the
health and quality of life
of children and youth.
Ideas
Wikidea, an online
innovations forum for staff,
is generating lots of ideas.
In the challenge, “Making
Time Fly,” 67 people
suggested how to make
the best use of patients’
waiting times.
Toys
New guidelines are
introduced for donation
of unwrapped toys, books,
electronics, crafts and
other items, to respect
patient safety, privacy and
infection-control policies.
Education
Epilepsy
The Epilepsy Surgery Program
uses a multidisciplinary
approach that brings a team
together to deliver effective care
to patients and their families.
SickKids joins forces with
TVOParents.com to provide
parents with educational
resources that will help
their children succeed
at school and in life.
quality
is
patient-centred
Outpatients with a backpack
A new treatment for patients with bone or
muscle tumours is being tested at SickKids.
Typically, patients with paediatric sarcoma
check-in for up to a week at a time to receive
their chemotherapy treatment. On the first day
of treatment, they receive about four hours of
a common chemotherapy drug called methotrexate
and must stay in hospital for an additional
three to four days until the drug has cleared.
When families asked if it was possible to do some
of this treatment at home, an interdisciplinary
team with strong representation from the
Department of Pharmacy started a pilot research
project, which continues with clinical trials.
The treatment includes three litres of fluid that
the patients carry around in a backpack, a great
step forward in normalizing their life. This is the
first time aggressive chemotherapy has been
given as an outpatient treatment to paediatric
patients in Canada. See video with Yusuf Hirji.
award-winning App helps
cancer patients manage pain
Researchers at SickKids are always looking for
new ways to improve pain management for cancer
patients. Working with Cundari, a Toronto-based
marketing communications agency, they have
developed a pain diary app called Pain Squad.
Pain Squad is an iPhone app that helps kids and
teens with cancer track how intense their pain is,
how long it lasts, where it hurts and what helps
to treat it. They are also able to record how pain
impacts their mood and activities, such as doing
schoolwork, sleeping and interacting with others.
26 | the hospital for sick children
While there are many hurdles in pain treatment,
inadequate assessment and a patient’s reluctance
to report pain are among the biggest barriers.
Adolescents with cancer were involved in the
research and development of the app, providing
feedback on content and user-friendliness.
“We made it easier for kids and teens to track
their pain symptoms by using technology that
they’re familiar with,” says Dr. Jennifer Stinson,
Scientist and Nurse Practitioner in the Chronic
Pain Program, and lead researcher of the project.
“Keeping an iPhone pain diary is not only less
work, but fun, too. Pain Squad is unique because
while it helps patients keep track of their own
symptoms, it also contributes to research by
collecting data on cancer pain. Having solid
information on the prevalence and severity of
pain and the effectiveness of treatment will
allow us to better manage pain.”
Cundari created the Pain Squad theme to keep
kids engaged and motivated to complete their pain
surveys twice a day. The company sought the help
of celebrities from two prime-time Canadian law
enforcement shows, Rookie Blue and Flashpoint.
Playing their crime-fighting characters, the actors
performed in encouraging video clips that are
unlocked as the kids win promotions to higher
ranks. Patient-users join the Pain Squad as
“Rookies” and progress through different levels.
Pain Squad finished the third phase of testing to
assess whether patients find it easy to use and
understand the device. The app will also be tested
in other Canadian paediatric oncology centres.
The ultimate goal, said Dr. Stinson, is to make
the Pain Squad app available to all Canadian
adolescents with cancer.
The focus on
family-centred care
Family-centred care is the standard at SickKids.
It’s both our brand and our aspiration. Families
have always been part of SickKids but never as
much as today when we have made it a priority
for families to play an active role in the care
we provide to a sick child.
Our partnerships with families are valuable
for several reasons. For one thing, they ensure
that the care we provide in the hospital is
appropriate and will continue after discharge
for better results and happier children.
Two years ago, we created the Centre for
Innovation and Excellence in Child and FamilyCentred Care. Under the direction of Karima
Karmali, the centre is evolving with a vision
to be recognized worldwide as a leader and
innovator in child- and family-centred care.
The centre has plans to integrate family theory
with CFCC and to establish academic programming
in the area. As well, its members hope to establish
a research agenda that focuses on the impact
of CFCC on clinical outcomes (psychosocial,
psychological), patient/family satisfaction
and organizational outcomes.
The centre is active on several fronts. It oversees
the Family-Centred Care Advisory Council, which
provides feedback to SickKids staff about new
initiatives or changes to existing programs. The
council works with SickKids staff to turn familycentred ideas into realities and hosts education
sessions for parents and staff.
The Children’s Council is also under the umbrella
of the CFCC. This is a group of 10 children, aged
nine to 18, who are dedicated to helping make
SickKids a better place for children. Nominated by
hospital staff, Children’s Council members represent
units throughout the hospital. They advise staff,
act as advocates for children’s health, and provide
leadership and guidance for family-centred
initiatives at the hospital and the community.
The Child and Family Relations office is open
to parents who wish to discuss any concerns
about their hospital experience. Accessibility and
language services are available free for patients
and families with limited English proficiency or
are deaf or hard of hearing. The office will
• Listen to and support families
through their experience
• Outline a process that is
consistent, fair and timely
• Advocate for a clear and transparent
communication process between
patients, families and staff
• Assist families in communicating
effectively with their care team
•Disseminate complimentary
messages to care teams.
