Wishing you and your loved ones the very best of the season

As the year draws to a close, I want to wish each of you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year.

2012 has been a memorable year for VCH and Vancouver in many ways, culminating with the outstanding results of our recent Accreditation Survey, where we were told by the lead surveyor that we were “one of the best integrated health systems” that he has seen in Canada. This is a real tribute to the hard work that each of you do every day, always focused on People First – whether that be the patient, the client or your team members.  

Over the past year, you’ve improved the quality of our services in numerous areas, and we see the outcome of this in reduced wait times, improved access, more frail seniors living at home and reduced infection rates, to name just a few areas of visible improvement to the people we serve.  

Like all health care organizations across Canada, we face many challenges trying to keep up with the demand within our fixed resources. However, in my opinion, if any team is going to succeed in creating a high-quality sustainable system in Canada, you are that team. You’ve done amazing things over the past year and, together, we’ll continue that work in 2013.

I hope that you will have a restful time with your friends and family over the next week.  I wish you the very best of the season wherever you are – working or resting – and a very Happy New Year.

All the best,

Mary …..