A MESSAGE FROM

Malcolm Maxwell

Most Canadians have great pride in our health care system. It's something that unites us and differentiates us from other countries. It's consistently a topic of discussion and debate and often cited as one of the most important issues to Canadians. The people of Waterloo Region are no exception.

We want you to know about our ongoing commitment to serve you better at Grand River Hospital. We want to tell you about how we're adapting to an environment where there's only one constant - change. We also want to hear your voice to help guide that change.

Limited resources ... worker shortages ... an aging population ... new technologies - coping with these changes while striving to meet our patients' expectations, means hospitals need to challenge the status quo and look for new and creative ways to deliver patient care.

While that process of change can be uncomfortable, it also holds possibility - the potential to do things not only differently, but better. For the child with cancer needing advanced treatment close to mom and dad, for the patient with chronic kidney disease looking for a better way to manage their care, and for the patient waiting in hospital for admission to a long-term care facility - change can mean new ideas that will better meet their complex needs.

To succeed, it means always keeping our eyes and minds open to new ideas, different approaches and creative solutions. But it also means we must always ensure we keep our focus where it should be - on our patients.

Grand River Hospital has pioneered the award-winning My CARE source online portal service, for cancer patients. A similar portal for chronic kidney patients is currently under construction. This valuable resource allows patients to play an active role in managing their own illness - increasing their well-being, and enhancing their individual care experience.

At Grand River Hospital we've been working diligently to implement new ideas that not only enhance the care we provide, but that best utilize the resources we have. We strive to provide quality patient care in a timely manner. It's a challenge. But it's a challenge our staff, physicians, and volunteers continually strive to meet every minute of every day.

As always, you are the best judge of how we are meeting the needs of our community. We would like you to share your thoughts, concerns and ideas to make our Hospital even better. Please feel free to email me at malcolm.maxwell@grhosp.on.ca or call our new patient relations coordinator, Mary-Beth MacDonald, at 519-749-4300 ext. 2966. We look forward to hearing from you.

Malcolm Maxwell,
President and CEO