VHA Home HealthCare (VHA) is pleased to announce that it has been re-designated a Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) for the 2023-2025 term. 

VHA has proudly been a BPSO since 2015. The designation recognizes success in implementing and sustaining Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) developed by the RNAO, providing the highest level of professional practice and delivering evidence-based care across all disciplines. 

“Continuing to be a BPSO designate aligns with VHA’s mission: Creating possibilities for more independence, championing the needs of our clients and families and delivering high quality, integrated care,” said Dr. Kathryn Nichol, VHA’s President and CEO. “I am incredibly proud of our team for excelling in the advancement of this important priority for VHA and demonstrating our commitment to continuous quality improvement and safety. This is one of the ways we are continuing to grow VHA as a learning organization.” 

“The start of a new BPSO designation cycle is an exciting time for VHA as we commit to two new Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) and implement evidenced-based recommendations to improve care for our clients,” shared Matt Wong, Manager of Professional Practice and BPSO lead at VHA. For the 2023-2025 designation cycle, VHA will be implementing the following BPGs: Transitions in Care and Services and Developing and Sustaining Interprofessional Health Care. “These were selected as VHA recognizes the tremendous value that effective collaboration and collaboration contribute to safe, quality client care,” Matt added. 

Transitions in Care and Services

As home care evolves to include different program models in partnership with hospitals, primary care providers and community care organizations across the health care sector, the ability to effectively work together and communicate client-centred goals across the entire care team is of the utmost importance. A key component to enable this collaboration is shared access to consistent information when clients transition between health care settings.

The Transitions in Care and Services BPG supports organizations to implement evidenced-based strategies that can help bridge key moments in a client’s health care journey to ensure that the right information is shared not only between health care providers, but also with clients. VHA leaders Dr. Kathryn Nichol and Sandra Li-James contributed to the Expert Panel that developed the 2nd edition of this BPG as part of our ongoing commitment to share our expertise and ensure home care’s critical role in the sector is incorporated in guidance documents.

Developing and Sustaining Interprofessional Health Care

Clients and families receiving home care services today can have complex medical needs and may be supported by a variety of health care professionals including nurses, personal support workers and rehab therapists. Every health care professional has expertise that can contribute and inform decision-making with clients and across the circle of care.

The Developing and Sustaining Interprofessional Health Care BPG supports organizations to implement evidenced-based strategies to facilitate the collaboration amongst health care professionals to deliver the highest quality clinical care.

To date, VHA has implemented nine guidelines over four terms as a BPSO. Highlights of the most recent term include the implementation of best practice initiatives to support the mental health of service providers and clients; adjustments to VHA’s team structure to support interdisciplinary collaboration; growth in our teams as educators and thought leaders; contributing learnings and evidence-based findings with the wider nursing community through panels, conferences and research; and mentorship with other partners, including within the East Toronto Health Partners BPSO Ontario Health Team.

“RNAO congratulates VHA on successfully completing another two years as a BPSO Designate. We recognize the commitment that has been made at all levels of the organization to advance your BPSO Designate activities and are aware of the positive impacts on person and provider outcomes as well as overall quality of care in your organization,” noted RNAO’s Susan McNeill in a letter to VHA.

“The responsibility of being a BPSO is an honour,” added Matt Wong. “We look forward to continuing to advance our progress and effect change that will have a positive impact on client care at VHA and the wider health care sector.”

To learn more about VHA’s Best Practice Spotlight work, please visit https://www.vha.ca/commitment-to-quality/bpso/.