Healthcare Change Makers

Francis opens up about how his experiences as a newcomer to Canada and a trained mediator shaped his leadership philosophy, emphasizing that listening is a foundational skill all leaders must intentionally practice.  Creating a culture of trust means creating a space for staff, partners, and community members to share their perspectives, and through this, his organization has been able to design services that truly reflect the needs of the community they serve. From launching programs that address inequities to building a vibrant Learning Hub that fosters intergenerational knowledge exchange and ideation, Francis illustrates how empowering communities can unlock innovation and lasting change that include perspectives from all walks of life.  He also offers several great lessons for leaders: How the community can be considered a library of assets, and organizations should open their doors to invite those assets in Resist the temptation to do everything alone, as many successful programs can originate from com

Sue Graham-Nutter, CEO of The Rekai Centres, and her entire team are hard at work developing a new long-term care home in downtown Toronto, the Cherry Place Campus of Care. The heart of this new Campus is innovation, and the collective input from the community and their partners. While leading this major construction project, Sue reaffirmed the value of relationships with organizations such as HIROC, the Ministry of Long-Term Care, the City of Toronto, and many others. We hear about The Rekai Centres' Rainbow Wing and how it's addressing the need for community for 2SLGBTQI+ seniors.  Sue also weaves in stories of her family and friends and reminds us to listen to our inner Little Engine That Could – to believe in ourselves when things get tough.  Quotables: "Just because there isn't an existing program, doesn't mean you can't put together a proper business plan and achieve your goal. But there has to be a business plan with everyone's goals realized."– S.G.N "I think it's also important that people keep on to

Research analyst, communications expert, event planner, and video editor – these are just some of the many hats worn as a knowledge broker. Renira Narrandes, Knowledge Translation (KT) Program Manager at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and her entire team carry a diverse skillset to share and implement evidence that's beneficial, easy to access and understand.  On this episode, Renira helps us understand KT better by breaking down what it is, what makes it unique, and how storytelling fits into it. Renira also shares the difference between KT and communications, a question she's often asked.  We at HIROC loved learning how integral partnering, as well as sharing and scaling knowledge are to KT. These are, of course, essential to HIROC's work in partnering to create the safest healthcare system.  In HIROC's Community Corner article series, we take this conversation to the next level. Our latest article features the entire KT team at SickKids to learn about their program's success and how they're adva

Sustainability and shelter, with a good dose of innovation. These are the words that come to mind when Catherine thinks about HIROC and the past year. It is her hope that for Subscribers, when things feel in flux, HIROC is viewed as that calm place in the storm. Catherine and Philip tease HIROC's new strategic plan "The Art of Safety", which is launching in January 2026. Spoiler alert: topics like cyber, perinatal, education, and accessible data are featured heavily in the new plan. We talk about Catherine's roots and the lessons she carries with her from her father, especially around there being no limitations to what his kids could do. For Catherine, it's about asking, "What's stopping you?" when things get tough. In the spirit of the holidays, it's a true family episode as Catherine's son Thomas also stops in at the studio for a chat. We learn a lot about Catherine from talking with him – including some of what makes her a classic Newfoundlander. Thomas uses the word "perseverance" to describe his mom. Fro

A core component of what Christina Bisanz, CEO of CHATS, focuses on is understanding the caregiver perspective and the pressures that come with it. By listening to the experiences of caregivers, the programs and services offered by CHATS reflect their voices and respond to their needs.   "Caregivers really are the unsung heroes of our health system. If not for the presence and support that is being provided by informal caregivers, our health system could likely collapse," Christina explains. Christina also tells us about CHATS' Assisted Living for High-Risk Adults program and CIBPA Place, York Region's first not-for-profit Overnight Respite Care Centre for short-term stays. She also explains how caregivers and services provided for older adults support the health system as a whole and helps take pressure off other areas such as emergency departments. Quotables: "We believe aging should never mean that an individual loses their dignity, or their choice, or their agency on how they're able to live their lives."

