0:00

Recently , my colleagues Nancy Walter

0:02

and Muna Sabui had a chance to

0:04

sit down with Alberta Health Services' I4

0:07

Insights podcast host , joshua

0:10

McCutcheon to talk about Alberta

0:12

Innovates and what the health team is doing

0:14

to achieve health system transformations

0:17

through partnership in the Alberta

0:19

ecosystem . So you're all going to get a break

0:21

from me this week and you're going to get to hear

0:23

Joshua interviewing Nancy and Muna

0:25

as they wax eloquently about health

0:28

innovation .

0:28

Muna

0:46

and Nancy , thank you so much for joining me today

0:48

.

0:51

Thanks for having us

0:53

Ttime . This is going to be

0:55

a great morning . So the first question I want to ask you

0:58

both , tell us a little bit about Alberta

1:00

Innovates . Describe your role , value

1:02

and how Alberta Innovates partners

1:04

in transforming the health care system in Alberta .

1:08

Oh yes, thanks , Josh . That's a loaded

1:10

question , but you know it's funny because

1:12

I do quite often get asked , you know , by friends

1:14

and family . So what do you actually do ? So

1:16

it wouldn't surprise me that maybe not everybody

1:19

is familiar with Alberta Innovates does , so I'll

1:22

maybe just give a brief sort of Coles

1:24

notes version and overview of the organization

1:26

before we dive a little deeper into some

1:29

of the cool things that we're doing in the

1:31

health ecosystem, so we are a

1:33

crown corporation reporting

1:35

directly into the Ministry of Technology and

1:37

Innovation , and we are

1:39

Alberta's research and innovation engine

1:42

and we're very proud of that . Another

1:44

thing that most people might not know is that we've actually

1:46

been in operation for over

1:48

a hundred years now , so we've been kicking

1:51

around for some time now , and

1:53

we support the needs really of

1:55

many different players in the health ecosystem , including

1:58

industry , entrepreneurs

2:00

, government , post-secondary

2:03

and not-for-profits as well

2:05

, and we support them through

2:07

our different areas of focus . So and

2:09

at this point in time , we do have

2:11

five focus areas , and so we're

2:14

we're supporting research and innovation

2:16

in digital health , of course , which is

2:18

why Muna I are here today clean

2:21

resources , smart agriculture

2:23

, agriculture , artificial intelligence

2:26

and entrepreneurial investments as well

2:28

, and so I think the important

2:30

thing to realize here is that , you

2:32

know , not only are all of these five areas

2:34

of focus sort of a significant

2:36

opportunity for economic development

2:39

and investment in Alberta , but

2:42

, even more so , it really helps us solve

2:45

some of Alberta's and

2:47

not only Alberta's , but big global challenges

2:49

. And so , personally , for

2:51

me , that is something that I'm really

2:53

excited about , because we are out here

2:55

solving big , wicked problems , and

2:57

you know , Muna I and all

3:00

the team members on our team have an opportunity

3:02

to contribute to that and

3:04

maybe to just put things into perspective

3:07

on the work that we're doing across

3:10

the organization . So , beyond even just

3:12

a health innovation portfolio , our portfolios

3:14

contain about 1300

3:16

different active projects and there is about $1.3

3:20

billion worth of investments across those portfolios

3:22

as well , and so

3:24

I think you can see that we're up to some

3:26

pretty cool stuff . But even though we

3:28

do consider ourselves and we are the

3:30

research and innovation engine in Alberta

3:32

, we do

3:35

also understand that solving problems is

3:37

not something that can be done in a vacuum

3:39

, and our success is

3:41

very much grounded in sort of these interconnected

3:43

relationships that we already have

3:46

and that we continue to foster and continue

3:48

to explore , and so

3:50

not only are we a funder and service

3:52

provider , which is something that I think traditionally

3:54

people think of when they think of Alberta Innovates

3:56

is oh yeah , we fund technology

3:59

and innovation . But probably

4:01

more importantly , we consider ourselves

4:04

a convener and a connector , a

4:06

collaborator and partner as well in the health

4:08

innovation ecosystem , really looking

4:11

to connect all the dots and

4:13

hopefully turn what is the art of the

4:16

possible which is , I think , what the design lab

4:18

likes to call these things as well and

4:20

turn that into reality and really see what can

4:22

we do when we bring all the right minds to

4:25

the table .

