Canada West Health Leaders Conference

• Create an environment where health leaders get hands on practical learning to apply in their organizations and further their careers and personal growth;
• Offer interactive, unique and innovative learning experiences;
• Offer mentorship opportunities and create an environment that promotes open dialogue and making connections with fellow health leaders;
• Facilitate the exchange of ideas and collaborations on issues of common interest and innovative approaches to address health leadership challenges; and
• Address and debate the health leadership challenges surrounding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

• Build strong networks as well as an improved sense of community and support from other leaders facing similar challenges;
• Exchange knowledge on leading practices, tools, and ideas that can be implemented into their work settings;
• Identify champions of healthcare innovations that will influence improvements in the areas of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion; and
• Engage with other leaders to explore traits of effective and innovative leadership to foster efficient solutions to manage today’s complex times.
• Identify champions of healthcare innovations that will influence improvements in the areas of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, indigenous health, and green healthcare; and
• Engage with other leaders to explore traits of effective and innovative leadership to foster efficient solutions to manage today’s complex times.

Call for Abstracts

The Canadian College of Health Leaders invites you to submit abstracts for concurrent sessions as part of the 2023 Canada West Health Leaders Conference (CWHLC). Themed Caring for people who care for people. The conference will be held in Victoria, BC on October 25-26, 2022.

This annual conference will attract health system decision-makers which includes trustees, chief executive officers, directors, managers and department heads. Participants represent health regions, authorities and networks, hospitals, long-term care organizations, public health agencies, community care, mental health services, and social work.

The Conference Planning Committee encourages proposals which express innovative, practical, and creative ways for presenting information to attendees. Proposals should be for interactive session and not simply didactic presentations.

Abstracts should address leadership lessons learned, patient and family involvement, and one or more of the following LEADS domains. Emphasis on the Lead self and Engage others domains are preferred for this conference.

1. Lead self
2. Engage others
3. Achieve results
4. Develop coalitions
5. Systems transformation

The LEADS in a Caring Environment Capability Framework is a pan-Canadian leadership capabilities framework. For more information on the LEADS Framework, please visit the LEADS Canada web site at https://cchl-ccls.ca/pld-leads/the-leads-framework/.

Conference theme: Caring for people who care for people

The last few years have been extremely challenging for healthcare organizations and their workforce. It’s crucial that we nurture and care for our teams to ensure that the best care is provided to all Canadians.

Caring for people who care for people will be the theme of 2023 Canada West Health Leaders Conference. This year’s conference will focus on leadership strategies to offer a sustainable, safe, and healthy work environment that fosters a caring culture. Using the LEADS Framework domains Lead self and Engage others, we will address key issues such as self care, collective leadership, and collective reflection as tools to optimize leadership skills, emotional intelligence, effectiveness, and productivity within yourself and your teams.

Self-care

Self-care has become a buzzword these days, which has increased awareness of how essential it is to practice. However, even though leaders in organizations may recognize it as important, self-care is not always treated with the priority it deserves. Finding a balance for self-care is often difficult for leaders, as they are tasked with ensuring that their staff have what they need to thrive they often neglect themselves. They encourage staff to take time off to care for themselves and their families yet may struggle to take their own advice. Self-care is just as important for leaders and tending to one’s own needs is an important part of ensuring the success of the team.

Collective leadership

In collective leadership, a group of people with diverse skills and experience come together to work toward goals that they develop jointly. As compared to traditional leadership, in which one person makes key decisions after consulting with others, in collective leadership, the group empowers the person or people with the most relevant expertise to tackle problems and implement solutions. When needed, the group engages in consensus building or conflict resolution to reach decisions and resolve any disputes that arise.

Collective reflection

Reflection is an approach that taps into experiential knowledge “to enable professional and personal development while reinforcing continuous learning”. Research in the healthcare industry shows that team-based reflection is an effective way to affect quality improvement and change.

The Canada West Health Leaders Conference will explore:

• How to develop collective leadership strategies that embraces critical reflection, inclusivity, and care to provide a framework for shared commitment towards the success of your organization.
• How to use individual and team reflection to develop leadership skills to build trust and boost transparency and team spirit.
• How to create an environment of honest and open communication where employees feel respected, valued, and have a purpose to attract and retain top notch talent.
• What self care strategies can improve your performance as a leader and your resilience.
• How to strengthen your connections to improve your network and collaboration opportunities for healthcare improvements.

The Canada West Health Leaders Conference is hosted by CCHL Western Chapters (Assiniboia (SK), BC Interior, BC Lower Mainland, BC Vancouver Island, Manitoba, Midnight Sun, Northern Alberta, Northern and Central Saskatchewan, and Southern Alberta). It’s the perfect opportunity to collaborate, learn, share knowledge, and build stronger networks with health leaders from various jurisdictions, provinces, and territories.

