What has been your greatest learning in your time at Fraser Health that prepared you to be the Executive Director at Ridge Meadows?
My greatest learnings were gleaned in my Director role at SMH, where I was given autonomy to drive changes in my portfolio that would benefit both patients in the acute site and the community. In my 4 years as a Director at SMH, we moved CCU/Tele (28 beds) to the Critical Care Tower (T7) and utilized the vacated bed base to expand IM from 33 beds to 58. The Med/Nephrology unit that had been on T7 was absorbed into the site.
Complex nephrology patients are now cared for by IM physicians and the less complex housed in general medicine which is consistent with the other sites in FH. We further expanded IM-repurposing a General Medicine unit to an IM stepdown, bringing the IM bed base at SMH to ~100.
In July of 2024, we implemented an IM Clinical Teaching Unit with its own UBC residents. This put SMH on the map as a teaching facility and will also support physician recruitment and retention in the future. I also led the SMH Cath Lab project (operations) which developed my political acumen in navigating some highly sensitive issues. I am very comfortable in leading teams through significant change and I am an advocate of innovation and challenging the status quo.
How do you feel that your experience as the Director of Clinical Quality and Patient Safety will benefit you in your new role?
Much of my career has been either on the front line or in operations at an acute site. This role gave me a regional perspective and an understanding of the corporate world. No matter what role I have held in FH, I have always put the patient at the center of my decision making.
Patient safety and clinical excellence has always been a high priority for me and QI work was always done off the side of my desk. This role allowed me to focus solely on quality improvement methodology and implementation. I am a firm believer that we often learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. I have increased confidence in trying new strategies and not being afraid to have “intelligent failures.” Our healthcare system is stretched to the limit, we need to start doing things differently.
What advice were you given during your schooling/training that you still use today?
Although this may sound cheesy, the saying that “there is no “I” in team”, has been instrumental for me. Success is dependent on all team members, no role is more or less important. Consequently I am not a “top leader”, my leadership style is “distributive”. This is a style that encourages collaboration, teamwork, and shared decision making, which leverages the unique skills and expertise of all team members for shared accountability.
How do you feel that a positive working relationship between site leadership and physicians helps to improve patient care in our community?
In my 33 years in FH, I have learned that physician engagement and collaboration is the key to success. I have had the privilege of working with amazing physicians throughout my career and these connections enabled me to create high performing teams and successfully execute small and large scale projects.
Without physician input and support we will not be able to make the changes needed to accommodate our aging population and the ever-increasing congestion at acute sites. Having physicians advocate alongside administration strengthens the push for change and much needed resources, to help us care for the people in our communities.