4:27

And so maybe just zooming in a bit

4:29

more there, so Nancy and I are part of the health

4:32

innovation team , and the health innovation

4:34

team is organized into four portfolios,

4:36

so we have a research team, we have commercialization, health system transformation, and we also have our talent team . e

5:01

e also have our platforms group and

5:04

they provide ecosystem level

5:06

supports , so for clinical trials , ethical

5:08

decision making and also

5:10

patient oriented research , and

5:13

so together the health innovation team

5:15

, the health platforms team , forms the

5:17

broader health team here at Alberta Innovates

5:19

, and the team is on a mission

5:22

to essentially strengthen

5:24

Alberta's economic competitiveness

5:26

, improve the well-being of

5:28

its residents , really , and

5:30

we hope to do that all by cultivating

5:32

this innovation ecosystem

5:35

that excels at converting

5:37

research and technology

5:39

into sustainable , human-centered

5:42

care . And if we go back to the

5:44

1,300 active projects

5:46

that Nancy had mentioned , just

5:49

to kind of again put things into perspective here

5:51

, the health team manages around

5:53

180 active projects

5:56

and we have around

5:58

$30 million invested

6:00

in the last fiscal year . So

6:02

we're up to some great stuff

6:05

, and we're excited to talk a little bit more about

6:07

it today . But maybe

6:09

before we get into the nitty gritty , Nancy

6:11

, if you want to dive in a bit more into our portfolio

6:14

specifically .

6:17

, so going to zoom in even

6:19

a little bit further now , but I think

6:21

it goes to show , really , just like , just

6:23

how broad and how big the organization

6:26

thinks . And then you know we have a pretty well

6:28

very comprehensive I should say health

6:31

team . And then , specifically , of course , you

6:33

have Muna and I here sitting today

6:35

and we represent , together

6:37

with Antonio Bruni , who is not with us

6:39

today , but he's the director of the health system

6:42

transformation portfolio . So

6:44

we represent and

6:46

do work around how might we be able

6:48

to transform the health system ? And

6:51

you know we do that by

6:53

. You know we're looking to address pressing

6:55

health system challenges and our drivers

6:57

for that are really our partnerships

7:00

and our collaborations within the health

7:02

ecosystem . And we're

7:04

working with partners both from across

7:07

the province and also across the continuum

7:09

of care . So we don't just look at , you

7:11

know , acute care or primary care . We're really seeking

7:14

, like , what are the most pressing challenges , what

7:16

is a good partner in the system ? And then

7:18

how can we come together to make the magic

7:20

happen ? And I mean

7:22

, I don't have to tell you , or

7:25

probably even the listeners on this podcast

7:27

, but we do know that health

7:29

systems , nationally and globally

7:31

, of course they're stretched and they're

7:33

in crises and you

7:35

know we do believe that these kind of wicked problems

7:37

that we're facing as it relates to health and

7:39

well-being , it

7:41

really takes us to come together so we can rethink

7:44

how we deliver and receive care

7:46

right, and that's when you will hear Muna and I probably

7:49

multiple times today will hear

7:51

us refer to models of care and when we say

7:53

that , that's when we think of

7:55

you know , how are we delivering care and the

7:57

different interconnected pieces that contribute

7:59

to these kind of care pathways

8:02

. And you know , ultimately , through the

8:04

work that we do in the health system transformation

8:06

portfolio , our goal is

8:08

to , you know , think about how can

8:10

we be more preventative in our approach , how

8:13

can we keep people in their communities and

8:15

in their homes for longer ? So it's moving

8:17

away from this model of what right

8:19

now is actually sickness care rather

8:21

than healthcare and moving into a more

8:23

community-based model

8:25

. And then also moving maybe away from what

8:27

is this heavily acute care-based

8:30

model into more of a model

8:32

that is again preventative and community-based

8:34

in nature . And we do believe

8:37

within our portfolio and

8:39

in the broader health team , of course , we believe we can

8:41

do that through digital health

8:43

and that's really what we're trying to accelerate

8:45

through the work that we're doing across the

8:47

portfolios and maybe

8:49

just one little piece

8:52

about , like , how we actually do that . So when

8:54

you know , so we're bringing together health system

8:57

partners and , you know , technology

8:59

solution providers , so the goal is actually

9:01

implementation . So we're looking at how

9:04

can we allow health system partners , together

9:06

with technology solution providers , to both implement

9:09

and evaluate their technology

9:12

and that novel care model that drive forward

9:14

our work . And we always like to sort of

9:16

paint that picture Like it's actually very

9:18

simple because the

9:29

health system . We know that we have big

9:31

, big needs and big problems and challenges

9:33

in the health system , but on the other side we

9:35

have these great ideas and great solutions

9:38

but sometimes they don't find each other

9:40

and part of the work that we're doing

9:42

is try to bring those together and

9:44

bridge that gap .