Conference presentation formats

Workshop
Workshops are a great way to deliver skill-based training while keeping your attendees engaged and interested. Workshops typically involve audience participation, which maintains attention and tests newly-learnt knowledge. The duration of the workshop sessions is 90 minutes and must include audience engagement. There is a maximum of three (3) facilitators.

Panel presentation
Panels should include a group of speaker presentations addressing a common issue or topic from different perspectives, followed by an interactive discussion. The panel should be submitted as a single presentation. Each panel must provide their own moderator. The duration of panel sessions is 90 minutes and must include a minimum of 30 minutes for audience engagement. There is a maximum of four (4) speakers (including the session moderator).

Campfire presentations
A campfire session is a more informal take on a traditional presentation. Its aim is to break down the barriers of the lectern. These sessions should start with a short 15-minute presentation from a speaker, and then shift to focusing on gaining key participation from the audience for 30 minutes. The presenter turns into a facilitator, allowing attendees to answer questions and provide comments. It allows attendees to drive their own learning, listen to different perspectives, and share experiences. The duration of a campfire sessions is 45 minutes. Two campfire presentations will be grouped together based on topic to fill a 90-minute timeframe. There is a maximum of two (2) speakers per campfire presentation.

Lightning presentations
A lightning session includes multiple short presentations from different speakers on the same or similar topic. In a lightning session, each speaker has 10 minutes to present a maximum of 10 slides, one slide per minute. Because lightning talks are brief, the speaker must make their point clearly and concisely while avoiding non-critical information. This format allows for many ideas to be presented in a short amount of time. The session will feature six 10-minute presentations followed by 30 minutes of audience engagement for idea sharing and questions. Lightning presentations should highlight success stories of collective leadership or collective reflection.

Guidelines for corporate submissions

We welcome submissions from private sector partners, provided that they address (a) cooperative venture(s) with a non-profit sector partner and include the latter as a co-presenter.

The abstract should present an unbiased description of a certain method or service, discussing both pros and cons. Subtle and/or blatant advertisement of any products or services is in direct conflict with the spirit of the conference. Examples of the former include repeated references to products or trade names and excessive use of corporate logos and trademarks in graphic illustrations. Photographs of commercial equipment are not permitted unless they add educational value. The Planning Committee insists that all presenters understand without exception, that commercialism is inappropriate and will not be tolerated. Abstracts including commercialism will be disqualified. Presenters are asked to abide by these constraints when preparing their abstracts, and presentations.

Conflict of Interest

The Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) requires clear disclosures from all presenters at the Canada West Health Leaders Conference regarding any financial holdings, funding sources, or affiliations that might raise questions of bias or be perceived to have potentially influenced presentation content. CCHL expects that all conference speakers, organizers, and moderators are committed to full, forthright, and transparent disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest. The CCHL has not prescribed an exhaustive list of potential conflicts here; rather, we ask presenters to make a good faith effort to identify any issues that might reasonably be expected to raise conflict-of-interest questions.

Presenters are asked to disclose any concerns or questions regarding a conflict of interest by contacting Brianna Lavoy at blavoy@cchl-ccls.ca.

Submission guidelines

Abstracts should be prepared in paragraph format and structured as follows:

• Learning objectives and how it fits the theme and selected topic;
• Activities, methods, innovations;
• Outcomes, results;
• Leadership lessons learned; and
• System change(s), conclusion.

Submissions must not exceed 200 words.

Submission instructions

The abstract should be prepared in paragraph format keeping in mind the word count. The word count excludes the title. You can copy and paste the text from your document into the abstract submission form.

You will require the following information to complete the abstract submission form:

Primary contact person (As the primary contact, only this person will receive correspondence and is expected to share it with their co-presenters. The submitter should be the primary contact);

• Target audience (i.e. CEOs, senior leaders, middle management, emerging leaders, industry);
• Presentation level. This is reflective of the level of previous knowledge or experience about the topic the learner is expected to have before coming (introductory, intermediate, or advanced);
• LEADS Framework domain (i.e. Lead self, Engage others, Achieve results, Develop coalitions, or Systems transformation); and
• Name, title, organization, contact information, and a 50-word biography for each presenter;

Once your abstract is prepared, please click on the link below to start completing the online submission form.

Online Abstract Submissions

Selection criteria

All abstracts will be peer-reviewed and selected according to how well they meet the submission criteria as well as the following:

• Statement of purpose;
• Learning objectives and outcomes clearly articulated;
• Relevance to the theme;
• Practical applications;
• Patient and family involvement;
• Participant engagement activities;
• Leadership lessons learned; and
• Originality and innovation.

All criteria will be scored on a scale of 1 to 10. All criteria are weighted equally.

The Planning Committee reserves the right to accept abstracts for a different presentation format than indicated in the submission. The Planning Committee reserves the right to limit the number of abstracts accepted from one organization.

