Scarborough Health Network

04/16/2026

Today is Advance Care Planning Day.

Advance care planning is about thinking ahead and having conversations about what matters most to you - so if there ever comes a time when you can’t speak for yourself, the people caring for you understand your wishes.

At SHN, we support advance care planning as part of living well. Through our palliative care teams, community partnerships like Scarborough Palliative Care, and culturally responsive approaches -including translated tools and patient navigators - we help patients and families start these important conversations earlier and in ways that feel right for them. We believe these discussions should feel supportive, not overwhelming.

If you’ve been meaning to get started, https://www.advancecareplanning.ca/programs/acp-day/ offers free, easy‑to‑use resources to help - like conversation starters, guides, games, and workbooks designed for everyday life, not just moments of crisis.

Today is a great day to take the first step.

Because planning ahead helps ensure your care reflects your values, your priorities, and your voice.

04/16/2026

04/15/2026

SHN proudly rolled out the navy carpet for our first-ever Excellence Awards, honouring the people and teams who bring our values of compassion, inclusion, courage, and innovation to life every day.

From frontline care to behind-the-scenes impact, these inaugural award recipients remind us that excellence at SHN is a shared success.

Read the full story and meet the recipients: https://www.shn.ca/first-ever-shn-excellence-awards-celebrates-achievement-and-shared-success/

04/15/2026

SHN attended the Council of Ontario Universities 2026 Awards Ceremony for Celebrating Excellence in Nursing Education and Scholarship, where we were honoured to receive the Agency Recognition Award (Hospital)!

This award recognizes teaching hospitals that create exceptional clinical learning environments for graduate nursing students. SHN was proud to have received overwhelmingly positive evaluations where students reported feeling encouraged, trusted, and valued as learners and emerging professionals.

Nursing education at SHN is entering an exciting new chapter of growing opportunities and training learners for the community we serve, today and for the future. We are appreciative of the award and its reflection of how we continue to grow our Education program at SHN.

04/15/2026

Ontario Health released a report spotlighting SHN as a provincial leader in maintaining care quality standards for patients with sickle cell disease. This reflects our commitment to addressing long-standing gaps in care, building trust with patients and families, and improving outcomes for a population that often faces barriers within the health system.

For patients identifying with sickle cell disease, SHN has reduced the average time to physician initial assessment by 80%, to less than 15 minutes, making us the top-performing hospital in Ontario in this measure.

We continue to expand and strengthen our Sickle Cell Disease Care program, including launching a dedicated Adult Sickle Cell Disease Clinic to provide specialized, coordinated support.

SHN is proud to have received this spotlight. Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/oh-shn-report

04/14/2026

Today, we welcomed students from Woburn Collegiate Institute for another session of our Working Together for Better Health initiative!

Throughout the visit, students explored a variety of roles that support patient care across SHN. They heard from a Child Life Specialist about careers dedicated to supporting children and youth in healthcare, and from the Chief of Paediatrics, who shared insights on the importance of immunizations in protecting individual and community health.

Students toured the Pharmacy Department, learning about career pathways as pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, and took part in an interactive medication packaging demonstration. Students also toured the Urgent Care Centre where they participated in a scavenger hunt to win fun prizes.

Thank you to our amazing teams for taking the time to share their knowledge and helping inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals.

04/13/2026

SHN welcomes Ali Ghiassi as our new Executive Vice-President, Corporate Affairs & Chief Legal and Risk Officer. Ali brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across government, the broader public sector, and private industry, with deep expertise in public policy, political engagement, government relations, and risk management. His skills will be instrumental as we continue to advance our strategic priorities and shape the future of care in Scarborough.

Learn more: https://www.shn.ca/introducing-ali-ghiassi-executive-vice-president-corporate-affairs-chief-legal-and-risk-officer/

04/09/2026

Recent research shared by SHN nephrologist Dr. Tabo Sikaneta shows that immigrants born in the Philippines are six to 12 times more likely to require dialysis than Canadian‑born residents. These findings were shared at SHN’s Filipino Kidney Health Event in March, which brought community members together to learn about kidney health, nutrition, and early awareness. The event and research were recently featured in Balita, one of Canada’s most widely read Filipino community newspapers, as part of Kidney Health Month.

04/09/2026

Our Board of Directors is meeting today and you’re invited!

🕓 4 – 7 p.m.

📍 SHN Birchmount Hospital, Lt. Irene Stickland Conference Room, First floor (3030 Birchmount Rd.)

For more information, please visit http://ow.ly/wFbW50METSz.

04/07/2026

Next month, SHN is holding a Breast Health Screening Pop-up for Mother's Day. Whether you’re a mother yourself or just someone who values their health, we welcome everyone to this important day of breast health screening.

Ontarians aged 40-49 can now self-refer for mammograms, making it easier to find and access information and services that support breast health. Screening helps people understand their health and make informed decisions about their care, supporting earlier detection of breast cancer.

🗓️ Saturday, May 9
⏰ 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
📍 General Hospital, CIBC Breast Health Clinic (Northpine Diagnostic Imaging Department, basement floor)

Featuring giveaways, treats and refreshments, and mammograms provided by female healthcare professionals.

Schedule your mammogram for May 9 through one of these phone lines to attend the pop-up:
416-438-2911, ext. 88449
416-284-8131, ext. 64883

04/07/2026

April 7 is : a day to honour the victims and families affected by the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash. It also recognizes Logan Boulet, whose decision to become an organ donor—and his family’s support of that choice—helped save lives and inspired a national movement.

Green Shirt Day highlights the lasting impact of Logan’s story and how a simple conversation about organ donation can give the gift of life to others.

Wear a green shirt today in remembrance and support of Logan’s family.

Learn more at greenshirtday.ca.

04/07/2026

Today is 💙 SHN joins organizations across the country in celebrating our incredible oncology nurses and the vital role they play in cancer and hematology care.

This year’s theme, “Stronger Together: Advancing Oncology Nursing Through Collaboration and Innovation,” highlights the power of teamwork in improving patient outcomes.

We’re deeply grateful for our compassionate oncology nurses across our hospitals, clinics, and POGO satellite clinic—thank you for the exceptional care you provide every day.