Master Plan

Reimagining health care: A new Master Plan for LHSC

In early 2022, London Health Sciences Centre embarked on the beginning of a visionary and ambitious journey to reimagine, redesign and redevelop the future of health care. Over several months, we have already engaged nearly 3,000 people from across the communities we serve, 36 partner organizations in health care, research, education, municipal leadership and community support, and more than 1,000 members of Team LHSC. We are also conducting comprehensive research and modelling, including population projections, economic forecasts, technological outlooks, national and international trends and environmental impacts.

This research and feedback have already been invaluable to the development of LHSC’s Master Plan – our blueprint for how we deliver health care over the next 10, 20 and 30 years. It’s the first step in a process to redesign how we deliver care within and outside of our walls, including the physical structure of our buildings.

The Eight Principles of Master Planning

Eight Master Planning Principals

During the planning process, we are following these eight key principles:

Patients

Create exemplary patient and family care experiences

Apply a patient-centered lens to providing innovative care
Advance safe and effective care

Our People

Cultivate an environment that enables staff and physicians to achieve purpose through meaningful work

Invite and retain the workforce of the future to drive care forward
Promote joy and wellness across Team LHSC

Our Mandate

Fulfill our unique role in health system leadership

Balance our community hospital and specialized centre responsibilities
Reinforce the Children’s Hospital unique identity
Contribute to evaluating effectiveness and sustainability of the regional, provincial and national health ecosystem
Inform health policy research and best practice

Equity

Embed the principles of equity, accessibility and inclusion in all our work

Remove access barriers for marginalized populations
Create a welcoming and culturally safe environment for care and work

Innovation

Drive innovation in service delivery, population health and digital care

Contribute to an integrated health care system
Advance population health and societal wellness
Reduce wait times through optimized efficiency

Master planning principal research and teaching

Teaching & Research

Weave research and teaching through every aspect of care

Build research capabilities and improve access to clinical trials
Establish leading-edge training opportunities for tomorrow’s health care providers

Partnerships

Build strong partnerships within the communities we serve

Recognize our role as a pillar in the community
Collaborate with system partners and community organizations

Planetary Health

Promote environmental sustainability in all we do

Establish sustainable facilities
Reduce our carbon footprint

What We Heard: Five Key Themes

Five Key Themes

There are five key themes to what we heard during our engagement with you:

System Integration and Communication

The need for a better-integrated system of care and more patient support across the care continuum
The need to formalize and strengthen processes, tables, and connections for collaboration and engagement with community partners

Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusivity within the Hospital Network

The need to improve the experience of getting to and navigating the hospital site
The need to expand care options that are culturally reflective of the patient base

Wait Times and Staffing Shortages

The need to develop a plan that will improve emergency department wait times and appointment times
The immediate need to deal with staffing challenges including shortages and burnout

Mental Health and Reducing Stigma

The need to expand mental health services for both children and adults
The need to reduce stigma around vulnerable populations and provide a trauma-informed and harm reduction approach to care

Proactively Preparing for Future Health Needs

The need to further enhance services for an aging population
The need to redesign care so that more care is delivered outside of traditional hospitals

Next Steps

Your feedback has been invaluable to our planning. But the work does not stop here. Master Planning is a journey – one that offers a unique opportunity to build the world-class, inclusive health system that the community expects and deserves. Our commitment is steadfast as our planning and research continue with the following next steps:

Research and engagement: The magnitude of change required is significant, but we’re prepared to undertake it. We are using our planning grant from the Ministry of Health – funding that is specific to Master Planning – to conduct robust research and engagement. That includes continued engagement with you, our teams and our partners, as well as focusing heavily on innovations that have been successful in other health systems, nearby and around the world.
Options for our future facilities: In early 2023, we will have options for how our facilities may look in the future.
Master Plan submission: Our final Master Plan will be submitted to the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health in July 2023.