Mary GuntherTo cite: Gunther M. Strengthening our community [commentary]. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2025;78(2):e3815. doi: 10.4212/cjhp.3815
As has been previously shared, the Canadian Society of Healthcare-Systems Pharmacy (CSHP) has begun to implement its updated, forward-looking strategic plan. This spring, the Executive and the Board have been holding a series of meetings with Branch presidents and individual Branch councils to share this important work and to start discussing how Branch initiatives can fit in. These experiences have been incredibly positive, reminding me of what I love most about CSHP, which is also exemplified by one of our strategic pillars: community.
When I reflect on what the CSHP “community” means to me, I think about specific people and events that embody the best parts of our organization—but I also think about the feeling of being included in something that is bigger than the sum of its parts. “Community” is a mix of both the tangible and the intangible, and, at its core, it’s about connection.
Our strategic goal related to community is to foster a sense of belonging, engagement, and purpose among members throughout their professional journey. Under this overarching goal, there are many facets of community that we will be working to strengthen. We’re working to improve the way the National office supports Branches, as well as how we engage, develop, and retain students and other learners, how we collaborate with industry, and how we create effective opportunities for members to connect with one another about shared interests in their respective practice areas. We are also working to improve our engagement, recognition, and support of volunteers, whose work is critical to the success of CSHP. By strengthening our CSHP community, we will be better equipped to support our communities in the broader sense—the patients and families we serve and the healthcare providers across the country with whom we collaborate, in alignment with our Mission to optimize patient outcomes by advancing excellence in pharmacy practice and being the voice of pharmacy within healthcare systems.
Much like the concept of “community” itself, the work ahead will be a mix of both the tangible and the intangible. But as I continue to reflect on the CSHP community, the other feeling that arises is a sense of gratitude. We are grateful for the hard work and persistence of the members who established the Society and brought it to what it is today. We are grateful for the wisdom and ambition of the Board in developing this new strategic plan to keep us moving forward. We are grateful for the engagement and enthusiasm of the Branches as they consider what actions they can take locally to help us achieve our objectives on an even larger scale. And above all, we are grateful for the commitment of the individual people who choose to be part of our community—we wouldn’t be the same without you!
© 2025 Canadian Society of Healthcare-Systems Pharmacy | Société canadienne de pharmacie dans les réseaux de la santé
Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, VOLUME 78, NUMBER 2, 2025