Healthcare Change Makers

Welcome to Healthcare Change Makers, a podcast produced by HIROC. I’m Ellen Gardner with Michelle Holden and Philip De Souza.

Today’s guests are Janice Kaffer, former President and CEO of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in Windsor and Bill Marra, current President and CEO of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.

Although she formally retired from the CEO position in January, Janice has stayed involved through a project looking at re-establishing the hospital’s role in long-term care. She’s also taking an Executive Coaching course at Royal Roads University.

Bill and Janice have a connection based on mutual respect, admiration, and camaraderie, some of it formed through working closely during the pandemic and their shared passion for the mission of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.

Bill’s association with the hospital goes back to his teen years when he worked in the dietary department. Although his career took him in many diverse directions – including serving six terms as a municipal councillor for the City of Windsor – he never fully stepped away from the hospital. He stayed involved through his work on the foundation and as VP, People, Mission, Communications and Corporate Affairs.

When Janice approached Bill about being part of the CEO succession plan, he was humbled and flattered. The hospital is engaged in many development projects and a key area of focus for him right now is attracting new talent and developing the leadership team. Bill is comforted knowing he’s got Janice on speed dial whenever he needs her.

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Quotables

“Hôtel-Dieu Grace is always going to be a priority for me and anything that the hospital and Bill needs, I will always be there.” – JK

“I wanted to ensure that every moment of every day that I served in that capacity was creating impact.” – BM

“I still pinch myself every once in a while, to be honest with you. It’s a very humbling experience to be asked to lead an organization of this nature.” – BM

“One of the really important leadership pieces is to always remember the mentorship piece. There are people watching you and learning from you, so we have an obligation to ensure that what they’re taking away from us is positive and reinforcing and inspiring.” – JK

“One of her qualities that I admired the most was her authenticity with our staff. Her authentic effort to get to know, to understand, and respect the people around her.” – BM

“It may not always be great news, but the respect and admiration you’ll get from those you lead because you’re communicating with them, keeping them engaged – they’re going to feel part of the organization.” – BM

“It’s so incredibly important particularly in healthcare, that CEOs don’t lead from their office desk, that they’re out and about in the organization, hearing directly from the frontline staff and from patients and families.” – JK

Mentioned in this Episode:

Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare

Bill Marra and Municipal Politics

Royal Roads University

The Heart of Coaching by Thomas G. Crane

Change is Good but You Go First by Tom Feltenstein and Mac Anderson

June’s Journey

At HIROC, we recognize the critical importance of good governance in healthcare, and its impact on safe, quality care.

What makes for a positive relationship between a senior leadership team and their board? This year, we are digging deeper on Healthcare Change Makers and talking all about governing with impact.

Today HIROC’s CEO, Catherine Gaulton, sits down with Jo-anne Marr, President and CEO, and Mike Arnew, Board Chair at Oak Valley Health.

The two talk about the importance of healthy debate around the board table, where both leadership and the board need to approach decision making with a bit of humility.

This is a great episode for emerging and seasoned leaders who are looking for a clear path forward.

Quotables

“Governors work in partnership with the CEO and senior leadership team with respect to addressing key issues and decisions.” – JM

“Certainly, in my role I always think about, well if I was on this board, what would I want to be hearing? What level of conversation would I want to have?” – CG

“You have to trust that you can share the good, the bad and the ugly.” – MA

“I think we have to expect that board members, as Mike said, will ask lots of hard questions. I think we have to be really open to all of them, and maybe guiding a little bit when it’s too operational.” – JM

Mentioned in this Episode:

• HIROC

• Oak Valley Health

• Ontario Health

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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Email us at [email protected].

Welcome to Healthcare Change Makers, a podcast produced by HIROC. I’m Ellen Gardner with Philip de Souza.

Today’s guest is Susan Bisaillon, CEO of The Safehaven Project for Community Living. Susan started her career in healthcare as a nurse in St. Anthony, Newfoundland, later moving west to St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, then to UHN where she worked as a clinical nurse specialist and nurse manager in the CCU. She moved on to direct the Neuroscience Program and oversee Clinical Operations at Trillium Health Partners.

Before joining Safehaven, Susan was the Chief Operating Officer at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.

She grew up in a small community in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, and says it was a strong sense of curiosity and desire to keep learning that motivated her to move to the bigger centres.

Early in her time at Safehaven, Susan and her leadership team noticed the lack of education and support for people working in the community. The subsequent development of education programs has moved far beyond their walls to the point where the organization is now seen as a leader in the delivery of education.

In recognition of their role as Infection Prevention and Control Lead Champion for Toronto Region during the pandemic, Safehaven received the Celebrating the Human Spirit award from the Canadian College of Health Leaders. HIROC is proud to play a role in supporting that award. The award goes to an organization that provides acts of caring and compassion that go above and beyond – having a profound and lasting impact.

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Quotables

“The continuum of care for individuals with complexities is really not developed well in Ontario, and I just felt that the timing was there to be able to make some changes that could potentially help other families and individuals in the community.” – SB

“I do think the next big frontier is community care. And I see it every day – it’s tough work.” – SB

“Our goal is to try to let these kids have fun, and go to school, and participate in a way that it’s not all about appointments and care – it’s about living your best life.” – SB

“I think HIROC is an organization that we all look to – it’s an organization that really helps keep us safe, on track… Having that award from HIROC that really recognizes the spirit of the work that was done in the last two years is incredibly meaningful.” – SB

“I know our board has been great, our community has been great, in terms of just small touches… it let the staff know that we understand.” – SB

“Everybody who comes to the table, no matter who they are, what position they are in, everybody has something to offer, everybody has something that’s valuable… that’s teachable.” – SB

“I think understanding what your value is, what your gift is, but also sharing. Because when you share, you learn so much more.” – SB

“Share liberally and share freely, and you will reap the rewards of that.” – SB

“We all belong. We all have differences. We all have abilities.” – SB

“I think breaking down some of the barriers and inequities that exist in our system, I see some glimmers of hope but we’re not quite there in many respects.” – SB

Mentions

• Accreditation Canada

• Canadian College of Health Leaders

• Halton Healthcare

• HIROC

• Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

• Memorial University

• Rotman: University of Toronto

• Safehaven

• SickKids

• St Joseph’s Health Centre

• Trillium health Partners

• UHN

Welcome to Healthcare Change Makers, a podcast produced by HIROC. I’m Ellen Gardner with Michelle Holden and Philip de Souza.

Today we’re talking with Zayna Khayat and Will Falk. Zayna is Vice President, Client Success and Growth at Teladoc Health. Will is a Senior Fellow at the CD Howe Institute and has an appointment at the University of Toronto as an Executive-in-Residence at Rotman.

Zayna and Will have collaborated in many different ways over the years and delight in wading into the messy problems in healthcare.

They don’t always agree, but Zayna and Will are united in their desire to use technology to move care forward. That task, they readily admit is hard work. As they call it, the clash of the static and the dynamic – when the industrial age and technological age collide with not always pleasant results.

The real satisfaction comes from breaking down the barriers to thinking big and getting stuff done. The tools they’re using and approach they’re advocating doesn’t just improve access to care, it delivers culturally appropriate care to communities that have been isolated in the past.

It's all about hanging out with the future, something Zayna and Will agree is a highly privileged place to be.

Quotables

“The thing that really gets me going these days is working with young founder teams who are dealing with tough problems.” - WF

“One of the great things about having to teach MBA students and other learners is having to explain yourself in front of really smart people.” – WF

“As soon as I see the doubt, the skepticism, hear ‘it’s impossible’, then I think time to double down, that’s the lock and I got the key!” – ZK

“In talking to people, many of whom were on the frontlines during the pandemic, I was blown away by how hard people worked in spite of the technological choices that are available.” – WF

“A study done by Dr. Eric Topol and the NHS in the UK concluded that 90% of all jobs will change because of what’s happening now and coming in tech. That’s a massive reskilling, retooling of the current workforce, let alone how you breed and train the next generation.” – ZK

“As soon as our tools can de-couple time and place from care, you’ve got a real gamechanger for access.” – ZK

“If you think economically about the fact that a public visit to a free provider costs the average Canadian $99 – that’s a big barrier for a lot of people.”– WF

“I’m not conceding the compassion high ground to anyone who’s advocating physical care over virtual care because it is not at all clear to me that the compassionate answer for most people is to insist that they show up in your office when other alternatives exist.” – WF

“No matter where you are – student, administrator, clinician, department chair – I always say, at least 10% of your capacity, 1/2 a day a week has to be blowing up the past and putting it together for the future.” – ZK

Mentioned in this Episode:

Teladoc Health

Verto Health

Chris O’Connor - FirstHx

Rotman School of Management

Computer Sciences Corporation

Robert Wachter – The Digital Doctor

Why Doctors hate their computers by Atul Gawande

John Nosta – The Emerging Role of TQ

Matthew Mendelsohn – Mowat Centre

Dr. Eric Topol Scripps

Canada Health Infoway

The State of Virtual Care in Canada as of Wave Three of the COVID 19 Pandemic: An early Diagnostique and Policy Recommendations by Will Falk

Revera

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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Today we’re talking with Kathryn Nichol, who is President and CEO of VHA Home HealthCare. She stepped into the role in early 2021 after several years at VHA working as Vice President Quality, Best Practice, Research and Education.

Our aging population, movement towards a community-based model of care, and the pandemic have put the spotlight on homecare like never before. For Kathryn, this has reinforced homecare’s crucial role in facilitating the flow of people out of hospital so they can return to their homes where they want to be.

Her initial desire was to go to medical school but when that proved too expensive, she happily went to nursing school and worked as a frontline nurse for several years before discovering her passionate interest in research.

Having a clinical background in a leadership position Kathryn says is valuable – not just for her but for all healthcare leaders – because it enables them to lead from a place of compassion.

Quotables

“There is a ton of pride because homecare never stopped for a moment.” - KN

“There was a realization that homecare is a very safe way to provide care in a pandemic. It’s much safer than providing care in an institution where there’s many more people involved, and you have to be closer together.” – KN

“If we don’t have people who want to work in our sector and who are compensated at an equal level, they’re going to leave.” – KN

“The capacity issue is more acute than it ever has been before.” – KN

“If I had superpowers, homecare would be recognized as a clinical specialty and our workers recognized as clinical specialists because it takes a very unique set of skills to be able to operate in this kind of environment.” – KN

“Those people who were self-deployed for a month into LTC, that is the most remarkable example of courageous leadership I can share with you.” – KN

“Homecare is significantly understudied yet it’s an incredibly important part of our healthcare system.” – KN

“Health system leaders with some kind of clinical background is more important than ever before because you’re leading from a place of compassion in a field that is people-based.” - KN

“When you find yourself at the top of ‘S curve’, it’s time to disrupt yourself. You have to jump to your next curve.” - KN

Mentioned in this Episode:

VHA Home Healthcare

Dr. Samir Sinha

Disrupt Yourself by Whitney Johnson

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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Lisa Levin’s passion for seniors’ care started when she was just a child, watching her young and intelligent grandfather battle dementia. Today, as CEO of AdvantAge Ontario, Lisa and her team are the voice of not-for-profit seniors’ care, dedicated to supporting their members in creating the best possible aging experience.

Again this year, HIROC and AdvantAge Ontario have come together to produce the Inspiring Impact podcast mini-series. This four-part series highlights several amazing presenters at the 2022 AdvantAge Ontario convention, and explores the innovation and passion at play in the long-term care sector.

Today HIROC’s Philip De Souza chats with Lisa about her organization’s work, what delegates can look forward to at the convention, and what drives Lisa to push for change in the sector.

Quotables:

“We want people to feel that they are at home, because long-term care is peoples’ homes.” – LL

“Did you know that we’ve lost 75 per cent of our volunteers in long-term care during the pandemic?” – LL

“We need to work together, and have partnerships to learn from one another and help each other out.” – LL

“We get through tough times by helping each other out because you can’t always do it alone.” – LL

“We need to be genuine leaders, we need to be vulnerable.” – LL

“I think you and your entire team at AdvantAge are doing something to change the world to be a better place, and we really value and appreciate that.” – PD

Mentioned in this Episode:

• AdvantAge Ontario

• Administrator Leadership Program

• Ministry of Health

• Premier of Ontario

• Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

• Ministry of Long-Term Care

• Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development

• Ministry of Finance

• Treasury Board Secretariat

• St Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph

• Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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Email us at [email protected].

Laura Tamblyn Watts believes that the future of seniors’ care is about taking a care-at-home approach, and reserving 24/7 long-term care for those who need it most. As CEO of CanAge, Laura works with long-term care operators, families, and caregivers to educate, inform, and advocate.

Again this year, HIROC and AdvantAge Ontario have come together to produce the Inspiring Impact podcast mini-series. This four-part series highlights several amazing presenters at the 2022 AdvantAge Ontario convention, and explores the innovation and passion at play in the long-term care sector.

Today HIROC’s Michelle Holden and Philip De Souza sit down with Laura to chat about her presentation at the AdvantAge Ontario convention. Laura’s session delves into the two national standards drafts on long-term care, highlighting what operators, families and caregivers need to know.

Quotables:

“Our organization, CanAge, represents seniors and really all Canadians as we age.”

“In a perfect world our seniors’ care would be informed by overcoming ageism.”

“The good news is this, we know the recipe for improved seniors’ care. We know we need to move to a care-at-home approach.”

“Those walls of long-term care should be walls of safety and inclusion in community…”

“I think as we are more multicultural and more diverse, we also need to understand that people don’t just become heterogenous white men magically when they come into long-term care. And so a greater understanding of diversity and inclusion around gender, sexual orientation, sexual expression…”

“The good news is it’s not that hard, a human-based approach just means that we need to come together as diverse communities and support the planning of the physical space, the operations, and the programming. It allows us to be better.”

“You don’t want to miss the AdvantAge Ontario conference.”

Mentioned in this Episode:

• AdvantAge Ontario

• CanAge

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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Email us at [email protected].

When Denise Koster was asked to identify the body of one of her elderly clients 35 years ago, her life and career changed forever. Since then, Denise founded Koster Consulting & Associates in Toronto and has dedicated her life’s work to ensuring elder abuse never happens again with services such as abuse investigations, threat management, and mediation.

Again this year, HIROC and AdvantAge Ontario have come together to produce the Inspiring Impact podcast mini-series. This four-part series highlights several amazing presenters at the 2022 AdvantAge Ontario convention, and explores the innovation and passion at play in the long-term care sector.

In today’s episode, HIROC’s Marc Aiello and Philip De Souza sit down with Denise to talk about the outstanding work she provides for seniors and their families, her session at the convention, and more.

Quotables:

“The most important thing about being an investigator is making sure they have emotional intelligence and they’re able to comprehend how a person much feel when they’re trying to recount details.” – DK

“Norma is the reason that I’m talking to you today. Knocking on Norma’s door actually change the entire direction of my career and my life.” – DK

“Every interview is different, even the interview we’re having right now. My response is going to depend on your next question.” – DK

Mentioned in this Episode:

• AdvantAge Ontario

• Koster Consulting & Associates

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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Email us at [email protected].

Nadine Persaud and Dr. Amit Arya have a deep passion for seniors’ care that extends beyond healthcare facilities with their community work, advocacy, education, and so much more. You’ll be able to catch them presenting alongside their colleague Dr. Naheed Dosani at the 2022 Advantage Ontario Convention with a session titled “Adopting a Specialist Palliative Care Program in Your Home.”

Again this year, HIROC and AdvantAge Ontario have come together to produce the Inspiring Impact podcast mini-series. This four-part series highlights several amazing presenters at the 2022 AdvantAge Ontario convention, and explores the innovation and passion at play in the long-term care sector.

In today’s episode, HIROC’s Marc Aiello and Philip De Souza speak with Nadine and Dr. Arya from Kensington Health in Toronto to gain their perspective on the current state of palliative care in Ontario, what they’ll be speaking about at the convention, and the future they envision for long-term care.

Quotables:

“I came to Kensington and felt that it’s different. This doesn’t feel like long-term care. This actually feels like a home. And it’s these misconceptions that you hear in the media about what long-term care is. This isn’t actually happening in many long-term care homes.” – NP

“When you step into homes like Kensington, where beautiful moments are happening every day, we see such powerful moments, we learn stories of individuals that really make it an honour for us to care for them.” – NP

“I think my experience has really taught me that we need a lot more recognition about the palliative care needs in long-term care, because this is just the norm. Complexity in acuity is rising and unfortunately, long-term care is under resourced and understaffed.” – AA

“A second myth that we often encounter is that palliative care means giving up on other treatment. That is absolutely not true. Palliative care can and should be integrated along with other life prolonging treatments. It simply means that there’s proper care for the whole person.” – AA

Mentioned in this Episode:

• AdvantAge Ontario

• Kensington Health

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

Follow us on Twitter, and listen on iTunes.

Email us at [email protected].

At HIROC, we recognize the critical importance of good governance in healthcare, and its impact on safe, quality care.

What makes for a positive relationship between a senior leadership team and their Board? This year, we are digging deeper on Healthcare Change Makers and talking all about governing with impact.

Today HIROC’s CEO, Catherine Gaulton, sits down with Krista Jangaard, President and CEO of IWK Health Centre and Catherine Woodman, IWK Board Chair.

Krista and Catherine W. open up about what makes for good governance at the IWK. The two agree that it’s about stewarding the organization, while respecting the boundaries between the roles of the board and the senior team.

For Krista it’s critical to get to know the board, and what they each wish to contribute – honing in on the unique wisdom of their members helps the senior team make better decisions.

Since the start of the pandemic, Krista and Catherine W. have had to be nimble and work together to ensure staff are comfortable with change. Their work is also about positioning the IWK as part of the larger system, working collaboratively to meet the challenges brought on by COVID.

Underscoring their wisdom around governance, is a passion and love for the IWK – a place that is making a lasting impact on lives for years to come.

Quotables

“I have a deep love for the organization, a deep love for the purpose.” – CW

“In healthcare we are purpose-driven organizations because it’s about making people better and keeping them healthy.” – KJ

“Rapid change and uncertainty have really been the points of pressure for us in the healthcare system as we try to do our regular work, plus meet the challenge of the pandemic.”- KJ

“Organizations have talked about being nimble for years, but I don’t think we’d learned how to be nimble until this pandemic arrived.” - CW

“Well, you spend time in Halifax, and you know that the IWK is frankly a magical place. We commonly refer to the secret sauce, that there’s something really inherent to the core mission and purpose of women and children that excites everyone and focuses everyone who is part of the IKW community.” – CW

“Children make up about a quarter of our population, but they are 100 per cent of our future.” KJ

“It is part of peoples’ families and once you are part of the IKW family, we never let you go.” – KJ

“I think you build the best relationships with your board by finding out just where their wisdom truly is and making sure that you don’t lose the opportunity to pull on it.” – CG

“I think that one of the most important professional development opportunities every CEO should take on is to serve another board.” – CW

Mentioned in this Episode:

IKW Health Centre

Access More Interviews with Healthcare Leaders at HIROC.com/podcast

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Email us at [email protected].