The HQ

In this episode of The HQ, we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Leigh Chapman, Canada’s Chief Nursing Officer. With the ongoing challenges facing our healthcare workforce, as highlighted by the Snapshot of Canada’s Healthcare Workforce, a benchmarking survey of HealthCareCAN member institutions, this conversation could not be more timely or important.

The survey reveals that notwithstanding record investments in adding more resources, vacancies, turnover, sick. time, and overtime all remain very high. All of this makes it clear that we can’t recruit our way to more a resilient and sustainable health system – we need to look at the system itself, focus on retention, and what can be done to build a more resilient and compassionate system that serves all Canadians, including our health workforce.

As we navigate these complexities, Dr. Chapman offers in plain and clear language her expert insights on the state of our health system, the pressing need for transformation, and the critical steps required to retain and support our current workforce, including nurses, the largest group of healthcare professionals.

Tune in to this insightful episode to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities within Canada’s healthcare workforce and learn from one of the leading voices in healthcare today.

Key Discussions:

Crisis or Opportunity?

Dr. Chapman shares her perspective on whether the healthcare workforce is in crisis or if we should be reframing the conversation toward solutions, and how this shift in framing can influence our approach to tackling the issues.

The Core Challenges:

We explore the root issues plaguing the healthcare workforce, including high vacancies, turnover, and internal churn within organizations. Dr. Chapman discusses the broader implications of these challenges and what needs to be done to address them.

The Call for Transformation:

While innovation and transformation are often cited as necessary for the future of healthcare, Dr. Chapman offers a balanced view of how these efforts impact the health workforce and what realistic steps can be taken to ensure they contribute to a sustainable system.

Expectations from All Sides:

Drawing from her extensive interactions with health organizations, frontline workers, government officials, and Canadians coast to coast, Dr. Chapman provides an overview of what each of these stakeholders expects from the healthcare system and how these expectations align with current realities.

Building a Resilient Health System:

What does resilience look like in healthcare, and what barriers are preventing us from achieving it? Dr. Chapman shares her thoughts on the key factors that would make Canada’s health system more resilient.

Leadership in Healthcare:

Leadership is often highlighted as a critical component of healthcare reform. Dr. Chapman weighs in on whether we have a leadership issue in the health system and the importance of leadership in driving meaningful change.

Talent Pipeline and Retention:

The conversation turns to the talent pipeline—how do we attract and retain healthcare professionals in an increasingly challenging environment?

Looking Forward:

As the episode concludes, Dr. Chapman shares what’s next for the Office of Canada’s Chief Nursing Officer, offering listeners a glimpse into the future initiatives aimed at supporting Canada’s health workforce.

About Our Guest:

Dr. Leigh Chapman is committed to advancing the nursing profession in Canada to ensure equitable access to quality care. As CNO for Canada, she provides strategic advice to Health Canada, plays a convening role on key nursing issues, and represents the Federal Government at public forums. Leigh is a registered nurse (RN) who received her PhD from the University of Toronto's Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing. Over the past 20 years, she has gained a deep understanding of nursing by working in both frontline and clinical leadership capacities. In addition to her role as CNO for Canada, Leigh continues to work at a community-based consumption and treatment site in Toronto, where she provides harm reduction services and frontline care.

Helpful Links:

Dr. Leigh Chapman | LinkedIn: Click Here

Dr. Leigh Chapman | Twitter: Click Here

Nursing Retention Toolkit | Website: Click Here

CASN residency announcement | Website: Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear.

Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey:  Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!

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De la crise aux solutions : Leigh Chapman, infirmière en chef du Canada, parle des mesures à prendre pour résoudre la crise des ressources humaines en santé

Dans cet épisode du balado The HQ, nous avons le privilège de nous entretenir avec Mme Leigh Chapman, infirmière en chef du Canada. Compte tenu des défis constants auxquels est confrontée la main-d’œuvre du secteur de la santé, comme le souligne le Portrait de la main-d’œuvre en santé au Canada, une enquête comparative menée auprès des établissements membres de SoinsSantéCAN, cette conversation ne pourrait être plus opportune ni plus importante.

L’enquête révèle qu’en dépit des investissements records consentis pour augmenter les ressources, le nombre de postes vacants, le taux de rotation, les congés de maladie et les heures supplémentaires restent très élevés. Tous ces éléments montrent clairement que nous ne pouvons pas recruter pour obtenir un système de santé plus résilient et durable - nous devons nous pencher sur le système lui-même, nous concentrer sur la rétention des effectifs et sur ce qui peut être fait pour construire un système plus résilient et plus compatissant au service de tous les Canadiens, y compris de nos professionnels de la santé.

