Qualitycast North

We’re returning to Northeast BC today and the subject might make some listeners squirm a little in their seats. We talk to Dr. Damian Fay, a rural GP and sexual health practitioner based in Hudson’s Hope about his QI work improving his vasectomy service. We talk about the challenges patients experience in accessing care in the North before the conversation takes a lighthearted turn towards the pros and cons of living and working in the north, craft beer and a novel way to get your triathlon track times down. 

We’ve showcased a lot of excellent physician-led quality improvement work on this podcast with its corresponding positive impact on patient care. But what is the effect of doing this work on the physicians themselves? Talking about the benefits of doing QI on her day-to-day work, life and career is today’s guest Dr. Daisy Dulay, a cardiologist based in Victoria, BC. In this episode we discuss career paths, purpose, rediscovering joy in our work and “slow medicine”.Links:Northern Health PQISpreading Quality Improvement | SSC

Recruitment and retention of front-line staff is a major challenge across healthcare systems globally right now, and no more so than in small, rural communities across Northern British Columbia. Today’s guest Dr. Kate Niethammer, a rural GP and obstetrician based in Smithers, BC, explains how she, using a QI approach and asking what mattered to them, was able to reverse nurse shortages and help re-establish full staffing levels in her unit. In this episode we talk about the benefits of living in the North and the universal power of pizza. Links:  Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Fra...

Recruitment and retention of front-line staff is a major challenge across healthcare systems globally right now, and no more so than in small, rural communities across Northern British Columbia. Today’s guest Dr. Kate Niethammer, a rural GP and obstetrician based in Smithers, BC, explains how she, using a QI approach and asking what mattered to them, was able to reverse nurse shortages and help re-establish full staffing levels in her unit. In this episode we talk about the benefits of living in the North and the universal power of pizza.  Links:  Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Fram...

With the current challenges faced by healthcare organizations around the world, maintaining staff morale and Joy in Work is a daunting task. The response of one medical imaging department in Northern British Columbia? Competitive baking! This week we interview James Cheesman, a Medical Radiation Technologist at The University Hospital of Northern British Columbia about “The Great X-Ray Bake Off”. With staff bakers competing for the Grandmaster Baker title and trophy, all other staff tasting and scoring the delicious entries and a resulting improvement in departmental morale and camaraderie, it’s a win-win solution for everyone. If you enjoyed this e...

When improving or making changes to the way organizations provide health care, it often seems the last person consulted is the patient themselves. This seemingly perverse order of priority is a lingering throwback to a more historical and paternalistic model of care. One person looking to change this is today’s guest Kim Eggers, the Patient Partner Advisor for Northern Health’s Physician Quality Improvement program. In this episode we learn about Kim’s background, her motivation for patient advocacy and her vision for the co-creation of health care services.Resources:Patient Voices Network of British Columb...

We’re back for our fourth season with our new co-host, Lee Cameron. Our season opener is a cracker featuring special guest Ciro Panessa, the new CEO of Northern Health. In this episode we talk about Ciro’s journey to CEO, his first 9 months, and Northern Health’s priorities over the next 5 years. We also touch on life on the road and why ultimately, he’s grateful.  Resource links:  Northern Health  Northern Health Physician Quality Improvement   “The First 90 Days” book by Michael D. Watkins

It’s our Season 3 finale and a special episode tinged with a little sadness as it’s our Producer and Co-host Deanna’s last episode with QCN. This week I turn the tables on Deanna and ask about her experiences on the show and to take us through her favourite interviews from our first three seasons. Which guests did she choose? You’ll have to listen to find out! Qualitycast North will return in the Autumn with Season 4 and we’re planning a special QI clinic episode in which we answer listeners’ questions on healthcare quality improvement. Where are yo...

According to Statistics Canada, Canada is currently experiencing a huge increase in unmet mental health needs. The prevalence of anxiety, depression and social phobia have jumped since the Covid pandemic. How can our health systems cope with this surge in demand for mental health services when the medical community itself is in crisis with physician shortages and burnout commonplace? Well, there’s good news in British Columbia. A hugely successful, community-based, mental health service based on in-person and virtual group medical visits is spreading throughout the province. It’s called Mind Space and, in this episode, we interview one...

Depression is a common and debilitating mental health condition affecting millions of people worldwide. Despite the availability of various treatment options, a significant proportion of individuals with depression do not achieve adequate symptom relief. One promising newer treatment is ketamine infusion therapy, but its current availability is relatively limited. Dr. Darren Jakubec is a GP anesthetist practicing in Smithers, where in addition to supporting surgeries at Bulkley Valley Regional Hospital, he provides pain management, counselling, and runs a dream clinic. Dr. Jakubec saw a unique quality improvement opportunity to use his skills and experience with anesthesia and mental...

