Qualitycast North broadcasts hope and health care excellence throughout BC

As the red light goes on, Deanna Danskin and Dr Shyr Chui take their seats, put on their headphones, grab their mics, and they’re live. As they set the stage for their guest with some introductory questions, they let the conversation flow as they discuss all things Quality Improvement (QI).

“There is a structure, but the guests can really take it in any way they want to,” explains Deanna, a Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) coach for Northern Health and co-host of Qualitycast North.

The Qualitycast North podcast started in 2021 with a simple goal: to share the concept of QI work throughout a region so vast that physically visiting each community is simply not feasible. Three years, 26 episodes, 30 guests, and nearly 4,000 downloads later, the podcast continues to be a voice for QI work throughout the Northern Health region—albeit with a slightly different format.

While their original focus featured QI projects nearing completion, they quickly found that hearing from health care leaders resonated the most with their audience. With guests ranging from Northern Health CEO Cathy Ulrich to health care leader and electronic medical record (EMR) pioneer Dr Bill Clifford, the podcasting pair say there’s no shortage of brilliant minds working tirelessly throughout BC to improve the quality of health care in the province (and by extension, no shortage of future podcast guests).

“Ultimately, it’s simply a communication tool for spreading the news about health care quality improvement,” details Dr Chui, a radiologist practicing at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, which lies on the ancestral territory of the Lheidli T’enneh. He says their goal is to inspire interested physicians “by showing them that Quality Improvement is possible, that it’s happening at a centre near them, and by colleagues they know”.

And it’s not just for physicians. One of the duo’s favourite episodes took place in March 2022, when patient advocate Duane Jackson of the Fireweed clan of the Gitanmaax people of Old Hazelton sat down to share his advocacy work, the importance of collaboration, and his ability to bring people together. He emphasized the importance of incorporating patient lived experience into health care and reminded listeners that the door is open—from Quesnel to Coquitlam, patient partners want to contribute their experience toward improving the quality of care, physicians and project leads just have to find the courage to jump in with both feet.

True to his calling, for Dr Chui, improving patient experience is a large driver in his passion for Quality Improvement. He recalled feedback they received from a patient living in the rural Northern interior region. After listening to the podcast episode on improving care for patients with chronic pain, which coincidentally featured a physician local to the patient, they felt understood for the first time and were able to offload their guilt around seeking help for their chronic pain.

“It gives them hope. With so much negative news coverage about our health care system in the media every day, it’s easy for patients to become disheartened,” says Dr Chui. “The QI work they hear about on the podcast gives them hope”.

You can listen to the Qualitycast North podcast on their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. This program is funded in part by Physician Quality Improvement, a Specialist Services Committee-funded and -supported initiative. Interested in learning more about Quality Improvement? Visit the PQI website.