When Paul Young, COO of the University of PEI Faculty of Medicine, sees an uphill battle, he doesn't turn the other way. His love for healthcare fuels his ability to face a challenge head on, with the outcome rooted in finding solutions collaboratively. Paul's courageous leadership was witnessed through his support in bringing UPEI's Faculty of Medicine to fruition. Paul shares key leadership lessons on helping teams feel empowered, how to drive positive partnerships, and navigating intergenerational differences in the workplace. Having been named one of Atlantic Canada's Top 50 CEOS for a fifth consecutive year, we're not surprised to hear much of Paul's forward-thinking leadership shine through on this episode. Quotables: "I love healthcare and everything about it, especially for someone who loves challenges and loves puzzles, that is healthcare in its finest, there's always a problem to be solved." -PY "We believe in every bit that [this medical school] is a big part of a better tomorrow, not just for the

Dr. Mike Heenan is the President and CEO of St. Joseph's Health System and President of St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. On the episode, Mike tells us about a time when he received one very striking complaint and how it pivoted his work and that of the organization. We also speak to Mike about his career path and how no matter who you are, you can have an impact on someone’s life. Throughout his career, Mike has dedicated a lot of time to learning. He shares with us his views on how it’s an important balance for all of us to keep in view. While covering some heavy but important topics, Mike also touches on how his family grounds him. And of course, how he’s a big Blue Jays fan! Quotables: “I think when you go through life and you say what’s my value proposition, it allows you to focus on what gets you up every day and it doesn’t look like a transactional job, but a career calling.” – M. Heenan “It’s these real-life experiences that can stop you as a leader… but it’s these humanistic ethical issues that reall

Leading the largest not-for-profit continuing care organization in Atlantic Canada, Charbel Daniel is always looking at how the organization can do better to serve its people. On this episode of Healthcare Change Makers, Charbel tells Philip and Michelle about Northwood’s career college, which is adding capacity in a growing sector. He shares the work Northwood’s Behavioural Support Unit is doing – challenging the standards of care provided to patients with dementia. Throughout this, Charbel weaves in lessons from his parents who immigrated from Lebanon, and how this has shaped him as a leader.   Quotables: -              “We say a lot: it’s not about adding years to life, but adding life to those years.” – CD -              “Failure is really the recipe to success; you don’t know how you’re going to get there until you know how not to get there.” – CD -              “The work that’s being done today is already fantastic and amazing but, yet every single day people are showing up and saying, ‘how can we ac

For critically ill children, survival is just the beginning of their story and post-PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) care is the cornerstone of ensuring children thrive afterwards. Dr. David Zorko’s research places a magnifying glass on post-PICU care, aiming to better understand this type of care, identify the types of children who are at higher risk, and generate evidence-based practices to better support children and their families. Dr. David Zorko’s role as researcher also helps him become a stronger paediatric critical care physician, as his eye for the long-term effects impacts the decisions he makes in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). For the first time on Healthcare Change Makers, our interviewee becomes the interviewer on a special second part of the episode! For the longest time, we’ve wanted to give our guests an opportunity to spotlight key people in their network. Dr. David Zorko interviews two of his mentors, Dr. Geneviève Du Pont-Thibodeau and Dr. Karen Choong, who share a collective goal of

Carey Lucki sat down with us to talk about her deep pride and passion for the work Circle of Care does as a predominant organization in Ontario’s home and community care sector. What sets Circle of Care apart, as you’ll hear in this episode, is its unique combination of traditional home care and upstream social care programs. This includes transportation, meals on wheels, and innovative programs like their Adult Day Program, which contributes to that true wrap-around experience for their clients. Carey speaks passionately about her vision for the future of homecare, one where people can age gracefully in their homes, and where younger generations are encouraged to pursue careers in this space. Stick around to the end where we have a fun chat in our lightning round. Carey tells us about the fiction novel she’s written, which she describes as the perfect beach read. Quotables: “What’s unique is that we have this wrap-around service for clients. Because when our PSW goes in a home and sees an empty fridge, we ca

