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Explore every episode of the podcast The Heart of It

Dive into the complete episode list for The Heart of It. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Astronauts Bob Thirsk and Dave Williams talk space and health care17 Sep 202400:42:27

When you were young, did you want to be an astronaut or a doctor? This episode's guests were both. 

Host Dr. Victoria Lee is joined by Bob Thirsk and Dave Williams, two Canadians who began their careers as physicians before becoming record-setting astronauts and health care administrators. 

Bob and Dave share how space flight and health care might have more in common than you think, from intense training and robotics to virtual health and a responsibility to take care of our home planet.

Chapters
What led Bob and Dave to becoming astronauts? - 2:50
Canada’s role in space exploration - 5:46
Being a physician prepares you to be an astronaut - 8:13
Space exploration drives innovation in health care - 11:30
We live in a global village - 25:05
Returning to health care after retiring as astronauts - 32:24

Guest bios
Robert “Bob” Thirsk was born in the Fraser Health region, in New Westminster, and holds the Canadian record for most time spent in space, at over 204 days. He is a former engineer, family physician and vice-president of Public, Government and Institute Affairs for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. He currently serves as a director on several social purpose organizations. 

Dave Williams spent more than 17 hours walking in space – a Canadian record. He is a former emergency physician, director of the Department of Emergency Services at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, and president and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ontario. He is currently an adjunct professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto and McGill University.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.  

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. Did you catch our previous episode, which was a conversation about death and dying? Subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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Graceful goodbyes: A conversation on death and dying10 Sep 202400:43:07

It’s never easy to talk about end-of-life care preferences – whether they be for ourselves, a loved one or someone in our care. But understanding what matters most as we journey to the end of our lives is so important. Join us for a gentle and impactful conversation about palliative care, advance care planning and the path to end of life.

Chapters
What is palliative care? - 00:50
How do patients enter end-of-life care? - 6:28
Advance care planning - 10:19
Medical Assistance in Dying - 19:18
Home support - 30:25
Hospice care - 31:58
Culturally safe conversations about end-of-life care - 35:38
Who touched your heart? - 38:09

Guest bios
Dr. Andrew Collins has been providing end-of-life care to patients and their identified family members since 2016.

Tammy Dyson has worked in the field of end-of-life care in the Lower Mainland and the California Bay Area for more than 25 years as a social work clinician, consultant and educator.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health. 

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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Planning for emergencies, from floods and fires to pathogens and tech outages27 Aug 202400:29:32

When emergencies happen, our responses need to be quick and coordinated. But from climate events to pathogens and IT challenges, we don't know when or how our planning will be tested.

This episode’s guest is Tracie Jones, who manages Fraser Health’s emergency preparedness and the BC Biocontainment Treatment and Training Centre. Tracie walks host Dr. Victoria Lee through recent examples of when our emergency plans were put into action and how we’re preparing for what might come next.

Chapters
What is emergency preparedness?
The past decade: flooding, heat, wildfires and more
The recent CrowdStrike outage
Fraser Valley flooding in 2021
Supporting wildfire evacuees from Yellowknife  in 2023
Community evacuations
Preparing for pathogens

Guest bio
Tracie Jones is a nurse by training with experience in Emergency Departments and Intensive Care Units, as a Forensic Nurse Examiner, and in the specialty of Mass Gathering Medicine.  

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.  

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. Did you catch our previous episode, which went behind the scenes of our emergency departments? Be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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E.R. Unscripted: Behind the scenes of emergency care13 Aug 202400:49:45

We know it can be scary or overwhelming to visit an emergency department, and you may wait longer than you’d like to receive care. We’re here to care for you and look after you – and all the 2,000 people who visit our emergency departments every day.

This episode goes behind the scenes of our emergency departments to explore the challenges facing them, how patients are triaged and what contributes to wait times. Host Dr. Victoria Lee is joined by Dr. Craig Murray, an emergency physician at Surrey Memorial Hospital, and Mary Van Osch, who leads our Emergency Medicine Network.

Chapters
What is an emergency department? – 1:30
Know your care options – 3:30
The triage process – 5:09
Wait times – 6:53
Why are more people visiting emergency departments? – 17:33
What happens when someone is admitted to the hospital? – 26:29
Why you may be asked the same questions many times – 42:01

Guest bios
Dr. Craig Murray is an emergency physician as well as the co-regional medical director and co-regional department head for Emergency Medicine at Fraser Health.

