Central Line: Leadership in Healthcare

In healthcare, clinicians are often promoted into leadership roles due to their excellent clinical skills. However, there is often a gap in the proper knowledge, skills, and tools to be confident in being a leader. Dr. Rachel Miller unpacks her own experiences with this, how she learned what she needed to succeed in her leadership approach and the critical importance of building trust in herself a...

In this episode, we talk with Danielle Dorschner. Danielle shared about the moment in time when she knew she wanted to be a nurse, how she moved into leadership roles, and how engaging in volunteering supported her own learning and growth in leadership. Danielle is a bilingual healthcare leader with over 30 years of healthcare experience, from local service delivery to the international front.  Sh...

On this episode, Leah is joined by Cory Jenks, an ambulatory care clinical pharmacy specialist and formerly a retail pharmacist, outpatient clinical pharmacist and inpatient clinical pharmacist. Corey is also an accomplished improv comedian and travels around the country, speaking to other healthcare professionals and teaching them how to apply the skills of improve comedy to create a more adaptab...

Every day we make choices on how much time and energy we invest into our work. Often, those choices are rooted in the belief that if we "just" work harder things will get better. Host Leah talks with Kathy Howe, Executive Director for the Alberta Association of Nurses, on how this belief is baked into the healthcare culture, how things are changing, and what you need to do as a leader to change th...

Whether we mean to or not, we sometimes behave in ways that create walls between ourselves and our teams. However, as leaders, it's important to remember that your people usually know when things are going off the rails or when you are not being vulnerable. They want to see whether you have the courage to tell them and to show your authentic self. In this episode we hear from Todd Buchanan, Busine...

Many healthcare organizations, already beleaguered by staffing shortages among many other challenges, sailed into a storm of all storms, the COVID-19 pandemic. Tresha Moreland, a 30-year experienced HR leader in healthcare who specializes in strategic planning, workforce planning, and employee engagement, shares that it’s never too late to start again and build a resilient organization and 10 step...

On today's episode we hear about the lived experience of Kristine Russell and how she used this experience as a catalyst for her involvement and career in healthcare. After the birth of her third child, a daughter named Ellie, Ellie and Kristine developed septic shock from Group A Streptococcus. This severe illness required life saving measures for both her and Ellie. With little to no research ar...

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Laura Janusik. Dr. Janusik is known throughout the world as a leading expert in teaching and training listening. Her PhD in Communication and her MBA assist her in using research-based information to help people change their daily communication interactions to develop greater cohesion, increase trust, demonstrate empathy, meet deadlines, and increase productivi...

In today's episode Leah talks with Registered Nurse Caroline Brunt. Through her experience as a Street Nurse/ Outreach Nurse working with marginalized populations in Vancouver's Downton East Side, the gay community in the West End and migrant farm workers in the Fraser Valley providing STI/HIV care Caroline has learned the critical value of creating connection. Based on this experience Caroline sh...

On this episode of Central Line, Leah is joined by Dr. Ann Messer, the founder, executive director and board chair of One Good Turn, a global non-profit which travels to the most remote areas of the world. One Good Turn gives health workers worldwide the resources and knowledge to help build self-sustaining and healthy communities by providing the local health staff the physical exam skills, diagn...

Today we chat with Michelle Troseth and Tracy Christopherson. Michelle and Tracy are co-founders of MissingLogic®. They help healthcare organizations and healthcare leaders combat burnout through the power of a framework driven approach founded on Polarity Intelligence™. The core of their work is leading healthcare organizations through transformational change that results in the best place to giv...

Dr. Upton D. Allen is a Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. He is Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Allen is also a Senior Associate Scientist in Child Health Evaluative Sciences program at SickKids Research Institute. His primary appointment is with the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Paediatrics at Si...