9:46

So , Nancy , you mentioned a couple of things around the funding

9:48

and bringing in sort of these care models . So I'm

9:50

curious how does Alberta Innovates

9:52

work to sort of allow or create

9:55

spaces where we can bring in these models

9:57

and sort of test them , and how does

9:59

this translate into real life change within

10:01

the healthcare system ?

10:03

Yes , so that's a good question . So

10:05

, again , I'll probably speak specifically

10:08

to the programs that Muna and I are

10:10

part of , because we're obviously

10:13

very well aware of how

10:15

these programs function and how we bring

10:18

about health system transformation through these programs

10:20

, and so , within the health system transformation

10:22

portfolio , we do have two key

10:24

programs that allow us to

10:26

again enable these more human-centric

10:30

care models , and , specifically

10:32

, they do that by driving forward digital

10:34

health for the reasons that I mentioned earlier

10:37

. So first , we have our Partnership

10:40

for Research and Innovation in the Health System

10:42

, or short PRIUS , and you may be

10:44

aware of this program because

10:47

this is our longstanding partnership , of course

10:49

, with Alberta Health Services , and

10:51

so this partnership really was designed to

10:54

provide an opportunity to researchers

10:56

and clinicians that are affiliated

10:59

with one of Alberta's post-secondary institutions

11:01

to implement and test

11:04

these novel care models that a

11:16

do we know we need to make some changes ? And then these

11:18

clinicians and researchers come forward with

11:20

these proposed solutions to

11:23

test these novel care models , and

11:26

the goals , ultimately , of this specific

11:28

program are twofold , and , of course , number

11:30

one is that to improve patient health

11:32

and well-being , but then also

11:34

is to generate health system benefits . So

11:37

an example for that would be

11:39

are we generating maybe some

11:41

cost savings or cost avoidance in the health

11:43

system as well ? So this is the twofold

11:45

objectives

11:48

of that program , and so

11:50

the partnership has been

11:52

longstanding and has been in place actually

11:54

for almost 10 years now , so

11:56

since actually it has been 10 years , so 2014

11:59

. And so since 2014

12:02

, we have seen eight successful Prius cycles

12:04

. And so since 2014 , we have seen eight successful Prius cycles , and the

12:06

last two so Prius 7 and 8 , they did

12:08

focus specifically on bringing

12:10

forward digital health solution into

12:13

the healthcare system , and those

12:15

two cycles alone they saw

12:17

about a $15 million worth

12:19

of investments into

12:21

those projects that were ultimately funded to

12:24

bring forward , you know , health system

12:26

changes . And again , these projects

12:28

covered a sort of a breadth of different

12:31

area , of focus areas , including

12:33

, you know , preventative health

12:35

, remote and rural community

12:38

health as well , as well as , of course , the

12:40

kind of care that we deliver in our acute

12:42

care settings . So that's the previous program

12:44

, the kind of care that we deliver in our acute care settings . So that's

12:46

the Prius program . And then we do have another program that

12:49

we are very excited about and that is our

12:51

Digital for Health program , which

12:56

you know . That goes back to my conversation earlier about the big problems and the big solutions

12:58

, and the Digital for Health program is

13:01

meant to bring together the health

13:03

system partners . So we work

13:05

with health system partners that

13:07

, of course , are experiencing these big problems

13:09

, these big challenges , and then bring them together

13:11

with high potential technology solution

13:13

providers and then allow

13:15

them again to implement , test and evaluate

13:18

these new models of care that

13:21

are again driven by digital health technologies

13:24

and these partners can be again

13:27

from across the continuum of care . Really

13:29

. And you

13:32

know , I think A big

13:34

key point in regards to the Digital

13:36

for Health program is that these challenges that we've

13:38

been talking about , they're

13:41

evidence-based , they're data-driven

13:44

, and this is why these partnerships are so important

13:46

, and maybe , Muna , you can talk about this a little bit

13:48

later on in the conversation . But

13:51

so we really look at what does the data tell us

13:53

and what are the biggest challenges that need to be

13:55

addressed immediately , and

13:58

then , you know , these digital health companies

14:00

come in and hopefully , with their high

14:02

potential solutions , they can address

14:04

these gaps through their technology

14:06

. So I think that's really exciting , because sometimes

14:08

these two just don't find each other , and

14:10

so to date we have had a partnership

14:13

with Alberta Blue Cross and then also

14:15

actively right now with the Glen Rose Hospital

14:18

Foundation , and

14:20

then we are currently in the process to

14:23

work towards another and a new partnership

14:25

in the continuum care space as well . So

14:27

you can see we really we are

14:29

covering partnerships

14:32

across the continuum of care . And

14:35

then , aside from the partnership

14:37

stream , we have recently also built

14:40

a new stream to

14:42

the Digital for Health program , that being

14:44

the project stream . So sometimes we realize

14:47

that , like our health system partners

14:49

, they may have a technology solution in mind

14:51

already , so they might already be thinking

14:53

about a technology solution provider

14:56

, or they might even have their own technology solution . So

14:58

they , they might even have their own technology solution , so they can come forward

15:00

with that technology that they already have in

15:02

mind and then apply to the program

15:05

as well to allow us to support

15:07

their real world implementation . So these are

15:09

the two streams under the Digital

15:11

for Health program .

15:14

That's amazing . I have a follow-up

15:16

question . You know we've been talking

15:18

a lot about partnerships and I'm

15:20

curious you know what does

15:23

a good partnership look like , like ? What are the ingredients

15:25

that you have found that make partnerships

15:28

successful and allowed you to

15:30

sort of continue to do this work for a hundred

15:32

years ?

15:34

That is a great question . So

15:37

partnerships , I mean I know we've mentioned

15:39

it a lot they're really the backbone of what we do

15:41

here in the health system transformation team . Honestly

15:43

, they're essential for our success , and working

15:46

with all these industries and organizations , you

15:48

know again , as a convener and a connector , we're

15:51

able to bridge gaps . We're

15:53

also able to tap into a wealth of knowledge and

15:55

expertise in ways

15:57

that we genuinely just wouldn't have been able to do on

15:59

our own . I

16:02

know Nancy had mentioned the Digital for Health program

16:04

. So Alberta , blue Cross , the Glen Rose Hospital

16:07

Foundation , they've been truly

16:09

instrumental in helping us co-develop

16:11

challenges data-driven challenges

16:13

and also they come

16:15

with the resources , the infrastructure

16:18

that we really need for an effective implementation

16:20

study and

16:23

they also bring in that sector

16:25

specific knowledge . But in terms

16:27

of the you know the ways to build

16:29

successful partnerships , I mean there really isn't

16:31

a perfect recipe or a

16:33

one size fits all , even

16:35

though you know we might wish that there was .

16:38

We do think that if you find one you know

16:40

, then please do tell us . Leave

16:42

it in the comments .

16:44

But we definitely think alignment

16:46

on goals and objectives is key . So

16:48

having that shared vision right from

16:51

the start , and starting with that end in mind

16:53

too , is really important , and

16:55

in our case , that's enhancing human-centric

16:57

care models that leverage digital

16:59

and data-enabled technologies that contribute

17:02

to health system sustainability . So

17:04

that part is really important to us . But also

17:06

beyond that , we prioritize really good communication

17:09

with our partners and commitment

17:11

to mutual learning and growth . So

17:14

a partnership should really feel like a

17:16

true collaboration where everyone

17:18

is really invested in each other's success

17:20

and not just a transaction . At

17:23

the end of the day , we're creating that network

17:25

of support and innovation

17:27

that would drive us all forward , and

17:29

it's not just working side by side

17:32

. We're learning from each other and

17:34

pushing the boundaries of what we can hopefully

17:36

achieve together and I know

17:38

Nancy had mentioned Wicked a few times , but that is of what we can hopefully

17:40

achieve together . And I know Nancy had

17:42

mentioned Wicked a few times , but that is exactly how we solve Wicked problems . So again

17:45

, yeah , not a one size fits all , but there are

17:47

a few things that definitely set us up

17:49

for success with our partners .