Mary Van Osch is the regional lead for Fraser Health’s Emergency Network.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.  

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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Medical imaging matters, from MRIs to making mammograms memorable30 Jul 202400:22:19

Bernice Oxley is our guest this week for a conversation about the many ways we use technology to look inside bodies so that we can diagnose, treat and monitor medical conditions. This includes X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, mammograms and ultrasounds. 

Bernice is a regional director for Medical Imaging at Fraser Health. She takes us behind the scenes of medical imaging, sharing how we performed 13,000 more CT scans and MRIs last year than the year before, what happens during imaging, how to prepare, and how to turn mammograms into memorable experiences.

Chapters

What is medical imaging? 

Wait times                                             

Why you were able to get a CT scan at 3:00 a.m.

What happens during a scan or X-ray and how to prepare

New technologies 

Making mammograms memorable

Guest bio

Bernice has been a technologist for 38 years and is the director of Medical Imaging for our Fraser East sites. She is passionate about medical imaging, especially in introducing it to students and focusing on recruitment.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.  

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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Navigating mental health with compassion23 Jul 202400:39:01

This episode covers many of the mental health supports provided by Fraser Health. If you visit an emergency department or mental health centre in your community, contact our virtual health service or receive a referral, our teams are here to help you. 

Host Dr. Victoria Lee is joined by Dr. Anson Koo, Fraser Health’s program medical director and regional department head for Psychiatry and Mental Health. They discuss our community-based and digital services, why we’re seeing more mental health concerns over time, and how we decide to keep someone in the hospital against their will because we’re concerned about their mental health.

Chapters

How to start getting help for your mental health

Virtual services

Stigma is reducing, but still exists                     

Coming to an emergency department with a mental health concern

Children and youth mental health

Involuntary admissions and the Mental Health Act

Guest bio

Dr. Anson Koo provides operational and medical leadership for the Mental Health and Psychiatry clinical programs in Fraser Health. His clinical focus lies in adult psychiatry and inpatient psychiatry, and his broader areas of interest include medical education and medical administration.

Learn more

Mental health services

Emergency help for mental health concerns

Community mental health centres

Virtual psychiatry unit

Mental Health Act

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.  

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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Nurturing hope: Prioritizing harm reduction and supporting diverse recovery journeys16 Jul 202400:31:28

People with concerns related to their substance use come from all walks of life and have different treatment goals, so we have a range of services that help us meet them where they’re at.

In this important conversation, Dr. Victoria Lee is joined by Dr. Sarah Mark to discuss many topics, including treatment programs, culturally appropriate services and why “resiliency” is one word that Dr. Mark would use to describe the future of health care.

Guest bio
Dr. Sarah Mark is a co-program medical director for Addiction Medicine and Substance Use Services (AMSUS) with Fraser Health, and its regional medical lead for AMSUS education.  

Learn more

Substance use services
Drug checking
Rapid Access to Addiction Care Clinic
Virtual health
Overdose prevention service and sites
Roshni Clinic

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.  

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

Send us a text

Have you met Fraser, our digital health care navigator?09 Jul 202400:32:09

With a heart-shaped body, warm smile and outstretched arms, Fraser, our digital health care navigator, is here to help patients find the right service for their needs. They are just one of our many digital health services we offer to help people find information and support from the comfort of their homes.

In this captivating episode, Dr. Victoria Lee is joined by Jennifer MacGregor, and Dr. Amyeen Hassanali to guide us through how artificial intelligence is transforming patients’ and providers’ experiences, whether it be through personalized nutrition guidance, translation services, or by using our virtual psychiatry unit. 

Guest bios

Dr. Hassanali serves as the chief medical information officer at Fraser Health and concurrently holds a part-time role as a hospitalist andsite medical director at Ridge Meadows Hospital.

Jennifer Macgregor is our vice president of Digital Patient and Provider Experience. She has over 25 years of experience working with health systems globally in digital health.

Learn more:

Learn more about Fraser, our digital health care navigator: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/patients-and-visitors/meet-fraser 

Visit Fraser: https://askfraser.fraserhealth.ca/engage/dfd/home 

About The Heart of It

Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health. 

