Foundations, Functions and Current State of Collaborative Leadership: A Case of Newly Developing Integrated Care in Ontario

Shannon L Sibbald; Ruth E Hall; Gayathri Embuldeniya; Jennifer Gutberg; Walter P Wodchis

doi:10.12927/hcq.2021.26617

Foundations, Functions and Current State of Collaborative Leadership: A Case of Newly Developing Integrated Care in Ontario

Healthc Q. 2021 Oct;24(3):60-67. doi: 10.12927/hcq.2021.26617.

Authors

Shannon L Sibbald¹, Ruth E Hall², Gayathri Embuldeniya³, Jennifer Gutberg⁴, Walter P Wodchis⁵

Affiliations

¹ An associate professor in the School of Health Studies at Western University in London, ON. She can be reached by e-mail at ssibbald@uwo.ca.
² An assistant professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) at the University of Toronto in Toronto, ON, a scientist at the Institute for Better Health and an adjunct scientist at ICES.
³ A cultural anthropologist at IHPME at the University of Toronto in Toronto, ON.
⁴ A doctoral candidate at IHPME at the University of Toronto in Toronto, ON.
⁵ A professor at IHPME at the University of Toronto in Toronto, ON, a research chair at the Institute for Better Health and an adjunct scientist at ICES.

PMID: 34792450
DOI: 10.12927/hcq.2021.26617

Abstract

In 2019, the Government of Ontario announced a health system transformation to end hallway healthcare by implementing integrated care systems known as Ontario Health Teams (OHTs). Establishing an integrated care system is a monumental task requiring collaborative and participatory leadership structures. Based on a survey of 480 OHT signatory members and 125 in-depth interviews with leaders from 12 OHTs, we describe how developing OHTs conceptualized and executed leadership. While collaborative leadership is common, the approaches are varied and the leadership structure is informed by contextual differences. We provide suggestions on how to support the success of collaborative leadership for decision and policy makers, leaders and anyone working toward integrated care.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Delivery of Health Care, Integrated*
Humans
Leadership*
Ontario