Alors que nous sommes confrontés à ces complexités, Mme Chapman nous fait part, dans un langage clair et simple, de son point de vue d’experte sur l’état de notre système de santé, sur le besoin pressant de transformation et sur les mesures essentielles à prendre pour conserver et soutenir notre main-d’œuvre actuelle, y compris les infirmières, qui constituent le groupe le plus important de professionnels de la santé.

Cet épisode très éclairant vous permettra de mieux comprendre les défis et les perspectives qui s’offrent au personnel de santé canadien et d’entendre l’une des voix les plus importantes du secteur de la santé aujourd’hui.

Principales discussions :

Crise ou perspective?

Mme Chapman nous fait part de son point de vue sur la question de savoir si le personnel de santé est en crise ou si nous devrions orienter la conversation vers des solutions, et comment ce changement de perspective peut influencer notre approche des problèmes.

Les défis fondamentaux :

Nous explorons les problèmes fondamentaux qui touchent le personnel de santé, notamment le nombre élevé de postes vacants, le taux de rotation et les changements internes au sein des organisations. Mme Chapman discute des répercussions plus larges de ces problèmes et des mesures à prendre pour y remédier.

L’appel à la transformation :

Alors que l’innovation et la transformation sont souvent considérées comme nécessaires pour l’avenir des soins de santé, Mme Chapman propose une vision équilibrée de leur incidence sur le personnel de santé et des mesures réalistes à prendre pour s’assurer qu’elles contribuent à un système durable.

Des attentes de toutes parts :

S’appuyant sur ses nombreuses interactions avec les organismes de santé, les travailleurs de première ligne, les fonctionnaires et les Canadiens d’un bout à l’autre du pays, Mme Chapman donne un aperçu de ce que chacun de ces acteurs attend du système de santé et de la manière dont ces attentes correspondent aux réalités actuelles.

Bâtir un système de santé résilient :

À quoi ressemble la résilience dans le secteur de la santé et quels sont les obstacles qui nous empêchent d’y parvenir? Mme Chapman nous expose ses réflexions sur les facteurs clés qui rendraient le système de santé canadien plus résilient.

Leadership en matière de soins de santé :

Le leadership est souvent considéré comme un élément essentiel de la réforme des soins de santé. Mme Chapman s’interroge sur l’existence d’un problème de leadership dans le système de santé et sur l’importance du leadership dans l’instauration d’un changement significatif.

Réserve de talents et fidélisation :

La conversation porte sur la réserve de talents : comment attirer et retenir les professionnels de la santé dans un environnement de plus en plus difficile?

Regarder vers l’avenir :

En conclusion de cet épisode, Mme Chapman évoque les prochaines étapes pour le Bureau de l’infirmière en chef du Canada et donne aux auditeurs un aperçu des initiatives futures visant à soutenir le personnel de santé au Canada.

Notre invitée :

Leigh Chapman tient à l’avancement de la profession infirmière et l’accès équitable à des soins de qualité pour toutes les personnes au Canada. En tant qu’IC pour le Canada, elle fournit des conseils stratégiques à Santé Canada pour répondre aux priorités pancanadiennes en matière de soins infirmiers et représente le gouvernement fédéral dans les forums nationaux et internationaux. Elle joue également un rôle rassembleur en collaborant avec la communauté infirmière pour cerner les enjeux relatifs aux effectifs infirmiers et les solutions innovantes aux défis communs du système de santé. Elle s’est engagée à faire des soins infirmiers une profession de choix au Canada afin d’appuyer notre système public de santé.

Au cours de sa carrière, Leigh a acquis une connaissance approfondie des soins infirmiers en occupant des postes de première ligne et de leadership clinique. Son expérience professionnelle s’étend à plusieurs milieux tels que les soins cliniques, l’éducation, la recherche, l’administration, la politique et la défense des droits. Avant de devenir l’IC pour le Canada, Leigh a été la première directrice des services cliniques chez Inner City Health Associates à Toronto, où son travail a porté sur la supervision stratégique, opérationnelle et clinique des services de soins infirmiers pour les personnes en situation d’itinérance touchées par la pandémie de COVID-19. En plus de son rôle d’IC pour le Canada, Leigh continue d’exercer en tant qu’infirmière autorisée en fournissant des soins de première ligne et des services de réduction des méfaits dans un site communautaire de consommation et de traitement à Toronto. Leigh a développé une passion pour le travail avec les personnes en situation d’itinérance et les personnes qui consomment des drogues à la suite du décès par surdose de son frère en 2015.