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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How we’re supporting seniors to stay healthy in their homes03 Jul 202400:32:04

What do the Texas Hold ‘Em Challenge and prescriptions for exercise have in common? They’re two non-medical examples of how we’re helping older adults avoid frailty and age healthily and independently in their homes. 

In this episode, Dr. Victoria Lee is joined by Dr. Grace Park and Paramjit Rai to discuss the many home-support programs within Fraser Health that are improving the health and well-being of older adults and providing respite for family caregivers. 

Guest bios

Dr. Grace Park is a family physician and the regional medical director for Home and Community Care at Fraser Health. 

Paramjit Rai is a health care aide/activity worker in Fraser Health’s South Asian Adult Day Program. 

Learn more:

Day Program for Older Adults: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/Service-Directory/Services/Seniors---Community-Services/day-programs-for-older-adults

Home Support services: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/Service-Directory/Services/home-and-community-care/home-support-services

South Asian Day Program for Older Adults Program participants take on the Texas Hold ‘Em Challenge: https://www.instagram.com/fraserhealth/reel/C4_sUduvzMS/ 

About The Heart of It

Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, takes listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health. 

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

 

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How we help 100,000 surgical patients have positive experiences25 Jun 202400:35:40

Did you know that we perform more than 100,000 surgeries every year? This episode explores how we prepare patients for surgeries, how we support their recoveries, and everything that happens in between to help them have positive experiences.

Join host Dr. Victoria Lee for a fascinating conversation with Dr. Dave Konkin and Dr. Feisal Mohamedali, our regional medical directors and department heads for Surgery and Anesthesiology, respectively.

Guest bios

Dr. Dave Konkin is Fraser Health’s regional medical director and department head for Surgery. His expertise lies in performing various major abdominal operations, including gastrointestinal, colorectal, gallbladder, trauma and hernia surgeries. 

Dr. Feisal Mohamedali is Fraser Health’s regional medical director and department head for Anesthesiology. His team specializes in caring for seriously injured patients resulting from car accidents, gunshots and stabbings.

Learn more

Fraser Health virtual health: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/patients-and-visitors/virtual-health

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.
 
Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.
 
This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the q̓ ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt and Semiahmoo First Nations, treaty lands of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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Season two launches next week!21 Jun 202400:00:50

In season two, we'll be exploring what happens behind the scenes at Fraser Health to ensure patients receive the best care possible. 

We’re going to dive into what happens when patients need surgeries and CT scans,  how to access mental health and substance use services, and the home-based supports available for seniors.  

We’ll also learn how our hospitals are trying to reduce wait times in emergency departments and how virtual health services can help you find information and support from the comfort of your home.

We can’t wait to share these episodes with you. Don’t forget to subscribe in your favourite podcast player app so you don’t miss a beat.

Learn more about The Heart of It: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/podcast 

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Special episode: Helen Bevan on improvement, leadership and engagement10 Jun 202400:19:30

When we heard that Helen Bevan was going to be in town, we jumped at the opportunity to connect with her. Helen is one of the leading voices in the world when it comes to health care transformation.

In this episode, Helen and Victoria cover a range of topics related to how health systems can provide the best care possible for patients, including continuous improvement of care and services, compassionate leadership and Fraser Health’s own engagement radicals.

Guest bio
Helen is a leader of large-scale change, an innovator and an activist in health and care. She is currently Professor of Practice in Health and Care Improvement at Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick and a Strategic Advisor to the National Health Service’s Horizons team. 

Helen has spent more than three decades working in England’s National Health Service, focusing on large scale transformational change. She has led and facilitated many nationwide improvement initiatives, including those in cancer services, urgent and emergency care, and dementia care and treatment.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and home to the Vancouver Sea to Sky Métis Association.

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Time is brain28 Feb 202400:23:20

Trudy Robertson may not have seen it all – but she’s seen a lot. Throughout a career spanning 40+ years, she’s worked as a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse, a clinical nurse educator, and now, as the clinical nurse specialist for the Fraser Health Neuroscience Network.

In the final episode of season one of The Heart of It, she shares stories from when she was first deployed to the neurosurgical units at Royal Columbian Hospital 20 years ago, and how personal experiences, like her mother's brain aneurysm and her mother-in-law's Parkinson's disease, deepened her commitment to her practice.

She also discusses how artificial intelligence has transformed stroke care for patients and her continued focus on equity, diversity, inclusion and staff wellness throughout the health care system.

Guest bio
Trudy Robertson is a clinical nurse specialist and has worked as a health care provider for over forty years. She initially pursued nursing as a licensed practical nurse in 1980 and spent 20 years in various roles, primarily at Royal Columbian Hospital, before joining the neurosurgical units. Over the course of her career, she has been instrumental in the development of educational programs and protocols for nurses in neurosciences and her work has improved patient care and outcomes, particularly in stroke and neurosurgery.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Coquitlam, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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Five million trays of opportunity21 Feb 202400:22:12

Tina Hartnell and Elaine Chu know that food is an important part of disease prevention and injury and illness recovery. They also know that honouring diversity in food preferences is an integral piece of restorative, person-centred care.

In this episode, they share their journeys in the field of dietetics – including how their post-secondary education and first jobs introduced them to the link between food consumption and planetary health, and the many ways in which food can positively impact individuals. 

They also discuss the ways in which ‘choice dining’ is helping transform the hospital food experience -through many of the five million prepared meals each year - the positive impact of reframing food as ‘plant powered’ and their goal of a more sustainable and inclusive health care food service community.

Guest bios
Tina Hartnell is the executive director of Food and Clinical Dietitian Services at Fraser Health. Working with a team of dietitians, nutritionists and other health care professionals, she is responsible for overseeing the food and nutrition services provided by the health authority to help ensure that patients and residents receive the best possible care. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to the field of dietetics.

Elaine Chu is a registered dietitian, the regional manager of food operations at Fraser Health, and chairperson of the Lower Mainland Sustainable Hospital Food Operations Committee. She has been involved in a number of innovative food programs to rethink how patients interact with food in hospitals.

Learn more
Fraser Health Planetary Health strategy: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/planetaryhealth

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Coquitlam, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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The kids say 'just do it': collective action for planetary health14 Feb 202400:26:22

Dr. Emily Newhouse and Darryl Quantz have always been interested in the intersection of science and social forces. It’s what drives their planetary health work and commitment to local and global community well-being.

In this episode, they discuss how access to education, food, the natural environment and health care is less available to communities most impacted by the climate crisis and how ‘once in a generation’ language can no longer by used when describing extreme weather-related events.

The solution? Listen to the kids!

Both Darryl and Emily believe the flexibility, adaptability, courage and commitment shown by young climate activists can spur others to believe in and support a climate resilient planet.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Coquitlam, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

Send us a text

The medicine people are chosen07 Feb 202400:32:09

Both Carolyne Neufeld and Peggy Napope know that health care is their calling. In their respective roles – and as nurses by training – they help strengthen and promote Indigenous health and culturally appropriate care, across diverse settings and communities. A large component of this work? Reframing narratives around what it means to be Indigenous, through stories of resilience, pride and joy.

In this episode they share how their journeys in health care have been shaped by motherhood, anti-Indigenous racism, and their work in diverse and sometimes remote communities – and discuss practical steps anyone can take to advance Truth and Reconciliation in their personal and professional lives.

Guest bios
Carolyne Neufeld is vice president, Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety at Fraser Health. She leads a team that supports staff and medical staff to advance reconciliation and uphold relevant legislation; to improve health services for First Nations, Métis and Inuit people; to create a path forward that respects the human rights of Indigenous Peoples; and to integrate Indigenous knowledge into the values, policies and practices into our health care system.

Peggy Napope is an Indigenous health liaison and licensed practical nurse. Her role is to help provide a culturally safe experience for Indigenous clients as an advocate, navigator and connector to resources and cultural supports. She is of Cree, Dakota and Métis descents and originally from Saskatchewan, Treaty 6 territory.

Learn more
Indigenous Health Liaisons Program: https://ow.ly/45JT50Qwycq
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action: https://ow.ly/IFfq50QwyeC

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Coquitlam, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

Send us a text

Unrelenting positivity fueling new solutions31 Jan 202400:20:34

Travelling by rail through floodwaters to a town inaccessible by vehicle and delivering medications by helicopter to communities isolated by rockslides – for Dr. Aseem Grover, providing rural health care requires near-constant problem solving.