Read about our Values and Expectations
The Family Centre is the hub for family-centred care
at SickKids and provides a range of resources and
services for in- and outpatient families, including
brochures, books, DVDs and computer programs.
The children’s library has books for children
of all ages. There are books on tape, large-print
books, magazines, and books in different
languages. It also has computers with CD-ROMS.
The library is home to Storytime, a daily event
that children can attend in person or view on
the television in their room.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 27
at a
glance
operating room cases
6,707
5,199
11,906
Inpatient
Day Surgery
Total Operating Room Cases
(6,799 in 2011-12)
(5,106 in 2011-12)
(11,905 in 2011-12)
inpatient activity
279.6
6.6
Average Number of Patients Per Day
Average Length of Stay (Days)
(280.7 in 2011-12)
(6.7 in 2011-12)
15,088
102,037
Admissions
Patient Days
(15,323 in 2011-12)
(102,743 in 2011-12)
ambulatory activity
63,638
Emergency
(63,679
in 2011-12)
28 | the hospital for sick children
217,945 281,583
Clinics
Total Ambulatory Activity
(218,903 in 2011-12)
(282,582 in 2011-12)
research
institute
research institute
This is an exciting time for SickKids! We are
months away from our move to the new Peter
Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning at the
corner of Bay and Elm streets. By the fall of 2013,
more than 2,000 research staff will have completed
the move from six different locations across our
campus into this new state-of-the-art facility.
The move promises greater collaboration,
innovation and further advancements in
research, leading to better child health outcomes.
Using an innovative neighbourhood concept –
clusters of two to three floors of the building each
interconnected by interactive atriums – members
from our seven research programs will have the
opportunity to engage and collaborate in new ways.
Each research neighbourhood will focus on
specific child health issues. This concept will
foster synergies in research, resulting in improved
child health not only within the walls of our
hospital but all around the world.
Critical to the future of Canadian health research is
sustained funding; the Research Institute operates
in a singularly competitive funding era. Peer-reviewed
national and international operating grant funding
brings significant resources to the organization
to support research. This year there were 1,824
peer-reviewed operating grants underway at
SickKids. These represent $68.7 million in
operating grant funding for which our researchers
have successfully competed. Our scientists have
succeeded in bringing an additional $26.2 million
in infrastructure grant funding (63 projects) in
2012-2013, and $8.4 million in personnel awards.
In addition, our investigators brought $5.7 million
to the organization in Industry Sponsored research,
continued on page 30
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 29
research
institute
continued from page 29
with 174 projects ongoing. A key indicator of the
excellence of SickKids research is our success
rate compared to the national average when
competing for Canadian Institutes of Health
Research grant funding. CIHR is Canada’s largest
health research granting agency. In 2012-2013,
SickKids success rate in competing for CIHR funding
across two competitions was 23%, comparing
favourably to the national success rate of 17%.
We are grateful to many generous donors
who contribute to the SickKids Foundation,
both private and public. All of our partners
enable us to continue to engage in world-class
research for the benefit of children everywhere.
Research at SickKids.
Who we are
During 2012-2013, the Research Institute was home to the following members
Principal Investigators (> 50% of time committed
244
to research activities; includes Emeritus)
Project Investigators and Team Investigators
339
(< 50% of time committed to research activities)
Research staff (primarily grant funded)
Total number of research trainees at SickKids in 2012-2013
855
1,094
Graduate students
554
Research Fellows
269
Summer students
271
Operations staff
30 | the hospital for sick children
182
research institute total funding (2012-2013)
Type of Award
Canada Research Chairs and Other Personnel Awards
Number Of Awards
32
amount
4,215,410
Training Awards
226
4,220,960
Total Personnel and Training Awards
258
8,436,370
Research Operating Projects
1824
68,713,859
Industry Sponsored Research
174
5,675,055
63
26,193,467
Infrastructure Grants
SickKids Foundation
39,913,478
Commercial Services at SickKids
5,289,350
Indirect Cost Recoveries
8,518,853
Trust Fund Income
3,955,041
Investment Income
9,105,584
Technology and Licencing Income
3,572,209
Total Projects and Operations
2061
170,936,896
Total Funding
2319
179,373,266
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 31
personnel awards
Canada Research Chairs Tier I
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
2002-15
David Bazett-Jones
Genetics & Genome Biology
New Investigator Award
2005-20
Gabrielle Boulianne
Developmental &
2011-13
Robert Jankov
Stem Cell Biology
2001-14
Mark Henkelman
Physiology &
Experimental Medicine
Physiology &
2007-12
John Rubinstein
Molecular Structure & Function
Experimental Medicine
2009-14
Padmaja Subbarao
Physiology &
2006-20
Lynne Howell
Molecular Structure & Function
2002-16
David Kaplan
Cell Biology
2009-14
Lillian Sung
Child Health Evaluative Sciences
2004-18
Amira Klip
Cell Biology
2010-15
Uri Tabori
Genetics & Genome Biology
2005-20
Freda Miller
Developmental &
Clinician Scientist Award
Stem Cell Biology
2010-13
2005-20
Michael Moran*
Molecular Structure & Function
2001-14
Martin Post
Physiology &
2005-19
Norman Rosenblum
Experimental Medicine
Michael Taylor
Developmental &
Stem Cell Biology
Experimental Medicine
CIHR/Canadian Association of Gastroenterology/
Developmental &
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada
Stem Cell Biology
Transition Award
2008-12
2004-18
Daniela Rotin
Cell Biology
2004-18
Michael Salter
Neurosciences & Mental Health
2001-14
Philip Sherman
Cell Biology
CIHR Rx&D Collaborative Research Program
2006-19
Rosemary Tannock*
Neurosciences & Mental Health
GSK/CIHR Research Chair in Genetics & Genomics
2005-19
William Trimble
Cell Biology
2008-13
2005-12
Shoshana Wodak
Molecular Structure & Function
Aleixo Muise
Stephen Scherer
Cell Biology
Genetics & Genome Biology
Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
Canada Research Chairs Tier II
New Investigator Award
2007-17
2009-15
Brian Ciruna
Developmental &
Brian Nieman
Stem Cell Biology
2006-16
Andrea Kassner*
Experimental Medicine
Physiology &
Investigator Award
Experimental Medicine
2010-16
2004-14
Lisa Robinson
Cell Biology
2006-16
Simon Sharpe
Molecular Structure & Function
2012-17
Michael Wilson
Genetics & Genome Biology
Physiology &
Bret Pearson
Developmental &
Stem Cell Biology
Ontario Mental Health Foundation
New Investigator Award
Canada Research Chairs Transitional Tier II
2010-13
Jennifer Crosbie
2003-13
Meredith Irwin
Cell Biology
2002-12
Andrew Paterson
Genetics & Genome Biology
The Arthritis Society
2002-12
Lu-Yang Wang
Neurosciences & Mental Health
Investigator Award
2004-13
Sheena Josselyn
Neurosciences & Mental Health
2007-12
2004-13
Paul Frankland
Neurosciences & Mental Health
Rae Yeung
Neurosciences & Mental Health
Cell Biology
The Arthritis Society
* nominated by the McLaughlin Centre for Molecular Medicine
Scholar Award
2011-14
Jennifer Stinson
Child Health Evaluative Sciences
research
Agency
funding
funding
Agency
funding
SickKids Foundation, Restricted Donations
39,913,478.09
McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto
615,915.94
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
34,923,214.01
NeuroDevNet
606,053.71
Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation
513,955.95
Miscellaneous
9,961,951.68
Interest Income, Pooled Funds
10,274,884.71
Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund
500,316.84
Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
10,071,627.21
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc.
445,342.98
Genome Canada
7,738,620.39
University of Toronto
419,228.69
Canada Foundation for Innovation
7,577,798.33
Bayer Inc.
416,008.57
Commercial Services at Sickkids
5,289,350.00
b.r.a.i.n.CHILD
405,902.22
National Institutes of Health
4,909,181.57
JDRF Canadian Clinical Trial Network
399,062.99
Canada Research Chairs Secretariat -
4,757,219.23
AllerGen NCE Inc.
393,362.49
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
363,535.11
Autism Speaks
294,252.04
Sequenom, Inc
284,278.76
Federal Indirect Cost Program
Canada Research Chairs Secretariat -
3,106,557.33
CRC Program
Canadian Cancer Society
2,179,902.30
University Of Michigan
271,846.08
J.P. Bickell Foundation
2,108,627.69
C17 Network
271,078.70
Ontario Brain Institute
1,769,768.34
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of Canada
263,692.89
Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
1,659,416.68
Cancer Research Society Inc
254,929.51
MaRS Discovery District
1,474,428.95
Canadian Arthritis Network
235,441.03
Natural Sciences and Engineering
1,445,673.94
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
232,290.09
Research Council of Canada
Grand Challenges Canada
227,338.37
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
1,326,049.89
Abbott Labratories Limited
223,876.10
Cystic Fibrosis Canada
1,260,648.76
Biogen Idec Inc.
200,655.25
Multiple Sclerosis Scientific
1,143,637.65
Thrasher Research Fund
192,914.18
Research Foundation
Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario
189,285.23
991,704.59
Trillium Therapeutics Inc.
187,674.59
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
948,691.25
Pfizer Canada Inc.
170,727.93
Stem Cell Network
932,274.65
Canadian Diabetes Association
169,663.10
Juvenile Diabetes Research
804,470.85
MaRS Innovation
168,108.86
Shire Human Genetic Therapies, Inc.
165,570.74
Luminex Molecular Diagnostics
Foundation Canada
748,232.61
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
165,481.28
Duchesnay Inc.
Institute of Education Sciences
718,729.40
European Commission Directorate General
162,112.03
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
686,239.44
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International
159,543.29
The Terry Fox Research Institute
157,897.65
of the United States
J.R. Robertson Estate
677,112.95
Hoffmann-La Roche Limited
157,507.27
Boston Scientific Corporation
673,573.11
Ontario Mental Health Foundation
156,520.67
Ontario Ministry of Health
663,942.63
Merck Canada Inc
and Long-Term Care
Myriad Genetics, Inc.
Other
616,855.33
Grand Total
154,606.47
7,823,425.08
179,373,266.23
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 33
learning
institute
learning institute
Learning has always been part of our organization,
from the establishment of SickKids’ first school for
children in 1892 to the development of Canada’s
largest training program for child health clinicians
and researchers. The establishment of the Learning
Institute in 2007 gave SickKids a single organization
to support educational initiatives and advocate for
this valued pursuit.
