February 2026 It is chilly outside, but PQI is warm and alive with activity! A warm welcome to our PQI Patient Partners - we have extended our newsletter mailing list to our patient partners who are interested in hearing what we have been up to in PQI. We hope to spotlight some of our amazing patient partners in upcoming editions of this newsletter. | Steering Committee Retreat - Feb 2026 On February 10, our SSC-PQI Island Health Steering Committee met in Victoria for a day of connection, decision making and planning. PQI Alum on our Steering Committee include Dr. Jeff Kerrie (Cohort 6), Dr. Dan Horvat (Cohort 6), Dr. Mina Aziz (Cohort 4), our Co-Chair, Dr. Valerie Ehasoo (Cohort 5), and our two newest physician members, Dr. Sienna Bourdon (Cohort 8) and Dr. Jen Jeans (PQI Level 2 Alum). | | Everyday Champion Runner-Up: Dr. Michelle Tousignant Dr. Michelle Tousignant (Cohort 9) was the runner-up for the HQBC Everyday Champion Award, for her PQI project "Saving Seconds, Saving Lives". In early February, Hannah Lawrie, Communications Director, HQBC, visited RJH to present the award to Michelle in person. The PQI team, and the medical students involved in her project were very excited to share this moment with her! Read more here. | | Primary Care Grand Rounds: De-Medicalizing End of Life, Wednesday March 4, 12:00 - 13:00 Dr. Chloe Lemire-Elmore will be hosting the next Primary Care Grand Rounds, focused on De-Medicalizing End of Life. This work is currently being spread within Island Health through the SQI team. To register, click here. | | TEDx Victoria is recruiting speakers for October 2026 TEDx Victoria 2026 will take place on October 7, 2026 at the UVic Farquhar Auditorium. They are currently recruiting speakers - perhaps you have a story to tell? Thats what PQI Alum, Dr. Sarah Lea (Cohort 3) did back in 2024: TEDxRRU 2024. Learn more about TEDx 2026 here. | | Medical Leadership Opportunities at Island Health Explore current leadership roles supporting high-quality care and clinical excellence across Vancouver Island. Positions are updated regularly as opportunities become available. Learn more here. | | BiRCH Clinic brings together healthcare providers in the Comox Valley On February 17, the Birth Related Cardiovascular Health (BiRCH) Clinic hosted a provider engagement event bringing together 21 healthcare providers for an evening of learning and discussion. Led by Dr. Jennifer Kask (FP, Cohort 7), Dr. Brianna Crighton (FP), and Dr. Valentyna Koval (Internal Medicine, PQI Level 2 Alum), the workshop explored how pregnancy acts as a cardiovascular stress test and how conditions such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth are linked to both short- and long-term cardiovascular risk. The session emphasized FIGO’s recommendation for intentional follow-up after pregnancy-related cardiovascular events and aimed to empower clinicians to recognize and proactively support affected patients. The event was supported through a funding partnership between the Rural Coordination Centre of BC ROAM-SP program and Island Health Spreading Quality Improvement (SQI). | | The BiRCH Clinic Project recently received an HQBC Innovation in Care Delivery Award. In March, HQBC will be hosting a webinar series featuring presentations from the award winners. The webinar on March 25, 2026, 1200 - 1245, will feature the BiRCH Clinic - please consider registering to learn more about this fantastic project! Click here to register. | Are you planning on attending the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare in Oslo in March 2026? Are you presenting a poster or facilitating a session? Did you know our Alum team can support you with your preparation for the event - posters, presentation support or anything else you might need, please reach out. | | Explore the Reports Portal! Looking for insights to support your work? The Island Health Reports Portal houses key metrics across our health system - including patient flow, wait times, service utilization, and more. Simply log in with your Island Health credentials to access dashboards, track trends, and make data-driven decisions. Start exploring here: Reports Portal. Your next insight is just a click away! | | Are you interested in connecting with Alums around the province through social media? The SynergyHub WhatsApp group is described as “a fun BC originated group of passionate health system improvers guided by QI science and interested in collaborating and bridging silos in our system”. You can scan the QR code to join the group. | | If more of a local flavour is your preference, we also have a WhatsApp group called QuPID created by our own South Island Alum, Alicia Power (Cohort 4). Click here to join the Alum group | | Do you have something you'd like to share? We are always interested in hearing about the work you're doing and what we can share with our community. If you have a shoutout, story, opportunity, or any comments you'd like to share with the PQI community, please email us at pqi@islandhealth.ca. | | | | | |
