Paving the way

Estimated read time: 4 minutes

CPSA’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

The term strategic plan can often elicit eye rolls or blank stares when thrown around by organizations. But much like inputting coordinates into a GPS, a strategic plan is meant to guide an organization in where they want to take their work. Some plans are developed, looked at once and then sit in a proverbial folder, collecting dust. But a strong strategic plan should be familiar to the entire organization and have the ability to act like a roadmap. While some may take different routes along the way, every team member should understand the plan’s final destination and how their work contributes to actualizing the strategic directions, and ultimately, the vision of an organization.

This is what CPSA set out to do. CPSA’s previous 10-year strategic plan was created in 2011 and revised in 2016, while our vision, mission and values were updated by CPSA Council in May 2017.

CPSA Strategic Directions

“While CPSA’s mandate has consistently remained focused on protecting Albertans as they seek care from their physicians, the world has evolved entirely within the last century—and even more so within the most recent decades and years,” says Stacey Strilchuk, CPSA Council Chair.

“Most notably, the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on medical regulation that we haven’t seen before, presenting a unique opportunity to apply our learnings from this public health crisis, as well as other significant societal changes from the past few years, to our work at CPSA. We leveraged this opportunity to shape our modernized strategic plan in a way that’s meaningful to CPSA’s team, our regulated members and the Albertans we’re mandated to protect.”

To begin this work, CPSA Council appointed a working group led by physician and public Council members, with guidance from our Executive and Leadership teams. Their final destination: a 2022-2026 Strategic Plan that looks to the future, while better aligning with work already underway and the overall values of our organization.

“As a group, we had different perspectives and backgrounds, and though we didn’t always agree, we all wanted a plan that was visionary, aspirational and focused on aiming for high-quality, safe and compassionate care for all Albertans,” adds Linda McFarlane, CPSA Councillor and working group member.

Just as a map is informed by surveyors, planners and the surrounding terrain, the working group informed their planning process by conducting consultations and researching trends and innovations in health care across the country, to better understand the current landscape. They also came to a common understanding that in order for this initiative to be valid and defensible to a broad and diverse group of people, the plan must include focused, actionable strategies that provide clear direction for meaningful decision-making.

The working group landed on five strategic directions, intentionally signaling to what CPSA’s team should be working towards with each:

• 1. Highest quality, compassionate and ethical care

  Towards increasing the provisions of excellent regulated member care for all Albertans.

• 2. Enhanced partnerships

  Towards informed, engaged partners who help us provide quality care to Albertans.

• 3. Proactive and innovative approach

  Towards being recognized as a leader and innovator in self-regulated professions, who always strive for excellence.

• 4. Anti-racism and anti-discrimination

  Towards becoming an anti-racism and anti-discrimination organization.

• 5. Authentic Indigenous connections

  Towards substantive and authentic connections and relationships that help us provide quality care in partnership with Indigenous peoples.

In addition to the directions, the working group also felt it was important to enhance CPSA’s vision and mission to guide our work.

Vision

Professional, ethical and competent regulated members, providing the highest quality care for all Albertans.

Mission

To serve and protect all Albertans, contributing to their health and wellness by supporting and guiding regulated members to proudly provide safe, high-quality care, together with healthcare partners and patients.

CPSA is often considered a leader in the Canadian regulatory space and our new directions, alongside our mission, vision and values, provide us with the road map to help further enhance the impact of our work. We may encounter unfamiliar terrain or detours along way, but having clear directions and a shared understanding of our destination allows us to better support the physicians and physician assistants we regulate in the provision of safe, high-quality care for all patients across Alberta.