Each day we strive to provide better care, a pursuit
of excellence that depends on learning, the critical
link between new knowledge and its application in
the care of a sick child.
SickKids is affiliated with the University of Toronto
and collaborates with other teaching hospitals and
U of T in the Toronto Academic Health Science
Network. SickKids is home to U of T’s paediatrics
department, the largest in Canada. The department’s
overall goal is the improvement in child health
locally, provincially, nationally and internationally
through the creation, evaluation, dissemination,
and application of knowledge. Clinical, education
34 | the hospital for sick children
and research programs at SickKids have been
developed to ensure the emergence of leadership
in paediatric health care in Canada and abroad.
Highlights of the activities supported by the
Learning Institute in 2012-2013 included:
• Over 4.1 million visits to the patient and family
education site AboutKidsHealth.ca. In a typical
month, visitors to the site come from more than
225 different countries and 750 Canadian cities.
• 31,423 visits to the Hospital Library to
access print and electronic resources. More
than 174,500 full text journal articles retrieved
to support clinical, education and research activities.
• SickKids is home to the largest, most
comprehensive paediatric medical and
surgical training program in Canada. During the
2012-2013 academic year, there were more than
809 residents and 435 fellows at SickKids.
• Continuing professional development (CPD)
opportunities, organized by the Learning
Institute’s Conference Management Service,
were hosted on the topics of Ophthalmology,
Procedural Pain, Palliative Care, Respiratory
Therapy, and Health Equity. Many other CPD
opportunities were provided across the
organization, for example, in Management and
Leadership Development, Project Management,
Information Technology, Quality and Risk
Management, and Occupational Health and Safety.
• The Simulation Program supported over 4,100
participants in 425 sessions through opportunities
for individual skill acquisition and team training.
• In 2012-2013 there was upward of
660 interprofessional and corporate
student placements in the areas listed
in the chart below:
AboutKidsHealth
Occupational Health & Safety Services
Child Life
Occupational Therapy
Clinical and Metabolic Genetics
Office of Strategy Management, Decision Support,
Clinical Informatics & Technology Assisted Programs
Innovation & Improvement
Communications & Public Affairs
Paediatric Medicine Division
Dietetics
Paediatric Laboratory Medicine
Executive Office
Pharmacy
Facilities Development
Physiotherapy
General Radiology
Psychology
Health Information & Registration Services
Respiratory Therapy
Information Services
Speech Language Pathology
Learning Institute
Social Work
Library & Archives
New Immigrant Support Network
Nuclear Medicine
Volunteer Resources
Nursing
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 35
iP
&
C
I n d u s t ry pa r t n e r s h i p s a n d c o m m e r c i a l i z at i o n
industry partnerships
and commercialization
Industry Partnerships and Commercialization (IP&C)
helps researchers, physicians and scientists transfer
their knowledge into products and programs that
have social and economic benefit. The team
matches industry professionals with researchers
to foster complementary business relationships.
SickKids is the leading research hospital in
Canada with respect to technological transfer.
The IP&C team consists of enthusiastic
professionals with a wide range of expertise
in business development, communications and
marketing, technology commercialization, intellectual
property, and license and royalty management.
SickKids is a leading member of MaRS Innovation,
the Toronto Discovery District’s commercialization
engine, which disclosed 12 discoveries in 20122013 and received more than $480,000 of investment directly from MaRS Innovation to support new
start-up companies and proof of principle design.
36 | the hospital for sick children
Through the efforts of MaRS Innovation, an
additional $275,000 was leveraged from other
organizations to support SickKids start-up companies.
IP&C ranking*
•Number one in licensing revenues
among research hospitals in Canada
•Number one in licenses and options executed
among research hospitals in Canada
• Top 10 in licensing revenues
among all academic institutions
* Source: 2012-2013 Association of University Technology Managers annual licensing survey
Areas of expertise
• Assessment of invention disclosures/ideas
for commercialization potential
•Development and commercialization
of intellectual property assets
• Management and protection of SickKids’
intellectual property assets through
patents and copyrights
• Industry relations (incl. marketing and promotion)
• Contract negotiation and payment compliance
Industry Engagement Activities
• Sponsored research/joint collaborations
• Research contracts
• Identify and market SickKids basic
and clinical research expertise
• Fee for service/access to core facilities
• Identify alternate sources of funding for
development and commercialization
• Partner SickKids researchers and
industry representatives to identify
areas of mutual interest
• Beta testing
• Clinical trials
• Student fellowship programs
• Create collaborations between industry
and SickKids researchers at various
stages of the research and development
Areas for Industry Collaborations
• Cystic fibrosis and protein misfolding diseases
• Paediatric oncology
• Child health and nutrition
IP&C at a glance 2012-2013
• Medical devices related to imaging and robotics
Total Licensing Revenue
$ 3,520,009
Disclosures Reviewed
57
Licenses & Option Agreements Executed
44
Spin-off Companies Created
1
US Patents Issued
7
• Regenerative medicine
• Genetics and molecular diagnostics
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 37
sickkids
foundation
sickkids foundation
Philanthropy has enormous impact at SickKids.
Since 1972, SickKids Foundation has been raising
funds that have helped to earn and ensure the
hospital’s international reputation for excellence
in care, research and learning.
The Foundation had another record-breaking
fundraising year in 2012-2013 and made an
investment of $88.7 million in SickKids – the
largest amount in its history. This investment
accounted for 13 per cent of overall funding
support at SickKids last year.
