Summary of Achievement

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.
       John Buchan
       1875-1940

During over 25 years in the public service, Rachel Corneille Gravel has been bringing out the best in colleagues, veterans and members of her community. Through her inspiring leadership, Ste. Anne's Hospital has become known nationally and internationally as a place that elicits the best from humanity, for humanity.

Ste. Anne's is one of the largest geriatric hospitals in Canada and the last veterans' hospital to be administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. As its Executive Director, Rachel is responsible for delivering high quality care to approximately 550 veteran patients, and day services to others in the surrounding community. Rachel's duties also encompass the leadership of 1,200 management, scientific, professional, technical, operational and administrative personnel.

Caring, people-oriented leadership...

Rachel's engaging, open leadership style brings out the best in people, helping build bridges of common understanding and purpose among groups that often reflect diverse viewpoints and objectives. Motivated by her vision for Ste. Anne's, she is able to foster a common sense of purpose among stakeholders, guiding them through healthy dialogue towards consensus and collaboration.

This has not been easily done. For nearly a decade uncertainty has surrounded the hospital's future. At one time the Department of Veterans Affairs operated over 30 veterans' hospitals. But by 1993, Ste. Anne's was the only one that hadn't been transferred to provincial jurisdiction. The nature of its future operation was uncertain. At the same time, it was making the transition towards a long-term care facility for the "oldest of the old." These issues have dramatically shaped the leadership challenges that Rachel has faced.

In this environment, it is remarkable to note the unparalleled cooperation which now exists between labour and management at Ste. Anne's Hospital. Thanks to her efforts, all are motivated to make Ste. Anne's a warm, supportive, safe and honoured home for our veterans; a dynamic, intellectually vibrant centre of expertise in the care of the aged; a signal federal presence in Montréal and the province of Quebec; and a welcome place of human scale where the generations can meet and share their joys of living.

It was in keeping with Rachel's vision that one of the first federal Work Place Daycare Centres, "Au Coquelicot Géant", was opened at Ste. Anne's in 1992. The centre thrives today, bringing the warmth of children's smiles and the electricity of youthful energy to Ste. Anne's.

The 1995 partnership that Rachel forged with the Centre local de services communautaires (CLSC), led to the establishment of a shared services approach between the CLSC and the Ste. Anne's-administered Liaison Day Centre. The Centre offers a wide range of support services - social, recreational, rehabilitation - to both civilian seniors and veterans. Between 40 and 100 seniors are welcomed each day and also benefit from a variety of inter-generational activities and projects involving high school students and children from Au Coquelicot Géant. Through these programs, today's youth gain an appreciation for the world of the elderly, while establishing bonds of friendship based on mutual respect and encouragement.

Rachel is a firm believer in an inclusive society which celebrates the talents and contributions of all citizens. Acting on this belief, physically and emotionally challenged students from L'Atelier de Vaudreuil are provided with meaningful work placements at Ste. Anne's.

During 1996, Ste. Anne's employee Diane Tardif was encouraged to develop the Chronicle of an Unknown Soldier to tell the veterans' stories. This interactive learning exhibit uses artifacts, vignettes, costumed actors and the personal memories of veterans to help students understand what it was like when Canada was at war. The Chronicle has been staged at Ste. Anne's and in locations across eastern Canada. After leading his students through the Chronicle in 1999, history teacher Clint Evans of Charlottetown said: "This is a truly awesome event. In twenty-five plus years of teaching, I'm not sure I've had a class as enthused over an academic experience." An extraordinary achievement, the Chronicle is typical of good ideas that have come to life under Rachel's leadership, producing impacts far beyond Ste. Anne's.

Leading institutional transformation...

Instead of using uncertainty about Ste. Anne's future as a cause for inaction, Rachel has challenged her staff to improve service delivery, modernize business practices and achieve new standards.

Between 1996 and 1998, Rachel was responsible for realizing significant gains in resource management by achieving a 14% reduction in the workforce, thereby saving more than $6 million. Rachel and her management team initiated these cost-saving measures on their own, and implemented them without negatively affecting the quality of service to patients.

