Canadian Health Information Podcast

Whether it’s an infection, a fall or some other unintended outcome, hospital harm remains a serious concern. It's something the Canadian Institute for Health Information tracks, with the latest report showing one in 17 hospital stays in Canada is linked with some sort of patient harm.That’s more than just a number. It represents a real person whose recovery may have taken an unexpected turn.The data also shows rates have stayed relatively stable since the pandemic, but are still higher than they were before COVID-19.So, what’s putting patients at risk and, more importantly, what can hospitals do to stop harm before it happens?In this episode of the Canadian Health Information Podcast, host Avis Favaro speaks with Jennifer Zelmer, President and CEO of Healthcare Excellence Canada, and Dr. Tiffany Blair, of the Saskatchewan Health Authority, about what’s behind patient safety challenges in Canadian hospitals — and the opportunities to make care safer.They discuss the impact of mounting pressure on the health system, including workforce strain and staff turnover, and how these challenges can affect the continuity and safety of care.The good news is that CIHI data also offers a roadmap for improvement because safer care is about spotting the warning signs, learning from the evidence and building systems that make things go right in the first place.The conversation spotlights the Hospital Harm Improvement Resource, developed by Healthcare Excellence Canada in partnership with CIHI, and how it can help health care organizations turn evidence into action to reduce preventable harm.As Zelmer puts it, “Hospitals right across the country are using these data and the opportunities to improve, and they use it in different ways.”Because improving patient safety isn’t just about responding when something goes wrong. It’s about designing care to make harm less likely in the first place.This episode is available in English only. Episode transcripts can be found on our podcast web page.Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).Say hello on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming releases with our monthly newsletter.Vous préférez les balados français? Voyez le Balado d’information sur la santé au Canada.

Did you know that 99% of Canadian doctors surveyed reported that disconnected health systems affect their ability to provide care? And almost half report having seen a patient who experienced harm — like a missed diagnosis or worsening disease — as a result. Canada’s health information still lives in silos — in separate systems, medical offices, hospitals, and provinces and territories that can’t communicate when it matters most. In this episode, host Avis Favaro speaks with 3 women who have experienced the consequences of disconnected care first-hand. And all 3 are now part of the Canadian Institute for Health Information’s team working on the medical language that will join clinics and hospitals across provinces and territories to help health information follow patients — wherever they are. This episode is available in English. Episode transcripts can be found on our podcast web page.Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).Say hello on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming releases with our monthly newsletter.Vous préférez les balados français? Voyez le Balado d’information sur la santé au Canada.

What if the future of long-term care isn’t about moving seniors into nursing homes, but instead about bringing the nursing homes to them? In this episode, host Avis Favaro explores Nursing Home Without Walls, an innovative Canadian program that is helping older adults remain independent, happy and healthy while continuing to live at home. From walking clubs, shopping trips and bus tours to practical everyday support, the program is redefining what aging in place can look like. Joining the conversation is Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, professor of nursing at the University of Moncton and creator of the Nursing Home Without Walls program. She shares how this simple idea has grown into a province-wide initiative in New Brunswick that is now expanding across Canada, and why reimagining the role of nursing homes could help ease pressure on the health care system. This episode is available in English. Episode transcripts can be found on our podcast web page.Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).Say hello on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming releases with our monthly newsletter.Vous préférez les balados français? Voyez le Balado d’information sur la santé au Canada.

New data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows emergency departments are dealing with a record high number of visits, 16.1 million and climbing. And more numbers reveal the pressures that are leaving patients stuck in emergency departments for hours or days, putting them and health workers at risk.  In this episode, host Avis Favaro discusses the picture the data paints — with Dr. Fraser Mackay, an emergency physician and member of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians and Cheryl Chui, Director of Health System Analytics at CIHI. The problems aren’t just in how emergency departments are functioning, but in what’s happening beyond the department itself. Canada has one of the lowest rates of hospital beds per population among OECD countries. And many of these beds are filled with patients waiting for discharge to other places.  The discussion looks at what’s driving the crisis and why solutions have been so difficult to implement.  Additional audio courtesy Global and CBC News.  This episode is available in English. Episode transcripts can be found on our podcast web page.Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).Say hello on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming releases with our monthly newsletter.Vous préférez les balados français? Voyez le Balado d’information sur la santé au Canada.

How do you safeguard Canada’s public health in an era of unprecedented upheaval — from the growth of health misinformation and conspiracy theories to advice from Dr. Google and looming pandemics? That is the role of Canada’s new chief public health officer, Dr. Joss Reimer — a physician from Manitoba and former president of the Canadian Medical Association — who began her new job on April 1, 2026. In this wide-ranging interview, host Avis Favaro talks with Dr. Reimer about the origins of her commitment to public service, how sleep deprivation and burnout were turning points in her career, what her work in Nairobi taught her about looking beyond our borders and how leading Manitoba’s COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce shifted how she communicates.  This episode is available in English. Episode transcripts can be found on our podcast web page.Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).Say hello on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming releases with our monthly newsletter.Vous préférez les balados français? Voyez le Balado d’information sur la santé au Canada.