Meet the PoET team: Values Champion for Innovation

“When I think something is unjust, especially if it’s happening because of inaction, I feel compelled to get involved.”

That was Community Ethicist Dr. Jill Oliver’s response when asked about what inspires her in her role as the Prevention of Error-Based Transfers (PoET) Project Lead at William Osler Health System (Osler). She said, “just knowing that improvements are possible” is a powerful motivator for her.

And there is no doubt that Dr. Oliver and the PoET team are making things better— both at an individual and system-wide level.

An award-winning, Accreditation Canada Leading Practice, the PoET team works directly with long-term care homes to support residents, staff, physicians and substitute decision-makers to align decision-making with Ontario’s rules related to consent, capacity and substitute decision making. They bring residents’ wishes, values and beliefs to the centre of decision-making, helping ensure they get the care they want and can benefit from—and don’t get unwanted or non-beneficial care.

This deeply impactful work has earned the team significant recognition, including, most recently, being named Osler’s 2024-25 Values Champion for Innovation.

Although the PoET team embodies all of Osler’s Values, the Value of Innovation—pursuing new ideas and better ways of working and embracing challenge in order to improve—is at the very heart of their success.

“With PoET, it’s not about getting more resources or more money to remove barriers that may be blocking you from doing the right thing,” said Dr. Oliver. “All the resources are there. It’s about changing how you’re making decisions…and understanding your role in decision-making.”

The results of the PoET team’s work, which has been studied, verified, reviewed, and published, is nothing short of outstanding with a 45 per cent reduction in transfers to hospital for acute care, as well as a 147 per cent increase in palliative care in place, meaning residents feel more confident and supported to remain in their long-term care home.

As for being chosen as the Values Champion for Innovation, Dr. Oliver said it was really special to be recognized within Osler for this work. “A lot of people at Osler still don’t know about PoET, so it was nice for the team to be acknowledged by the organization…to have them say ‘we see you...we see what you’re doing,’” she said.

And knowing that it was a close colleague, friend, and fellow Ethicist, Dr. Angel Petropanagos, who nominated the team, which includes Dr. Oliver, Dr. Paula Chidwick, Megan Bailey and Theresa Nitti, was extra special. The two have worked together for more than eight years, even sharing an office at Brampton Civic Hospital pre-pandemic.

Together with the PoET team and the broader Ethics Department, Dr. Oliver is looking forward to continuing live Osler’s Values and to pioneer new, innovative approaches to ensure people-centred, safe, effective, and equitable care within and beyond the walls of Osler.