17:53

I love that . It's sort of that connection of you're empowering

17:55

each other to do your best work as you grow

17:57

together and your understanding and the way you tackle challenges . It's sort of

17:59

that connection of you're empowering each other to do your best work as you grow together and

18:01

your understanding and the way you tackle challenges . It's so important and

18:03

I really really love that .

18:06

Absolutely , and if you can keep in mind , right

18:08

, like we have already all these great minds

18:10

and players in the health ecosystem , and it's

18:12

just sometimes , maybe we can do

18:14

better and actually talking to each other and sharing

18:17

those ideas , which then maybe will

18:19

come to something even bigger and better , and

18:21

so partnerships really do allow that and

18:23

really draw on what's already there , and

18:26

maybe we just haven't taken it far enough .

18:29

I love that , Create opportunity for creative

18:32

collisions , as people can then go

18:34

and share all of their knowledge with each other

18:36

, and we continue to grow and create really

18:38

awesome things . But I'm curious

18:41

, though how do

18:43

you pick where you're going to work ? So , like you've

18:45

mentioned a couple of times , it's like you use

18:47

a lot of data and there's a lot . We know

18:49

health care is ripe for innovation

18:51

and change , but there's so many spaces

18:54

. So you know what are some of those key aspects

18:56

for identifying and selecting high

18:58

potential ? You know challenges

19:00

or , like those wicked problems that you've talked

19:02

about .

19:03

Yeah , I mean , you're absolutely right , there are so many

19:05

challenges that we can address , and I really

19:08

believe that Mona

19:11

kind of mentioned this already through what she was saying

19:13

about the partnerships . But we lean heavily

19:15

on our partners to tell us because we

19:18

have , again , alberta there's a wealth of

19:20

health data that maybe sometimes we don't

19:22

. The use of that health data is not yet

19:24

optimized , right , but we have the data that tells

19:26

us where are sort of our biggest challenges

19:28

and where can we have significant

19:31

impact , and for a long lasting sort

19:34

of , for , I guess , for sustainable impact

19:37

as well , right . So it's not just now , but

19:39

for sustainable impact as well , and

19:42

so that's what the that's the value the health

19:44

system partner brings to the table . And

19:46

so then together , collectively

19:48

, as a partnership , we look at that data

19:50

and we identify what is

19:52

that biggest challenge that we can address

19:55

. So , again , they're needs-driven , informed by

19:57

data , and are situated

19:59

anywhere across the continuum of care , depending

20:02

on who that partner is . So we're talking about Alberta Blue

20:04

Cross , so it was about the

20:06

wellness and chronic diseases , versus

20:09

, of course , working with the Glenrose Hospital

20:12

Foundation . I should say it's really about

20:14

advancing rehabilitation

20:16

care in Alberta and

20:19

then , I think , the role we were

20:21

talking about these big problems , big solutions . The partner

20:24

helps us better understand , first

20:26

of all before we jump to the solution and again , Josh

20:28

, you will love this , being with the design lab

20:30

is understanding what is

20:32

the big problem before we jump to

20:34

the solution . So the data is one piece , but

20:37

the second piece is actually

20:39

also just really understanding

20:41

. What does

20:44

that community tell us , right , like , what are the

20:46

needs ? Maybe beyond the

20:48

data , and maybe can we have some conversations

20:51

with the people , and

20:53

maybe with the people of Alberta that have lived

20:55

experiences , not just health

20:57

system administrators or healthcare providers

20:59

. So , for example , maybe

21:02

in our current partnership

21:04

with the Glen Rose Hospital Foundation , together

21:08

we have launched what we call the Creating the Future

21:11

of Rehabilitation Care Challenge

21:13

to enable both equitable

21:15

access and improved transitions in

21:17

care for the people in Alberta

21:20

and specifically for those living in rural

21:22

and remote Alberta . And the reason

21:24

for that being is because that's what the data told

21:26

us . We know that there's many Albertans

21:28

that , of course , live outside of

21:31

Edmonton . Edmonton is the main center

21:33

. We have the Glen Rose Rehabilitation Hospital

21:35

and people come here for their specialized rehabilitation

21:38

care needs , and so the data

21:41

has told us that . So how can we maybe

21:43

keep people in their communities

21:45

and help provide

21:47

the specialized rehabilitation care they need

21:49

there , because it's quite difficult to come

21:51

and travel depending on your socioeconomic

21:54

sort of context as well Right , it's not that easy

21:56

to just take off and visit the Glen Rose Rehabilitation

21:59

Hospital . But then the other part is

22:01

we wanted to even better understand

22:03

what's getting in the way as it relates to equitable

22:06

access and transitions in care

22:08

for those that are in need of rehabilitation

22:10

care . And so , as part of this partnership

22:12

specifically , we have recently undertaken

22:14

a significant engagement with stakeholders

22:17

within the rehabilitation

22:19

care community that

22:21

included health professionals , administrators

22:23

, clinicians and , of course , people

22:26

with lived experience to do just

22:28

that , to fall in love with that problem and

22:32

just to gain a better understanding of the true

22:34

barriers that are currently getting in the way , of

22:38

the true barriers that are currently getting in the way . And

22:43

you know , I think Mona and I were both really proud on how this engagement turned out , because we engaged

