SPARK Conversations

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In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, we explore the role of primary care teams or healthcare professionals in right-sizing children’s healthcare systems. Dr. Tara Kiran discusses the revolutionary OurCare study, its findings, and implications for addressing the current primary care crisis and ensure that every child, youth, and family is assigned and has timely access to a primary care team or provider. Through this webinar we will also explore how other countries have ensured access to primary care for citizens; what this means for children, youth and their families and the healthcare systems that serve them; and how this could be reflected in Canada. 

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In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, we explore the collaborative efforts shaping the future of child and youth mental health care in Ontario. The Children’s Health Coalition, a powerful partnership between Children’s Mental Health Ontario, Ontario’s 5 children’s hospitals, and other key organizations, is working to ensure kids and families get the care they need—when and where they need it most. 

Join us as we dive into how this groundbreaking coalition is transforming the mental health system, overcoming challenges, and paving the way for a more integrated and effective approach to care. We’ll discuss the Coalition’s achievements, the barriers they’ve tackled, and the lessons learned in creating a system that works for children and youth across Ontario. 

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Children's Healthcare Canada, its members, and strategic partners have highlighted the need to and catalyzed collective action to right-size health systems for children. Recommendations in the Beyond Bandaids report include a call for the expansion of localized capacity and innovative models for children's healthcare in rural, remote, and Northern communities. Recognizing that it is not feasible to have comprehensive sub-specialized children's healthcare in every community, this podcast will discuss creative strategies/models to deliver better care for kids living far away from urban centres (including, virtual care, rapid transport, and service partnerships).

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Changing healthcare needs and increasing care complexity among children and youth together with HHR challenges have raised concerns about the current and future availability of pediatric subspecialty care and research and the potential ramifications for child health and well-being.

In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, join host Dr. Katharine Smart as she engages in a compelling dialogue with Dr. Meredith Irwin and Dr. Steven Miller surrounding the HHR crisis, especially within pediatrics. How can we work together to ensure the future of pediatric care can be sustainable and achievable? This episode offers listeners insights into the HHR crisis and how partnerships can offer an inspiring future in pediatric care.
 
Guests:
Dr. Meredith Irwin
Meredith Irwin, MD is the Chief of Paediatrics at The Hospital for Sick Children, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Paediatrics at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She is the first woman to hold these two roles, which she assumed in April 2020.

Dr. Irwin received her MD from Harvard Medical School and completed her Paediatrics and Oncology training at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She joined The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) as a Staff Physician (Hematology-Oncology) and Clinician-Scientist in 2002. From 2008-2020 she was the Associate Chair of Paediatrics (Research) and held the position of Solid Tumour Section Head from 2011-2020.

Dr. Irwin’s research focuses on identifying novel genes, treatments, and biomarkers to optimize risk classification and precision medicine approaches for neuroblastoma. She has received funding from the NIH, Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute and CIHR. Dr. Irwin is the Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Neuroblastoma Committee.

As Chief of Paediatrics, she is committed to integrating precision child health approaches to research and clinical care and training the next generation of academic pediatricians. She is also the Vice President of the Pediatric Chairs of Canada (PCC) and co-leads the PCC workforce theme team, which is focused on advancing solutions to address the current and future general and subspecialty pediatric workforce.

Dr. Steven Miller
Dr. Steven P. Miller is Head and Professor of the UBC Department of Pediatrics and the Chief of Pediatric Medicine at BC’s Children Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, holds the Hudson Family Hospital Chair in Pediatric Medicine and James & Annabel McCreary Chair in Pediatrics, and was previously a Canada Research Chair in Neonatal Neuroscience. Leading a multidisciplinary team, Dr. Miller’s research program focuses on better understanding of how intensive care impacts brain development and injury in the newborn with a focus on those born preterm or with congenital heart disease. The goal of his team’s work is to promote strategies to prevent brain injury and to promote recovery with the ultimate goal of improving the lifelong health of children and their families. He is passionate about supporting the career trajectories of child-health researchers and served as President of the Society for Pediatric Research.

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Through visionary leadership, health systems focus, population-based approaches, trusting relationships, and creative partnerships, systems-focused Children’s Hospitals create integrated delivery networks purposefully designed to meet the unique needs of children and families. This serves to improve healthcare access, system navigation, and efficiency, and children’s experiences of care and outcomes. 

