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http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/media/news_releases/archives/nr_09/apr/bg_20090420_2.pdf

A Healthy Work Environment (HWE) is a work setting which provides the physical, cultural, social, and job design conditions that maximize the health and well-being of health care providers. Healthcare organizations are recognizing the importance of HWEs in improving the quality of care provided by Ontario’s health care workforce. HWEs can help retain older workers who may be considering retirement, as well as help recruit and retain younger workers who tend to place a higher value on work-life balance and positive work environments. The 2004 Canadian Adverse Events Study suggested that the greatest gains in patient safety will come from modifying health care professionals’ work environments, creating better defences against adverse events and mitigating their effects when they do occur. Furthermore, HWEs yield improved health outcomes for employees and reductions in employer costs related to turnover, lost-time injuries, and absenteeism.   

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) along with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities have partnered with the province’s health care consumers and providers to address strategies for creating Healthy Work Environments (HWEs). They have appointed two HWE Champions and an HWE Expert Advisory Group and have funded the development of a variety of tools and resources to support HWEs in hospitals, long-term care homes, and home care. Dr. Heather Laschinger and Mr. Rob Devitt have both been appointed as Healthy Work Environment Champions. The role of the champions is to promote the benefits of HWEs among fellow leaders in the health system and encourage them to implement HWE initiatives in their workplaces, and with the aid of the Advisory group, to provide advice to MOHLTC on how to effectively implement HWEs and build a culture of workplace health safety across the province. In this role, Dr. Laschinger and Mr. Devitt will ultimately help to achieve the goal of making Ontario an employer of choice for healthcare professionals.