22:45

more than 100 individuals from across Alberta

22:47

, including representation , of course

22:49

, which was important from rural and remote regions

22:52

for this engagement , and

22:54

you know the information that we gathered

22:57

and what we heard through these engagements

22:59

, along with that health system data

23:01

that we already previously had

23:03

collected , is really instrumental

23:05

in the support and sort

23:08

of in the development , I should say , of the funding

23:10

program that will ultimately allow us

23:12

to bring about change and support

23:14

some of these new models of care and rehabilitation

23:17

care and this funding program

23:19

, by the way , it is set to launch later

23:21

this fall as well . And , josh

23:23

, I just did want to give a shout out to the design

23:26

lab as well for this , because we did have

23:28

some support from the design lab in preparation

23:30

for this , knowing that this is

23:32

what you do and you do it very well . So

23:34

thank you so much for being a partner in that

23:37

. Again , another

23:39

showcase of what it means to collaborate in the ecosystem

23:41

, for sure . And then maybe

23:43

I can also speak to

23:46

our previous program , the one that's in partnership

23:48

with Alberta Health Services

23:50

, and so , in this specific case , we

23:52

lean on Alberta Health Services to

23:55

tell us , based on their data and based on

23:57

you know , their strategic priorities , what are

23:59

the kind of health system challenges that require

24:01

, you know , a digital health solutions

24:04

. And then again , these

24:06

digital health solutions are brought forward by

24:08

researchers and clinicians that

24:10

are affiliated with an Alberta-based

24:12

post-secondary institution , and

24:15

I'd like to just share a couple of

24:17

examples , I think , that showcase just

24:20

how , what the kind

24:22

of projects that we're funding and the kind of changes

24:24

that they can make in the lives of the

24:26

people of Alberta . So the

24:28

first one being a project

24:30

led by Dr Matthew James . He's

24:32

with the University of Calgary and , together

24:35

with his team , he's addressing the fragmentation

24:38

of care that currently exists

24:40

for patients that experience acute

24:42

kidney injury and , as such

24:44

, you know , had hospital admission and

24:47

now they're looking for a transition from hospital

24:49

into their homes and historically

24:51

and currently , this can result in

24:53

, you know , adverse long-term outcomes , so

24:56

there's a risk of readmission

24:58

, there is a risk of cardiovascular

25:00

events and infections as well . And

25:03

then so his team currently

25:05

right now it's an active project is implementing

25:07

what is a multi-component digital health

25:10

solution , which

25:12

includes computerized

25:14

clinical decision support and digital

25:16

remote patient monitoring as well , to

25:19

improve readmission rates and

25:21

hopefully improve long-term

25:23

outcomes for patients that are experiencing

25:26

AKI or acute kidney injury

25:28

. So that is one example

25:30

and then one again

25:32

just showcasing the continuum

25:34

of care that we're kind of covering . Another

25:37

project is Dr Darren Lau . He's

25:39

with the University of Alberta

25:41

and together with his team , they're addressing

25:43

diabetes care for adults

25:46

that are living in rural First Nations

25:48

and Indigenous communities , and

25:50

so diabetes care for

25:52

those communities is currently

25:55

, it's fragmented , it's difficult to access

25:57

again , which leads to a worse diabetes

26:00

outcome compared to the general

26:02

population . And so for his

26:04

, his digital solution is an

26:06

integrated virtual solution that

26:08

they call Link , and it's meant to

26:10

improve access to high

26:13

quality diabetes care and , again , it's

26:15

multi-component , so it's about delivering

26:18

care virtually and

26:21

then just using digital health tools to do

26:23

that and then , but do

26:25

that by allowing people to remain within

26:27

their communities as well , which is a huge factor

26:29

when it comes to health and wellness as well

26:31

. And you know , I think

26:34

the other exciting part about this project

26:36

is that the solutions are really tailored to

26:39

the unique needs of each community

26:41

, because each one of these communities

26:43

they're not the same , they have different needs

26:45

, and so that kind of digital health solution

26:47

does provide and address the unique

26:49

, I guess , needs

26:51

for each one of these communities . And

26:54

, you know , really hopefully we will be

26:56

able to provide the kind of high quality diabetes

26:58

care that the general population currently

27:01

receives to those that are living

27:03

in those more rural , indigenous

27:06

, first Nations communities as well

27:08

.

27:10

I love it . You're picking these challenges

27:12

where there's this connection between quantifiable

27:15

and qualifiable data , as you're taking

27:17

data and merging it with stories . It's

27:20

so important , especially when we're dealing with how

27:22

complex or , like you both said

27:24

, wicked challenges , where

27:26

the perspective is so important when we're

27:28

talking to somebody from , maybe , who lives in Edmonton

27:30

versus somebody who lives in a rural

27:32

community , who's four hours away but

27:35

still requires a lot

27:37

of support with whatever illness that

27:39

they're faced with .

27:40

Absolutely , and that's what makes us a wicked , right . It's just

27:42

it's so complex and so where do you even

27:45

start , right ? So we love that word

27:47

Wicked

27:49

and partnerships . It's going to sound really funny

27:51

by the end of this conversation

27:55

.

27:55

No , it's , you know , it's so important

27:57

. I actually love that . I'm going to use that in

27:59

the future as we talk about wicked partnerships and

28:01

these groups of individuals who tackle these

28:04

really difficult systemic challenges

28:06

.

28:07

I think it's fair , because we're stealing things from you and so

28:09

you can steal something from us . Great partner .

28:13

Yeah , we are great partners , yes , for sure

28:16

. So I do want to

28:18

ask one more question before I

28:20

sort of start to bring us together and sort of

28:22

wrap us up . You know , healthcare

28:25

is in a difficult spot right now

28:27

. I think we can agree that we are faced with some

28:29

challenges . I'm curious from Alberta

28:31

Innovates and you , specifically you both

28:33

what do you both

28:35

see as our greatest opportunities and challenges

28:38

as it relates to health system transformation

28:40

in Alberta ?

