Qualitycast North

Qualitycast North
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The Qualitycast North podcast showcases Northern British Columbian physicians and healthcare workers and their work in improving the quality of healthcare where they live. In an interview format, our host Dr. Shyr Chui invites guests to talk about their careers in rural medicine, and how they are improving healthcare through innovative quality improvement projects.  Episodes are released every 2 weeks. Qualitycast North is a production of the Northern Health Physician Quality Improvement initiative, and is co-produced by Dr. Shyr Chui, and PQI Coach Lee Cameron. This Initiative is a flagship program of the Specialist Services Committee which represents a collaborative partnership between our provincial government and Doctors of BC, and includes regular representation from the local health authorities.

  1. 7h ago

    Closing the health equity gap. Improving Cardiac Health in Remote Indigenous Communities with a Mobile Health Unit featuring Dr. Miles Marchand

    We’re kicking off series 6 of Qualitycast North with new theme music and more great interviews with health care heroes and champions from across Canada. And have we got a great series opener for you! When it comes to cardiovascular health outcomes, there is a large gap between indigenous and non-indigenous patients which becomes even larger for those living in rural communities. This gap is multifactorial but includes barriers of access to specialist care as well as cultural barriers.  Dr. Miles Marchand, a cardiologist based in Vancouver, is tackling this inequity head on with a new, mobile health clinic model. Turning the traditional model of diagnostics and specialist care delivery on its head, we discover how patient-centered care provided in this way can save time to diagnosis, reduce travel time, increase patient satisfaction and improve health outcomes thus closing the equity gap. Links:Rural Coordination Centre of British ColumbiaOne Heart at a TimeTransforming Cardiovascular Care or Remote Indigenous Communities (YouTube)Dr. Miles MarchandIn Remote Communities, an Indigenous Cardiologist’s Program is Succeeding (The Tyee)

    Closing the health equity gap. Improving Cardiac Health in Remote Indigenous Communities with a Mobile Health Unit featuring Dr. Miles Marchand

  2. 2d ago

    Goodbye Season 5, Hello Season 6

    Season 5 is a wrap! And what a great season it's been. To close off, Lee and Shyr share their personal highlights and favourite Qualitycast North interviews from the last year.  We're also super excited about what's planned for Season 6 with a teaser about what's coming up.  You're not going to want to miss an episode so subscribe and follow our channel to get updates when every episode drops.  Please tell your friends and co-workers about us and help expand our community of healthcare quality improvers.   We also want your feedback so email us at qualitycomms@northernhealth.ca with your comments, questions and topics for future episodes. Listen and subscribe: NH PQI Qualitycast North, also available on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Links:NH PQI Qualitycast North NHPQIphysicianqi@northernhealth.ca

    Goodbye Season 5, Hello Season 6

  3. Oct 16

    The invisible army and the essential contribution of caregivers to health featuring Wendy Johnstone from Family Caregivers BC.

    Behind nearly every patient in the health care system is an often-unseen family caregiver providing essential support. Their contribution is immense, yet remains largely invisible. When that support breaks down it affects health outcomes, care quality, and the system as a whole. In this episode, we speak with Wendy Johnstone, Director of Programs and Innovation at Family Caregivers BC, about the vital but under-recognized role of family caregivers. We discuss the scale of their contribution, why their work and personal needs are so often overlooked, how support can make a difference, and what health care providers can do to recognize and support caregivers alongside their patients. If you have ever supported a family member through illness, this episode is for you. Links:Family Caregivers BC - Resources for Health-Care ProvidersHub: https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/resources-for-health-care-providers/resourcesRefer a family caregiver Online Referral Tool — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/refer#refer Referral & Consent Form (PDF) — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Caregiver-Rx-Referral-Consent-Form-2026.pdf Caregiver Support Line — 1-877-520-3267 (Mon–Fri 8:30–4:00, free) Quick guides & tools Caregiver Rx in Practice: A Quick Guide for HCPs (video) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B93vRljVxc At-A-Glance Guide for Healthcare Providers (PDF) — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/An-At-A-Glance-Guide-for-Healthcare-Providers-3.pdf Caregiver Rx Resources Order Form — https://form.jotform.com/250666938883071 RISE-UP Toolkit for Young Caregivers (PDF) — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/RISEUP_Toolkit_Final.pdf Learn - Our Learning Centre Caregiver Learning Centre (read, watch, listen, short courses) — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/caregiver-learning-center/ Education Webinars for Health Care Providers — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/webinars-for-health-care-providers/watch/ Stay connected Caregiver Rx E-News (subscribe) — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/for-health-care-providers/stay-connected-and-join-our-caregiver-rx-mailing-list Caregiver Connection Newsletters — https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/caregiver-connection/

    The invisible army and the essential contribution of caregivers to health featuring Wendy Johnstone from Family Caregivers BC.

