Sunnybrook Improves Transparency With On-Line Multimedia Tool

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre launched an innovative new on-line tool today that will allow the public to monitor the hospital’s performance in achieving its goals and objectives.

Providing people with the ability to see progress on a variety of indicators under three main themes: Quality of Patient Care, Accountability & Sustainability, and Research and Education, the Strategic Balance Scorecard is a web-based application that gives user-friendly information on everything from wait times for CT Scans to financial performance.

“Our Strategic Balanced Scorecard offers a dynamic multimedia window on the organization,” says Barry McLellan, Sunnybrook’s President and CEO. “What’s really impressive about our Scorecard is how easy it is to use and understand. Wherever possible, we have provided video clips of our experts and interactive graphs that explain what we’re measuring and why it’s important to examine these specific indicators.”

In addition to being a public reporting tool, the Strategic Balanced Scorecard is also how the Board of Directors and hospital management will chart Sunnybrook’s progress against the eight overarching corporate goals set out in the hospital’s strategic plan. Each area of the organization has set specific objectives against the eight corporate goals and the Scorecard provides a way to keep apprised of progress and take corrective action where necessary.

“Measure to prove and act to improve has become a management credo at Sunnybrook and it’s something we are taking seriously,” says McLellan. “We have always performed some form of measurement for our Board and public but this new format is one of the most accessible we have ever seen in the hospital sector. I think it sets a new standard for public disclosure.”

By reporting results, the Strategic Balanced Scorecard improves accountability to the hospital’s many communities. “I am proud of everyone who has worked so hard to bring this to reality. This is a bold step forward and one we hope will catch-on throughout the field,” says McLellan. “We hope that our public will gain deeper insight into the incredible work taking place here as we strive to achieve our vision of transforming healthcare. We believe that by sharing information we can improve our quality of care to those who need it when it matters most.”