In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, join host Dr. Katharine Smart as she engages in a compelling dialogue with Alex Munter, CEO of CHEO. Alex shares insights from his extensive experience, highlighting innovative strategies and collaborative initiatives aimed at enhancing healthcare access and quality for children across Canada. This episode offers listeners a deep dive into transformative healthcare leadership, inspiring action towards a more equitable and sustainable future for pediatric care.

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In this episode of the SPARK: Conversations podcast, host Dr. Katharine Smart engages with Dr. Leigh Chapman and Rebecca Earle in a compelling discussion on nursing retention and the role of the nursing workforce in right-sizing healthcare systems for children. They explore challenges faced by new nurses in children’s healthcare, including post-pandemic burnout, and emphasizes the importance of retention strategies, as described in the newly released Nursing Retention Toolkit.

The conversation highlights the need for accessible, equitable, and connected healthcare systems designed specifically for children, youth, and families. Rebecca and Leigh share practical insights on the implementation and impact of the Nursing Retention Toolkit, focusing on how it can ensure a competent and adequate nursing workforce for children’s healthcare. They also discuss the opportunities to spread and scale the toolkit for other healthcare professions and across the continuum of children’s healthcare systems, underscoring its potential role in right-sizing healthcare systems serving children.

Join us as we uncover actionable steps that healthcare organizations can take to meaningfully support nursing staff, reduce turnover, and ensure the highest quality of care for our youngest patients. Whether you're a healthcare professional, policymaker, or simply interested in the future of children's health and healthcare, this episode offers valuable perspectives and practical solutions. Tune in to hear our guests share their passionate and optimistic views on addressing these complex healthcare challenges and right-sizing children’s healthcare systems to meet the unique and growing needs of children, youth, and their families.
 
Special Guests:
Rebecca J. Earle, RN, MSc(A), CpedN(C), CCMP (Prosci)
Lead, Health Human Resources Initiative - Health Transformation; Nova Scotia Health 

Rebecca Earle is a highly experienced Registered Nurse specializing in pediatrics, notably serving at IWK Health in Halifax with leadership roles in advanced practice nursing, research, and operations management. She spearheaded the development of a Nursing Strategy and established a Nursing Council focused on shared governance and decision-making within nursing. As the former President of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Nurses (CAPN), Rebecca advocated for child health nationwide and collaborated on advocacy campaigns with Children’s Healthcare Canada. She co-founded "Maritime Children’s Hospice" to establish Atlantic Canada's first children’s hospice, aiming to provide equitable access to pediatric palliative care and medical respite services.

Currently, Rebecca is contributing strategic leadership to Nova Scotia Health's Health Workforce Initiative. Rebecca holds a master’s degree in nursing from McGill University, certification in Paediatric Nursing, and is a PROSCI certified Change Management Practitioner. 
 

Dr. Leigh Chapman, RN PhD
Chief Nursing Officer, Health Canada
Dr. Leigh Chapman has nearly 20 years of experience in nursing, including roles in clinical leadership across various healthcare settings. Her expertise spans critical care, community care, education, and professional associations such as the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario. Recently, she served as the Director of Clinical Services at Inner City Health Associates in Toronto, overseeing nursing programs for people experiencing homelessness during COVID-19. Dr. Chapman holds a Master of Science in Clinical Health Sciences from McMaster University and completed her doctoral work at the University of Toronto, focusing on competency assessment practices in academic hospital settings and the intersection of health professional regulation with organizational priorities.

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Season 5, Episode 1 | Episode released on May 6, 2024

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Description: Children’s Healthcare Canada, together with our members and strategic partners, is on a mission to right-size children’s healthcare systems, which are “accessible, equitable, evidence-informed, connected healthcare services” purpose-built for kids.

Two years ago, Children’s Healthcare Canada embarked on this journey, engaging children’s healthcare leaders, clinicians, and researchers; family and youth partners; advocates and policymakers; researchers and data analysts; and educators to co-create recommendations to achieve “right-sized” healthcare systems for kids.

In this podcast episode, Children’s Healthcare Canada Board Chair, Julia Hanigsberg, describes this ideal future state, the work undertaken to date, and the next steps. She’ll invite you to join forces to Right-Size together.