Leigh est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en sciences infirmières et d’une maîtrise en services de santé cliniques (soins infirmiers) de l’université McMaster. En 2019, elle a obtenu son doctorat à la Faculté des sciences infirmières Lawrence S. Bloomberg de l’Université de Toronto, où ses recherches ont porté sur l’évaluation des compétences des cliniciens exerçant dans des hôpitaux universitaires. Cette recherche a permis à Leigh de comprendre les différentes façons dont la réglementation des professionnels de la santé s’articule avec les priorités organisationnelles dans les établissements de soins aigus. Leigh a participé au travail important de la Toronto Overdose Prevention Society, a été membre du conseil d’administration de l’Association des infirmiers et infirmières en réduction des méfaits et a récemment été incluse au palmarès du magazine Maclean’s comme l’un des dix plus grands innovateurs du Canada dans le domaine des soins de santé.

Liens utiles :

Mme Leigh Chapman | LinkedIn : Cliquer ici

Mme Leigh Chapman | X (anciennement Twitter) : Cliquer ici

Boîte à outils pour la rétention des effectifs infirmiers | Site Web : Cliquer ici

Annonce d’un programme de résidence de l’ACESI | Site Web : Cliquer ici

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Welcome back to The HQ podcast, where we continue our insightful series on Planetary Health. In our last episode, Dr. Husein Moloo introduced the concept of planetary health, providing valuable insights on how we can shift from eco-anxiety to eco-action. His discussion laid the foundation for understanding the broader impact of environmental sustainability within the healthcare sector.

Today, we dive deeper into this crucial topic by focusing on organizational change. Specifically, we explore how entire healthcare organizations can implement meaningful eco-actions and lead the way in environmental stewardship and sustainability. We are honoured to be joined by the three Co-Chairs of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre’s Green Task Force: Michael Lithgow, Dr. Susan Deering, and Genny Ng. These leaders share their extensive experiences and insights, demonstrating how Sunnybrook is driving sustainability initiatives and setting an example for others in the healthcare industry.

Tune in to gain valuable insights on leading organizational change for planetary health and learn how you can contribute to making a positive impact on both human health and the environment.

Key Discussions:

Introducing the Green Task Force: Our guests share their backgrounds and the spark that ignited their journeys into planetary health. They discuss the formation and evolution of Sunnybrook’s Green Task Force.

Overcoming Challenges: The panel discusses the obstacles they’ve faced in promoting sustainability within the healthcare setting and the strategies they used to overcome them.

Engaging the Organization: The secrets behind successfully engaging staff and building momentum for eco-action across the organization are revealed.

Quality Improvement and Sustainability: The background in quality improvement supports the Task Force’s goals, with collaborative efforts driving their success.

The Role of Design in Planetary Health: The importance of design in sustainable healthcare infrastructure and adapting existing structures to new environmental values is explored.

Impact on Patient Care: The direct impact of sustainability initiatives on patient care and why planetary health matters to patients and families is discussed.

Achieving and Scaling Success: The panel shares their proudest achievements and the key elements that have contributed to their success, providing actionable insights for other organizations.

Sustaining and Growing Initiatives: The resources required to sustain and grow their initiatives are discussed, emphasizing the role of leadership and strategic planning.

Future Directions: The episode concludes with a look at what’s next for the Green Task Force at Sunnybrook and final words of wisdom for others inspired to take eco-action.

About Our Guests:

Michael Lithgow: Manager of Energy & Climate Action in the Plant Operations and Maintenance Department at Sunnybrook. A Professional Engineer with over 30 years in energy efficiency and green buildings, Michael is dedicated to advancing sustainability initiatives at Sunnybrook.

Dr. Susan Deering: Division Lead for Long-Term Care in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Sunnybrook. Passionate about reducing healthcare’s environmental impact, Susan is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health with a focus on climate change and human health.

Genny Ng: Manager of Quality & Patient Safety at Sunnybrook. With a background in respiratory therapy and quality improvement, Genny is a driving force behind Sunnybrook’s sustainability efforts, including the introduction of beehives to the hospital.

Helpful Links:

Michael Lithgow | LinkedIn: Click Here

Susan Deering | LinkedIn: Click Here

Genny NG | LinkedIn: Click Here

Sunnybrook Health Science Centre | Website: Click Here

Sunnybrook Green Task Force | Website: Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear.

Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!

Did you know that healthcare is one of the largest contributors to pollution, waste, emissions, and overall environmental harm? As such, The HQ podcast is starting a series to examine and discuss this in more detail.