Donations to SickKids funded the infrastructure
for the SickKids Research Institute, allowing
us to recruit and retain some of the world’s
best scientists and to enable them to push the
frontiers of science. Last year, the Foundation
granted $42.3 million to the Research Institute.
38 | the hospital for sick children
Donations supported major equipment purchases
and capital renovations – ensuring our facilities
remain leading edge. Last year, the Foundation
provided $21 million for equipment and projects
in areas of the hospital including the operating
suite, ophthalmology and neonatology.
Donations funded training programs for our
health professionals to keep them at the top
of their fields. For example, more than $5.2 million
was provided to support the training and education
of fellows as well as for bursaries, conference
attendance, lectureships and staff recognition
and awards.
The Foundation provided $14.6 million for family
and patient support services and programs
including the Family Centre, the Bear Theatre,
the Starlight Room, chaplaincy, creative arts
therapy, bereavement and family education days;
$1.3 million went to health promotion initiatives,
including AboutKidsHealth; and $1 million went
to support the Patient Amenities Fund, double
the amount provided last year.
In testament to our shared vision, Healthier
Children. A Better World, SickKids Foundation
also provided $2.1 million for the Hospital’s
global programs last year, including our newly
launched SickKids-Caribbean Paediatric Cancer
and Blood Disorders Project.
“We are enormously grateful to our
community of donors who through
SickKids Foundation contribute to
our vision and our commitment to
excellence.” Mary Jo Haddad
And in true partnership with the aspirations
of SickKids, SickKids Foundation is also
committed to raising $200 million to support
the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning.
In fact, $70 million has already been received,
with total commitments of $181 towards the
target as of March 31, 2013.
With more than 262,000 donors last year, SickKids
Foundation is the largest funder of child health research,
learning and care in Canada, next to government.
The success of the Foundation comes from its many
fundraising programs which encourage communities
to get involved – programs for corporate and major
giving, in direct marketing and through events.
SickKids Foundation is a leader among Canadian
charities. Last year, it was one of the first to receive
distinction through Imagine Canada’s new Standards
Program for excellence in charitable operations.
To learn more about SickKids Foundation,
read its 2012-2013 Annual Report.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 39
global
child
Global Child Health
In 2013, SickKids named Dr. Stanley Zlotkin as
the inaugural Chief of Global Child Health. As
Canada’s leading paediatric health sciences centre,
SickKids’ expertise is well matched to the needs
of children globally. Building and expanding on our
strong foundation in paediatric health, the SickKids
office for Global Child Health is based on four
core functions: research, capacity building through
education, advocacy and knowledge translation,
and policy advice.
Research – Including knowledge generation,
translation and synthesis, and implementation.
a.To conduct basic, translational, clinical
and epidemiologic research - focusing on
health issues of direct relevance to maternal,
newborn and child health (MNCH). Examples
of priority areas include nutrition, growth
and development, and infectious diseases.
40 | the hospital for sick children
health
b.To inform advocacy, capacity building,
policy development, coordination and
governance of activities at all levels.
c.To facilitate collaborations among researchers
on specific child health topics, leveraging
existing networks and databases where
possible. Three current areas of global
health research include; nutrition, growth
and development; infection and immunity;
and cancer and blood disorders.
Capacity Building through Education – Sharing
expertise on MNCH issues leading to translation
and sustainable scaling of knowledge-based
interventions that improve health systems. This
includes the formation or strengthening of partnerships with Ministries of Health, hospitals, universities,
non-governmental organizations, UN agencies and
communities in low and middle income countries.
Partnerships collaboratively identify knowledge
gaps and devise appropriate solutions.
a.Health systems, human resources for health,
health workforce education and quality
improvement projects with ministries of
health, hospitals, clinics, universities, NGOs,
UN agencies, and communities. Projects include:
-- Collaborative paediatric health workforce
training and education programs.
-- Health systems strengthening on specific
MNCH issues where there is a match
between local need (in low- and middleincome countries) and SickKids expertise.
b.Criteria for future projects will include
impact, reach, sustainability, local
ownership, efficacy and scalability.
Advocacy and knowledge translation – The
purpose is to ensure buy-in and support for
local, national and international programs
and priorities. Advocacy activities will include:
a.Advocacy for a future Centre for Global Child Health
(C-GCH) to ensure Greater Toronto Area support.
b.Advocacy for MNCH in support of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and
the emerging post-2015 global action agenda.
c.Advocacy for specific programs, e.g. paediatric
health workforce education, the Global
Sprinkles Initiative, etc.
C-GCH knowledge translation (KT) activities
will fulfill our mission with respect to translation
of research into therapeutic and preventative
strategies. KT and knowledge management in
specific areas of MNCH includes evaluation of
the implementation, scale-up and impact of proven
interventions, and meets the increasing priority
of funding agencies for sharing and implementing
successful interventions.
Policy Advice – C-GCH faculty will be engaged
in the process of informing policy through a
combination of strategic systematic reviews
on topics of relevance to those responsible for
setting policies in global child health, including
UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 41
sickkids
international
sickkids international
Mission
Through SickKids International, SickKids engages
in opportunities to enhance global child health
by facilitating knowledge transfer and focusing on
building sustainable system capacity through its
business development services and International
Patient Office.