Episode Guest:
Julia Hanigsberg joined Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital as its President and CEO in 2015. She has spent her career in government, post-secondary education and healthcare as a champion for transformation, innovation and excellence. 

Prior to joining Holland Bloorview Julia spent 9 years at Toronto Metropolitan University prior to which she worked in the Ontario government including roles as Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, Counsel and Special Advisor to two Secretaries of Cabinet and Chief of Staff to the Attorney General of Ontario. 

Julia has degrees from McGill University and the Columbia Law School. She is a four-time Women’s Executive Network Most Powerful Women Top 100 honouree and was inducted into the Women’s Executive Network Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame. 

Julia has served on numerous boards, has completed her ICD.D. and currently Chairs the Boards of Directors of Children’s Healthcare Canada and Solutions for Kids in Pain. She is a Vice Chair of the Ontario Hospital Association and sits on the boards of OECM, the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation and the Kids Health Alliance. In addition, she serves on the CEO Committee of the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network and she was appointed by the Ontario Ministry of Health to the Governing Council of the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health.

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Season 4, Episode 5 | Episode released on February 26, 2024

Description: Right-sized children’s healthcare systems provide timely access to integrated healthcare services and require a stable supply of sufficient numbers of appropriately skilled health human resources (HHR). HHR shortages have been long-standing and were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have produced long, frustrating, and potentially dangerous wait times, adverse events for children and families, and untenable working conditions for healthcare professionals. In this podcast, we learn of a model that tackles some of the HHR challenges (e.g., lack of pediatric focus in pre-licensure education/experience of some healthcare professional groups), which involves a Pediatric Student Led Clinic. This clinical model provides hands-on experience for physiotherapy students and encourages them to explore pediatric opportunities. Listen in as Dr. Smart chats with Kiersten McMaster, who leads this initiative in collaboration with the BC Centre for Ability and the University of British Columbia. Together, they will discuss this clinical model, its impact on children’s access to healthcare, health outcomes for children and families, and HHR; as well as the potential for its spread and scale to contribute to right-sizing health systems for children.

Speaker: Kiersten McMaster
From a young age, Kiersten had a strong desire to pursue a career in physiotherapy, driven by her interest in human movement and her own active lifestyle as a dancer. Recognizing the importance of physical literacy for overall health, she completed a double major in Kinesiology and Dance at York University before obtaining her Masters in Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland in Australia. She now lives, works and plays in Vancouver, BC. During her studies, Kiersten’s courses in human development sparked a passion for working with children, particularly those with disabilities. She brings her expertise to working with children of all ages, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, developmental delay, and sport-specific injuries. Working from a client-centred model, Kiersten collaborates with families and children to set individual goals, emphasizing the importance of equitable access to healthcare. Through her clinical work, she developed a passion for advocacy, particularly for children with disabilities, leading her to pursue a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Victoria to elevate national standards of pediatric patient care and promote empowerment and positive change. Kiersten is currently leading the first Pediatric Student Led Clinic in partnership with the BC Centre for Ability and the University of British Columbia. This innovative clinic aims to offer physiotherapy students hands-on experience with children and gives them the confidence to pursue future pediatric opportunities. Taking the lead in this initiative has allowed Kiersten to seamlessly integrate her interests in pediatric care, mentorship, and leadership.In her free time, Kiersten enjoys exploring the North Shore mountains, spending time with loved ones, and cuddling with her cats.

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Tune in to our first-ever live SPARK: Conversations podcast; recorded live at Children’s Healthcare Canada’s 2023 Annual Conference.  

In this compelling episode, healthcare leaders, Drs. JC Cowden and Nel Weiman, join host Dr. Katharine Smart to unravel the intricate health equity landscape. Drawing from their extensive experiences, the trio explores tangible strategies, real-life stories, and crucial mindset shifts necessary to foster equitable healthcare practices. Listeners will be inspired to adopt a curiosity-driven approach, engage in collaborative efforts, and embrace humility in their pursuit of creating a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system. From practical tools to poignant narratives, this episode provides invaluable insights for healthcare professionals, policymakers and anyone passionate about dismantling healthcare disparities. 

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