In 1996, under Rachel's leadership, Ste. Anne's sought voluntary accreditation by the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation (CCHSA), an independent body that evaluates the quality of care and services of health care institutions. Under Rachel's leadership, continuous quality improvement has become a central feature of Ste. Anne's culture. It was therefore easy for her to develop resounding support for this demanding accreditation process, which was rewarded with the highest possible CCHSA rating. In 1999 Ste. Anne's repeated the CCHSA evaluation, with equally stellar results. This is an outstanding example of strategic leadership that brings out the best in people, encouraging them to work towards a common and well-understood goal.

Recycling and environmental protection are major priorities for Ste. Anne's Hospital, which has won numerous related awards. For instance, in May 1998, it won the Montréal Urban Community's Prix Biosphere for outstanding water conservation, having reduced water consumption by 200,000 litres, or 60%, per day.

In 1996, Rachel launched a process which led to the establishment of the Ste. Anne's Hospital Foundation. This non-profit charitable organization was established in1998 to support the advancement of Ste. Anne's Hospital, contribute to the patients' quality of life, increase knowledge in the field of geriatrics and support the commemoration of Canadian veterans' achievements and sacrifices. To date, the Foundation's campaign has raised more than $215,000 for these purposes. This foundation's existence is yet another example of Rachel's development of vehicles that elicit the best in those who care about Ste. Anne's and its mission.

As this nomination is prepared, Rachel continues to lead Ste. Anne's transformation, through the preparation of submissions to Treasury Board for the funds needed to upgrade the facilities to meet provincial standards and to better support its unique mission and capabilities within the federal health jurisdiction.

An engaged and caring community leader...

Rachel has played a significant leadership role as a member of the Quebec Council of Senior Federal Officials (now called the Quebec Federal Council), especially in the areas of Women's Issues, Communications, Policy and Management Development. She has also made Ste. Anne's a central institution within her community, developing close and friendly relations with its citizens, local institutions and civic leaders.

Perhaps the most outstanding example of this engagement came during the 1998 Ice Storm Crisis in Québec. As the storm plunged the West Island of Montreal into darkness and bitter cold, Rachel marshalled Ste. Anne's resources to meet the challenge. A previously closed wing was opened to accommodate elderly residents from local nursing homes and hospitals, along with veterans stranded in nearby homes. At the peak of the crisis, Rachel's team provided nourishment, security, medical services and emotional support to more than 400 storm victims — in addition to Ste. Anne's regular patients. The hospital, which normally serves 2,200 meals per day, served more than 5,000 daily meals during the crisis.

Not forgetting her staff, many of whom worked virtually non-stop for a week, Rachel opened Ste. Anne's to their families. Children's programs were launched. Hard working employees were offered massage services and psychological counselling so that they could cope with the stress and continue to provide top-notch service. Their combined efforts won wide-spread praise like that found in this letter from the Manoir Le Sapinois:

"Le Manoir Le Sapinois wishes to publicly thank all those who contributed to the well-being of its residents during their stay at Ste. Anne's Hospital. The residents were warmly welcomed by the hospital administration. Throughout our stay, we encountered people at every level who were dedicated, friendly and highly skilled. Congratulations to the employees of Ste. Anne's Hospital! Thanks to you, our residents enjoyed comfort, emotional warmth and total security during the ice storm."

Sharing knowledge and fostering innovation...

During the 18^th Century, Henrion de Pensey said: "I consider the discovery of a dish which sustains our appetite and prolongs our pleasures as a far more interesting event than the discovery of a star." His sentiment is one which many seniors would applaud today. Half of our senior population have a medical condition which affects their eating habits. An estimated 50-75% of elderly citizens living in institutions are affected by Dysphagia, a condition characterized by difficulty in swallowing. With the proportion of seniors expected to reach 20% of Canada's population by 2025, responding to the needs of dysphagic patients would be a star development, indeed.

