With a distinguished history behind it, CEO Shirlee Sharkey says this Canadian health organization is looking at the next 100 years starting with its “Vision” project
Written By Gabe Perna & Produced By Xan Wynne-Jones
It began in 1908 with four nurses providing prenatal and pediatric care to clients by foot and via streetcar in Toronto, Ontario. One hundred years, 4,191 employees, 28 service delivery centers, a charitable foundation and countless home health care services and products later, Saint Elizabeth Health Care (SEHC) has grown into an innovative leader in the healthcare industry across Canada.
Today, CEO Shirlee M. Sharkey says, the company can start focusing on the next 100 years and further growth.
“It’s a great challenge to anticipate what the next 100 years will bring. It’s important to make sure we’re stretching our minds and imaginations as far as we can to ensure we have an exciting journey,” Sharkey says.
A nonprofit charitable organization, Saint Elizabeth Health Care provides a range of government-funded and consumer health services including nursing, supportive care, rehabilitation and specialty services throughout the country. Ultimately, as its mission statement states, the organization focuses on sharing its talent and wisdom to serve the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals and families in their homes and communities.
VISION PROJECT
The last time Healthcare Digital spoke with SEHC, it was about to embark on a new organization-wide directive that is now fully under way. Called the “Vision Project,” the new direction at Saint Elizabeth focuses on “honoring the human face of health care.” After one year of implementation, the Vision Project has created a new kind of energy at SEHC.
“At the beginning of a new vision, there’s a lot of anticipation and openness to learning new ideas and new energy. We’re at that phase. We’re moving into the next 100 years, and at the same time, we have a responsibility to live up to the achievements of the first 100 years. We’re excited as we move into the new phase of this journey,” says Sharkey.
Saint Elizabeth has already rolled out the announcement, imagery and framework for the new directive. While the “journey” is still in its early stages, it’s very much a part of the everyday existence at the organization. Sharkey says the Vision Project is a constant work-in-progress that will be revisited year after year.
“We have specific metrics and objectives we’re working towards. We constantly revisit these. For example, technology is always changing. We may need to look at it differently right now then we did at the beginning of the year,” says Sharkey. “It’s having a plan on the run, and you keep evaluating the plan to make sure it’s staying on course.”
ON TOP
Overall, the past year has been a fruitful one for SEHC. In addition to implementing the Vision Project, the organization made two acquisitions to expand its family. The two organizations, Elder Safe Support Services and Community Rehab, not only enlarge Saint Elizabeth, but make it a better place overall.
“It’s not about being bigger, it’s about being better,” Sharkey explains. “We have a broader range of understanding both as it relates to geographies and different communities, as well as various service offerings.”
In order to become a successful entity SEHC has led many healthcare industry trends and showed innovative leadership. For example, healthcare cannot be a one-way street where providers come in and say, “’I’ll help you, I’ll provide care,’ without engaging the clients or their families,” Sharkey notes.
LIMITLESS SKY
Saint Elizabeth has worked tremendously with its clients to create a true sense of collaboration. “It is a privilege to be invited into their homes and lives as we try to provide the care and information they desire. We look at it as a real partnership. Our ability to be successful is as good as the clients’ and families’ satisfaction with what we provide, and how that allows them to live more comfortably in their home,”
says Sharkey.
The excitement level at Saint Elizabeth continues to grow. As the organization expands, Sharkey expects all members to stay engaged and in tune with the new vision. She says she hopes they will continue to provide an extraordinary client experience - one that separates Saint Elizabeth from the rest.
By doing his, Sharkey’s hope for limitless opportunities will keep holding true.
“The sky is no longer the limit; it’s limitless,” says Sharkey. “It’s a great time for excitement, innovation and energy to change the world and home and healthcare in a meaningful way. That’s what our thrust will be to create a profound sense of wonder and wellness, and to honor the human face of health care.”
FACTS AT A GLANCE
COMPANY NAME: Saint Elizabeth Health Care
CEO: Shirlee Sharkey
ESTABLISHED: 1908
EMPLOYEES: 4,191
REVENUE: $168 million annually
www.saintelizabeth.com
View Digital Corporate Profile of StElizabeth in Healthcare Digital January 2010