We have an organizational structure where three Communities of Care – Vancouver, Richmond and Coastal – work together with regional teams to help ensure equitable access and standards of care across the health authority based on best practice.

Right now, the regional teams are a mix of programs and councils that look at overall health services for a patient population. Our Senior Executive Team (SET) has decided to transition the remaining councils into programs to formalize the expectations and accountabilities placed on these regional teams.

The newly-formed regional programs will become accountable for regional strategic planning, annual regional service plans and budget oversight, performance targets and monitoring, as well as quality and safety standards. Following in the footsteps of our existing regional programs – Mental Health and Addiction and Cardiac Sciences – they will work closely with the leadership teams of each Community of Care and outside provincial services and agencies.

What programs will be changed?

The following regional councils will transition into regional programs:

• Critical Care
• Emergency Services
• Home Health and Palliative Care
• Medicine
• Pediatrics
• Perinatal Services
• Public Health (currently called Prevention)
• Rehabilitation Services
• Renal
• Residential Care, Assisted Living, Supported Housing
• Surgical Services
• Trauma

In the coming weeks we will be meeting with the council executive teams to discuss the new terms of reference and accountabilities that come with the change, including how regional programs are expected to work with the Communities of Care, who will be on the leadership teams and any changes in SET executive sponsorship.

More details will be shared in future issues of VCH News.

Confused about an organizational matrix model?

Three blog posts are on Up for Discussion that explore the complexities of a matrix model: Welcome to the Matrix, Are you in the Matrix now? and Making the Matrix work for you.