What went down at our virtual Serving Knowledge Supper Club with UHN’s Dr. Andrew Boozary

Amidst a global pandemic, Torontonians are paying closer attention to their healthcare system than ever before. Front-line workers are saving lives and caretakers are preventing outbreaks, all while scientists continue to search for a vaccine. With this magnified lens, the shortcomings of healthcare for the city’s most vulnerable populations has become strikingly apparent.

On May 28, TL Insider hosted Dr. Andrew Boozary, Executive Director of Health and Social Policy at Toronto’s University Health Network (UHN), for our first virtual Serving Knowledge Supper Club. During the Zoom-streamed event, he spoke poignantly on the importance of addressing the social determinants of health outcomes in Canada.

According to Dr. Boozary, “social medicine starts with acknowledging the healthcare gap and considering what patients experience outside of hospital walls.” Recognizing the relationship between housing, for example, and the health of lower-income Canadians is what prompted the UHN to propose an affordable housing development project in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood, one of their most widely-recognized initiatives.In conversation with Toronto Life publisher Ken Hunt, Dr. Boozary emphasized how prioritizing social medicine is a fundamental step toward protecting our vulnerable communities and inherently, preventing further outbreaks during the pandemic.

Members had the chance to engage in a question-and-answer period, where they learned more about social medicine in practice, including how Torontonians can contribute to the UHN’s efforts. Bonus: $50 from every ticket sold went to support Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation.

For the “supper club” portion of the evening, Insiders were able to purchase curated cheese and charcuterie boards from Toronto’s Cheese Boutique.

Watch the recorded event here to access the Insider exclusive, and learn more about Dr. Boozary and the University Health Network’s leadership in social medicine.

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