When Lea Nagelberg needed surgery, her doctor referred her to Drs. Sarah and Vanessa Wong, Plastic Surgeons at The Scarborough Hospital.

Lea was so impressed with her surgery and the aftercare provided by Drs. Wong, she wrote a note to the hospital commending the plastic surgeons and their staff. "We would like to put in a compliment for Dr. Sarah Wong, Dr. Vanessa Wong and their staff as they were all excellent," Lea wrote in her email. "They are all very sweet and professional. Job well done!"

Since 2010, The Scarborough Hospital (TSH) has seen an improvement in employee and physician satisfaction and engagement scores.   

Not only has the hospital seen an improvement internally, we also scored higher than the average of the other 49 Ontario hospitals in all these areas. This is great news!

The rise is reflective of our recent success in many areas including receiving Exemplary Status from Accreditation Canada and our performance in a national study performed by the Canadian Institute of Health Information - to name a few.  More importantly it says we have the ability to weather difficult periods of change and continue to provide excellent care. 

We recognize that healthcare in Ontario is undergoing significant changes, so we are pleased that our staff are not only ready to face the challenge, but are truly committed to providing the best healthcare for our global community.

TSH implemented employee and medical staff opinion surveys in January 2013. The survey was developed by NRC Picker Canada (NRCC) in partnership with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA). NRCC is a nationally recognized provider of healthcare measurement and improvement solutions across the continuum of care. The patient surveys regularly conducted by TSH are also done through NRCC.

The areas that were measured include communication, teamwork, respect, work practices, recognition, compensation, and environment / safety.   

And the employee survey said ...

Our favourable ratings in the following categories are higher than the 49 Ontario hospitals' average.

• Practice Environment
• Work Team / Unit
• Patient Safety

We know that the main "drivers of engagement" for employees are having a sense that individual work is valued, the organization is trustworthy, senior leaders are committed to the delivery of high quality care, and senior leaders act on staff feedback. Focusing on these areas will help us sustain our achievements.

And the medical staff survey said ...

Medical staff satisfaction and engagement has increased by 14.8% since 2010. At 57.5%, our engagement score is now right on par with the average rate of medical staff engagement found among the benchmark group of hospitals.

Our favourable ratings in the following categories are higher than the 49 Ontario hospitals' average.

• Practice Environment
• Work Team / Unit
• Patient Safety

The main "drivers of engagement" for medical staff are knowing that the hospital is committed to attracting and retaining the best physicians, the organization is trustworthy, and individual work is valued. Focusing on these areas will help us sustain our achievements. 

The Canadian Tamil Chamber of Commerce (CTCC) held its 13th annual Charity Walk-A-Thon on June 3, to raise funds for The Scarborough Hospital Foundation.

Despite some inclement weather, the Walk-A-Thon, chaired by Mohan Sundaramohan, RBC Branch Manager at Morningside and Milner, raised an outstanding $45,000 to support the cancer care program at The Scarbrorough Hospital.

"We know that strong communities build strong hospitals, and partnerships, like that we have with the CTCC, are key to providing the best healthcare for our global community," says Michael Mazza, President, The Scarborough Hospital Foundation. "They do great work, and their contribution towards our integrated cancer care program will help to ensure that our community has enhanced access to excellent cancer care close to home."

The program aims to streamline services, increase efficiency and improve access for people living with the disease. 

This annual event demonstrates the generosity and support of the Tamil community. Since its inception in 1999, the walk has brought people of all ages, backgrounds and professions together for a day of fun and to raise funds for a great cause. In past years the CTCC has raised more than $150,000 with the help of our dedicated participants and sponsors.