Brendan Carr, CEO, William Osler Health System and not letting the drive for efficiencies overshadow the need to be deliberate about quality and safety

Healthcare Change Makers

Today, your host Ellen Gardner, Communications and Marketing at HIROC, speaks with Brendan Carr, President and CEO of William Osler Health System.

He had always wanted to be a physician, but Brendan Carr’s educational journey started in business when he acquired an MBA. That experience – and time as a commanding officer in the naval reserve – taught him the value of situational leadership and the power of leading through influence and seeking different perspectives and ideas from those around him. That belief has been reinforced as a healthcare leader, where he feels the best ideas and chance for impact come from the end user.

The opportunity to work in different healthcare systems across the country before coming to Osler has kept him curious and engaged. Brendan is acutely aware of the growing pressures on our healthcare system and the importance of not letting the drive towards greater efficiencies be done at the expense of quality and safety.

Key Takeaways:

[1:45] The value for Brendan of working in different healthcare systems

[3:30] Why the fruition of full integration across the country hasn’t been possible

[6:20] Why local conditions do matter in terms of what we can achieve for patients

[7:19] Biggest accomplishment since he started in the job a year ago

[8:05] The favourite part of his job

[8:59] The fact that as leaders, we have to admit that at times we’re driving our systems for efficiency at the expense of safety and quality

[12:28] Why every practitioner at Osler needs to know that in overcapacity situations, they can take whatever action is necessary to avoid a ‘never event’

[16:35] His belief that our greatest opportunities for change have to be co-created, using design principles that are driven by the end user

[20:02] Earliest leadership lesson on why authoritarian leadership doesn’t always work

[22:10] His belief that we need to love this system enough to let it evolve to where it needs to go, because it is not there right now

[23:55] What he loves about coming to Ontario and Osler – on any day, he can be at all sites and interact with staff, teams, patients and families

[25:35] The challenge of being an authentic leader

[29:02] Why it’s rewarding to spend time with young, aspiring leaders

[32:01] Showing up for work every day as people and human beings has a huge impact

[34:05] Advice Brendan has received that has influenced his career and leadership style

Mentioned in this Episode:

William Osler Health System

Mid-Staffordshire disaster

Vancouver Island Health Authority

Nova Scotia Health Authority

Canadian Patient Safety Institute

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