We collaborate with partners, both in Canada
and around the world, to advance the health
of children through integrated child health
education, research and clinical initiatives.
Undertaking research and providing education
and care in the global context is essential to
fulfilling SickKids’ vision for Healthier Children.
A Better World.
Global Impact
Our international work is focused in three areas:
• Business Development Advisory Services:
SickKids International undertakes revenue-
42 | the hospital for sick children
generating projects that will support the funding
of innovative and strategic projects at SickKids.
Through our advisory partnerships, we provide
tailored products and services to meet the
needs and objectives of health-care institutions,
governments and regulatory bodies in the
areas of care, education and research.
• International Education Services: SickKids
International offers paediatric education and
training to health-care professionals around
the world. Education services are customized
to the health-care professionals’ specific learning
needs, and can take place at SickKids or in
the home country.
• International Patient Office: SickKids International
coordinates medical planning for international
patients who require specialized treatment at
SickKids that is not available in their home
countries. Some of these children may require
financial support, which is provided via the
Herbie Fund. Since 1979, the Herbie Fund
has assisted more than 710 children from
approximately 105 countries.
Business Development
Through SickKids International, SickKids is
confirming its reputation as a hub for international
health by providing high-quality advisory services.
Our international collaborations draw on the
expertise and experience of the SickKids team,
a diverse network of skilled and knowledgeable
professionals spanning the range of children’s
health concerns. Examples of the types of
advisory collaborations we undertake are:
• Integrated hospital projects;
• Clinical, research, or education projects
that are aligned with SickKids expertise
in specific clinical areas; and
• Short-term needs assessments
that generate a status report with
improvement recommendations.
International Education
Through the International Learner Program™,
SickKids International provides a unique
learning opportunity for international health-care
professionals to undertake observation or
practice experience at SickKids. SickKids
International, in partnership with SickKids
experts, will develop, implement and evaluate
continuing education curricula tailored to the
specific needs of the international party. SickKids
experts can also provide direct mentorship and
coaching in the international partner’s home country.
SickKids International also provides the International
Health Assignment Workshop, a half-day workshop
to introduce health-care professionals to the
concept of international health competencies.
Focusing on providing health care from a global
approach, the workshop enhances participants’
professional practices and skills.
Projects and Programs
Advisory Services
Doha, Qatar: A five-year partnership with
Hamad Medical Corporation to develop a
world-class paediatric hospital in Qatar.
Doha, Qatar: Since 2012, SickKids has been
working with Sidra Medical and Research Center
(Sidra) as a strategic clinical research partner
of Sidra. As part of this commitment, SickKids
will provide advice and support to the clinical
and research programs.
international education
Singapore: A multi-year agreement to provide
observation and practice experience opportunities
to select nurses and allied health professionals
from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Hong Kong: A multi-year agreement to provide
observation and practice experience opportunities
to select nurses and allied health professionals
working in hospitals under the umbrella of the
Hong Kong Hospital Authority.
Philippines: A multi-year agreement with UBM Asia
to provide customized continuing education programs
on selected topics to general paediatricians.
Looking to the Future
Over the past 18 months, SickKids International
has continued to expand its global reach by
increasing its efforts to communicate the value
proposition of the advisory and educational
services that we are able to provide. This outreach
has resulted in the signing of 12 Memoranda
of Understanding to pursue discussions on
potential collaborations, designed to support
the efforts of potential partners in the pursuit of
their goals to improve the standards of paediatric
health care in their respective countries.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 43
finances
fiscal years ended march 31 (in thousands of dollars)
2013
2012
2011**
Revenue
740,927
717,487
709,501
Expenses
740,491
717,440
709,105
436
47
396
14,326*
25,194
6,535
14,762
25,241
6,931
Statement of Operations
Excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenses before investment income (loss)
Investment income (loss)
Excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenses
Balance Sheet
Assets
1,418,445 1,340,812 1,178,468
Liabilities
1,077,108 1,020,987
Unrestricted net assets
Accumulated remeasurement gains (losses)
Total liabilities and net assets
319,825
294,725
6,750*
–
–
1,418,445 1,340,812 1,178,468
*Beginning in Fiscal 2013, SickKids adopted the Public Sector Accounting Standards which dictate that unrealized gains be reflected on the
Balance Sheet and not the Statement of Operations. Total investment income of $14.3 million and unrealized gains of $6.8 million amounts
to $21.1 million in 2013 which is comparative to $25.2 million in investment income in Fiscal 2012.