As a health lawyer, Mary Jane Dykeman, partner at INQ Law has a strong pulse on health information, privacy, and AI, believing that these factors are critical to the future of healthcare. This pulse allows for a unique and tailored perspective on preventing risk and strengthening privacy.   In this episode of Healthcare Change Makers, Mary Jane taps into her dual expertise to share insight into some of the biggest influences on the future of healthcare, finding the balance between privacy and AI, and the risk processes that improve healthcare. Quotables: “I come from a place where I think if you’re going to practice law, wrap yourself around an area you love and just go do it. Law can be anything you want it to be.” – MJD “I have great faith in the leadership of the health system…  it’s a very dedicated group of people across the sector and across the country.” – MJD “Privacy is in place for very good reasons. We need it, it is the price of entry. And I do think increasingly governments and public bodies are

Black maternal health in Canada requires collective change, and that belief is exactly what sparked Toronto’s first Black Maternal Health Week. Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass, OB-GYN (NYGH) and President-Elect (FMWC), and Jennifer Dockery, Vice President, Quality, Post-Acute Care & Community Integration at North York General Hospital are determined to spotlight gaps in care and amplify the voices of Black mothers. In this episode of Healthcare Change Makers, Dr. Tunde-Byass and Jennifer talk candidly about why there is limited data about Black maternal health in Canada, what data is available, and what healthcare organizations can do today to better support Black families and patients. They also share a bit about their own career journey, including launching Canada’s first racially concordant mentorship program. Quotables: “The biggest advice that I would give to other leaders on walking into uncharted territory is don’t do it alone. Change doesn’t happen in silos.” – JD "You need to start by listening, really

Rebecca Shields and her team at CMHA York and South Simcoe have strong throughlines in place for their 2025-2028 Strategic Plan. A key driver of this plan is the update of their mission and values, and their new vision which is all about a cure for mental illness. This disruptive and exciting thought stems from CHMA’s belief that true recovery is possible when institutions globally work together towards this goal.   What does this vision mean for their organization? “It means that we begin more and more to look at how do we partner in research, how do we ensure that we’re adopting promising, evidence-based best practices, how are we adopting better data analytics and decision making,” explains Rebecca. In this episode of Healthcare Change Makers, Rebecca also shares insight into York Region's first Mental Health Community Care Centre. She speaks passionately about how healthcare organizations can work together to move the needle around mental health and addiction issues, and the importance of equity, diversit

Andrew Williams and his team at HPHA are steadfast towards innovating to provide exceptional care for Canadians. One of the many efforts towards achieving this is through the completion of the Cancer and Medical Care Clinic and Pharmacy at Stratford General Hospital. This initiative is a strong testament to the fact that facilities have a positive impact on the quality of care provided, and the relationship between hospitals and their communities are key. “We would not have been able to do this had the community not stepped forward and donated their hard-earned money towards this project. It’s fantastic for care, it means an awful lot to the patients who are receiving care now and to those who will need to access the unit moving forward,” explains Andrew when speaking to the new clinic and the importance of strong community relations. In this episode of Healthcare Change Makers, Andrew shares invaluable advice on being a strong leader, engaging board members, tapping into community support to leverage initiat

Health is driven by more than what happens in a clinic or the operating room, it is driven by long-standing system decisions. One of the ways Dr. Andrew Boozary and the UHN are impacting health equity is through the inception of Dunn House, Canada’s first hospital-led supportive housing initiative. This unique model couples health and social care by improving health outcomes for unhoused Torontonians, embedding concreate solutions to UHN’s most vulnerable patients. “This brings a wholistic approach to healthcare, that it’s not just about access to physicians and nurses, that there’s really a more integrated way to think about health, and Dunn House is real action on that kind of thinking and philosophy.” In this exciting episode of Healthcare Change Makers, learn more about UHN’s social medicine program, the impact of Dunn house, and the value of partnership with community organizations. And stay tuned until the end to hear Dr. Boozary’s take on medical TV dramas and which musician helps give him an energy bo