In this episode of The Heart of It, Dr. Grover shares why unrelenting positivity is at the heart of his work, how he balances risk when finding solutions to complex challenges and why he loves practicing rural health care.

Guest bio
Dr. Aseem Grover is a rural family physician in Hope, B.C.

His responsibilities are diverse, encompassing patient care at a family medicine clinic, serving as site medical director for the 10-bed Fraser Canyon Hospital, and providing primary care and medication delivery to remote areas.

His medical interests are chronic complex care, rural emergency medicine and addictions medicine.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Coquitlam, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

Send us a text

Compassion as a superpower24 Jan 202400:27:55

As health care organizations across the world grapple with challenges, how can we emerge better, stronger and kinder than before?

 Marika Sandrelli has worked in community education and development projects for more than four decades. In this episode of The Heart of It, she shares why being a mission-driven person is more powerful than any policy or legislation. She also discusses what pulled her into the health system, why compassionate trauma and resiliency-informed practice (TRIP) is needed in health care now more than ever, and the impacts of “brave” spaces in achieving lasting, systemic change.

Guest bio
Marika Sandrelli is a strategic leader with Mental Health and Substance Use Services at Fraser Health.

As a community organizer and activist she saw the health care system as confusing and advocated from the outside. One day someone said, “You have to learn the rules before you break them.” So, she joined the system and in 2015 won Fraser Health’s Health Care Hero Award for changing how learning and practice are approached in mental health and substance use.

Marika co-developed a Trauma and Resiliency Informed Practice course for researchers and evaluators, which she continues to facilitate along with her colleagues. Her caring approach has resulted in more skilled, confident, supported and supportive health care providers who are both better equipped to serve vulnerable patient populations with confidence and compassion, and take pride in the work that they do.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Coquitlam, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

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We want fish and chips: care before cure17 Jan 202400:30:19

What matters to seniors? And how can deep listening ensure that we are not only meeting their needs, but driving compassionate and connected systems of care? In this episode of The Heart of It, Dr. Victoria Lee is joined by Dr. Akber Mithani for a journey into seniors’ care. He shares how he felt pulled to a calling in medicine at an early age, and how his family and community’s reverence for older relatives and friends drove him to this specialized field.

Over the course of their conversation, Dr. Mithani shares stories from his own practice, including a 100th birthday that he will never forget, and what he envisions for the future of senior’s care in his own communities and across the globe.

Guest bio
Dr. Akber Mithani is the regional medical director for long-term care and assisted living at Fraser Health. He is also a clinical associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia. He has a lifelong passion for the care of the elderly, a well-respected expertise in long-term care and a robust experience with medical leadership.

He received his medical doctor training at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He has worked in various clinical service areas including geriatric psychiatry and medicine, long-term care and acute specialized geriatric programs. He is an active researcher and educator in the field of geriatrics and has participated in over 30 peer-reviewed funded research projects, abstracts, book and journal publications. He currently supervises and teaches family practice residents in their mandatory clinical geriatric rotation and has lectured extensively across the world in areas of Islamic ethics and spirituality, especially in relation to end-of-life decision making and a palliative approach to care.

About The Heart of It
Every episode, Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, take listeners to the heart of health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.

Listen to and watch more episodes of The Heart of It here. And be sure to subscribe to The Heart of It in your favourite podcast player app so that you don’t miss a beat.

This episode of The Heart of It was recorded on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Coquitlam, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations, and on the home of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association.

Send us a text

Welcome to The Heart of It09 Jan 202400:01:05

We're thrilled to launch The Heart of It – a new podcast that informs, educates and inspires anyone interested in learning about health care. In each episode, host Dr. Victoria Lee invites guests to take us to a part of – and the heart of – health care, where passion, dedication and innovation drive individual, community and planetary health.  

In season one, Dr. Lee gets to know her guests through their personal stories. We’ll learn what drives their work, why they love what they do and how they knew that health care was their calling.

We can’t wait to share these stories – these conversations and revelations – with you. Don’t forget to subscribe in your favourite podcast player app so you don’t miss a beat.

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