Unlock Your Potential: Sign up for a QI Coach Today!
Apply now
What is it?
The Provincial Physician QI Coaching Program is a peer coaching program designed to connect quality improvement coaches with physicians who are leading QI projects and/or initiatives within the Joint Clinical Committees (JCCs). Peer coaching is a form of learning and development that involves engaging in an equal and noncompetitive relationship. Coaching uses inquiry, encouragement, and accountability to increase self-awareness, motivation, and the capacity to take effective action. In the context of quality improvement (QI), peer coaching becomes a vital tool for continuous development and achieving excellence.
Our coaches are PQI Level 3 (or equivalent) trained physicians who support the physician project lead (coachee) through regular check-ins and meetings. The collaboration of coaches and coachees ensures that the project is founded on Quality Improvement methodology and is grounded in the Institute for Health Care Improvement's (IHI) model for improvement and the Quintuple Aim.
-
How does it work?
-
Intake
Physician project leads who require or request a QI coach complete a short intake online. This establishes the project profile by identifying key criteria such as: QI needs, clinical area of focus or specialty, region/health authority, and availability.
Matching
Based on the project profile, a suitable coach will be selected and matched with the project lead. PQI Central staff will facilitate the connection and provide resources and templates to maximize the experience of both the coach and coachee.
Coaching
The coaching relationship will be directed by the participants and will vary based on the needs of the coachee. Each coachee is eligible for up to 10 hours of QI coaching per project.
Wrap-up and Evaluation
At the end of the coaching relationship, participants evaluate the program, which contributes to program reporting and improvement. All feedback and evaluation data remains confidential and will only be used for research in aggregate form.
Coach Skill Development
All physician QI coaches will receive onboarding and training and will join our QI coach community of practice with access to additional training and resources designed to enhance skills and confidence in QI coaching.
-
What can I expect from QI coaching?
-
The coach will work with the coachee to support designing and implementing a QI project including, but not limited to prioritizing problems and defining aim statements, working effectively in teams, analyzing problems to find root causes, developing indicators and measurement plans, understanding data, developing change ideas, testing and adapting changes, sustainability, spread and publication/presentation.
-
Benefits of coaching
- Share knowledge & experience - work with colleagues throughout the province with similar interests and experience.
Supportive environment - peer coaching is based on compatibility and building trusting relationships.
Enhanced accountability - goals and growth outcomes are established at the start of a coaching relationship to support accountability monitor progress and empower new learning.
Maximizing individual & team performance - the process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.
Flexible & customized to your needs - coaches to meet you where you are at and encourage you to drive the process.
Resources for QI Coaches
For more information, contact Dr Jane Lea, Provincial Physician Lead, QI Coaching.
Meet our coaches
-
Dr Sarah Lea
- Sarah Lea is an FP Maternity Physician with a specific interest in perinatal addictions. Originally from Prince Edward Island, she completed her medical school training at Dalhousie University in 2010 after completing a Master of Science in Community Health and Epidemiology from Dalhousie. Sarah was drawn to Quality Improvement as a means of overcoming the burnout she was experiencing from the work she does in addiction medicine and supporting pregnant people with substance use disorder. In 2019 she completed her PQI Level 3 and was a physician lead with the Island Health PQI program until 2021. In 2022, Sarah completed the Executive Coach Certification at Royal Roads University and continues to carry out QI initiatives in the areas of perinatal substance use and maternity care.
-
Dr Lawrence Yang
-
Lawrence Yang has been a practicing family doctor since 2008 after completing his medical training in Florida and New York. He is a proud father, Brazilian jiujitsu white belt instructor, and a “joy in work” workshop facilitator. Lawrence is a former department head at Surrey Memorial hospital, and currently serves as a board member at the Health Data Coalition and the Division of Family Practice and is a facilitator and coach for the UBC Continuing Professional Development coaching and mentoring program. As an International Medical Graduate (IMG), Lawrence enjoys serving as a coach in the Personal Learning Plans program at UBC, and connecting IMGs with emotional, social, and clinical support. Lawrence has completed training in leadership from SFU’s Beedie School of Business, UBC Sauder School of Business, and the Fraser Health Physician Quality Improvement program, and is a graduate of the International Health Improvement QI coaching program and QI advisor program. He has a certificate in “cognitive coaching” and “humble inquiry” from Lean.org and completed the “Coaching for Excellence” training from the Physician Leadership Institute. Lawrence enjoys coaching around distressing topics such as work/life challenges.
-
Dr Meera Rayer
-
Meera Rayar is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at BC Children's Hospital. She completed her medical school and pediatric residency training at McMaster University. She went on to complete a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) and subspecialty training in bone marrow transplant and survivorship at the Hospital for Sick Children. She is a graduate of the Clinical Investigator program and has a master's degree in health service research from the University of Toronto.
Meera has been involved in quality improvement work since her time as a pediatric resident. She has completed the Clinical Academy at Health Quality BC and the PQI program. She was awarded a Hudson Scholarship to complete quality improvement work through BC Children's Hospital. Meera is currently the Division of PHO quality medical lead and co-lead of the BCCH Quality Network. She has participated in and led dozens of quality improvement initiatives. Meera has a keen interest in engaging with patients and persons with lived experience in the QI process, as well as QI education. -
Dr Shana Johnston
-
Shana Johnston is a family practice and maternity doctor, practicing medicine for over 25 years. She has worked everywhere from rural ER to urban hospitalist, maternity to palliative care, clinical practice to assisting in the OR. Shana’s had many great experiences in medicine, but she also knows that the job takes a toll on doctors; in a system that is constantly asking its people to work harder and do more. In April 2021, Shana left her practice due to burnout, despite a long, interesting career, she had lost the joy in her work, and her sense of purpose in medicine. She admits that she wanted to walk away completely but knew she couldn’t afford to do so financially.
Shortly before burning out, Shana had been accepted into cohort 5 of the Physician Quality Improvement program. At the time she started, she was questioning her decision to embark on a QI project because she felt she had nothing left to give. Thankfully, she showed up anyway, and has come to find that being involved in PQI and doing the QI project turned out to be a shining light in an otherwise very dark time in her life. Through engagement with her QI project, Shana started to feel inspired again. She felt a sense of purpose, like she was making a difference. Shana later went on to do an alumni project where she created a group medical visit for women, using some of the tools she was using on her own personal healing journey, and she recorded an online version, which can be found on her website: drshanajohnston.com. Shana believes that she brings a fresh, "outside the box" perspective that could be helpful to others on the QI journey. She is happy to share her experience with the entire QI journey, that might help others who are struggling.
-
Dr Stephanie Chartier-Plante
- Stephanie Chartier-Plante is a liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon, practicing at Vancouver General Hospital. She completed a family practice and general surgery residency at UBC along with a hepatobiliary surgery fellowship in BC. She spent 2 years in Dallas completing a solid organ transplant fellowship. Stephanie dove into QI during the COVID-19 pandemic, completing levels 1,2 and 3 with the physician led quality improvement program. She wanted to make some change in the way liver transplant recipients are cared for in BC. Since completing her project, she has been trying to convince her colleague to get involved with QI. Stephanie has been subsequently involved as a coach with the VCH/PHSA QI program. She’s interested in how surgical and cancer care can be improved in BC. She enjoys hearing about different QI idea and how they can be implemented to improve patient care
-
Dr Martha Koehn
- Martha Koehn is an Emergency Physician at Royal Columbian Hospital and Eagle Ridge Hospital in the Lower Mainland. She completed her undergraduate medical training and residency in Family Medicine at the University of British Columbia. When not at work, she loves spending time with her family, chasing after her two young girls.
While completing the Fraser Health PQI program in 2019, she led the efforts to improve acute stroke care in the ER. As PQI Faculty, Martha has taught about the role of coaching in the QI process. She is interested in the human side of change and appreciates how QI methodology can be a catalyst for meaningful change and is motivated by this IHI quote" "kinder, safer, and more effective health care is possible." -
Dr Raj Johal
- Raj Johal is a family doctor and hospitalist in Fraser Health. Raj completed his post graduate medical training in the United States. He lives in Vancouver with his family and enjoys sports and spending time outdoors.
