This is the first in a series of regular updates we will share with the community over the months ahead to keep you informed of progress and changes occurring at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) as part of our accountability to you.
LHSC is a cornerstone of health care in our community, our province and across Canada, providing essential services and high-quality care to those in need while driving forward groundbreaking research and innovation. We are deeply committed to maintaining and enhancing the standards of care our patients expect and deserve.
We’re here to serve you – our community – and we know you care about our hospitals. We have therefore been very transparent about our projected budget deficit.
Financial pressures are not unique to LHSC. Hospitals across Ontario are facing similar budget challenges. The health-care system continues to feel the strain of extraordinary financial pressures, including growing patient volumes, higher care complexity, sustained inflation, staffing needs, and continued pandemic recovery.
At the same time, this community has grown significantly in recent years and so has the need for care. We have more patients to serve and Team LHSC members to support, requiring investment in both clinical and non-clinical staff to deliver that care.
The health-care landscape is evolving, and with it comes the necessity to adapt and find sustainable solutions to financial constraints without compromising the quality of care. This is work we have already begun. We will address our financial challenges to ensure we can continue caring for patients and families across our region for generations to come.
With the help of a third party, we have initiated a management organizational structure review to examine our leadership structure (including all leadership positions) and identify best practices and any efficiencies. We are also using benchmarking data to review every clinical and non-clinical program against peer hospitals across Ontario, including other research-intensive acute care teaching hospitals.
These processes will take approximately three to four months to complete. They are grounded in best practices and are designed to identify opportunities for both immediate financial relief and long-term sustainability. In addition, we are working with Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health to develop a road map that will guide us into the immediate and long-term future.
Our goal is clear: to return LHSC to a balanced financial state within three years while continuing to deliver the top-tier health-care services that you and your neighbours deserve. This is not about cutting costs. It is about using our resources in the best way possible and ensuring that every dollar spent contributes to the health and wellbeing of our patients.
We understand that financial stability is crucial to sustaining our purpose and vision, but we also know that it must not come at the expense of the care we provide. We are determined to find a balance that ensures both financial health and the highest standards of patient care.
Embracing best practices
One of the key aspects of our strategy is to benchmark our processes against best practices in the health-care industry. We will identify areas where we can improve our efficiency and effectiveness by learning from the successes of others.
For instance, other hospitals have successfully implemented innovative models of care that reduce costs while maintaining or even enhancing patient outcomes. These models often involve streamlining administrative processes, adopting new technologies, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. By integrating these proven strategies into our operations, we can achieve significant savings without compromising care.
Organizational structure review
Our organizational structure review is a critical component of our plan. This review aims to ensure that our management structure is aligned with our strategic goals and that we have the right people in the right roles. It involves a thorough analysis of our current structure, identifying any leadership redundancies or inefficiencies, and making necessary adjustments.
This process will not be easy, and it will require difficult decisions. However, we are committed to making these decisions with the best interests of our patients and Team LHSC in mind. We will engage with our stakeholders throughout this process, seeking input and feedback to ensure that our decisions are well-informed and considerate of diverse perspectives within our community.
Engaging with our community
We recognize that there are a wide variety of opinions and viewpoints on how best to address our financial challenges. We value these perspectives and welcome direct conversations with members of our community. We are committed to maintaining transparency and open communication throughout this process as we provide regular updates about our path to fiscal recovery.
We invite you to reach out to us with your thoughts, questions, and concerns. Our door is always open, and we are here to listen. You can contact David Musyj, Interim President and CEO, directly at David.musyj@lhsc.on.ca or 519-870-2999. Your input is invaluable as we navigate these challenging times together.
A commitment to excellence
At LHSC, our commitment to excellence in care remains unwavering. The road ahead will not be without challenges, but we are confident in our ability to overcome them. With the support of our dedicated team members, our patients, and our community, we will emerge from this period stronger and more resilient. Together, we can ensure that LHSC continues to be a beacon of hope and healing for all those we serve.
Thank you for your continued support and trust in London Health Sciences Centre.
Matthew Wilson
Board Chair, London Health Sciences Centre
David Musyj
Interim President and CEO, London Health Sciences Centre