In this episode Dr. Katherine Stevenson reflects on 25 years of quality improvement in Saskatchewan — tracing the shift from measurement and reporting toward collaboratives, the Accelerating Excellence strategy, large-scale Lean adoption, and attempts to build a learning health system (or whatever we want to call it!). She advocates for reintegrating technical and relational approaches and shares practical advice for practitioners and leaders on becoming “yes, how” responders, creating feedback loops, and role-modelling change.

Guest Bio:  Originally a physical therapist,  Dr. Katherine Stevenson has primarily worked in health system improvement since 2004.  She has worked with Saskatchewan’s Health Quality Council (HQC) in a variety of positions, including Senior Quality Improvement Consultant and Program Director, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority as Director of Learning and Program Development for Quality and Safety. In 2024, Kath received her doctorate in Quality Improvement and Leadership in Health and Social Care from the University of Jönköping, Sweden. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow working on Learning Health Systems and the development of graduate education in quality improvement and collaborative practice and an affiliated researcher with Jönköping Academy for Improvement of Health and Welfare. Kath lives in Saskatoon with her partner and their two children, one of whom has complex medical and developmental needs.  

Related Resources: 

Our Story (HQC)

 Quality as a Business Strategy

 Johari Window

 Deming’s Theory of Profound Knowledge

Futurist Andy Wilkins discusses rethinking health as a complex, nested system — from cells to cities — and why current siloed, “repair-shop” healthcare models won’t scale for ageing, multi‑morbidity populations. He explains the Three Horizons framework for shifting from incremental fixes (Horizon 1) to system-wide transformation (Horizon 3), shares practical examples, and offers concrete steps innovation and improvement leaders can take now to start building a more integrated, person-centered future — especially as AI and digital tech become powerful enablers or risks.

Guest Bio:

Andy Wilkins is a UK futurist, speaker, podcaster and founder of Future of Health – a new think tank and systems convener exploring the long term vision for holistic health in a technology enabled 21st century.

Through the lens of human-centred value creation Andy has undertaken many research, innovation and strategy projects across Health and Care. This includes authoring high profile reports for the UK’s NHS and policy makers on whole systems approaches to the future of Health. Most recently he has been working closely with Suffolk and NE Essex ICS to bring a new futures based approach to whole systems working.

Andy has designed and pioneered Imperial College’s Executive Education flagship course on Leading Systemic Innovation in Healthcare and is a visiting lecturer on Public Health at University College London.

Resources Mentioned:

• Beyond the Fog: 10-15 Year Vision for the Future of Public Healthcare in a technology enabled 21st Century
• Three Horizons Framework
• Future Shift: Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System

In this episode, Kyla sits down with Dennis Vergne, a systems improvement consultant based in London, to explore the concept of Relational Service Design and why it’s critical for transforming public services. Dennis shares his journey from a youth recreation worker in the Netherlands to consulting on complex service systems across health care, social care and the prison system.  Together, they discuss how factory-logic thinking has infiltrated human services, the problems with fragmentation and practical ways to shift towards more relational, human centered approaches. 

Guest Bio

Dennis Vergne is a systems improvement consultant and co-owner of a UK based Consultancy called Basis Ltd specializing in transforming public services. 

Resources Mentioned

• Relational Service Design
• Burrtzorg Model: Self Managing Nursing Teams
• School of Moral Ambition 
• Viarpi Cartoon

Do you have a innovation or improvement story you would like to share? Contact Kyla at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram.