Posted on Aug 11, 2026
On May 29, 2026, Interior Health proudly celebrated the graduation of Cohort 8 of the Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) Program.
This cohort brought together eight physicians, one nurse practitioner and nine operational dyad partners who demonstrated exceptional commitment to improving quality, patient experience, system performance, and sustainability across the region.
Program Milestone
A notable milestone for this cohort was Dana Jones, our first nurse practitioner, leading a PQI initiative for our level 3 training, reflecting the growing interdisciplinary leadership in quality improvement and the expanding reach of the PQI program across clinical professions. Congratulations Dana!
Cohort 8: Delivering Impact Across Interior Health
Improving health and wellness
- Embedding "What Matters to You" conversations for people living with frailty and their care teams to strengthen person and family-centred care.
- Increasing timely anticoagulation for patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation to improve clinical outcomes and reduce stroke risk.
- Improving prenatal care access for expectant parents in Merritt and surrounding rural and Indigenous communities through an innovative mixed model of care.
- Improving transitions of care for vulnerable patients with complex needs by addressing system gaps contributing to provider moral distress.
Delivering high-quality care
- Maintaining access to interventional radiology services during periods of workforce instability to ensure continuity of specialized care.
- Implementing an evidence-based pathway for minor traumatic brain injuries to reduce unnecessary neurosurgical consultations, repeat imaging, and hospital length of stay.
Ensuring sustainable health care
- Reducing low-acuity ambulance transfers between BC Cancer Kelowna and Kelowna General Hospital Emergency Department to improve patient flow and resource utilization.
- Reducing carbon emissions associated with inhaler prescribing to support environmentally sustainable health care practices.
Cultivating an Engaged Workforce
- Implementing AI-supported clinical documentation to reduce administrative burden, improve patient understanding, enhance provider satisfaction, and support clinician well-being.
Joining the PQI Alum
As graduates, these leaders now join our growing PQI Alum Program, becoming part of a network of improvement champions committed to sustaining momentum, mentoring future cohorts, and advancing a culture of quality improvement throughout Interior Health. We look forward to the ongoing contributions of these graduates as they apply their skills, experience, and passion to improve care for the patients, families, communities, and teams they serve.
Congratulations to all members of PQI Cohort 8 on this significant achievement!
PQI is a flagship initiative supported by the Specialist Services Committee (SSC), a partnership between the Province of British Columbia and Doctors of BC.
For more information about the PQI program, or to nominate a physician for the next cohort, please contact your local PQI team.
Initiative
Physician Quality Improvement Initiative