**Fiscal 2011 Statement of Operations not restated for Public Sector Accounting Standards.
***Capital funding: yellow ­ Operations funding: blue
44 | the hospital for sick children
883,743
334,587
Revenue ($ Millions)
710
717
741
Investment Income/(Loss),
including unrealized gains ($ Millions)*
25.2
21.1
6.5
10/11
11/12
12/13
10/11**
External Research Funding
($ Millions)
154
154
11/12
12/13
Foundation Funding
Capital vs. Operations
($ Millions)***
161
72.3
55.1
10/11
11/12
12/13
56.5
2.6
2.6
16.4
10/11
11/12
12/13
finances
B
B
C
C
D
E
D
A
A
F
E
2012-2013 revenue ($740.9M),
2012-2013 expenses ($740.5M)
excluding investment income
A
62%
Salary and benefits
A
Ontario Ministry of
B
13%
Other operating
Health & Long-Term Care
C
10%
Medical, laboratory
59%
B3% Amortization
and drug supplies
C
9%
Commercial services
D
3%
Cost of goods sold
D
19%
Research grants
E
5%
Administrative, general E
10%
Patient care and other
and interest expense
F7%Depreciation
Note: Other operating includes: Purchases services
and other referred-out services (43%), Building and equipment
(36%), Utilities (11%), Operating fund expenses (7%),
Royalty payments (2%), Dietary expenses (1%)
B
C
D
E
A
2012-2013 sources of operational funding ($670.7M)
A
66%
Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care
B
3%
Commercial services
C
10%
SickKids Foundation
D
6%
Patient care and other
E
15%
Research grants
B
B
C
C
D
A
D
E
F
A
E
G
F
H
G
2012-2013 sources of capital funding ($146.9M)
2012-2013 SOURces of research
A
Long-term debt (supported
operational funding ($179.4M)
by SickKids Foundation)
36%
A
41%
Research operating grants
B
18%Net depreciation
B
7%
Estate and investment income
C
1%
Other funds
C
5%
Indirect cost recoveries
D
6%
SickKids Foundation
D
2%
Licensing income
E
2%
Ontario Ministry of
E
3%
Commercial services
Health & Long-Term Care
F
5%
Personnel awards
F
5%
Research grants
G
15%
Infrastructure grants
G
32%
Peter Gilgan Centre
H
22%
SickKids Foundation
for Research and Learning
B
C
A
2012-2013 spending ($801.6M)
A
66%
Patient care
B 20%Research
C 14%Capital
performance
Process improvement and the identification of clinical efficiencies is an ongoing focus for SickKids.
keyrehenit,
achievements
in 2012-2013:
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improvement in medication reconciliation
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improvement in pain intervention at
emergency department triage (year over year)
48 | the hospital for sick children
sickkids
leaders
sickkids board of trustees
2012 – 2013
Trustees
Robert J. Harding, Chair
Sarabjit Marwah, Vice-Chair
Rose Patten, Vice-Chair
Catherine Delaney
Claire Duboc
Ajit Khanna
David McKay
Gail O’Brien
Tim Penner
Robert Prichard
Cheryl Reicin
Lawrence Repar
Paul Reynolds
Larry Scott
Bruce Simpson
Stuart Smith
Dr. Terrence Sullivan
Robert Weese
ex-officio trustees
Mary Jo Haddad
Dr. James Wright
Pam Hubley
Dr. Paolo Campisi
John Francis
Tom Long
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 49
sickkids
leaders
senior management
2012 – 2013
executives
Mary Jo Haddad, President and Chief
Executive Officer, was appointed
President and CEO of The Hospital
for Sick Children in 2004. Through a
distinguished career of over 30 years
in health care, she is recognized
for her innovative leadership and
commitment to children’s health.
She has championed collaboration
and partnerships to enable health
system improvement, building
capacity and enabling individual
and team success.
Jim Garner, Executive Vice-President,
Corporate, is responsible for
Information Management and
Technology, Health Information,
Medical Engineering, Facilities,
Business Services, Legal, Internal
Audit and International Affairs.
Jeff Mainland, Executive
Vice-President, Strategy, Quality,
Performance & Communications,
oversees the development
and execution of SickKids’
strategy. He also has enterprise
responsibility for quality, risk,
performance and communications.
50 | the hospital for sick children
Marilyn Monk, Executive
Vice-President, Clinical, provides
leadership to all clinical services
and programs and she is
responsible for the physician
practices and scientific teams
in Paediatric Laboratory Medicine,
Diagnostic Imaging and Psychiatry.
Denis Daneman, Paediatrician-in-Chief,
joined SickKids in 1981 and was
named Paediatrician-in-Chief in
2006. The Chief Paediatrician
is the leading physician at
SickKids and Chair of Paediatrics
at the University of Toronto.
Pam Hubley, Chief, Professional
Practice & Nursing, joined SickKids
in 1987 as a staff nurse in the
Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit.
She was appointed to her
current position in 2012.
Jonathan Kronick, Chief of Education,
joined SickKids in 2012 as the
head of SickKids Learning Institute
and as Professor of Paediatrics
in the Division of Clinical &
Metabolic Genetics at U of T.
Janet Rossant, Chief of Research,
is head of SickKids Research
Institute. She is a Senior Scientist
in Developmental & Stem Cell
Biology, and Professor of Molecular
Genetics, Obstetrics/Gynaecology
and Paediatrics at U of T.
Daniela Crivianu-Gaita,
Vice-President, Information
Management and Technology
& Chief Information Officer, leads
the selection and implementation
of innovative technologies in support
of the SickKids strategic directions.
James G. Wright, Surgeon-in-Chief, is
Chief of Perioperative Services and
holds the Robert B. Salter Chair
of Paediatric Surgical Research.
He is responsible for six surgical
divisions and five departments and
serves as Vice-President, Medical.
Laurie Harrison, Vice-President,
Finance & Chief Financial Officer,
re-joined SickKids in 2013.
She leads the development
and implementation of financial
strategies to further SickKids’
mission and vision.
Stanley Zlotkin, Chief, Global
Child Health and Director of the
Centre for Global Child Health, is
Professor of Paediatrics and Senior
Scientist in the Research Institute.
He is recognized internationally
for his work on micronutrients.