In this first episode, we explore the concept of planetary health, an area of growing importance around the world and within the healthcare sector. Joining us to unpack this complex and existential topic is Dr. Husein Moloo, a distinguished colorectal surgeon and visionary leader in the field of environmental sustainability within healthcare. Dr. Moloo, who serves as the inaugural Director for Planetary Health for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, brings to the conversation a wealth of knowledge and a passionate commitment to integrating quality improvement, patient safety, and environmental stewardship.

Together, we explore why healthcare's environmental impact is critical, how to encourage sustainable practices, and what it takes to move from eco-anxiety to eco-action. This episode delivers not only thought-provoking insights on planetary health but also practical strategies to engage healthcare professionals and leaders in making a tangible difference for our planet's health.

Tune in to gain valuable insights into the crucial connection between healthcare and planetary health, and learn how you can contribute to making a positive impact on both human health and the environment.

Key Discussions:

Understanding Planetary Health: Dr. Moloo provides a comprehensive explanation of what planetary health entails and why it is distinct from but related to climate change.

Healthcare's Environmental Impact: The conversation explores why the healthcare sector must focus on its environmental footprint. Dr. Moloo discusses the significant impact healthcare practices have on planetary health and the moral imperative for health professionals to address this issue.

Triple Bottom Line in Healthcare: Dr. Moloo explains the "Triple Bottom Line" concept and its application in healthcare. He discusses the importance of balancing environmental, social, and economic considerations to achieve sustainable health outcomes.

From Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Action: Addressing the prevalent issue of eco-anxiety, Dr. Moloo emphasizes the importance of empowering individuals and organizations to take meaningful actions towards sustainability.

Engaging Leadership and Workforce: Practical insights are provided on how to engage healthcare leadership and the workforce in driving environmental initiatives and fostering a culture of sustainability.

About Dr. Husein Moloo:

Dr. Husein Moloo is a colorectal surgeon with a deep commitment to quality improvement and patient safety. His interest in planetary health emerged from this intersection, leading to his current role as the inaugural Director for Planetary Health at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. He also advises the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada on planetary health and co-chairs the AFMC’s national planetary health committee. Dr. Moloo's leadership in this field is instrumental in advancing the conversation and actions needed to address the urgent environmental challenges facing the healthcare sector.

Helpful Links:

Dr. Husein Moloo | LinkedIn: Click Here

Planetary Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Website: Click Here

Planetary Health Report Card | Website: Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear.

Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!

Burnout is a widespread system issue that significantly impacts healthcare professionals today. The consequences are far-reaching, contributing to a healthcare system in crisis as professionals leave their jobs or struggle to continue in increasingly overwhelming conditions.

How can we address this pervasive issue? What is getting in our way? Is it a matter of knowing what to do, a lack of resources, or an issue of values and culture? How can we move beyond simple, often ineffective get-well fixes?

In this episode, we engage with Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley, a Registered Clinical Psychologist and an internationally recognised expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, to explore burnout and learn what healthcare leaders and organisations can do to facilitate meaningful changes that can reduce burnout and improve the well-being of all those involved in the care process.

Tune in to this enlightening episode for practical advice, scientific insights, and a compassionate look at one of the most pressing issues in healthcare today.

Key Discussions:

- Background and Journey: Dr. Lee-Baggley shares her personal journey from a healthcare provider to a leading expert in burnout and professional resiliency.

- Supporting Depleted Professionals: Strategies for helping healthcare professionals who are exhausted while facilitating necessary systemic changes, to create healthier work environments.

- Factors Contributing to Burnout: Beyond workload, what are the other factors contributing to burnout, and how can we address them?

- Effective Stress Management Tools: Why simple solutions like hydration, mindfulness, and yoga aren't enough for the healthcare workforce.

- Science-Based Solutions: Insights from research on how to address burnout effectively.

- Health, Wellness, and JEDI: Exploring the relationship between health and wellness initiatives and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) efforts, and the importance of behaviour change in these contexts.

About Dayna Lee-Baggley

Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley is a Registered Clinical Psychology with training and expertise in clinical psychology, health psychology, and organizational psychology. She worked as a health psychologist for almost 15 years in multidisciplinary teams on medical, surgical and cancer care hospital units with patients with chronic and life-threatening health conditions. She is an internationally recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.  She also conducts research at Dalhousie University and at Saint Mary’s University. She has an active research program on behavior change, obesity, chronic

Helpful Links: 

Dr. Lee-Baggley & Associates | Website: Click Here

ImpACTme app | Website: Click Here

Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley | LinkedIn: Click Here

The Burnout Burger | Article: Click Here

How to Identify Burnout in Our Employees and Colleagues| Article: Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear.

Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!

Welcome to a special milestone episode of The HQ Podcast! And what better way to celebrate our 50th episode than with another inspiring and critically important conversation. Today, we dive into a topic that's rapidly reshaping all parts of our lives, including the future of healthcare: artificial intelligence (AI).

Dale’s conversation with Dr. Muhammad Mamdani, Vice President of Data Science and Advanced Analytics at Unity Health Toronto is a must listen for everyone.

To be clear, this isn’t just any discussion about AI – we’re bringing you an exclusive conversation with an organization, team, and leader that is leading the field in an area that promises to be at least part of the critical solution needed for not only healthcare’s sustainability, but its improvement and transformation. It also holds an exciting key to our health workforce challenges,

Dr. Mamdani's expertise and groundbreaking work at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine makes him the perfect guest to unpack the promises and challenges of AI in healthcare. As we ponder the potential of AI, we can't ignore the pressing Health Human Resource crisis facing healthcare systems worldwide. Does AI innovation hold the promise to alleviate this crisis, offering solutions to ensure better healthcare access and delivery for all?

Join us as we engage with Dr. Mamdani to explore this question and discuss AI’s significance in modern healthcare, its role in tackling patient data challenges, and how leaders can leverage AI ethically without compromising decision-making capabilities.

Don't miss out on this milestone episode – it's one for the books!

Key Discussions:

• Defining AI in Healthcare: Dr. Mamdani elucidates what AI truly entails and its significance in modern healthcare.
• Addressing the Data Problem: We examine the role of AI in tackling the data challenges prevalent in healthcare systems.
• Impact on Clinicians and Health Services: Dr. Mamdani sheds light on how AI can empower clinicians and optimize healthcare services through data-driven insights.
• From Theory to Practice: Gain insights into the process of developing and implementing AI solutions in real-world healthcare scenarios.
• Translating AI into Practice: Explore practical applications of AI in healthcare, from managing emergency department volumes to optimizing patient flow and nurse staffing.
• Building AI Initiatives: Dr. Mamdani shares valuable insights on building successful AI initiatives, emphasizing the importance of infrastructure, teams, and organizational culture.
• Navigating Risks and Ethical Considerations: We discuss the ethical implications and risks associated with AI adoption in healthcare, including governance, privacy, bias, and security.

About Dr. Muhammad Mamdani, PharmD, MA, MPH

• Vice President – Data Science and Advanced Analytics at Unity Health Toronto
• Odette Chair in Advanced Analytics
• Faculty Affiliate – The Vector Institute
• Director – University of Toronto Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education Medicine (T-CAIREM)
• Affiliate Scientist – IC/ES
• Professor, University of Toronto

Dr. Mamdani is Vice President of Data Science and Advanced Analytics at Unity Health Toronto and Director of the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine (T-CAIREM). Dr. Mamdani’s team bridges advanced analytics including machine learning with clinical and management decision making to improve patient outcomes and hospital efficiency with over 50 AI solutions developed and deployed into clinical practice. Dr. Mamdani is also Professor in the Department of Medicine of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. He is also Affiliate Scientist at IC/ES and a Faculty Affiliate of the Vector Institute, which is a leading institution for artificial intelligence research in Canada. Further, Dr. Mamdani is a member of the Human Drug Advisory Panel of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB).

Previously, Dr. Mamdani founded the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN), which is among the world’s most impactful collaborations between researchers and drug policy decision-makers. He was also the Founding Director of the Li Ka Shing Centre for Healthcare Analytics Research and Training (LKS-CHART) of Unity Health Toronto and the Founding Director of the Applied Health Research Centre (AHRC) of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of Unity Health Toronto, which is Toronto’s leading academic research organization focused on the design and implementation of multicentre clinical research initiatives including large randomized clinical trials.

In 2010, Dr. Mamdani was named among Canada’s Top 40 under 40. Prior to joining the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Unity Health Toronto, Dr. Mamdani was a Director of Outcomes Research at Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals in New York. Dr. Mamdani’s research interests include pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, drug policy, and the application of advanced analytics approaches to clinical problems and health policy decision-making. He has published over 500 research studies in peer-reviewed medical journals, including leading journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, the Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the British Medical Journal, and Annals of Internal Medicine. His research has been cited over 45,000 times and has an h-index of over 100.