Karen and her team are full steam ahead with all the initiatives at Nova Scotia Health today. She speaks with pride about their work around improving patient care and much more. One of the initiatives they’re working on includes the West Bedford Transitional Health facility which helps enhance the chances of patients going back home successfully. Another proud initiative includes the YourHealthNS mobile app, which over half the population in NS have already downloaded enabling them to better navigate the healthcare system. “We’re on quite a pace, quite a tear, and there’s going to be no rest that’s for sure,” explains Karen when speaking to the dedication of her team and the magnitude of their efforts. On our newest episode of Healthcare Change Makers, learn more about the initiatives Karen and her team are proud of, the collaboration between NS Health and Life Sciences Nova Scotia, and ways to be supportive of those around you!  Quotables: “I like to sit down with the members of the team and basically say, t

With the insights from 2024 under her belt, Catherine is filled with ideas, hope, and confidence in the magic of the reciprocal model for the upcoming year. One of the initiatives Catherine is looking forward to includes continuing to meet Subscribers where they are across Canada through joining Subscriber forums, conferences, and quality days. Another exciting thing on the horizon is finalizing HIROC’s strategic plan for 2026 onwards by tapping into the phenomenal guidance from staff, Subscribers, and the board. On our final episode of the year, reflect alongside Catherine as she shares some of the new things she has learned in 2024, the top trends and success stories she’s heard from Subscribers, and what brought her joy this year. You’ll even hear about her new puppy, stay tuned until the end! Quotables: “We’ve done lots of work around ensuring we’re staying focused on service, that’s such a dominant feature for HIROC and its staff.” - CG “It’s amazing to me how creative and talented the people who work i

Gail Hunt’s team at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Ontario describe her as being good at breaking down complicated things from a strategic perspective – a quality that helps lead the organization into the next decade. RVH recently announced a new 10-year strategic plan which has been carefully curated to ensure staff and the larger community feel connected, equipped, and excited long term. “With the population growth in this area of the province, what do we need to be able to meet the needs of the future, meet the patient expectations, and have the team members here be able to fill all the roles”, says Gail when explaining one of the main priorities with their new strategic plan. On our newest episode of Healthcare Change Makers, learn more about how RVH’s leadership will keep the momentum going with their strategic plan, ways in which Gail ensures she is approachable to staff, how to balance being an introvert in leadership, and much more! Also, stay tuned until the end to hear about Gail’s

Advocating for change and collaboration in our healthcare supply chain is part of Christine Donaldson’s purpose, this shines through in her leadership approach. Her team’s advocacy work is reflected with action as HealthPRO Canada recently became an Aboriginal Procurement Champion with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), thus making strides towards a more inclusive healthcare supply chain and system. “Part of our Indigenous journey and reconciliation of where we’re heading into the future is to do it through business partnerships,” says Christine when explaining the importance of collaborating with CCAB. Christine also shares her leadership approach centred around collaboration, transparency, openness, and meeting people at the level they’re at. And collaboration is a big part of the work Christine and her team are doing on moving toward a more sustainable procurement model. Don’t miss our special 70th episode of Healthcare Change Makers! It’s a great chance to hear from Christine about how

For this episode of Healthcare Change Makers, we sat down and had a captivating conversation with Dr. Steven Harrison, the CEO of Tri-County Mennonite Homes. Steven has a wealth of experience as a seasoned leader in long-term care. Throughout the episode, you’ll hear all about his insights from working internationally and how this experience has shaped his views about Canada embracing global perspectives and solutions for challenges at home. We also learned more about Steven’s career journey, beginning as a PSW and his decision to pursue a career in leadership focusing on system design and change, rather than becoming a clinician. Furthermore, Steven also discusses overcoming the most pressing issues in seniors’ care, such as the damage caused by the pandemic, and the coordinated efforts needed to recover and adapt. We also talk about a much-needed shift from large-scale institutional models to more personalized, community-based care, emphasizing the importance of adapting to modern societal needs. When speak