Speaker Compensation

The Canadian College of Health Leaders is pleased to offer each concurrent session speaker a full conference reduced registration cost of $450.00 plus tax. CCHL does not provide any honorarium. Reduced cost registrations are not transferable.

Online submissions will be accepted until April 28, 2023, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. All abstract submissions will receive an e-mail confirmation receipt. If a confirmation is not received, please contact Brianna Lavoy at blavoy@cchl-ccls.ca. Abstract submissions received via e-mail, fax or mail will not be accepted.

Important dates

March 15, 2023             Online abstract submission opens
April 28, 2023               Abstract submission deadline
June 16, 2023                Notification of selected abstracts
October 25-26, 2023      Canada West Health Leaders Conference

DEADLINE: Abstracts must be received by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, April 28, 2023.

Registration

Registration will open in July 2023.

*For the patient rate, please send information about the patient organization you represent to cfortier@cchl-ccls.ca.
*For the student rate, please send information on your current enrolment to cfortier@cchl-ccls.ca.

CCHL members receive a discount on the conference registration fee. Not a member yet? Join the College today for only $175 for the first year. CCHL membership details available here.

Our Sponsors

Hoping to gain exposure, build good will, and connect with health leaders?

Sponsoring CCHL’s Canada West Health Leaders Conference might be the perfect approach.

With a stellar program, we know that the Canada West Health Leaders Conference will provide an inspiring and interactive environment for top decision makers in the healthcare field and will offer you many networking opportunities. The College is offering a number of levels of sponsorship. Each level provides the sponsor with a significant list of benefits and opportunities. Flexibility is available at each level.

More information on the sponsorship opportunities will be available shortly!

Please contact Jaime Cleroux at jcleroux@cchl-ccls.ca with any questions.

Thank you for your support of the Canada West Health Leaders Summit!

Venue and Accommodations

Fairmont Empress
721 Government Street

Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1W5

Canada Toll-free:  1-800-230-6922
Tel: 250-384-8111
Online booking: Click here
www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/

Known as Castle on the Coast, Fairmont Empress is located in the heart of Victoria, BC, steps away from the British Columbia Parliament Buildings. This Forbes Four-Star, 4-Diamond landmark property is celebrated for its reputation for providing legendary hospitality and highly personalized service for more than 115 years.

In June 2017, Fairmont Empress completed a $60+ Million restoration that celebrates its proud history while moving the hotel into a new era of modern luxury: transforming this iconic property into an elegant must-visit destination for the world's discerning travelers.

The Empress offers 431 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, Willow Stream Spa with signature West Coast experiences, Q at the Empress Restaurant featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine and award-winning wine list, Q Bar’s regionally focused cocktail culture, and a reimagined Fairmont Gold Lounge with stunning views of Victoria’s Inner Harbour, one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.

A grand tradition for over a century, the world-renowned Fairmont Empress has served England’s most beloved ritual of afternoon tea to famed royalty, celebrities, and dignitaries alike. Reinvigorated in our timeless, sophisticated Lobby Lounge, Tea at the Empress continues this quintessentially Victoria experience.

Room rates do not include 5% GST, 11% PST and Destination Marketing Fee of 1% plus tax. Applicable taxes are subject to change.

Reservations must be made by September 19, 2023 to benefit from the conference rate.

Cancellation Policy

• To avoid a charge of one night room plus tax please cancel at least 72 hours prior to arrival.
• An early departure fee of 50% of the room rate will apply if you shorten your stay after check-in.
• No Show rule: 1 night room and tax will be charged for No-Shows.

Planning Committee

Thank you to our planning committee for your work in preparing the summit!

John Arsenault
Member-at-Large: BC Health Leadership Development Collaborative

Elsie Chan, CHE
BC Lower Mainland Chapter

Marcie Conrad
Assiniboia (SK) Chapter

Kimberly Dodds
Midnight Sun Chapter

Hardeep Gill CHE
Southern Alberta Chapter

Jason Jaswal, CHE
BC Interior Chapter

Prachi Khanna
Member-at-Large: Patient Partner

Matt McGurk, CHE
Northern and Central Saskatchewan Chapter

Emily Pridham
BC Vancouver Island Chapter

Laryssa Sawchuk, CHE
Manitoba Chapter

Kathryn York
Northern Alberta Chapter

CCHL Staff

Alain Doucet
President and Chief Executive Officer

Jaime Cleroux
Executive Vice-President

Francine St-Martin
Director, Conferences and Events

Amy O’Brien
Director, Chapter and Member Engagement

Brianna Lavoy
Manager, Conferences and Events

For more information

Please contact:

Brianna Lavoy
Manager, Conferences and Events
blavoy@cchl-ccls.ca
1-800-363-9056 ext 232

See our past Canada West Health Leaders Conferences

View our past CWHLP conferences Find Out More