St. Joseph's Healthcare London: A Disability Management Transformation

St. Joseph’s Healthcare London is one of the most complex health care organizations in Ontario. They partner with London's academic health sciences community to advance health care, education and research. They provide care through a leading teaching hospital and a unique mix of clinical settings across their community. One of their strategic priorities from 2022-2025 is to enhance their culture by fostering wellness, diversity, and a sense of belonging. Their goal is to support the well-being of their staff and physicians by continuing to build foundational health and psychological well-being practices in the workplace.

Read more about Empowering People and their other strategic priorities: St. Joseph’s Health Care London. (2022). Strategic Plan 2022-2025: Earning Complete Confidence. https://reach-connect-innovate.care/

Our Partnership

In 2023, St. Joseph’s Healthcare London undertook a large project to improve their disability management policies and processes. Recognizing their need to meet the evolving needs of their workforce and align with industry best practices, they reached out to Gowan for guidance.

Gowan used the following methods to help redesign their approach for their team:

  • Conducted a SWOT analysis of St. Joseph’s current disability management practices
  • Reviewed existing policies and assisted with rewriting them to align with organizational needs
  • Provided guidance on return to work strategies and processes
  • Facilitated focus groups with the entire organization to gather feedback and identify what was working well and what needed improvement
  • Developed a comprehensive training manual for the team, including recommendations and resources to support their new approach

Key Initiatives and Achievements

 

St. Joseph’s Healthcare London has reported a significant positive impact throughout their organization following implementation of the new framework. The reported outcomes include:

  • Rebranding the program from Disability to Ability, reflected in the job title shift to “Abilities Management Specialist.”
  • Using the training manual to help provide comprehensive education throughout the organization for the team, for both leaders and staff. New members to the Abilities Management Team are being instilled with the new philosophy and approach during onboarding.
  • Improved flexibility in collaborating with healthcare providers for return to work planning. The organization is no longer limited to physicians or nurse practitioners; they can now work with occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and other primary care providers.
  • A mindset shift among leaders, reflecting a more solution-focused and proactive approach about disability management that encourages the question, “What can we do?” New Abilities Management Specialists express appreciation for the new collaborative approach and report that it has improved the relationship between team leaders.
  • Better buy in from the union, creating a more collaborative and supportive relationship between stakeholders.
  • While the framework is still relatively new, St. Joseph’s Healthcare London anticipates continued positive changes over the next two to three years as the new philosophy and practices take deeper root within the organization.