On the CEO side – November 2023

This fall, we started the year with a number of exciting projects. We have made a number of governance changes that are beginning to bear fruit. We now have four Board meetings a year, held either in person or virtually. These meetings are now shorter and more efficient. Our new Board is dynamic and dedicated. Between these meetings, the 3 Board committees meet via zoom. We will gradually be adding external members to each of these committees, as their presence is beneficial to our organization. Our three clinical committees (obstetrics, gynecology and sexual and reproductive health) have redefined their roles and responsibilities, and will begin to scrutinize the guideline pipeline, where many good ideas lie dormant. 

In fact, the Guideline Management Oversight Committee (GMOC) has endorsed our goal of publishing in 18 months. To achieve this, we drew inspiration from our productive meetings with the heads of sister organizations such as RCOG, RANZCOG and CNGOF. We receive many requests for free access these “famous guidelines”. I would like to remind you that the production cost is $1.00 per word… and this is largely paid for by your membership fees. Anyone can buy copies on the JOGC website, since the guidelines belong to the journal, and the intellectual property belongs to the SOGC. 

As 2022 was the year of governance, 2023-2024 will be the year of membership. We’re about to embark on a campaign to get closer to you, our members, to find out about your educational needs, your ideas and your vision of our organization. Meeting our partners around the world has brought us to the same conclusion. The practice of obstetrics and gynaecology has never been so difficult, and we have a lot on our shoulders due to the shortage of healthcare professionals, who are quickly becoming psychologists, sexologists, paediatric nutritionists and so on. We’re working on an app to help you follow the recommendations in real time. Science has never advanced so quickly, so we need to find new ways to keep you up to date and educate women on what to watch out for. Engaging professionals in organizations is difficult, so we try to be creative and optimize your precious time. Our members appreciate the opportunity to discuss with our leaders who present guidelines and news. Communication is definitely at the heart of the SOGC’s core values. 

Finally, with regard to FIGO, we did not succeed in obtaining a seat on the Board of Directors, nor the position of Treasurer that we had coveted. We have already begun to optimize the visibility of the SOGC, and thus regain the visibility we used to have at international level. There will be vacancies on committees, and we’ll keep you posted.  

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Toronto – there’ll be lots of you, and we’ll have a great time together! 

Dr Diane Francoeur 
Chief Executive Officer of the SOGC