Abstract

Collaboration is a powerful force of social change. History has shown us time and time again that when people come together with a shared passion for making things better, high impact change can happen. Minds are opened. Voices are heard. Lives are saved. Our experience at Health Standards Organization (HSO) and Accreditation Canada shows that when people feel involved, empowered and engaged in a meaningful way to bring about improvement, then the chances that it will be sustained over time increase as well. This paper builds on the principles of front-line ownership (FLO) initiatives offered by Gardam et al., addresses the tensions between standards and innovation and reminds us that collaboration is all about people, and people power is what converts theory and ideas into reality – especially in healthcare environments.