Vitalité Health Network looks forward to a promising future: Let’s overcome our current challenges and lay the groundwork for the future
Dear members of Vitalité Health Network’s community,
As the new year begins, we find ourselves at a crossroads, looking back on what we’ve achieved and looking ahead to the challenges before us. It’s the right time to step back, re-evaluate our strategies and seek innovative way of meeting the complex challenges within the health sector.
This past year, with its up and downs, was a tremendous learning opportunity for my team in Performance, University Mission and Strategy and for our entire Vitalité Health Network. In this period of reflection, we have made the bold decision to set aside traditional long-term strategic planning methods in favour of a more agile and adaptive approach. Why the change? Because we recognize that we are living in a world of “VUCA” (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity), and that this requires agility and responsiveness.
As we see it, healthy doses of both humility and curiosity are key to agility. As an organization, we have achieved great things but have also encountered challenges. Acknowledging our errors is essential to moving forward – with curiosity guiding us through this process. We must be ready to question, analyze and learn from our successes as much as our errors.
As major players in the health sector, we face unprecedented challenges. The aging of New Brunswick’s population requires a proactive response. And with complex chronic illnesses increasing and health professionals continuing to be in short supply, it’s imperative to adopt innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in support of improved health care delivery.
The basis of our approach, as outlined in our Continuous Learning-Based Strategic Planning document released in July 2023, is engagement by all members of the Network. We are certain that by being attentive to the real challenges on the ground, identifying our constantly evolving priorities, and meeting our communities’ changing needs, we are on the right track with this strategy.
Ensuring that people have access to primary health care and high-quality hospitals through optimized patient flow is at the heart of the Leadership Team’s priorities. Although “prioritizing” means focusing our efforts on key areas, it doesn’t mean immutability. Our priorities will evolve over time, guided by continuous learning and adaptability. A year from now, our objectives could have changed but one thing is certain – we will have moved forward, we will have learned valuable lessons, and we will be continuing on the path to a more promising future.
Together, we are engaging this period of change with curiosity, humility and determination. Our Vitalité Health Network is ready to face the future, to meet the challenges currently before us, and to shape a health landscape that is more resilient and more focused on our communities’ welfare.
Kind regards,
Brigitte Sonier-Ferguson
Senior Vice-President, Performance, University Mission and Strategy
Brigitte Sonier-Ferguson is responsible for organizational performance, information technology, university mission, quality, and patient safety and patient experience, in addition to strategy enhancing Vitalité Health Network’s performance.
The “Voice of Our Leaders,” the blog of Vitalité Health Network’s Leadership Team, covers various topics related to transformation of the health system. The team members share their thoughts – transparently and from their own perspectives – on the issues, challenges and priorities within their areas of responsibility and the health system as a whole. Happy reading and happy reflection!
If you would like to share your thoughts or comments on this blog, please contact us at engagement [at] vitalitenb.ca.