Dr. Mamdani obtained a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) in 1995 and subsequently completed a fellowship in pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research at the Detroit Medical Center in 1997. During his fellowship, Dr. Mamdani obtained a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan with a concentration in econometric theory. He then completed a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University in 1998 with a concentration in quantitative methods, focusing on biostatistics and epidemiological principles.

Helpful Links: 

Unity Health Toronto | Website: Click Here

Data Science and Advanced Analytics at Unity Health Toronto | Website: Click Here

Unity Health Toronto | Social: LinkedIn - Facebook - X (Formerly Twitter)

Dr. Muhammad Mamdani | LinkedIn: Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear. Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!

In episode 49 of The HQ Podcast, Dr. Allen Power, Schlegel Chair in Aging and Dementia Innovation at the Schlegel—University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging in Ontario and keynote speaker at the upcoming Walk With Me 2024 conference, joins us to explore the relationship between leadership, culture change, and organizational transformation all so very critical to changing our approach to long-term care and caring for our ageing population.

Dr. Power, an internationally recognized educator on transformational models of care for older adults, brings deep insight into the essence of culture change, the role of leadership in healthcare transformation, and the profound impact of these elements on long-term care and dementia care practices.

This episode of The HQ Podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in infusing more well-being into our systems of caring for those aging – because at some point, each and every one of us is going to need a system that intersects with our own values – and if we wouldn’t want to be served in our current system, how can we not be committed to changing it for our own futures, if not for those who need it today?

If you’re interested in learning more from Dr. Allen Power, be sure to connect with the upcoming Walk With Me 2024 conference taking place May 1st-3rd, 2024 in Ottawa.

Key Discussions:

The Essence of Culture Change: Dr. Power’s perspective on culture change and its significance in healthcare and personal passion.

Defining Transformation in Healthcare: Unpacking the buzzword 'transformation' and what it means for real-world healthcare practices.

Leadership Challenges in Healthcare and Long-Term Care: An exploration of the specific leadership challenges in these sectors and strategies for overcoming them.

Leadership’s Role in Transformation and Culture Change: How leadership can effectively drive change and the qualities leaders must embody to facilitate this process.

Approaching Aging and Dementia Care: Dr. Power's vision for long-term care and dementia care, including his call to action for stakeholders.

Employee Engagement and Wellness Post-Pandemic: Reflections on the pandemic's lessons for employee well-being and engagement in the context of cultural transformation.

About Dr. Allen Power

Dr. Allen Power is an internist, geriatrician, and Schlegel Chair in Aging and Dementia Innovation at the Schlegel—University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging in Ontario, Canada. He is also clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester, NY, and an internationally recognized educator on transformational models of care for older adults, particularly those living with changing cognitive abilities.

Dr. Power’s book, Dementia Beyond Drugs: Changing the Culture of Care was named a 2010 Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing. His second book, Dementia Beyond Disease: Enhancing Well-Being was released by Health Professions Press in 2014 and the second edition of Dementia Beyond Drugs was released in 2017. He has given workshops and seminars on this topic in 18 countries across 5 continents.

Dr. Power is also a trained musician and songwriter with four recordings. Peter, Paul and Mary performed his song of elder autonomy, “If You Don’t Mind”, and Walter Cronkite used his song, “I’ll Love You Forever” in a 1995 Discovery Channel profile of American families. He also recently co-wrote the songs for singer/songwriter Anne Hills’ 2021 album, Accidental August, and their song, “Witness” was composed for the 2022 Pioneer/Green House conference.

Dr. Power is currently working with Dr. Jennifer Carson and Pat Sprigg on a new book about creating inclusive communities for people living with dementia.

Helpful Links:

Dr. Allen Power | Website: Click Here

Dr. Allen Power | LinkedIn: Click Here

Walk With Me 2024 | Website: Click Here

Research Institute for Aging (RIA) | Website: Click Here

Research Institute for Aging (RIA) | Social: LinkedIn | Facebook | X

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear. Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!

In this thought-provoking episode of The HQ podcast, we dive into one of the critical topics surrounding the future of healthcare delivery and a key solution out of  the health human resource (HHR) crisis healthcare is facing today. With a special focus on the concepts of models of care and scope of practice, we explore the challenges and practical solutions to reshaping the healthcare landscape to meet current needs and address the burning question: are we utilizing our healthcare workforce in the most effective way possible?

Joining us for this conversation is Suzanne Madore, a remarkable health leader with 33 years of nursing experience, who has risen through the ranks to become the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive for The Ottawa Hospital (TOH). Suzanne brings with her to the conversation her unique leadership experience from a bedside nurse to a key figure tackling healthcare’s most significant challenges, such as surgical wait times, staff burnout, and hospital occupancy.

