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Back to SearchBack in May 2018, we embarked on a journey to imagine “CHEO of the future”. All Ontario health care systems have to undergo a master planning and visioning exercise – it’s mandated by the government to create a business plan for the next 25 years. We consulted staff, physicians, Board members, regional and campus partners, and most importantly children, youth and families to determine how we might deliver services differently in the future and therefore how our spaces might need to change too.
CHEO’s vision is the best life for every child and youth, and we’re going to achieve this through innovation and digitizing the way we work; including the voice of children, youth and families in everything we do; and ensuring that safety is always our number one. We want to streamline access, better coordinate service delivery and ensure that children and youth receive the care and services they need – when, where and how they need it. Our desired future state helped to guide consultations related to master planning.
It became clear that CHEO is unique among its peer pediatric academic health science centres. We are a hospital and we provide comprehensive acute secondary, tertiary and quaternary care services, expansive ambulatory rehabilitation, developmental, complex care, behavioural, mental health services and integrated school and preschool programs, all supported by a robust academic and research mandate. Planning for our future therefore had to consider multiple perspectives – and every voice made an impact!
So, where did we land?
We’re in the very early stages of a long cycle, as every stage of master planning can take between three to five years. As mentioned, we need to embark on this process and right now we’re in stage one: waiting to get initial feedback from all the Ministries involved. The end goal of having a master plan will help us make sure that new investments fit into a longer-term vision for the campus, which includes CHEO, CHEO Research Institute, CHEO Foundation, Roger Neilson House and Ronald McDonald House. Those new investments will include 1door4care, annual capital renovations or anything else.
As you may already know, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) has already announced its intent to construct a new building (1door4care) on CHEO’s main campus including CHEO’s school, development and rehabilitation services, outpatient mental health services – all under one roof. We are currently working with Infrastructure Ontario, MCCSS and the Ministry of Health to further develop the detailed plan for 1door4care.
We will share architectural drawings and details of the complete master plan and its rollout, when we have more answers from the government.
In the meantime though, please make yourself familiar with our design charter resulting from the master planning process. This was derived by input from children, youth and families and it will guide our work accordingly.
CHEO’s Design Charter
My CHEO recognizes how important my family is in my life and makes sure that there is space for them to be with me at all times: in my room, in exam and treatment rooms, in waiting spaces and at all appointments.
My CHEO knows that my needs change depending on my age.
My CHEO understands that my abilities are diverse and spaces need to be designed to support my abilities.
My CHEO understands my privacy and dignity are essential to me at all times and in all places.
My CHEO connects me to the rest of the world using technology so I can make and maintain social connections.
My CHEO provides access to outdoor views and spaces where I can play, rest, think and connect to nature and to family and friends.
My CHEO understands that sometimes I need quiet spaces and other times, I need social places with lots of different options depending on how I feel.
My CHEO celebrates my age, my culture, my language and my abilities and provides opportunities for me to be the best person that I can be.
Please send any questions about CHEO’s master plan to webmaster@cheo.on.ca