Two Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital teams are finalists for the 2025 Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Awards in the categories of:

• Improved Patient-Reported Experience Measurement (PREM) Award
• Increased Equity Award

The prestigious awards are hosted by the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health in partnership with Ontario Health, Ontario Hospital Association and the Ontario Medical Association. 

Being named as finalists highlights Holland Bloorview’s commitment to inclusive, equitable and family-centred care through two groundbreaking initiatives: 1) COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children and youth with disabilities, and 2) sociodemographic data collection initiatives aimed at addressing equity disparities. 

“These programs were built with the wisdom of families and the expertise of our staff and partners. It’s a powerful example of what’s possible when we listen deeply, act boldly and collaborate across organizational boundaries to remove barriers in health care,” says Julia Hanigsberg, president and CEO, Holland Bloorview. “We are honoured to be named a double finalist for the Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Awards.” 

Improved Patient-Reported Experience Measurement (PREM) Award

During the height of the pandemic, Holland Bloorview identified a critical gap in the health-care system: the lack of accessible vaccination options for children with disabilities in the Toronto region. In response, Holland Bloorview developed a flexible, evidence-based program in partnership with Toronto Public Health (TPH) and later, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC). 

“Providing accessible care opportunities for everyone is paramount, especially for populations like those with disabilities who often lack necessary accommodations in many health-care spaces,” says Kristen Winter, executive vice president, programs, people and leadership, Sunnybrook. “With Holland Bloorview’s specialized health-care staff and our trained vaccination team, our partnership effectively met a clear need in the community.” 

3,258 vaccine doses were administered across 42 clinic dates; 95 per cent of parents agreed the clinic accommodated their child’s needs and 94 per cent reported a positive experience.

“These clinics were designed, promoted and operated to provide low-barrier access to the COVID-19 vaccine for medically compromised children and children with special needs,” says Karen Beckermann, associate director, vaccine preventable diseases, Toronto Public Health. “The clinics featured a comfortable, dedicated space, including quiet rooms for privacy, trained child workers on site and various other supports.”

The implementation approach has since been shared nationally at the Children’s Healthcare Canada (CHC) and Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP) conferences to help other providers replicate its success.

Increased Equity Award

Holland Bloorview is also being recognized for its strategic efforts to integrate equity into care delivery and organizational practices through several strategic data collection initiatives:

• The “We ask because we care” initiative enables better understanding of the clients we serve and the tailoring of care to meet diverse needs.This data collection initiative is led by Ontario Health and required by all hospitals in the province. Over 2,500 Holland Bloorview families have participated so far.
• Sociodemographic data is also being collected for staff and job applicants to support inclusive hiring and diverse representation.
• Social Needs Screening (SNS) has been offered to 1,191 families, helping us identify unmet needs such as housing, food insecurity and social isolation, enabling more equity-informed care.

“It’s a natural fit for the Client and Family Integrated Care team to partner on the Family Navigation Hub initiative as it enables us to proactively check in with families through the screening process,” says Stephanie Moynagh, family support specialist, Holland Bloorview. “We build partnerships with community organizations who bring this information to families through CommunityCONNECT, and via resources that are culturally specific. All of this work contributes to creating a work culture that understands that social health is health.” 

The sociodemographic and social needs data is the first step to integrating equity, anti-racism and social determinants of health in all that we do. With this strong data infrastructure, Holland Bloorview will be able to measure, test, understand and improve equity across all levels of care.

“We’re deeply grateful to the clients and families who are trusting us with their data, and to the frontline staff who are using it to inform care,” says Joanne Maxwell, vice president, experience, transformation and social accountability. “We are proud to be recognized as an award finalist for leading innovative, compassionate and equitable health care.”

Awards ceremony

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on November 25, 2025, at the University of Toronto. Learn more.

By Terry Mutuku