In a landscape where healthcare outcomes are increasingly shaped by social determinants, University Health Network’s (UHN) Dunn House initiative stands out as a pioneering model of what is possible when data, healthcare, and social action are seamlessly integrated. Dunn House is a systemic intervention that redefines how data-driven collaboration can achieve deep, lasting social and health impact.
Toronto’s housing crisis is not an abstract problem for UHN; it is a daily operational reality. Emergency Department visits by people experiencing homelessness rose by 68% during the 2022/23 winter season alone and traditional clinical approaches could no longer meet the scale or complexity of need. Dunn House was born from a recognition that without stable housing, no volume of clinical interventions could meaningfully improve patient outcomes or relieve systemic pressures.
From the outset, UHN embedded data into the fabric of the project. Advanced analyses revealed staggering utilization rates: the top 100 unhoused patients accounted for over 4,300 ED visits in 2023 alone, costing nearly CAD$1.9 million. These insights drove a shift from reactive care to proactive and structural intervention. By using data to identify the highest-need patients and prioritize marginalized groups (including women, non-binary individuals, Indigenous patients, and those with disabilities) Dunn House ensured that the solution was equitable, targeted, and impactful.
The sophistication of UHN’s approach lies not only in its ambition but in its operational rigor. Data was a dynamic guide throughout execution, as well as a planning tool. Predictive models and real-time dashboards allowed stakeholders to monitor move-in progress, identify early bottlenecks, and adjust strategies before risks materialized. This live feedback ensured that challenges were addressed early and decisively, preventing costly delays and reinforcing trust among project partners.
Equally critical was the use of clinical data to shape the model of care itself. Analyses showed that the incoming tenant population carried a heavy burden of mental health and substance use challenges, alongside significant gaps in primary care access. In response, UHN embedded tailored health services directly into Dunn House including biweekly Nurse Practitioner clinics, weekly psychiatry drop-ins, and round-the-clock access to harm reduction physicians. Data informed who to help and shaped how to help in ways that were pragmatic, resource-conscious, and human-centered.
Dunn House is a testament to the power of cross-sector collaboration: between UHN’s Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine, the data and analytics team, the City of Toronto, and a network of community partners. Each partner brought crucial expertise (clinical, social, operational, data-driven) and blended them into a cohesive, sustainable model.
This collaborative model ensured that Dunn House was a holistic support system. It tackled housing, food security, healthcare, and employment in tandem, reflecting a genuine understanding of the interconnected realities facing marginalized individuals. This synergy exemplifies what ESG excellence looks like in practice: systemic solutions, not isolated fixes.
By addressing housing instability as a health intervention, UHN is reducing future hospital admissions, alleviating strain on public services, and improving life trajectories for some of Toronto’s most vulnerable citizens. It is a tangible and replicable model of how healthcare institutions can take meaningful ESG action through systemic change rooted in evidence and collaboration. With the right blend of data, social commitment, and interdisciplinary partnership, healthcare can be reimagined to deliver both better outcomes and systemic resilience.
Dunn House is exactly the kind of forward-thinking, impact-driven initiative that the ESG Data and AI Award was created to recognize.
