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Initially for
the hospital's Director General, Cooper Johri led a process to reach
consensus as to the strategic future of the institution. This was
carried out with the "Commission" of the hospital, a broadly represented
group from the hospital, including representatives from the Board of
Directors, senior management team, middle management, volunteers and
auxiliary, The Foundation, Physicians, The Council of Nurses, and a
Multi-Disciplinary Committee: this group included unionized personnel.
Working with
these groups and with the Director General, advised on the whole process
of facilitation: this included what pre-work should be done and in what
form. The purpose of this exercise was to review the strategic positioning
of the hospital, take a look at its service-offerings and its
apparent role in the network, help the group assess its strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and arrive at a feeling as to
which of the issues arising from this analysis represented the highest
priorities for attention. This priority identification was done
through multi-voting at during a full day conference. Time was then put in
on identifying how to approach the various different priority issues.
The product of
this conference was a broadly based consensus and degree of
understanding between all the various different groups involved. Although
this was not the intent, this consensus helped the hospital community when
it had to respond to the threat from the Regional Health Board that the
hospital would be closed. The resulting Notice in Writing which was
submitted in June to the Health Board broadly followed the principles
adopted and identified for the strategic future of the hospital at this
Commission conference.
Cooper Johri
then assisted the hospital prepare its response to the decision of
the Regional Health Board to recommend the closure of the hospital.
Working in a severely time-limited environment, involving the
coordination of teams of professionals and engineering the logistical
challenges of working with a variety of interest groups in both official
languages, Cooper Johri facilitated the process by which consensus was
reached on the contents of the Notice in Writing. This was arrived
at between all the principle interested parties, including all the
professional and other staff of the hospital, but also including the
volunteers, Board members, and members of the community (the local
community council, the coalition on health care, the action committee).
Each draft of the Notice was reviewed by a minimum of 15 to 20 people
representing the various different bodies associated with the hospital.
This Notice was submitted by the hospital: the Regional Health Board
maintained its decision.
Cooper Johri
then facilitated consensus among the various different stakeholders
affected by the decision to close the hospital, including advising the
Board of Directors on strategy, management and hospital employees,
physicians, volunteers, and the patient community. This included attending
and presenting to numerous Board meetings, the development of texts to be
sent to the Minister, press releases, communications |
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materials
to express the consensus and stakeholder positions, and general advice as
to how these positions might best be put forward given the regulatory and
legislative environment.
For the Board of
Directors of the hospital, then conducted a feasibility study for the
future uses of the site, including various options for health care
delivery and services, community programs, and possible partnerships with
public agencies: looking at who would be motivated to do what, what
technical solutions would be acceptable from a community perspective,
and the financial feasibility of different options. Conceptualized
the necessary business models, new structures and services.
Then for the
new, community-based successor entity, worked as a project
facilitator, assisting the community in bringing together all the various
different stakeholders with a share and interest in the future of the
hospital-site and the provision of health-care services therefrom. Worked
extensively in the facilitation and negotiations between the various
different parties involved and in particular, acted as mediator and
negotiator between the hospital community and the Quebec Government.
The situation was tense since, among other issues, the hospital
corporation was suing the Minister of Health in the high court. During
this period also acted as Interim Executive Director of, and public spokes
person for, the new not-for-profit corporation, including media
interviews/strategies, internal resource management, contract
negotiations, real-estate leasing, company and Board formation, etc.
Following our
successful last-minute conclusion of negotiations between the
community and the government, drafted a ground-breaking new
government-community operating partnership protocol, and signed on
behalf of the new not-for-profit corporation.
Over the
following 18 months, provided intensive support to the new entity,
for example in business planning, structuring the organization, developing
its real-estate, structuring leases and compensation-arrangements with
health-professionals and tenants, leading takeover negotiations, advising
on financial restructuring, reviewing the feasibility and permitting of
ongoing medical imaging operations, negotiating settlements concerning
moveables with government liquidators, communications and public-relations
strategies, negotiations with other hospitals, social service and
regulatory agencies, etc. During this period served as an "observer" on
the new Board of Directors. Then assisted the creation of a new
charitable foundation and the planning of a first major fund-raising
campaign for the new entity, serving as a Board member for the first few
months.
In the year 2000
the new health complex combines the most modern (in construction)
chronic care hospital, and the largest private/government medical complex
in Quebec Province. It represents a model unique in the Canadian context,
and stands in stark contrast to the empty buildings of many of the other
hospitals that were closed at the same time |
