It’s poised to be a partnership made in health-care heaven.
Officials with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and York University gathered Tuesday morning to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see the two organizations expand on their commitment to “improve health outcomes for patients as well as to train the next generation of caregivers and researchers.”
“RVH is proud to continue and expand our partnership with York University to promote the enrichment and academic teaching and applied research. At RVH, we ask questions to promote new learning, ideas, research and discovery,” said Gail Hunt, the Barrie hospital’s president and chief executive officer. “We challenge and push past what has always been done so we can offer better care for our patients, their families, our communities and region.”
This partnership opens the door for the hospital to imagine the possibilities, she added, as staff from both organizations grow in their own knowledge and skills through a variety of different collaborative opportunities.
As RVH’s long-standing clinical academic affiliate, Hunt noted the memorandum signed Tuesday strengthens the partnership and the commitment to share resources and knowledge.
“The ultimate goal is always to improve the patient experience and outcomes," she said.
Through their ongoing partnerships, the two organizations have helped provide real-world educational opportunities for the university’s nursing and allied health units. This past year, RVH has on-boarded and provided clinical student placement opportunities for 70 students, while 32 York nursing students — from the York/Georgian College partnership — have found both employment and experiential education opportunities during their clinical extern placements at the local hospital.
Under the MOU, RVH will continue with existing clinical placements and experiential learning, as well as increase collaboration for the development of of research capacity and opportunities for areas that include: mental health; healthy aging and seniors’ care; family, community, home and urgent care medicine; maternal, child, infant and adolescent health and development; rehab sciences; disease diagnostics, treatment, control and prevention; and new health technologies such as digital health and artificial intelligence, Hunt noted.
“We have made it a priority at RVH to foster a culture of innovation, where teaching and research are woven into the fabric of who we are. Our Centre for Education and Research is increasingly recognized as a catalyst for developing innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to some of the most pressing health challenges,” said Hunt, pointing out that there are typically 70 active research projects occurring at any given time across the hospital.
Currently, the hospital is conducting the largest randomized clinical trial ever to take place at a Canadian community hospital, Hunt added.
“I am delighted to be here … to continue to expand and strengthen our advancement in medical education and research in the city of Barrie," said Rhonda Lenton, York University’s president and vice-chancellor.
"It’s really exciting when I hear people talk about centres of education and research within the hospital. Right away I start thinking about the opportunities that we have to really integrate what we are doing in that space… and the opportunities to collaborate,” Lenton added.
York has always had a “commitment to impact,” she said, noting the university works to translate what they do for the benefit of the communities it serves.
“Along with our reputation for facilitating multi-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration, we increasingly have possessed significant expertise in health programming and health research,” said Lenton. “The MOU we are signing reinforced that pre-existing partnership and … our resolve to make sure we continue to collaborate, exchange resources and knowledge.
"I am confident that by signing this MOU, it provides us with that much more opportunity to think about how we can continue to strengthen our relationship and we are delighted to explore additional opportunities," she added.
Health and health care are constantly evolving, Lenton said, which means a graduate can no longer simply get their degree, get a job and be done.
“We all know that we are all constantly learning together. The opportunities that we have around professional development, so that we continue to work together and share research as it becomes available, is an incredible opportunity for us,” said Lenton. “By leveraging our combined expertise I am certain that we are, together, going to increase, improve and strengthen our impact on the health outcomes of our surrounding communities.”
