"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant" – Robert Louis Stevenson.
When I was thinking about this year's Annual General Meeting, I kept coming back to this quote. For me, it perfectly reflects the little moments that take place here that are so important; taking five minutes out of your day to walk a lost patient to their appointment or making sure safety huddles occur across the organization, every day. In the moment it may not seem like much has changed, but these acts have a great impact on our culture, the work we do, and how our patients experience their time at UHN.
I know there has been a lot of talk of renewal taking place in the organization – something some of you may be feeling acutely, while others may be wondering just when this work will get underway. I hope you were able to tune into the AGM and learn more about how we are pursuing renewal through our eight areas of focus. We are committed to bringing about positive change throughout UHN, for our patients, staff, physicians and volunteers. If you missed it, the link will be included in next week's Looking Ahead. In the meantime, you can learn more by reading this year's Annual Report, "Bringing UHN into Focus".
Over the next year, we will continue to provide updates on our eight areas of focus, as we begin the strategic planning process. To keep you informed of important changes happening at UHN, key information, and how the future direction of UHN is shaping up we launched an Areas of Focus microsite at the AGM -
renewinguhn.ca.
I will be at the Toronto General Staff Appreciation BBQ this week to say thank you to our amazing staff on another great year. These events are wonderful opportunities for us to come together and celebrate the incredible things you have accomplished over the year.
It is an honour to work in an organization where we can have a tremendous impact by caring for one another. I am excited to welcome a new generation to the health care sector this week at the Michener Institute's first convocation as a member of UHN. I know these students will go on to do great things, many of them at UHN.
Over the past year many seeds have been planted throughout the organization and I hope you take an opportunity to reflect on, and share, how the seeds you've planted have begun to grow.
Peter