  4. Oct 2

    Cutting the Carbon Footprint of Health Care featuring Dr. Maura Brown

    Climate change was front and centre this past summer, from another severe wildfire season to record-breaking heat domes around the world. If these environmental threats leave you feeling helpless or anxious about the future, you’re not alone.  In a Qualitycast North first, we explore planetary health and sustainable health care with Dr. Maura Brown, a radiologist at BC Cancer in Vancouver and a strong advocate for sustainability in medical imaging. D Dr. Brown discusses the scale of health care’s carbon footprint, how quality improvement science can help teams and facilities bring a sustainability lens to their work, and practical ways to address climate anxiety. She also shares steps we can take today, this week, and this month to reduce our own carbon footprint. For anyone ready to take planetary health seriously, Dr. Brown offers the motivation to take that important first step. Links:Cascades Canada: Environment Sustainability in RadiologySustainable QIClimate Communications: Katherine HayhoePotential Energy Coalition:  Nonprofit marketing and research group that focuses on planet-wide climate communication. They conduct advanced message testing and human-centered research to uncover the most effective ways to talk about climate change and drive public demand for solutions Potential EnergyAyana Elizabeth Johnson:  TED Talk: How to Find Joy in Climate ActionEAT Lancet Commission: The EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy, sustainable, and just food systemsShift – Action for pension wealth and planet health: Shift - Protect Your Pension and the Planet

    Cutting the Carbon Footprint of Health Care featuring Dr. Maura Brown

  5. Sep 18

    Keeping rural emergency department doors open with VERRa featuring Dr. Brydon Blacklaws

    As temporary rural emergency room closures become more common and the rural physician shortage continues, virtual physician support is increasingly important for keeping hospital doors open. The Rural Coordination Centre of BC has long been a leader in this area, offering a lifeline to rural emergency departments through its Virtual Emergency Room Rural Assistance program, or VERRa.  In this interview, rural emergency physician Dr. Brydon Blacklaws shares the origins and evolution of VERRa, how the service works, where virtual support is most effective, and where its limits lie. We also explore the broader value of virtual support—from helping local physicians get much-needed rest, to providing an extra “virtual” pair of hands, to being present in the trauma room alongside rural doctors and nurses. Enjoy this heartfelt conversation as Brydon explains why providing virtual support can be just as rewarding as receiving it. Links:RCCbcCanadian Journal of Emergency Medicine Article about VERRaReal-Time Virtual Support (RTVS) VERRa

    Keeping rural emergency department doors open with VERRa featuring Dr. Brydon Blacklaws

  6. Sep 4

    Say goodbye to unproductive meetings with better facilitation featuring Jennifer Aitken

    This week, we focus on a topic everyone can relate to: bad meetings. According to today’s guest, Jennifer Aitken, unproductive meetings can often be avoided with more forethought, clearer structure, and better preparation.  Jennie is Director of Medical Staff Quality and Improvement for Island Health and a professional facilitator with the Sofia Group. In this interview, we explore why meetings often fall short, how anyone can strengthen their facilitation skills, the organizational value of better facilitation, and the rewards of helping groups reach those meaningful “aha” moments. Links and resources: The Sofia Group Steven G. Rogelberg, The Surprising Science of Meetings: How you can lead your team to peak performance (2019) Priya Parker, The Art of Gathering: How we meet and why it matters (2018) J. Elise Keith, Where the Action Is: The meetings that make or break your organization (2018) John Koenig  The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows Dr. David Rock, SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others (2008). Liberating Structures

    Say goodbye to unproductive meetings with better facilitation featuring Jennifer Aitken

  7. Aug 21

    Healing our health care system through Truth and Reconciliation featuring Barbara Taylor

    After several high-profile incidents and the subsequent BC governments In Plain Sight report published in 2020, a new policy and educational framework aimed at eradicating Indigenous-Specific Anti-Racism (or ISAR) has emerged to tackle the deep-seated attitudes and impacts of settler colonialism.  At the forefront of this work is today’s guest Barb Taylor. Barb is not only a front-line hospital bed coordinator, indigenous patient partner, and indigenous patient advocate working across many tables in BC’s healthcare system, she’s also a staunch advocate of the role of healthcare quality improvement in this work.  In this interview we talk about barriers to equitable care for indigenous peoples, the difference between cultural awareness and safety and what matters to her in terms of indigenous health.  We also touch on where Truth and Reconciliation should take our health care system and what her ideal future state in BC’s health care system looks like. Listen out for the Easter egg trailing a future episode on the subject of MAID in an indigenous cultural context during the closing music. Links:In Plain Sight

    Healing our health care system through Truth and Reconciliation featuring Barbara Taylor

  8. Aug 7

    Texting MYDOC for better diabetes care featuring Dr. Eiko Waida

    A familiar voice returns to the podcast this week. Dr. Eiko Waida, who recently joined us as co-host for the special series on the Romanow Report, takes the guest’s seat today talking about her own quality improvement work in the pediatric diabetes clinic at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.  We hear how her improvement work, although initially aimed at improving clinic staff morale, turned into a ground-breaking pilot project improving timely, patient-centered care using a texting platform.  This successful project subsequently introduced a new model of care, improved the patient and provider experience, and offers further applications in the management of other chronic diseases.  Links:Physician Quality Improvement (Interior Health) Evaluating the utility of texting in the ambulatory care of pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes. Eiko Waida et al. BMJ Open Quality. 2025 Mar 31;14(1) Qualitycast North

    Texting MYDOC for better diabetes care featuring Dr. Eiko Waida
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About

The Qualitycast North podcast showcases Northern British Columbian physicians and healthcare workers and their work in improving the quality of healthcare where they live. In an interview format, our host Dr. Shyr Chui invites guests to talk about their careers in rural medicine, and how they are improving healthcare through innovative quality improvement projects.  Episodes are released every 2 weeks. Qualitycast North is a production of the Northern Health Physician Quality Improvement initiative, and is co-produced by Dr. Shyr Chui, and PQI Coach Lee Cameron. This Initiative is a flagship program of the Specialist Services Committee which represents a collaborative partnership between our provincial government and Doctors of BC, and includes regular representation from the local health authorities.

Information

  • Creator
    Qualitycast North
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Qualitycast North