HPRS – Frequently Asked Questions

The first and only program of its kind in North America, the Health Professionals’ Roundtable for Strategy (HPRS™) Program is an exclusive “think-tank” of leaders expressing their views and opinions based on personal experience in the health industry.

When did the HPRS program start?

In 1989, the College designed and held the first National HPRS event consisting of senior health leaders from across the country coming together with a number of corporations over a 2 day period as a member benefit to the College’s corporate members and the most senior health leaders across the country. Since then, the program has grown to two National HPRS and 4-6 Exclusive HPRS events per year with more than 400 senior leaders across the country. In addition to Canada, corporate members and senior health leaders have met in the United States and the United Kingdom.

How is the HPRS Program governed?

In 2000, the College established an HPRS Committee for ongoing review of the HPRS Program consisting of corporate members, HPRS facilitators, and senior health leaders. This committee evolved in 2004 to become the College’s Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) that now reports directly to the Board of Directors. Corporate members and senior health leaders are represented on the CAC and CAC is chaired by the Corporate Director that serves on the Board of Directors.

How are HPRS panelists selected?

HPRS panel members are selected not only for their outstanding qualifications, but for being currently active in senior leadership positions, leaders and strategists of major hospitals, regional authorities and health care systems. They are among Canada’s most proficient management specialists in health services.

The final selection of participants is made jointly by the participating corporate members and the College. Unfortunately, not all individuals that manifest their interest and availability are chosen, the main reasons being the corporate members’ needs for: (a) diversity of types of health service organizations represented, (b) diversity in the profiles of the individual participants to ensure a variety of perspectives in the panel discussions, and (c) geographical representation.

What are the benefits to HPRS panelists?

  • Maximizing their exposure to Canada’s health care industry decision makers;
  • Obtaining tactical information on product identification, development, marketing and evaluation;
  • Building rapport with influential health care providers;
  • Gaining inside information on emerging trends in the health care environment;
  • Obtaining a broader knowledge of the field upon which to base action plans and strategy.

What are the requirements with respect to confidentiality?

In 2010, the College developed the HPRS Panel Transparency Agreement which all senior health leaders are required to sign prior to their participation in an HPRS session. Panelists are also required to abide by the College’s Code of Conduct as a participant of HPRS.

What is next for HPRS?

The College, together with our corporate members, senior health leaders, Corporate Advisory Council and the Board of Directors will continue to refine and adjust the HPRS Program as required by the ever changing health system landscape of compliancy and transparency.

In 2012, the College published the first edition of a special Corporate Issue of Healthcare Management Forum which represented five corporate members highlighting articles and sharing the knowledge gained as a direct result of their previous participation with senior health leaders in the College’s HPRS Program.

HPRS™ is a trademarked program of the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

For more information

For more information about the HPRS Program, contact Jaime M. Cleroux, Executive Vice-President