Join us for this insightful conversation as we explore the future of care delivery with one of healthcare’s most forward-thinking leaders.

Key Discussions:

• Tackling the Health Workforce Crisis: An in-depth look at HHR challenges including demographics, turnover, recruitment, and how these issues contribute to the current state of crisis in healthcare.
• Hard Truths and Impetus for Change: Suzanne addresses the hard truths health system leaders need to face and what drives the need for innovative solutions in today’s healthcare crisis.
• Evolution of Clinical Models of Care: A journey through the history and evolution of clinical models of care, spotlighting the shift towards team-based models and its implications for healthcare delivery.
• Operational Challenges and Solutions: From an operational standpoint, we discuss the complexities of implementing new care models and how they affect various roles within the healthcare system.
• Cultural Impact and Workforce Response: An exploration of how these changes affect the hospital's culture and the overall response from the workforce.
• Advice for Future Leaders: Suzanne offers her wisdom to other leaders, particularly HR leaders, who aim to make a difference in the healthcare landscape.

About Suzanne Madore:

Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive at The Ottawa Hospital

Suzanne Madore stands as a beacon of leadership and innovation within Canada’s largest academic health science centres. With a career spanning over three decades in nursing and executive roles, Suzanne’s approach to solving healthcare challenges through public-private partnerships, cross-hospital collaborations, and risk-taking has marked a significant impact on staff and patient outcomes. Her commitment to the profession and empathy for frontline staff continue to guide her work in developing new models of care and addressing healthcare’s most pressing issues.

Helpful Links: 

The Ottawa Hospital | Website: Click Here

The Ottawa Hospital | Social: Linkedin - Facebook - X (Formerly Twitter)

Suzanne Madore, COO & CNE at The Ottawa Hospital | LinkedIn: Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear. Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

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In episode 47 of The HQ podcast we discuss the fundamental role Canadian health research plays not only in uncovering game-changing new discoveries, but also in improving healthcare and health systems around the world.

From the discovery of insulin in 1921 to directing decades of scientific research that led to the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines to combat COVID-19, Canadian health research has always been a global leader. However, concerns are mounting that federal government investment in health research is no longer sufficient to develop and support Canada’s best and brightest minds as they work to uncover the discoveries that will address future challenges.

Learn as our expert panel goes “beyond the lab” to explain the importance of maintaining a strong Canadian health research ecosystem as the foundation for high-quality clinical care, a wealth generator with a tremendous return on investment, and our nation’s best defense against the next, inevitable pandemic.

About David Hill

Dr. David Hill is the integrated vice-president, Research, and scientific director of Lawson Health Research Institute at St. Joseph’s Health Care and London Health Sciences Centre and a professor at Western University.

About Ellen Chesney

Ellen Chesney is the Chief Administrative Office – Research at the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia, a $180 million research enterprise. She manages board governance and oversight of research across PHSA's eight agencies and four research institutes.

About Cindy Trytten

Cindy Trytten is Director of Research at Island Health Authority in BC where, at any one time, 30-40 clinical trials are taking place at Royal Jubilee, Victoria General and Nanaimo Hospitals. Cindy has particular expertise and interest in advancing research in Emerging Health Research Institutes in BC and Canada.

Helpful Links: 

Health research funding overview: CIHR Grants and Awards Expenditures - CIHR (cihr-irsc.gc.ca)

Background on the need for health research investment: HealthCareCAN | Federal health research funding needed - HealthCareCAN

What is health research? What is health research? - CIHR (cihr-irsc.gc.ca)

David Hill | LinkedIn: Click Here

Ellen Chesney | LinkedIn: Click Here

Cindy Trytten | LinkedIn: Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear. Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!

In episode 46 of The HQ podcast, we're exploring a topic at the heart of our health and well-being: Nutrition. With March marking National Nutrition Month, we're taking a closer look at the complexities surrounding nutrition and its profound impact on our health, especially as we age.

Joining us once again is Professor Heather Keller, the Schlegel Research Chair in Nutrition & Aging at the University of Waterloo. An internationally recognized expert in geriatric nutrition, Professor Keller's research spans nutrition risk, malnutrition identification and treatment, and enhancing the mealtime experience across care sectors. Her work aims to improve nutrition care processes and implement best practices, particularly among diverse groups in the community, including those living with dementia.

