Southlake@home Plus recognized for improving access and experiences for patients
Southlake Health is proud to celebrate Renee Bakuska, Manager, Community Programs, who recently received the Canadian College of Health Leaders’ recognition in Delivering Value-based Healthcare for her work with Southlake@home Plus. This national award celebrates leaders and teams who are transforming how care is delivered with particular focus on improving health outcomes. Renee’s award highlights her dedication and Southlake’s broader commitment to overseeing leading edge care at home when it’s safe to do so, rather than staying in hospital.
“This recognition speaks to what is possible when we design care around people’s needs,” said Renee Bakuska, Manager, Community Programs. “It belongs to our incredible Southlake@Home team and our partners, who are committed every day to improving the lives of the patients and families we serve. Together, we are reimagining care beyond hospital walls.”
At the heart of this achievement is Southlake@home Plus, an innovative model of care that brings hospital-level services into patients’ homes. Developed as an evidence-informed solution to systemic gaps, Southlake@home Plus supports seniors with complex, behaviour-related needs through intensive in-home care, structured caregiver respite, and safety-focused monitoring tools. Patients are supported across their care journey – from hospital to home – ensuring continuity, reducing unnecessary hospital visits, and helping individuals maintain their independence. By shifting care beyond traditional hospital settings, the program helps more people receive high-quality, personalized care where they are most comfortable.
The foundational Southlake@home model – which the Plus program builds on – emphasizes outcomes that matter most to patients: recovery, comfort, confidence, and the ability to heal in familiar surroundings. By integrating care teams, leveraging strong community partnerships, and centring care around each individual, Southlake@home is enhancing care for more people across northern York Region and southern Simcoe County. More than 3,500 patients have received care through the programs since the original launched in 2019.
“This recognition reflects how we are rethinking care delivery at Southlake by bringing more care into the community and closer to where people live,” said Jatinder Bains, Director, Community Programs and Integrated Care, Southlake Health. “Through the Southlake@home program, we are advancing our vision of a Distributed Health Network and https://southlake.ca/about-southlake/strategy/building a more connected, accessible system of care for the growing communities Southlake Health serves.”
The recognition in Delivering Value-based Healthcare highlights organizations that are advancing a more integrated and patient-centred approach to care that prioritizes outcomes and experiences across the full continuum of care.
“This award celebrates our shared commitment to reimagining care beyond hospital walls and improving the lives of our patients and families,” shared Renee. “I dedicate this recognition to my late father, who instilled in me the values of hard work and determination that drive meaningful progress. Together, we demonstrate that effective care truly begins at home.”
Over the next decade, Southlake Health will transform into a Distributed Health Network. Programs like Southlake@home and Southlake@home Plus will play an important role in continuing to deliver leading edge care, close to home.
