More than 100 staff, physicians and leaders from ETHP member organizations attended ETHP Fair: Celebrating Research, Improving Care on June 23.
Popcorn, balloons and a giant Jenga puzzle – these are items you don’t usually see at research events, but they were all on hand at ETHP Fair: Celebrating Research, Improving Care on June 23, a carnival-themed event that celebrated and showcased the innovative research, quality improvement and evaluation work happening across East Toronto Health Partners (ETHP), the Ontario Health Team (OHT) serving East Toronto.
More than 100 staff, physicians and leaders from ETHP’s member organizations attended the in-person event at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH).
There, they explored and learned about 16 different research, evaluation and quality improvement initiatives focused on community health that have taken place across ETHP over the past two years, underpinned by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on healthcare workers and community members.
Attendees at the ETHP Fair participate in an East Toronto-themed puzzle.
These initiatives include those focused on ETHP’s Primary and Community Care Response Teams, the East Effort project led by Flemingdon Health Centre and the caregiver support project led by WoodGreen Community Services.
Other research, evaluation and quality improvement projects highlighted at ETHP Fair include those related to ETHP’s Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) Ontario Health Team work with the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario and the work of speech-language pathologists, primary care providers from East Toronto Family Practice Network and others.
These projects are part of ETHP’s efforts to become a learning health system. See all of the research project posters presented at the ETHP Fair (Download PDF).
“In a learning health system, research, evaluation and clinical team members work side by side to support rapid cycles of learning, decision-making and knowledge transfer,” says Anne Wojtak, Lead at ETHP.
“We are aiming to incorporate research and evaluation in all of our work so we can learn as we go, focus our efforts and make care better for all our East Toronto residents.”
Jason Altenberg, CEO at South Riverdale Community Health Centre, spins the wheel at the ETHP Fair, which tests attendees’ knowledge of projects on display.
ETHP Fair was also the first time that many staff, physicians and leaders from a number of ETHP member organizations were able to meet and collaborate in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
In addition to exploring the various projects on display, attendees tried their hand at a spin-the-wheel game, an East Toronto-themed puzzle, life-size Connect Four and other activities that tested their knowledge of the initiatives highlighted at the fair.
Guests also had the opportunity to win a $100 donation to the East Toronto health or community care organization of their choice and two passes to Canada’s Wonderland. They also took home popcorn and cotton candy.
“This event gives us the opportunity to actually come together physically in a safe way, celebrate the great work that’s happening and have some fun with interactive activities,” says Kelly Smith, inaugural Research Chair in Patient-Oriented Research at MGH, a member organization of ETHP.
“Our ETHP Fair is designed to make the research and evaluation work happening across ETHP accessible to everyone involved in our work,” says Sandra McKay, Vice President of Research and Innovation at VHA Home HealthCare, a member organization of ETHP and one of the event’s organizers.
“Whether you are a caregiver on ETHP’s Community Advisory Council or a frontline worker at one of our organizations, everyone plays a role in understanding our work so we can collaboratively transform the healthcare system and make care better for everyone.”
ETHP would like to extend a massive thank you to the researchers, volunteers, attendees and organizers from across our partnership for helping to making ETHP Fair: Celebrating Research, Improving Care a success!