Today we talk with Neil Ritchie, Executive Director of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care. He is an experienced health care executive who has worked as a CEO, Chief Operating Officer, Senior Operating Officer and Vice President of large, multi-site academic teaching centers, regional health authorities and community hospitals in three provinces Canada. He’s also worked as Director of Bus...

Today I'm delighted to talk with Jo-Anne Poirier, President and CEO of VON Canada. VON Canada has been pioneering care at home for over 120 years. VON Canada is a highly-trusted non-profit organization that works with clients, employees, volunteers and partners to provide innovative clinical, personal and social support to people who want the comfort and peace of mind of living in their own homes...

Today on the show we are thrilled to sit down with Dr. Zayna Khayat. In this fascinating conversation we talk about what Futures Thinking actually is and how critically important it is for healthcare continue to evolve. Dr. Khayat candidly shares her thoughts on why Canada is behind the curve and what needs to happen to shake up the healthcare system. She also talks about how healthcare profession...

After many requests the tables are turned and your host, Leah Wuitschik, is in the guest's chair. Hear about her path in healthcare and how she has landed in the fields of leadership development and coaching for healthcare professionals. She also shares her thoughts on vulnerability in healthcare and how to support clinicians in making the transition to a leadership or management role.

In this bonus episode host Leah Wuitschik shares her thoughts on the book Stress in Medicine, written by past podcast guest Dr. Nina Ahuja. Stress in Medicine shares real-life stories of what it's like to work in medicine, the ups and the downs. With humour and frankness Dr. Ahuja talks about the need to have tough conversations about stress in healthcare, while also giving a practical approach to...

Today I sit down with the admirable Dr. Jeanne Besner. Dr. Besner retired from full-time work with Alberta Health Services in 2011 after a 50 year career that spanned practice as a public health nurse and nurse practitioner in several communities in Canada’s north, as provincial nurse epidemiologist in Alberta, as well as director of public health nursing, director of primary care development, and...

Today we talk with Julia Hanigsberg, the President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Canada’s largest paediatric rehabilitation hospital and an academic health science centre fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. Julia has spent her career in government, post-secondary education and healthcare as a champion for cultural transformation, innovation, excellence and...

Julie Drury is the Strategic Lead - Patient Partnership for the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement. Julie is passionate about the potential of patient / family / caregiver engagement, partnership and leadership in health and healthcare. As the mother of a child who was diagnosed with SIFD, a rare form of mitochondrial disease, Julie has particular experience in system navigation, compl...

Today we sit down with Andrea Robertson. Andrea is the President and Chief Executive Officer of STARS. STARS is a not for profit organization that has provided helicopter emergency medical care to help save the lives of more than 45,000 critically ill and injured patients across Western Canada for over 35 years.   Prior to joining STARS, she served in a variety of leadership roles in health care....

Today we talk with influential leader Nick Thain. Nick is the Senior Operating Officer for the Community, Rural and Continuing Care Portfolio within the Calgary Zone, at Alberta Health Services. In his 26 year health care career, he has had the opportunity to practice in a variety of settings and system governance models.  Nick started his career as a paramedic and has transitioned from a frontlin...

After completing her medical degree at McMaster University followed by residency training in ophthalmology at University of Ottawa, Dr. Ahuja began her surgical practice in Hamilton in 2003. Dr. Ahuja has held numerous executive leadership roles at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Dr. Ahuja founded Docs in Leadership ...

Today we talk with Bonnie Beach, Director of Nursing Now Canada and COVID-19 Planning Executive Lead for the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of the Government of Canada. With an unconventional path into health service Bonnie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from her extensive time working abroad.  Bonnie is incredibly passionate about the work she does, and shares her lessons with...

Today I sit down with noteworthy healthcare leader Emily Gruenwoldt. Emily is the President & CEO of Children’s Healthcare Canada and Executive Director of the Pediatric Chairs of Canada. Previous to these roles, she spent over ten years with the Canadian Medical Association in various Director-level roles including Professional Affairs, Physician Leadership Development, and Strategy & Innovation....