Health System Redesign

Health System Redesign (HSR) funding facilitates physician engagement and collaboration in the redesign and/or quality improvement of health services provided by Island Health. The goal of HSR funding is to enable and ensure that physicians have the opportunity to participate in planning, decision making and implementation of new or revised health services in a manner that contributes to alignment across the health system. 

Intake is ongoing throughout the year, and funding decisions are made quarterly.

Contact Julia.Porter@islandhealth.ca

Already approved for HSR funding? Head over to the new Approved HSR Funding page to learn more about what happens next including details on invoicing deadlines, reporting requirements, and what support is available.

What is Health System Redesign?

Funding Source: HSR is funded by the Joint Collaborative Committees of Doctors of BC including the Specialist Services Committee, Shared Care Committee, and Family Practice Services Committees.

Physician Engagement: HSR promotes meaningful involvement of specialists and family physicians in system redesign initiatives led by Island Health.

Modified Quadruple Aim Focus: Projects align with the Modified Quadruple Aim—better patient and provider experience, improved population health, lower healthcare costs, and advancing health equity.

What is the funding for?

HSR funding is available to support physician engagement and collaboration in program or organization-led health system redesign projects.

Scope of Funding:

• Projects should align with Ministry of Health priorities or support the Island Health strategic framework.
• Funding is applied for time-limited redesign projects and broad physician engagement in health authority service redesign activities, recognizing that these may be several years in duration, in which case a phased approach is required.
• Funding is not permitted for ongoing program administration, standing committee work, administrative costs, or the cost of staff.
• Projects should reflect the IAP2 Core Values, with clear levels of physician engagement outlined.

Important Info on Invoices & Approved Budget

HSR funding for approved projects is allocated on a quarterly basis according to the budget submitted with the initial application. If no invoices are submitted by the Adjustment Date for any given quarter, the funding will be considered unspent. The project approved funding amount will be reduced by the amount unspent in the previous quarter. 

You can learn more about the invoicing process by visiting the Approved HSR Projects page and expanding the heading “Physician Invoicing”.

FAQ – Applying for Funding

Expand the headings below to learn more about applying for funding, including eligibility criteria for Health System Redesign.

Thinking about a redesign project or initiative? Let’s talk! Fill out the Expression of Interest form or email Julia.Porter@islandhealth.ca to get started.

Who is eligible to apply for HSR funding?

HSR is intended to be used for Health Authority-led system redesign work that aligns with Ministry of Health priorities or support the Island Health strategic framework.

While physicians can apply for funding as the Project Lead, it is recommended to partner with administrative resources to manage the project tasks.

Health authority program administrative leadership must be actively engaged in the initiative and must provide the necessary administrative and project management support required to meet the anticipated outcomes indicated in the application. Program Director and Executive Sponsor sign-off is required. 

Before applying for HSR funding, carefully consider -

1. Readiness to proceed with physician engagement,
2. Capacity of the Island Health program to take on the project,
3. Sustainability of overall clinical/operational activity, and
4. Data collection and analysis plan.

What types of projects qualify for HSR funding?

HSR eligibility criteria are set by the Joint Collaborative Committees (JCCs), and Island Health follows these guidelines when reviewing project proposals. While we do our best to support meaningful initiatives, decisions about funding approvals and allocation amounts must follow set criteria.

HSR is intended to be used for Health Authority-led system redesign work that aligns with Ministry of Health mandates.

Health authority program administrative leadership must be actively engaged in the initiative and must provide the necessary administrative and project management support required to meet the anticipated project outcomes.

To expand on the information shared in the Scope of Funding section above:

• Projects should align with Ministry of Health priorities or support the Island Health strategic framework.
• Funding is available for short-term redesign projects and broad physician engagement activities for acute and community-based initiatives.
• Funding is not intended for ongoing program operations, administrative costs, or permanent staff roles.
• Projects should reflect the IAP2 Core Values, with clear levels of physician engagement outlined.
• Funding is intended to cover physician participation beyond hospital administrative duties for which physicians are already responsible and compensated.
• HSR funding should complement—not duplicate—other funding sources, to make the most of available resources.
• Funding is not available to compensate for travel time, accommodation, room booking, or catering costs.

The following categories provide an outline of the typical physician engagement activities covered through HSR:

• Workforce and human resource planning
• Standardization of patient care plans
• Infrastructure design or redesign
• Development of educational resources
• Discharge and care planning / transition from acute care to community care
• Improving bed utilization and patient flow efficiency
• Shared care, multidisciplinary care, and inter-professional care
• Development of clinical guidelines and protocols
• Review of internal business processes, administration, and medical leadership
• Development of health promotion and prevention initiatives
• Improving operating room flow, including OR booking systems and pre-surgery screenings
• In-patient safety initiatives
• Improvements to out-patient care
• Enhancements to in-patient care (e.g., quality of care, patient experience, reduced length of stay)
• Review of hospital programs
• Medical structure review

What types of activities are not eligible for physician compensation through HSR?