28:43

Yes . So again

28:45

, we're talking about WICCID . So we

28:47

have a number of really

28:49

big system problems

28:52

. And maybe I'd like to start out this

28:54

question on a more positive note in saying

28:56

that , you know , alberta

28:58

is really well positioned to be a leader

29:01

in health system transformation in

29:03

Canada and globally . So

29:06

, and that is because I believe , and we

29:08

at Alberta Innovates believe we have the ingredients

29:10

in place to make that magic happen . So

29:13

, for one , we do have a . You

29:15

know , we have a growing life sciences

29:17

sector right now and there is a lot of movement

29:19

, a lot of activity as well and a lot of excitement

29:22

around that . We

29:24

mentioned previously we have a wealth of

29:26

health data in Alberta . Then we

29:28

had the implementation and now hopefully

29:31

also the optimization of the ConnectCare

29:33

system , which allows us to collect , use

29:36

, analyze data in a whole different way

29:38

, even now that we and we can make really meaningful

29:40

use of that . And then

29:43

, lastly , health system stakeholders

29:45

and the people

29:47

of Alberta , to be frank , are

29:49

demanding that we rethink how

29:52

we deliver and receive care , because

29:56

they know that the way it is set

29:59

up right now , we can do so much better . And

30:01

then we've had this emerging principle

30:04

or concept lately that I hear

30:06

a lot is that concept of the learning

30:08

health system right . And so , again

30:10

, people , I think there's appetite

30:12

to embrace this idea of the learning

30:15

health system , where we use data and generate

30:17

knowledge , put that into practice and then move

30:19

through the cycle on . How can we continuously

30:22

through an iterative process and

30:25

sort of make the changes that we need to bring about health

30:27

system transformation ? And

30:30

so I do think all these ingredients

30:32

are there , which is why Alberta is

30:34

a great place to be , and then ultimately

30:36

, you know , we can use

30:38

that to solve the biggest challenges that we

30:40

need to solve . I think we can tie that back to

30:42

the quintuple aim really enhance care

30:45

experiences . How can we achieve

30:47

health workforce well-being ? Right , because

30:49

right

30:55

now there's a lot of conversation about the

30:57

health workforce , and rightfully so . How

31:00

can we use these ingredients to advance health

31:02

equity and reduce

31:05

cost and ultimately improve overall population

31:07

health ? So all of these are within the art

31:09

of the possible if

31:12

we really optimize the ingredients

31:14

that are already in place in Alberta . Now

31:17

, on the other side , of course and again this is

31:19

not surprising because we've talked about this today transforming

31:22

healthcare and transforming the health system , there

31:26

are a lot of many interdependencies

31:29

, and so , therefore , we

31:31

do require sort of a multi-sectoral

31:33

approach to what we do and

31:36

we require this collective effort

31:38

and you

31:40

know , we at Alberta Innovates believe certainly

31:42

Mona and I , we do believe that conversation

31:45

is that , you know , we're not just a intentional

31:47

activities and strategic

31:50

investments that allow us

32:18

to continue to identify

32:21

and foster these kind of very important

32:23

collaborations and partnerships that

32:26

allow us to work towards these sustainable

32:29

and human-centric models

32:31

of care . So that's where I think you

32:34

know there's a lot of opportunity here , there's

32:36

a lot of things that we can address , but it's like

32:38

we need to continue to foster that

32:41

interconnected spirit and those

32:43

relationships as we move forward

32:46

across the broader health ecosystem

32:48

.

32:48

That's amazing . So I guess you know , as you talk

32:50

about partnerships and bringing people together

32:52

, I sort of want to ask you a question

32:54

this is my final one Like how

32:56

do our innovators and inspirers

32:59

from I4 get in contact with you

33:01

, how do they learn more about the amazing work that you're

33:04

doing and how do they find a way

33:06

to become a partner as well ?

33:08

Of course . So a lot of challenges

33:10

out there . There's a lot of opportunities . There's only

33:12

so much we can do alone . Here at Alberta

33:14

Innovates . If you're interested

33:17

in becoming a challenge partner under our

33:19

Digital for Health program , we do

33:21

have a challenge intake form up

33:23

on our website , but we also encourage

33:25

you to reach out myself or Nancy

33:27

. We'd love to have a conversation , explore

33:30

how we can work together and

33:32

explore some of those challenges together and how we can

33:34

bring them to life . On the

33:36

other hand , if you'd like to contribute

33:39

to our current challenges nancy

33:41

had mentioned the creating the future of rehabilitation

33:43

care program in partnership with the glenrose

33:46

hospital foundation . So

33:48

we are looking for real world implementation

33:51

sites , or health service delivery

33:53

partners , that's we'd like to call them . So

33:55

we're looking for those sites for piloting

33:57

, testing and evaluating digital

33:59

health solutions , and so if that sounds

34:02

like something you're interested in , that you could

34:04

be a part of that you'd love to learn more about

34:06

. Let's connect , reach out

34:08

, and we'd be super excited to have a conversation

34:10

about it .

34:11

I just want to extend a quick thank

34:13

you to you both for taking part

34:16

on this I4 podcast , as we sort

34:18

of explore the amazing work that

34:20

you're both doing and that your

34:22

teams are doing as well within the ecosystem

34:24

within Alberta . Albertans are

34:26

lucky to have your group and your organization

34:29

. I also just want to say

34:31

the work that you're doing is nothing short

34:33

of incredible and I can't wait to

34:35

for other Albertans to

34:37

experience that work and reap

34:40

the benefits and the rewards of the amazing

34:42

work that your team does . So

34:44

I just want to say thank you again , keep doing

34:46

this amazing work and thank you

34:48

for coming and sharing all of that input with us

34:51

today at i4

34:53

podcast thank you so much , josh

34:55

edifying

34:57

, educational and fun .

34:59

Thanks , joshua , for hosting our uh

35:01

two colleagues and uh

35:03

make sure to check out the

35:05

i4ahs podcast

35:07

. And , on behalf of shift

35:10

, I'm Hagan . We'll see you next

35:12

time .