Raj completed the UBC Sauder Physician Leadership Program, with additional training at the International Leadership Development Program for Physicians at Harvard University. He is a graduate of the PQI cohort 1 in FHA and has a particular interest in publishing and academic writing. Raj is currently the Provincial Lead for Publishing in QI, and a regular reviewer for BMJ Open Quality. -
Dr Daisy Dulay
- Daisy Dulay is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology at the University of British Columbia and a practicing non-invasive cardiologist. She currently serves as the provincial medical co-lead for Spreading Quality Improvement (SQI) with Doctors of BC. Previously, she held the position of Director of Patient Safety and Quality. Daisy is an advocate for compassionate, human-centered health care. Her passion extends to improving health care quality and promoting well-being as well as advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within the medical field.
-
Dr Nicholas Lenskyj
- Nicholas Lenskyj is a family physician based in Vancouver with extensive experience across a range of clinical specialties. He has worked primarily in virtual health through TELUS Health and has considerable expertise in addictions and psychiatry, His background includes significant roles in integrated care teams, notably in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside from 2018 to 2022, and as a psychiatry registrar in Australia from 2015 to 2016. Nicholas has also served veterans, focusing on musculoskeletal issues, mental health, and substance use, and has practiced rural general medicine in Australia, where he completed six months of anaesthetics training. He holds a fellowship from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP).
Nicholas brings a wealth of experience in QI/coaching highlighted by his role as Chair of the VPSA Projects Committee, where he led the "Small Steps, Big Ideas" initiative to fund physician engagement projects. He is an active member of the Vancouver Division Dialectical Behavioral Therapy working group, dedicated to introducing a DBT program. His experience extends to academic coaching, serving as a Portfolio Coach at UBC's School of Medicine for undergraduate students, and he has achieved PLQI level 3 training, focusing on improving vaccination processes within interdisciplinary team settings.
Further enhancing his credentials, Nicholas has completed a Business Analysis course at UBC Sauder School of Business, earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and holds a master's degree in Political Science. He is passionate about value-based medicine and adept in various models including lean, scrum, and six sigma. His work is deeply rooted in the policy, political, and ethical contexts, ensuring it remains clinically realistic and practically focused. With a commitment to quality improvement, he combines intellectual rigor with imaginative flair -
Dr Hamza Khan
- Hamza serves as a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine. His academic journey began with a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto, followed by an M.D. with Honours from the University of Western Ontario. He earned a Master of Public Health from Harvard University, specializing in Health Care Management with a focus on Quality Improvement and Clinical Epidemiology. Hamza completed his residency at the University of Toronto and pursued a fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Tulane University in New Orleans. His achievements include receiving the Senior Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, authoring numerous peer-reviewed articles and chapters in textbooks, and co-editor of "Surgical Correction of Astigmatism."
As a QI coach, Hamza empowers physician leaders and their teams to excel and make sustainable, impactful advancements. Leveraging the IHI Model for Improvement and LEAN Design principles, he guides them in identifying their distinct health care challenges and crafts effective action plans. Through iterative small tests of change, they gain valuable insights. Central to his coaching approach is a strong commitment to health equity and patient safety.
Hamza began his journey in health care quality improvement by earning an MPH under the mentorship of Dr Don Berwick. He is a certified QI coach through the Institute of Health Care Improvement. Since its inception, Hamza has played an integral role in the Physician Quality Improvement program at Island Health PQI, where he remains as a coach and educator. Additionally, his position as a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at UBC presents him with ongoing opportunities ad challenges in navigating complex systems across health authorities, hospital sites, and communities. -
Dr Paul Huang
- Paul Huang, originally from Hong Kong, moved to Vancouver during his childhood. He pursued his medical education at the University of British Columbia, followed by specialized training in Emergency Medicine through the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC) in Calgary. Paul served as an Emergency Physician in the Lower Mainland until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, he joined the PQI initiative, spearheading a project at Richmond Hospital aimed at enhancing the continuity of care by addressing the issue of emergency patients with unidentified family physicians. Following this project's success, Paul became a member of the PQI Faculty, where he uses his expertise in metaphors, analogies, parables, and symbols (MAPS) to educate and mentor other physicians.
Paul is interested in the foundational principles and refinement of QI methodologies, including driver diagrams, PDSA cycles, process mapping, and the measurement and evaluation of QI initiatives. He excels in big-picture thinking, enabling him to clarify and streamline complex processes and provide strategic advice.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Paul has a diverse range of personal interests that include reading, music, cinema, chess, word games, and poetry composition.