Initiatives

Sustainable Health System Community of Practice

About the Community of Practice

The Sustainable Health System Community of Practice (CoP) was established in the fall of 2020 by the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) and the University of Toronto’s Council of Health Sciences (CHS) to collaboratively address the challenge of climate change in the health sector. In recognition of the fact that the very sector tasked with maintaining and improving health contributes significantly to environmental changes that threaten it, the Community of Practice’s goal is to support a shift toward environmentally sustainable healthcare, which is defined as care that aims to “improve, maintain or restore health, while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and leveraging opportunities to restore and improve it, to the benefit of the health and well-being of current and future generations.” (WHO, 2017)

The Community of Practice is led by Executive Sponsors from the Toronto Academic Health Science Network CEO Committee and the Council of Health Sciences, and a Senior Leadership Table comprised of Toronto Academic Health Science Network and Council of Health Sciences leaders with expertise in the delivery of care, capital and procurement, and the organization of services. The Centre for Sustainable Health Systems serves as secretariat. Collectively embracing sustainability as a healthcare community means that we work together to provide evidence, ideas, leadership and advocacy to reduce and minimize greenhouse gas emissions through action, research and education, first at a local level, with the ambition to play a leadership role nationally and internationally.

Initiated in September 2020, the Community of Practice has now completed its first term. As of summer 2022, the Community of Practice has been renewed for another three-year term. This will allow for the important work already completed to be continued and extended. See our Term One Report Here.

Community of Practice Term Two 2022-2025

The Terms of Reference for 2022-2025 are available to view here.

Second Term Mandate:

• Develop an annual workplan as well as an annual report on work accomplished, and release these publicly.

• Convene a table of senior leaders from across Toronto Academic Health Science Network and Council of Health Sciences to guide the work of the Community of Practice.

• Organize and support topic specific events that bring together partners from across Toronto Academic Health Science Network and the University to clarify issues, review options and new research, and identify priority items for collaborative action.

• Encourage and track community participation in educational efforts on sustainable healthcare and health systems for Toronto Academic Health Science Network workforce.

• Identify, spread, leverage, and evaluate existing good practice strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated in the delivery of health care and the operation of health systems.

• Work towards broad uptake of the results of our efforts, provincially, nationally and internationally.

• Apply to at least two funding opportunities annually to support implementation of collaborative action.

Work Plan:

Click here to view the Community of Practice’s Work Plan for Term Two, Year One (09/2022-06/2023)

Term Two Leadership