Humber River Health (Humber) is passionate about addressing the health needs of the community, and is dedicated to ensuring that patients have access to the care they need and deserve. The commitment to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in all operations drives efforts to ensure accessible and personalized care for everyone served.
In April 2023, Humber joined the Toronto Region and, in alignment with all Toronto Region hospitals, implemented the Measuring Health Equity (MHE) Survey for the first time on February 1, 2024. The MHE Survey is a voluntary survey designed to gather data on languages spoken, ethnicity and race, disability, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, income, length of time in Canada, and education—factors that deeply influence individual health care journeys and outcomes. Driven by recommendations made to and by the province, Ontario Health's equity data collection priorities, as well as Humber's own commitment to EDI and patient-centred care, this initiative presents an important opportunity to identify and address disparities in health care delivery on both macro and micro levels, improve population health, and meaningfully engage with patients.
Although various hospitals across the province have carried out this data collection at point of registration, Humber has taken a unique approach by integrating the survey directly into the Patient Portal, MyHumberHealth. This means that patients can complete the survey privately during their own time, and the information is immediately available in their health charts. This has not only streamlined the process but also led to significant patient engagement.
Collecting Data to Inform Care Delivery
As of February 1, 2024, Humber extends invitations to all applicable patients to participate in the survey through MyHumberHealth. The survey allows for self-entry at the patient's own pace and is accessible to all patients who are registered on the patient portal and have been seen at the hospital. The information collected so far has been invaluable in helping gain a clearer understanding of the community and how better to serve them. Just three months into the project, approximately 4,643 questionnaire responses have been received, reflecting the community's active participation in shaping the care they receive.
Information provided by patients in the MHE Survey is visible only to those in their circle of care. Moving forward, this data aims to be used at an individual level to refer patients to the right services for addressing their specific health or social needs, including interpretation services, accommodation for disabilities, treatment programs, and supplementary health information.
The survey allows for a better understanding of the community served, inequities in patient experiences, access to care and health outcomes, and strengthens support for patients by improving direct patient care, potential use cases, and the programs offered. This helps plan care not just for one patient's future visits, but proactively prepares for patients who may have similar needs. Additionally, the responses collected through MyHumberHealth assist in identifying potential correlations between demographic data, quality of care, and health outcomes, ensuring that findings are reflected in how care delivery is approached and ultimately supporting and improving overall population health.
Looking Forward
Humber is committed to engaging meaningfully with the community to ensure appropriate data governance for the promotion of the Measuring Health Equity Survey. This will guide the collection, analysis, and utilization of data, promoting health equity and informed decision-making. Humber is actively working towards developing a data governance plan in alignment with the principles of ownership, control, access, and possession (OCAP) for Indigenous communities and engagement governance, access and protection (EGAP) for Black communities.
The Measuring Health Equity Initiative helps foster true allyship by listening, engaging, and applying learnings to work towards reconciliation, as well as ensuring the provision of culturally competent care reflective of the diverse community. For services and care founded on the principles of EDI, the feedback and guidance of the community are imperative.
Responses will be securely stored in the patient's health record and will only be visible to the health care team. This information will be summarized and used by program leadership to help plan for services and provide service training. Input from the community will be sought, and ongoing opportunities for consultation and collaboration will be offered. In the past, these engagements have been foundational for learning how to better serve the community, and there is eagerness to see how these conversations expand and grow as part of this initiative. These efforts underscore the pledge to not only provide equitable care but also to become a leader in fostering health equity.
As part of the mission to deliver equitable care, Humber River Health is keen to host an upcoming community engagement initiative, which includes a series of listening sessions focusing on understanding the impact of Anti-Black Racism (ABR) on African, Caribbean, and Black patients and their families. In collaboration with community partners, these listening sessions aim to gather firsthand experiences and gain valuable insights that will assist in shaping the ABR Action Plan, designed to tackle health disparities directly. By engaging deeply with the stories and ideas from the community, the aim is to foster long-term, meaningful changes that resonate across all levels of care at Humber River Health.
Through these initiatives, Humber River Health continues to demonstrate its commitment to working alongside patients, staff, physicians, volunteers, and stakeholders as it strengthens equity in the health care system and supports the community.
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