Qualitycast North Qualitycast North

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 of it’s founders, Dr. Fiona Petigara, about its origins, how it operates and why it’s been so successful.

More information about Mind Space for interested patients and physicians can be found on their website at https://mind-space.ca and the BC Medical Journal at https://bcmj.org/shared-care/cbt-skills-spread-initiative-building-program-support-doctor-and-patient-mental-health

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 health to bring ketamine infusion therapy to patients experiencing refractory depression in his local area of Northwest BC. The QI project was a true team effort that included patient partners, a patient peer advocate, a psychiatrist, clerical and nursing support. The project achieved positive patient outcomes and received very positive patient feedback. Dr. Jakubec shares the successes and challenges of this innovative approach to supporting mental health, and also discusses the joys of hockey, impromptu dance parties, and the value of paying attention to our dreams.

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 and provided leadership for emergency medicine and trauma programs in Northern Health for many years before recently taking on a new role as the Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. Dr. Rowe provides some insights into what the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC does to protect the safety of patients accessing medical care in BC, the various quality programs it oversees, and the upcoming initiatives the CPSBC is engaged in to maintain and improve the quality of care in 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 guest today is Dr. Bill Clifford. Dr. Clifford is that rare combination of both physician and software developer, previously awarded the Order of BC and the Doug Cochrane Leadership in Quality Award for his leadership work as the (now retired) Chief Medical Information Officer for Northern Health and creator of the no. 1 ranked, Electronic Medical Record in Canada ‘MOIS’ (which stand for medical office information system).

Dr. Clifford shares his experiences with medical information and technology, which interestingly began with a career in forestry and inspiration from forestry growth and yield modelling. We also chat about the future role of emerging technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning in improving healthcare quality.

You can read more about Dr. Clifford's work and achievements here: Bill Clifford - Health Quality BC 

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 may seem intractable when it comes to providing healthcare, but rural physicians have responded by exploring the use of drone technology in their pursuit of healthcare equity. In this episode, we hear from Dr. John Pawlovich and project manager Sandy Lee about the UBC Drone Transport Initiative (DTI), an innovative project trialing the use of drone technology to improve geographic health equity in rural Northern BC that has developed in partnership between the Stellat’en First Nation, the Village of Fraser Lake, and the UBC Faculty of Medicine. Our guests share the joys of practicing and supporting medicine in rural and Indigenous communities, the importance and reward of community-led initiatives, and love for living and working in the beautiful province of BC.

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 been practicing in Prince George for over 18 years. In addition to being an award-winning family doctor and providing medical leadership to the Northern Gender Clinic, in Summer 2022, she successfully applied on behalf of the PGMSA for the Physician Peer Support Pilot Project, a Physician Health Program initiative. The Prince George Physician Peer Support Program was created as a way to combat burnout and support the mental well-being of other physicians. She also shares her own strategies for self-care such as early morning running and the drawing from stoic philosophy.