SickKids earns highest recognition from Choosing Wisely Canada

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has received Choosing Wisely Canada’s highest form of recognition – Leadership Status.  

This milestone, which is the first to be awarded to a paediatric hospital in Canada, places SickKids at the forefront of this national movement to improve high-value care by reducing unnecessary tests, treatments, and procedures. 

Dr. Jeremy Friedman, Associate Paediatrician-in-Chief and leader of the Choosing Wisely program at SickKids, says the achievement underscores SickKids’ commitment to evidence-based, patient-centered care. “Receiving Leadership Status from Choosing Wisely Canada is a testament to the culture we have cultivated at SickKids,” Dr. Friedman says. “Our clinicians are dedicated to doing what’s best for children and families – not simply doing more.”

Organizations that have achieved the Leadership Status designation have demonstrated the strongest commitment and highest achievement in leading change to reduce overuse through organizational leadership, culture change, mentorship, and an assurance of sustainability.  

This accolade comes nearly a decade after SickKids began its groundbreaking innovative work in Choosing Wisely, which started with nine projects and has since grown to 19 across many areas of SickKids. An additional five projects are anticipated to debut in the upcoming year.   

“This achievement comes at a particularly meaningful moment as we near the 10th anniversary of SickKids’ Choosing Wisely program, a strong demonstration of our organization’s commitment to delivering high-value care in itself,” says Dr. Olivia Ostrow, Associate Lead of the SickKids Choosing Wisely Program, Director of Quality and Safety in Paediatric Emergency Medicine, and Pediatrics Lead for Choosing Wisely Canada. “It’s a recognition of incredible teamwork and interprofessional, multidisciplinary collaborations to improve care using quality improvement science. Our dedication to using resources wisely ensures that every child not only receives care, but the right care.”  

SickKids has been a steadfast advocate for the Choosing Wisely movement. Since 2016, SickKids has released four lists containing recommendations of medically unnecessary tests and treatments that clinicians and patients should question relevant to a paediatric quintenary care hospital. These efforts, representing a total of 19 individual quality improvement projects, include the following: 

• An improved process for accurate diagnosis and management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children 
• “Say Nay to the X-ray” toolkit to reduce unneeded ankle X-rays and send paediatric patients home faster 
• New practice point for assessing management options for newly diagnosed, typical immune thrombocytopenia 

By attaining Leadership Status, SickKids not only sets a benchmark for paediatric hospitals across the country, but also reinforces its unwavering commitment to delivering the safest, most effective care for every child.  

“This recognition highlights the importance of challenging the status quo, working collaboratively to improve quality and safety, and the positive impact our Choosing Wisely work can have on paediatric care,” Dr. Friedman says.  

For more information, visit the SickKids’ Choosing Wisely page.