While it began in early 2020, UBC Health’s strategic planning process is rooted in the creation of the Office of the Vice-President, Health in July 2018. In late 2018 and early 2019, UBC Health held 21 Strategic Summits that engaged faculty, staff, and students across health and human service programs at UBC, as well as community members, to understand the perspectives of its partners and to provide a foundation for future strategic planning. 

In February 2020, UBC Health embarked on a formal process to develop a five-year strategic plan. Carolyn Kirkwood of Hunter Kirkwood was engaged to lead the process, working closely with senior leadership and staff at UBC Health as well as Lesley Charter-Smith from UBC Strategy and Decision Support. While the process unfolded a little differently than anticipated due to the pandemic, the project team was able to engage colleagues and partners over the summer and fall, interviewing members of the UBC Health Executive and UBC Health Council, as well as a number of external partners. These interviews helped shape a shared vision and purpose for UBC Health, determine priorities that demand a collaborative approach, and confirm initiatives to pursue. 

It was so important to hear different perspectives on what UBC Health does now and aspires to do moving forward. We gained valuable insights that will be incorporated into our strategic framework.

Informed by these consultations, the project team developed a draft strategic framework that was presented during two town halls with the broader UBC Health community. More than 100 participants across the two sessions challenged the UBC Health team to think about how to collectively contribute to improved health, provincially and beyond. 

“I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the strategic planning process and especially those who took the time to attend our town hall consultations,” says Anne Martin-Matthews, Associate Vice-President, Health. “It was so important to hear different perspectives on what UBC Health does now and aspires to do moving forward. We gained valuable insights that will be incorporated into our strategic framework.”

What will be new in the UBC Health Strategic Plan? Building on UBC Health’s history in collaborative health education, its remit has expanded beyond education to include research and health systems. Once finalized, the plan will highlight ways that UBC Health can work to advance interdisciplinary health education and research and contribute to health systems transformation by fostering collaborations amongst academic units, across the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses, and with external partners.

The plan will also reflect the extensive consultation over the last two years, including those held during a global pandemic that has challenged people, systems, and prevailing wisdom. The breadth and depth of input has been invaluable in articulating a shared sense of purpose and accountability.

The project team is now focused on refining the framework, priorities, and initiatives as well as developing an action plan for 2021/22. The UBC Health Strategic Plan for 2021-2026 will be presented to the UBC Health Council and Executive in the new year, with an anticipated launch in April 2021.

Posted December 11, 2020