Island Health administers the HSR funding program in alignment with the funding criteria established by the Joint Collaborative Committees.  Health authorities are not permitted to use HSR funding for the following:

• Physician fees for physicians residing and practising outside of Vancouver Island
• Physician fees for direct or indirect patient care
• Physician participation in contract negotiations of any sort
• Physician fees related to clinical research activities, including literature reviews.
• Physician fees or expenses related to operational activities, such as
  • Attendance at ongoing committees or working groups.
  • Facilitating or attending education/training sessions or courses
  • Attending at rounds, grand rounds
  • Facilitating or attending onboarding of new technology, processes or facilities
  • Facilitating or attending facility tours
  • Attending interviews as a candidate or panel member for a recruitment process
  • Peer mentoring, shadowing
• Physician fees for travel time to/from events or meetings
• Compensation for midwives, dentists, NPs, medical students/residents, and other clinicians and staff
• Catering or other meeting expenses
• Program administration expenses
• Purchase of supplies or capital equipment
• Project management or consulting fees

Can funding be used to develop Project Proposals?

Limited funding is available on a case by case basis for project proposals to support physician engagement in development of the proposal. Project proposals require an administrative lead to review.

Project proposal ideas without operational awareness and endorsement are not eligible.

I have an idea for a service development initiative. Can I apply for HSR?

HSR funding is available to support service development redesign in situations where the proposed service has already received operational approval and where sustained funding and necessary resources to operate it long-term are in place.

If your initiative has already secured executive approval and ongoing funding, that’s great—but we’ll want to confirm this upfront to make sure we’re aligned before moving forward. Please feel free to reach out to discuss your idea further.

What role do physicians play in HSR projects?

HSR was created to support meaningful physician engagement and collaboration in improving and redesigning the way health services are delivered.

Through HSR funding, physicians are actively involved in planning, decision-making, and implementing changes to health services. Their involvement helps ensure that initiatives are aligned across the health system and grounded in the principles of the IHI Quadruple Aim—enhancing patient experience, improving population health, supporting care team well-being, and reducing system costs.

The level of physician involvement will vary depending on the needs of each project and the IAP2 Spectrum of Engagement. Some initiatives may involve physicians primarily at the Consult or Involve level, while others may call for deeper participation at the Collaborate or Empower level.

Since these initiatives can affect clinical and operational practices, it's ideal for departmental leadership to help identify physician participants—especially those who are actively engaged in clinical care. This helps ensure the work reflects real-world experience and insight.

Please note that while physicians can apply for funding as the Project Lead, it is recommended to partner with administrative resources to assist with administrative tasks as co-lead.  

How do I apply for HSR funding?

The application process starts with a 20-30 min virtual intake meeting to confirm eligibility, program and physician readiness and capacity, and alignment with health system priorities.  

To get started, fill out the Expression of Interest form or email Julia.Porter@islandhealth.ca to schedule an intake meeting.

Health authority program administrative leadership must be actively engaged in the initiative and must provide the necessary administrative and project management support. Program Director and Executive Sponsor sign-off is required before a project can be approved.

Before applying for HSR funding, carefully consider -

• Readiness to proceed with physician engagement,
• Capacity of the Island Health program to take on the project,
• Sustainability of overall clinical/operational activity, and
• Data collection and analysis plan.

Please note: Funding for Health System Redesign projects is allocated on a quarterly basis. Any unspent funds from one quarter do not carry over to the next, so it’s important to plan your engagement ahead of time.

Can HSR funding be combined with other sources of funding?

To ensure transparency and avoid duplication, HSR funding should not be used for physician engagement activities that are already the responsibility of another funding source—even if that source is considered insufficient.

For medical leaders participating in HSR projects, compensation can only be provided for activities that are out of scope of the medical leadership contract.

When submitting an Expression of Interest, please indicate whether the project is receiving funding from another source (e.g., Facility Engagement) so we can confirm there is no overlap.

In some cases, HSR funding can be combined with other sources, as long as it’s clear that payments are not being duplicated.

Do you have a question that isn’t answered in the sections above or do you want to learn more about how to navigate external funding resources? Email Julia.Porter@islandhealth.ca

	Now That Your Project Is Approved: Key Information and Next Steps We’re excited to support your work in improving our health system! Visit the Approved HSR Project sub-page to learn more about what comes next after your project has been approved.
	Click here to download the Health System Redesign invoice template. *Island Health login required* Please note: This template is only for approved projects with an assigned HSR ID for the current fiscal year. Invoices for unapproved projects will not be processed or paid.
	Thinking about a redesign project or initiative? Let’s talk! Fill out the Expression of Interest form (https://redcap.link/hsr-expression-of-interest) or email Julia.Porter@islandhealth.ca to get started.
	Want to learn more about the application process for new or returning projects? View the PDF quick guides using the links below. HSR New Project Application Process Quick Guide HSR Returning Project Application Process Quick Guide *Please note: This simplified process only applies to previously approved projects that are requesting funding for the next fiscal year.
	Funding Available to Support Medical Staff Engagement in Quality Improvement Medical staff can access funding through several initiatives aimed at supporting their involvement in quality improvement activities. Coming soon: a new tool to help you navigate what funding opportunity is right for your project. Explore External Funding Opportunities: [Click here] to learn more about available programs. Visit the Medical Staff Quality and Improvement – Improvement Initiatives page [Click here] for details on external funding accessible through Island Health.