Shift: Conversations on Changing Canadian Health Care

KDA Consulting

Welcome to Shift! A podcast dedicated to exploring ideas, projects, practices, and policies that are reshaping the future of health care in Canada. Each episode delves into the dynamic world of health care innovation, featuring insightful discussions with leaders, thinkers, policymakers, researchers, and direct care practitioners who are driving change and finding solutions to enhance health and health care. My mission is to illuminate the challenges and celebrate the ideas that are changing Canadian health care. From ground-breaking technologies and policy reform to grassroots initiatives and patient-centric approaches, we aim to uncover the stories behind the progress. Join me as we navigate the complexities of health care transformation, inspire meaningful conversations, and foster a community committed to improving health outcomes for all Canadians.  Whether you're a health care professional, policymaker, or simply curious about the future of health care, Shift provides the insights and inspiration change makers need to stay informed and engaged.

  1. 1d ago

    Patient Health Homes: What They Are and Why You Deserve One

    In this episode, Kyla sits down with Dr Ginger Ruddy, a family physician and consultant with the Saskatchewan Medical Association, to break down what a patient medical home actually is, why the traditional fee-for-service model is holding us back, and what the future of primary care could look like for every person in this province. From Swift Current's same-day access model to the barriers of union integration and funding gaps, this is a frank conversation about the shift that's already underway — and what it will take to get there for everyone. Also, tune in at the end for another Shift Shout Out where we highlight an innovation from a nurse practitioner in Toronto who is reducing falls in hospitals and long-term care facilities across Canada with her innovative technology.     Resources ·      Crowfoot Family Practice, Calgary  ·      Advancing Patient Medical Home: Insights from Swift Current  ·      Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) —  ·      Innovation Fund  ·      HALO Article (October 2025) ·      UHN Inventor of the Year ·      HALO Website

    59 min

  2. May 29

    Beyond the Back of the Ambulance: How Paramedicine is Evolving to Fill Gaps in Care

    In this episode, we sit down with Angela Sereda, a senior leader in Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) with Medavie West, to discuss the shift happening in paramedicine. Angela shares her 33-year journey from a high school athletic trainer to a leader in community-based paramedicine. We explore how paramedics are expanding their role from being a purely reactive 911 service to becoming a proactive, integrated part of the healthcare system—meeting people where they’re at with the services they need.   If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe, share with friends and/or leave a review.  You can also follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn by searching @shiftpodcastcanada for more stories about transforming healthcare in Canada  Resources & Links   Medavie Video Promising Practice: Medavie Community Paramedicine (Report from Health Excellence Canada) Medavie Integrated health Medavie Integrated Care Facility Programs Withdrawal Management Hospital at Home (Vancouver)

    42 min

  3. May 15

    An Unlikely Duo Working Together to Address Transportation Challenges for Older Adults

    In this episode, we explore an unlikely but powerful partnership between Terry Kostyna, a "get-shit-done" (GSD) entrepreneur and small-town mayor, and  Dr. Jacob Al Hassan, an academic researcher focused on health equity. Together, they discuss their work with the Health Quality Council’s "Thrive at Home" initiative, specifically focusing on how rural communities can innovate to provide sustainable transportation for seniors. From volunteer-run shuttles to specialized software, Terry and Jacob share how they are working to bridge the gap between research and action to ensure older adults can age in place with dignity.   Resources  Health Quality Council's Thrive at Home InitiativeA Call for a Transportation StrategyPrince George's Social Prescribing InitiativeDrive Happiness (Alberta)Gravelbourg Cares Shuttle

    50 min

  4. Apr 30

    How Failure Demand Keeps Us Stuck with John Mortimer

    In this episode, I sit down with John Mortimer, a specialist in systemic service design and founder of Impro, to tackle a concept that is silently draining the resources and morale of our health care system: Failure Demand. John explains that much of the "spinning" felt by practitioners today—the feeling of running faster while staying in the same place—is the result of a system designed to manage the consequences of its own failures rather than meeting the actual needs of the person. If you have ever felt that you or your organization is only as helpful as the rules allow, this conversation offers ideas for finding traction in the spin and eliminating the invisible drain of failure demand. Resources John’s Videos on YouTube   Buurtzorg Model  Human Learning Systems