This challenge prompted the hospital's Dietary Staff to create a range of reconstituted semi-solid foods for residents as part of its Dysphagia Program, which is unique in North America. These innovative modified-textured solid foods and thickened liquids have opened new gastronomic horizons to dysphagic patients, who are no longer relegated to eating purées and thickened liquids. The reconstituted meals resemble their normal counterparts so closely that they tempt the eye as well as the palate. Pilot studies have proven that these innovative products help to fight the pervasive malnutrition suffered by many dysphagic patients. As importantly, the Dysphagia Program restores the quality of life and dignity which these patients so rightfully deserve. During 1998 the Dysphagia Program won the Prix d'Excellence of both the Quebec Hospital Association and the Quebec Order of Dietitians.

Had it not been for the visionary leadership of Rachel and the incredibly talented and committed staff of the Dietary Services at Ste. Anne's Hospital, this groundbreaking work would not have been accomplished. It is eminently clear that the Dysphagia Program could eventually benefit seniors locally, nationally, and worldwide. As importantly, it offers Canada the opportunity to establish a competitive edge in relation to the knowledge, production and marketing of hi-tech therapeutic foods. With this in mind, an Employee's Take-Over proposal, now awaiting final approval, will lead to the commercialization of these food products through a partnership within the Montréal region's pharmaceutical community.

It is not just in the field of dietetics that Ste. Anne's has developed innovative approaches to elder-care. One of the major challenges faced by an aging population is dementia. To address the debilitating problems associated with dementia, Ste. Anne's has set up a highly innovative psycho-geriatric program. Such programs are only available in about 20 hospitals in North America. The Ste. Anne's program aims to ensure that residents experience the best possible quality of life. It focuses on patients' emotions, as they are often the only remaining means of communication for those affected by dementia. In December 2000, Ste. Anne's was awarded the Prix de la Société Alzheimer in recognition of the outstanding programming contributions, primarily in the area employee training, volunteer awareness and the stimulation programs offered by the Handicrafts Program.

The program is led by Dr. Bernard Groulx, the Chief of Psychiatric Services at the hospital and an internationally renowned geriatric psychiatrist who specializes in Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. With Rachel's support, he has advanced national and international understanding of the treatment of dementia, by delivering lectures at Canadian universities and in numerous international gatherings, as a visiting professor at the Sorbonne, and during courses offered to interns and residents in French medical facilities. Dr. Groulx has this to say about his Executive Director:

"Rachel is a rare jewel. She has exceptional leadership qualities - vision, and good management ability in terms of working with people and bringing the best out in everyone. But, she has something which goes beyond that. She possesses qualities of the heart, not just the head. She is very close to the needs and concerns of the patients. She relates to the sufferings of veterans, and she applies heart qualities to the people with whom she works.

I have been a doctor at Ste. Anne's Hospital for 19 years, and I have never heard anyone say anything the least bit pejorative about Rachel. She relates well to everyone making them feel comfortable, from Deputy Ministers to front line employees and volunteers. Everyone has an important contribution to make according to Rachel.

Rachel is a remarkable individual both professionally and personally. As a result of her forward thinking, myself and several colleagues actively participate in clinical research at McGill University and conferences throughout North America and as far away as Japan. We are active contributors to the global knowledge economy because of Rachel. She is nothing short of exceptional."

Conclusion

The host of accolades won by her staff speaks volumes about the way Rachel fosters excellence. She gladly promotes her team's accomplishments, while eschewing the spot light herself. Even when she won the Prix Rolland Parenteau for achieving the highest grade-point average on completing a Master's Degree in Public Administration in 1994, she quickly shared the honour with colleagues and staff because, without them, she said: "I would not have been able to do it".

The reverse is also certainly true. Across numerous fields of human endeavour, the Ste. Anne's team has achieved outstanding things because Rachel has created a climate that supports innovation and excellence. She elicits greatness.

During the June 1998 APEX Symposium, Jocelyne Bourgon challenged members of the Executive community to dream a better future and to give it shape. Rachel Gravel has already responded to that challenge. Rachel has not only dreamed a better future, she has brought it to life at Ste. Anne's. In doing so she has done much, much more than create a vibrant institution: she has set an example of caring, compassionate leadership that has reverberated across the Public Service, throughout Canada and around the world. She is eminently deserving of the Outstanding Achievement Award.