In this episode, we explore the essentials of nutrition and malnutrition, discussing not only the definitions but also the misconceptions surrounding these terms. The critical focus of our conversation is on the significant role nutritional health plays as we age – and what happens to seniors when it is assumed or goes unexamined by our healthcare system. Indeed, what is the impact of not diagnosing malnutrition in someone who is admitted for more than even 3 days?

Key discussion points include:

• What exactly are nutrition and malnutrition, and how do they differ?
• The impact of hospital stays on nutrition and how they can challenge patients, particularly the elderly.
• The unique nutritional challenges faced by older adults with cognitive impairments.
• The prevalence of malnutrition among older adults and its importance.
• Strategies to support the nutrition of older adults post-hospitalization to promote recovery and prevent rehospitalization.

Tune in as we unpack the vital role of nutrition in our health and how we, alongside healthcare professionals, can better support the nutritional needs of older adults, ensuring a healthier, more nourishing future.

About Heather Keller

Heather is an internationally recognized expert in geriatric nutrition, assessment, and treatment. Research areas focus on nutrition risk and malnutrition identification and treatment across care sectors; improving nutrition care processes and implementing screening and other best practices; supporting food intake of diverse groups living in the community, including those living with dementia; and improving hospital and residential food and promoting food intake and the mealtime experience in these settings. Professor Keller has led several national research and knowledge translation projects, including the landmark Nutrition Care in Canadian Hospitals, More-2-Eat and Making the Most of Mealtimes in Long Term Care studies. Professor Keller has published more than 250 peer-reviewed articles and translates much of this evidence into practice with tools and resources. As a founding member and past chair/co-chair (2009-2018) of the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force, she is involved in translating research into practice and advocating for improvements in nutrition care. She is currently the co-chair of the primary care working group for CMTF and involved in several national and international expert groups advancing the prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition. 

Helpful Links

Heather Keller | LinkedIn: Click Here 

Heather Keller | Twitter: @HeatherHKeller | @nutriagelab 

Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Again (RIA) | LinkedIn: Click Here 

Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Again (RIA) | Twitter: Click Here 

Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Again (RIA) | Facebook: Click Here 

Additional Resources: 

CHOICE+ | Website: Click Here 

Food Service & Nutrition Management in Healthcare | CHA Learning Program | Website: Click Here 

Long-Term Care Executive Leadership | CHA Learning Program | Website: Click Here 

People-Centred Care | CHA Learning Program | Website: Click Here 

In this thought-provoking episode of The HQ, we explore several different dimensions of aging and the innovations in seniors’ and long-term care and what it means to age well in Canada. For this conversation, we are joined by Zannat Reza, Director of the Future of Aging social impact team at SE Health, co-lead of the COURAGE: Action for Better Aging initiative, and host of SE Health's own podcast, The Future Age. Together, we discuss the pivotal role our healthcare leaders and organizations must play in fostering and facilitating new policies and a shift away from outdated models of care towards sustainable aging strategies, especially in light of our rapidly ageing population.

Join us as we learn from Zannat about the COURAGE: Action for Better Aging Initiative and the work being done to develop a better approach to aging and senior care across Canada. This is a fascinating conversation that is sure to get you talking as our society’s approach to aging is one that will impact us all, directly and/or through our families.

About Zannat Reza, MHSc

Zannat Reza is Director of the Future of Aging social impact team at SE Health, a not-for-profit home and community care organization, and a co-lead of the COURAGE: Action for Better Aging initiative.

Managing relationships and partners has been the cornerstone of Zannat’s career. She has worked in health communications for 25 years, including regular appearances on CBC News Network and being quoted frequently in the Toronto Star and the Canadian Press network. Before SE Health, Zannat ran a consulting company, worked at a social issues marketing agency, and managed a PR portfolio for an association. She has a Master of Health Sciences in Community Health, and her mission is to promote health and well-being to help people thrive at any age.

Helpful Links

Zannat Reza | LinkedIn: Click Here

Zannat Reza | Twitter: Click Here

SE Health | Website: Click Here

Future of Aging | Website: Click Here

COURAGE: Action for Better Aging | Website: Click Here

The Future Age Podcast | Website: Click Here

Additional Resources

Courage Action for Better Aging Roadmap for Action | Download: Click Here

Courage Action for Better Aging Discussion Paper | Download: Click here

Courage Action for Better Aging SYNERGY: Creating a New Vision for Living Report | Download : Click Here

Tell Us What You Think

We welcome your feedback about the HQ Podcast so we can continuously improve and create episodes that our listeners want to hear. Please take a few moments to fill out our short survey: Click Here

Don’t forget to subscribe to The HQ on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review!