    52 min

  5. Apr 17

    Who’s Missing?: Equity Informed Health and Health Services with Erin Beckwell

    Recorded just twenty-four hours before Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR)—formerly known as AIDS Saskatoon—officially closed its doors on April 9, 2026, this episode features a deep dive conversation with social worker and advocate Erin Beckwell.  Erin shares her decade-long history with AIDS Saskatoon, starting from its roots as a community-led response to the HIV crisis to its evolution into a vital institution that provided life-saving services in the community.  As you will hear, Erin and her co-workers were doing Relational Service long before it even had a name.   In this timely conversation, we explore what it means to lead with a health equity lens, the frustrations of working in a huge bureaucracy, and the opportunity to do change approaches when we think outside the health care box.  Resources  Prairie Harm Reduction (formerly AIDS Saskatoon) Wellness Wheel Clinic (Regina) University Health Network Housing Model Video: How Public Policy Creates Poverty with Colleen Christopherson-Cote This Week's Shift Shout Out:  Trillium Heath Partners AI Challenge

    52 min

  6. Apr 3

    If It Ain’t Broke, Break It: The Courage to Disrupt the Status Quo with Dan Florizone and Marlene Smadu

    In this episode, I sit down with two of Saskatchewan’s most experienced health care leaders, Dan Florizone and Marlene Smadu, to explore a fundamental crisis in leadership: why we continue to treat an infinite system like a “finite game."  Drawing on their decades of experience—from pioneering "Magnet" hospital environments in the late 90s to their current work teaching excellence in health leadership—Dan and Marlene discuss the urgent need to shift away from "command and control" culture brought in by the militaristic and religious structures of the 20th century. They reflect on how the modern health care system is often trapped by finite thinking, where leaders are pressured by four-year election cycles to "win" short-term battles like surgical wait-time targets, often at the expense of the long-term sustainability of the workforce and the system itself. We also discuss the power of the public and the direct care workforce as the greatest untapped resources for change. Marlene emphasizes that we have a well-educated public and 44,000 staff members who are "bursting to participate" if only they are given an invitation and a "North Star" to follow. While the administrative and logistical challenges are significant, both guests leave us with a message of deep hope, noting that the clinical breakthroughs and the "Patient First" shift in the last decade have been significant.  This episode is a call to action for leaders at every level to embrace humility, curiosity, and transparency to build a health care system that is not just fit for the next election, but fit for the next century.   Resources: The Infinite Game – Simon Sinek Excellence in Healthcare Leadership Program Kouzes & Posner Leadership Model Berkana Two Loops Model Raise Her Community Industrial Disease

    58 min

  7. Mar 27 ·  Bonus

    Quarter One Learnings

    In this special episode, Kyla pauses her interviews to reflect on the key themes and insights from the first three months of the podcast.  Kyla shares what she's gleaned from conversations with Dennis, Andy, Teri, Kath and Steven - distilling the learnings from each of them into practical ideas to shift the system.

    9 min

  8. Mar 20

    Why $8.5 Billion Won't Fix Saskatchewan's Healthcare System but a Little Imagination Might with Steven Lewis.

    In this episode, I sit down with Steven Lewis, a veteran health policy consultant and former CEO of Saskatchewan’s Health Services Utilization and Research Commission (HSURC). With decades of experience at the intersection of policy, research, and system reform, Steven offers a "voice of truth" that cuts through the bureaucratic clutter.   We dive deep into a critique of the broader Canadian "sick care" strategy. Steven explains why doubling down on hospital beds and a "scarcity narrative" is a failure of imagination, and he points us toward international models—like Scotland and Denmark—that prioritize health creation over sick care delivery.  It's a timely conversation as Saskatchewan announced an $8.5 Billion investment in healthcare just following our discussion.  Will that finally solve our problems?  Steven doesn't think so.   Resource Links:  Saskatchewan 2026-27 Health Budget UHN Dunn's House The Regina Hospital Physician Culture Report Scotland’s Population Health Framework Choosing Wisely

    1h 19m
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About

Welcome to Shift! A podcast dedicated to exploring ideas, projects, practices, and policies that are reshaping the future of health care in Canada. Each episode delves into the dynamic world of health care innovation, featuring insightful discussions with leaders, thinkers, policymakers, researchers, and direct care practitioners who are driving change and finding solutions to enhance health and health care. My mission is to illuminate the challenges and celebrate the ideas that are changing Canadian health care. From ground-breaking technologies and policy reform to grassroots initiatives and patient-centric approaches, we aim to uncover the stories behind the progress. Join me as we navigate the complexities of health care transformation, inspire meaningful conversations, and foster a community committed to improving health outcomes for all Canadians.  Whether you're a health care professional, policymaker, or simply curious about the future of health care, Shift provides the insights and inspiration change makers need to stay informed and engaged.

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