Susan O’Dowd, Vice-President,
Human Resources, joined SickKids
in 2012. She has oversight for
strategies and processes within
Human Resources and Occupational
Health and Safety, aligning with
the hospital’s strategic direction.
Cathy Seguin, Vice-President,
SickKids International, leads
international strategy that furthers
SickKids’ leadership goals in care,
education and research. She is Chair
of the Board of Parachute, a national
organization for injury prevention.
Annual Report 2012-2013 | 51
milestones
historic
top-off
award
Publications
Peter Gilgan, Founder,
Mattamy Homes,
helps build future
home of SickKids
researchers with
$40-million gift.
SickKids celebrates a
key milestone in the
construction timeline
of the Peter Gilgan
Centre for Research
and Learning on May 3.
Drs. Stephen Scherer
and Peter Szatmari
receive $10 million,
part of a $150-million
federal investment in
personalized medicine.
Clinician-researchers at
SickKids regularly publish in leading journals,
such as this article in
Nature about treatment
of medulloblastoma.
bravery
improving
new leaders
genetics
The Women’s Auxiliary
and Child Life celebrate
10 years of the
Bravery Beads program.
The Daily Continuous
Improvement
Program makes
process improvement
a daily occurrence
across SickKids.
Drs. Ronald Cohn,
Jonathon Kronick,
Steven Laussen,
Steven Miller and
Martin Offringa.
The SickKids Centre
for Genetic Medicine
brings together the
brightest minds in
patient care, education,
policy and research.
retiring
trustees
STAR CHILD
Canadian astronaut,
Commander Chris
Hadfield, talks to
SickKids kids from
the International
Space Station.
The Board of Trustees
announces Mary Jo
Haddad’s plan to retire
as SickKids CEO at
the end of 2013.
Board chair announces
the appointment of four
new trustees: Claire
Duboc, Timothy H.
Penner, Cheryl V. Reicin
and Terrence Sullivan.
Researchers develop
Standards for Research
(StaR) in Child Health
to impact child health
in Canada and around
the world.
service
mentor
epilepsy
researcher
Dr. Yaron Finkelstein
receives the 2013
American College
of Medical Toxicology
Service Award.
The American Urology
Association Foundation
recognizes Dr. Darius
Bägli as the 2012
Distinguished Mentor.
In honour of Purple Day,
experts and students
from the Epilepsy
Classroom share their
knowledge on epilepsy.
Drs. Gregory Borschel
and Uri Tabori
receive the Early
Researcher Awards.
space call
safety
happy
explore
scholar
Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, 2012
was Canadian Patient
Safety Week –
Working as Partners
in Patient Safety.
Inaugural Healthy
& Happy campaign
generates community
support and increases
foundation revenue by
5.6 per cent in May.
Clinician-scientist
Dr. Stephen Freedman
receives funding
through the
Grand Challenges
Explorations initiative.
Dr. Freda Miller is
selected as a Senior
International Research
Scholar by the
Howard Hughes
Medical Institute.
influence
merit
action
discovery
Mary Jo Haddad is
named one of the
50 most influential
people in Toronto by
Toronto Life magazine.
Dr. Brian McCrindle
wins the Dr. Harold N.
Segall Award of Merit
of the Canadian
Cardiovascular Society.
Dr. Meredith Irwin is
recognized by Israel
Cancer Research Fund
with a Women of
Action Award.
Researchers find
therapeutic approach
to treating brain
injuries and potentially
neurodegenerative
diseases.
mental health
flu season
fresh
olympics
SickKids and
The Toronto District
School Board form
three-year partnership
providing youth with
mental health support.
Dr. Stephen Porter
shares information
about the influenza
virus and what to do
during flu season.
The Friends of the
Greenbelt Foundation
gives $50,000 to
support Chef Joshna
Maharaj and more
fresh Ontario food.
Dr. Greg Wells of
SickKids, alongside
Canadian sportscaster
Brian Williams,
covers the Summer
2012 Olympics.
therapy
chairs
competition
mri
SickKids celebrates
music therapy – one
of our creative arts
programs – with a video.
Drs. Lynne Howell
and Michael Wilson
are awarded Canada
Research Chairs.
SickKids teams are
awarded research
grants of the Genome
Canada Bioinformatics
and Computational
Biology competition.
SickKids uses
advanced magnetic
resonance imaging
technologies to look
inside the human body.
For more milestones visit our newsroom.
w e
c e l e b r a t e
our people
A community of passionate and engaged staff committed to
our vision, mission and values.
10,090
Total headcount on March 31, 2013
Staff engagement at SickKids is outstanding. Organizational engagement scores
rose to 74.5 per cent and job engagement scores to 76.6 per cent. SickKids had
the highest survey participation rate of hospitals with over 2,000 employees.
We also set highest scores for 10 of the factors that are measured.
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Scientists and senior scientists
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(164 clinician-scientists are captured in other clinical categories on this page)
Research Staff (primarily grant-funded staff)877
Operations Staff
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Management & Support
2,214
Health-Care Professionals
3,113
190
704
1,412
physicians
volunteers
Active & Associate Medical Staff
Registered Volunteers
Women’s Auxiliary Volunteers
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1,500
1,204
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Research Fellows
208
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graduate Students
345
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undergraduate
students
67
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hospital fellows and students
220
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medical residents and fellows
660
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