Canadian Blood Services

From 1998 to 2002, CBS concentrated on crisis management-restoring the safety of the Canadian blood system, the trust of Canadians and its core operations; stabilizing its facilities; and managing crises using a tactical approach. By 2003, the crisis was "over" and CBS embarked on a journey to becoming a strategically managed organization. CBS set its sights on becoming a model for healthcare delivery in Canada-from blood manufacturers to stewards of the blood system, with the intent of embedding strategy execution and performance management across the organization.

Canadian Blood Services is a national not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec) and oversees the countrys Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry (UBMDR). Created in 1998, Canadian Blood Service is the successor to the Canadian Red Cross Blood Program and the Canadian Blood Agency. A dedicated team of some 4,800 staff and 17,000 volunteers enable Canadian Blood Services to operate 40 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. While Canadian Blood Services is a non-governmental organization, it receives operational funding from the Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health.

"Since 1998, we have been engaged in transforming Canadas blood system. For the first five years, our activities would best be described as crisis management-working to restore public trust and safety. In 2003, we began adopting a more strategic approach-moving from blood manufacturer to steward of the blood system, integrating strategy at every level of the organization. The Balanced Scorecard has changed how we manage our operations and has resulted in Canadian Blood Services moving forward with its change agenda and producing dramatic performance improvements."

Dr. Graham Sher, CEO