Strategic Planning at Sunnybrook

1. Strategic Planning at Sunnybrook • Creating a sustainable future for the organization and those we serve

2. Chapter Eight Our Service Area

3. So You Need to Visit the Hospital… Tertiaryand quaternary hospitals are generally academic hospitals with a focus on teaching and research.  In Canada, there are different types of hospitals that are distinguished by the level and complexity of care they provide. Most community hospitals provide emergency, general medical and surgical services to patients living geographically close to the hospital. These hospitals have many types of specialists, and receive patients from a large geographical area and referral base as these types of specialized services are not available at patients' nearby community hospitals.

4. Sunnybrook Offers Specialized Care Sunnybrook provides specialized or complex care for patients across the province and sometimes even across Canada. We have several partnerships with surrounding community hospitals to ensure that patients receive the care they need when it matters most. Examples of this include our trauma care, care of babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and our work caring for patients with prostate, breast and colorectal cancer.

5. A Map Tells the Story There are over 90 community hospitals in Ontario, here are examples of just a handful. Community Hospitals: • Sarnia • Windsor • Owen Sound • Ingersoll • St. Thomas • Guelph • Burlington • Grimsby • Orangeville • Mississauga • Oakville • Alliston • Markham • Cobourg • Oshawa • Belleville • Smiths Falls • Cornwall • Renfrew • Barrie • Midland • Elliot Lake • Sault SteMarie • Timmins • Wawa • Kenora • RedLake • SiouzLookout • Thunder Bay Sunnybrook

6. Patient John Smith (example) Patients often travel distances to get very specialized care. But they also often see their local family doctor close to home and live fairly close to their local community hospital. For example, John Smith, 68 years old, lives in Barrie where he sees his Family Physician regularly. John was recently referred to Sunnybrook at the request of his doctor and was quickly diagnosed with prostate cancer through the Rapid Results Biopsy Clinic at the Odette Cancer Centre (one of a few centres in Ontario able to do that). John has also been having problems with his hips and his family physician has said he needs a hip replacement.   Luckily, his local hospital is one of a number of organizations that provides hip replacements and he was able to see a specialist close to home, and have his surgery at his local hospital. He was treated, and now travels to Sunnybrook a few times a year to meet with his cancer care team to monitor his progress.  

7. We are also a Local Hospital Like all hospitals, Sunnybrook is also proud to care for patients living close to us and have some services that are commonly available through other hospitals. We define our local area through what is known as a "catchment". We often say that "our catchment" area for primary care is framed by Bathurst Street, the Don Valley Parkway, Sheppard Avenue, and St. Clair Avenue. Patients within our catchment often have their family doctor nearby as well. For example, our Family Practice Unit provides a broad range of primary care services to patients. In addition, Sunnybrook is also part of our local health system of health care providers like many community hospitals.

8. Your Thoughts Question: Given Sunnybrook's dual role as a community hospital and an academic or 'tertiary' care centre (and the limited funds available to be both), does it make sense for the hospital to provide a well-defined 'catchment' or service area for procedures that are available in other communities across the province, while at the same time have a province-wide service area for more specialized services? So, in our example, John would come to Sunnybrook from Barrie for the care of his complex prostate cancer, but he and others like him, would go to a hospital closer to home for more routine services.