Event recap: Attending and exhibiting at Health Quality Transformation
by Family Councils Ontario
Last Wednesday, Tiffany and I (Sam) attended Health Quality Transformation (HQT), Canada’s largest health quality conference. Hosted every year by Health Quality Ontario (HQO), the conference provides an opportunity for health care providers, researchers, educators, patients, families and others to gather together to network, exchange ideas, and learn about health quality improvement programs, initiatives, and principles. As conference delegates and exhibitors, Tiffany and I found attending the conference to be very rewarding.
One of the aspects of the conference that stood out most to us was the inclusion of Indigenous peoples and their perspectives. Historical injustices and violence done to the Indigenous peoples of this country continue to create lasting harm. HQT shone a light on this and the ways that health care can do better in serving and working with Indigenous peoples. The conference opened with a land acknowledgment by Dr. Joshua Tepper and a traditional prayer by HQO Board member Simon Brascoupé, Anishinabeg/Haudenausanee – Bear Clan. It is important for us to acknowledge that land on which we live, work, and play is the traditional territory of Indigenous peoples that was taken from them. Following this, the Singers Drumming Circle performed. This moving performance set the tone for the rest of the day to follow, including breakout sessions where Indigenous people shared their personal experiences of the health care system. I truly appreciated HQO’s inclusion and centering of Indigenous peoples and their perspectives in the conference. I learned a great deal about how Indigenous people have and continue to experience the health care system and will use this information in FCO’s work to better include and support Indigenous people and communities in Ontario.
HQT also struck a good balance between sessions focussing on hard evidence and those focussing on personal stories. One without the other can’t tell us the whole story; we need both. Dr. Jeffrey Braithwaite’s plenary session on the complexity of health care systems and how to reform them provided great context for the conference but also inspiration on how to take the first steps in system transformation. The closing plenary by Toronto Star reporter Tanya Talaga on the tragic history of residential schools in Canada and her story of the deaths of seven indigenous students in Thunder Bay. Her talk illustrated systemic failings that had fatal consequences. It is stories like these that show data in action- and highlight the successes and failings of the health care system. It is though hearing these stories that we see how the health care system needs to be transformed and why. It is through talks like Dr. Braithwaite’s that we understand how. Tiffany and I left HQT deeply impacted and inspired by what we heard.
As an exhibitor, Tiffany and I had the opportunity speak to many, many people about our work supporting families to improve quality of life in long-term care. We spoke to family care partners, LTC staff, community organization staff, system planners, and more. We made many great connections that we’ll be following up on to see how we can work together to advance our mission and achieve our vision. We are so appreciative of HQO’s ongoing support and invitation to exhibit at HQT.
This year’s HQT also said goodbye to outgoing CEO Dr. Joshua Tepper and thanked him for his five years of hard work leading quality improvement in Ontario. On behalf of FCO, we thank Dr. Tepper for his commitment to and impacts on improving Ontario’s health care system for patients, residents, families, staff, researchers, and system leaders.
In summary, HQT was a fantastic experience as both a delegate and exhibitor. We can hardly wait until next year!
For HQO’s recap of the event, read their blog post.