One of the most important aspects of quality in healthcare is patient safety. We often read or hear media reports of healthcare failures in patient safety, system errors and patients falling between the gaps but there is another piece to patient and public safety which is ensuring that our licensed physicians are safe to practice medicine in the first place. This role usually falls to the Provincial and Territorial Colleges and is a crucial one when it comes to protecting the public. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Patrick Rowe, who has practiced emergency medicine in Northern BC...

In this episode we’re talking about a topic which every practicing clinician seems to have an opinion on, whether good or bad. Healthcare IT systems and electronic medical records or ‘EMR’s. Over the last few decades, we’ve seen a massive expansion in the number and reach of these IT systems into every aspect of medicine and across our entire healthcare infrastructure. And although bringing benefits to the care we provide to patients; a new IT system somehow always seems to receive a mixed reception from front line clinical staff.  Here today to talk about healthcare IT and EMRs, our...

Drones, which are basically autonomous flying robots, have a variety of applications from controversial military operations to agriculture, cinematography, and package deliveries. Can this technology support improved healthcare services and healthcare equity in rural locations? Northern British Columbia comprises a vast geographical area the size of France, with a significantly smaller and dispersed population. Road links and municipal infrastructure to many of the smaller communities is limited and the harsh Canadian winters compound challenges to living during 6 months of the year. These challenges especially impact remote Indigenous communities, where accessing simple diagnostics or a pharmacy is greatly limited. These obstacles...

Today, the practice of modern medicine has changed and is now far more intense, complex and demanding of physicians than ever before. It may not come as a surprise to find, therefore, that physicians are now burning out at an ever increasing rate. The issue is one that often remains hidden or unrecognized but has implications for the resilience and sustainability of our healthcare system.  On todays episode we’re talking about Physician wellness and burnout, and the inspirational work local physicians are engaging in to tackle this growing issue. Dr. Ingrid Cosio is a family physician who has...

It is well established that Indigenous peoples accessing the health system are subject to harm, and a lower quality of care. Many healthcare organizations are acknowledging this truth and making commitments to address systemic anti-Indigenous racism and improve cultural safety within the healthcare system. In this episode, we’re hearing from Northern Healths collaborative medical leads for Indigenous Health Drs Todd Alec and Sheona Mitchell-Foster. Dr. Alec is an Indigenous physician originally from Nak'azdli Whut'en, Beaver Clan. He currently practices family medicine with Carrier Sekani Family Services, located on the traditional territories of the Lheidli T’enneh (colonially known as Prin...

We're back with our 3rd season of Qualitycast North, with a great episode on improvement in the Ultrasound department. Ultrasound departments everywhere have never been busier and patients with complaints involving all parts of the body visit the department every day.  Ultrasound is the first line choice for visualization of the appendix when diagnosing possible appendicitis in children, young adults and pregnant women. When the appendix is not visualized on ultrasound, the patient may be scheduled for a CT which introduces additional radiation and may delay diagnosis and therefore delay treatment. At the University Hospital of Northern BC (U...

Approximately 10% of the population (which translates to around 500,000 people in BC) believes they have a penicillin allergy and are labelled as such in their patient records, but in reality, more that 90% of these patients do not have a true penicillin allergy.  These false penicillin allergy labels can have serious consequences to both individual patients and the system; a false allergy label can lead to the use of an alternative antibiotic, which may have increased side effects, increased costs, and can lead to antibiotic resistance. Proactively ‘de-labelling’ patients that have an inaccurate penicillin allergy label can help avoid these risks. Dr. Tiffa...

In this episode, we are featuring the Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) program’s provincial alumni co-leads, Dr. Lawrence Yang and Dr. Hussein Kanji. Dr. Yang practices in a ‘family-family’ practice alongside his wife and brothers, providing cradle-to-grave care in Surrey, BC. Dr. Kanji is a critical care physician that works primarily in the ICU at Vancouver General Hospital and is passionate about developing the ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) programming there. Both Drs Yang and Kanji came to the PQI program though a need to solve their own frustrations with the healthcare system. After graduating from their respective level 3 PQI cohorts (which...

Dr. Shannon Douglas grew up in the Omineca area of Northern BC and has been dog sledding in the Fort St James area since her youth. She now practices medicine in the same region and is the Medical Director for the Lakes Omineca region and loves the diversity of patients she cares for everyday. This region includes Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Fort St. James, Burns Lake, Southside and Granisle. Chronic pain is a debilitating, complex condition that effects >60,000 people within the Northern Health region, and many patients use opioids to manage their pain. In 2016-2017 it became apparent that that opioid...

The Northern Medical Program (NMP) is an inspiring Northern success story based on community action.  The NMP is a unique medical undergraduate program that educates future doctors with a focus on rural health. Dr. Paul Winwood is the current Regional Associate Dean of the program, a position he has had for over 10 years. Originally from the United Kingdom, Dr. Winwood settled in Prince George to practice gastroenterology, academic medicine, and provide leadership to the NMP. He loves the community here and especially enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, skiing in the winter and boating in the summer. In this e...