ANNIE WALTERS-SHUMKA

As a second-year medical student at the UBC Southern Medical Program, I had

the privilege of attending the 2020 IHI National Forum. Under normal
circumstances this conference would’ve taken place in Orlando, Florida.
Instead, I participated from the comfort of my living room couch. Despite the
change in setting, I feel tremendously fortunate to have taken part in this
event alongside healthcare professionals and students from around the
world.

Upon logging onto the online platform, I was impressed by the incredible
variety of sessions that were available for us to attend. Over three days, the
speakers covered a broad range of subjects from the technical and
operational to issues of social equity, with a unifying theme of patient-centred
and quality care. Some of the subject areas included patient flow in hospitals
and strategies to improve efficiency, optimizing telehealth, the Black Lives
Matter movement and maintaining compassion during burnout. Many of the
presenters were speaking to their experiences working the frontline of the
pandemic, discussing lessons learned from this unprecedented year.

I was very interested to attend the session “When Crises Collide: Sustaining
Opioid & Substance Use Disorder Priorities in the Face of a Global Pandemic”,
as this is a subject close to my heart. Beyond discussing the impact of COVID-
19 and how it has exacerbated the existing opioid epidemic, the panel of
speakers provided concrete actions we can take as individuals to enable
system-wide changes. As a student, I often feel like a very small part of an
enormous system. I was reminded that small changes to combat our own
biases and stigma can be an important catalyst for change.

Although the conference hosted many engaging speakers, Dr. Don Berwick’s
keynote speech left me with a lasting impression. In his presentation, he
discussed how polarization both politically and in healthcare and can foster
negative health outcomes. I was encouraged to critically consider how silos
can impede healthcare quality and the role of shared communication to
improve this division.

I am extremely grateful to have taken part in the 2020 National Forum. I want
to sincerely thank the IHI Open School Chapter at UBC and the BC Patient
Safety & Quality Council for offering this incredible opportunity to broaden
my horizons. Despite our distance from one another, in a year defined by
isolation, the Forum was an opportunity to come together and engage with
other healthcare professionals with a shared passion for improving patient
care.