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Behind every announcement about connecting more people with family doctors, expanding primary care or introducing new healthcare technology are clinic managers and administrative leaders responsible for turning those plans into reality. They coordinate teams, implement new systems, manage competing priorities and keep medical practices moving—often without receiving much public recognition. Recorded at Room to Grow, the 2026 Ontario Medical Group Management Association conference, this compilation brings together clinic leaders, physicians and healthcare innovators to discuss the challenges facing medical practices, the opportunities ahead and what’s coming next in Canadian healthcare. Featured guests: Elizabeth Boyne, Clinic Manager at Mapleton Health CentreDr. AJ Kadhim-Saleh, Family Physician and Co-Founder of Pippen AIIrfan Aziz Hayat, Founder of ClinicFone and TechGuruChristopher Fisher, President of Capital Digital CanadaDinny Matthew, Executive Director of Prescott Family Health TeamJeevan Singh, Founder and CEO of PocketMDTopics include the growing complexity of clinic management, administrative burden, technology adoption, shared operational resources, leadership isolation and the importance of strong professional communities. Learn more about OMGMA at omgma.ca. Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare is produced by Rhythmic Media. If your organization has an important healthcare conversation it should be leading, visit getrhythmic.com/content.

For the first time in the Ontario Medical Association’s 145-year history, women have held the presidency in consecutive terms alongside consecutive women Board Chairs.In this episode of Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare, Anthony DiValentino brings together four physicians at the centre of that historic moment:Dr. Rebecca Hicks — President, Ontario Medical AssociationDr. Sharon Bal — Board Chair, Ontario Medical AssociationDr. Zainab Abdurrahman — Past President, Ontario Medical AssociationDr. Cathy Faulds — Past Board Chair, Ontario Medical AssociationTogether, they reflect on the paths that brought them into medical leadership, the women who helped pave the way, and what it takes to turn representation into meaningful institutional change.The conversation explores mentorship, the evolution of opportunities for women in medicine, the OMA Women’s Forum, the barriers that remain, and what today’s leaders hope the next generation of women physicians will inherit.This isn’t only a conversation about making history. It’s about what comes next.This episode is proudly supported by PocketMD.PocketMD is building connected healthcare technology around a unified patient profile, helping providers collaborate around a more complete longitudinal picture of a patient’s care.Learn more: PocketMD.caBreaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare brings together the people working across Canadian healthcare to share perspectives, challenge silos, and move important conversations forward.Produced by Rhythmic Media: getrhythmic.com

What happens when a clinical expert has to become an organizational leader? In this roundtable, four physician-leaders unpack what really happens when clinicians step into leadership — the identity shift, the hard part nobody talks about, the system you can't control, and what the future will demand from leaders everywhere. Framed as a learning journey, the host, Anthony DiValentino learns alongside you. This conversation is about  leadership transition and executive leadership — not just healthcare. If you've ever been promoted for being great at your craft and then had to learn to lead people, systems, and change, this is for you. You'll hear candid stories on clinical leadership , team trust, and leadership development that apply far beyond medicine. In this episode: ​The Moment Everything Changed — the decision to lead​The Hard Part Nobody Talks About — what no one prepares you for​The System — leading inside constraints you don't control​The Future — what next-generation leaders need now Featuring: Dr. Alun Ackery, Vice President & Chief Medical Officer at Unity Health Toronto Dr. Dave Roberts, Dean of External Education at Harvard Medical School Dr. Varun Kapila, Lead of Vascular at Ontario Health Dr. Ahmed Taher, Deputy Chief of Staff & Quality Improvement Lead at Mackenzie Health Tell us in the comments: what was the hardest part of your own transition into leadership? Chapters: 00:00 What happens when clinicians step into leadership? 02:15 The Moment Everything Changed 14:30 The Hard Part Nobody Talks About 26:45 The System 38:20 The Future 48:00 Closing Round — One Thing They'd Tell Their Younger Self #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveLeadership #ClinicalLeadership Breaking Silos is brought to you by Rhythmic Media: https://getrhythmic.com Thanks to our episode sponsor: J&J Welsh Financial Services & Cooperators Group. Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, systems, and transformation.

Peel Region is home to 1.8 million people — and one of the worst physician shortages in Ontario. The answer isn't importing doctors. It's training them here. In this episode of Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare, Dr. Valerie Mueller (TMU School of Medicine) and Dr. Alison Freeland (Trillium Health Partners) break down the community-embedded training model they're building together — and why 70–80% of doctors who train in a region go on to practice there. This isn't just a local story. It's a blueprint for how Canada rebuilds its medical workforce from the ground up. What we cover: → Why the traditional academic training model fails communities like Peel → How the TMU / Trillium partnership is structured — and what makes it different → Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME): what it actually means for practice-ready doctors → The retention data that should be driving national policy → Whether this model can scale — and what's standing in the way Presented by 407 ETR.

In this episode of Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare, we sit down with four accomplished OB/GYN leaders — Dr. Esther Chin, Dr. Michelle Jacobson, Dr. Nayla Khan, and Dr. Meghan McGrattan — for a thoughtful conversation about women’s health across different stages of life.We explore the reality that women’s health remains under-researched and too often under-addressed, leading to long delays in diagnosis and care. The discussion touches on the importance of listening to patients, the role of leadership in medicine, and the need to move beyond outdated models that leave too many women feeling dismissed or unheard.Across the conversation, the panel reflects on:- Caring for women medically and surgically across the lifespan.- What it means to lead as women in medicine and healthcare.- How family life, career demands, and professional responsibility intersect.- The cultural and systemic shifts needed to improve women’s health outcomes.- Why common symptoms still too often go untreated or normalized.This is a conversation about leadership, care, and the real-world experience of women working to improve the system from within.Featuring:Dr. Esther Chin, OBGYN & Global Surgery Lead, McMaster University & Hamilton Health Sciences, Co-Founder, STITCH Surgical ModelsDr. Michelle Jacobson, OBGYN & Menopause Specialist, William Osler Health System, Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Coven Women's HealthDr. Nayla Khan, OBGYN, William Osler Health SystemDr. Meghan McGrattan, OBGYN & Endometriosis Surgeon, Mackenzie Health System, Co-Host, The Push PodcastPresented by: Johnson & Johnson MedTechFollow us:Instagram: @breakingsiloscanada LinkedIn: Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare

"Just because something is common does not mean that it is normal." In this upcoming episode of Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare, we are joined by Dr. Esther Chin, Dr. Michelle Jacobson, Dr. Megan McGrattan, and Dr. Naila Khan to address the urgent need for a more comprehensive approach to women’s health. We discuss the patriarchal roots of current medical systems, the "altar of sacrifice" culture, and how leadership is the key to breaking the cycle of physician burnout and patient dismissal. Listen to this trailer for a first look at our critical panel discussion. Follow the show to get notified every time we add a new episode.

Clinic days are full. The tech was supposed to help. In this episode of Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare, OntarioMD leaders Dr. Chandi Chandrasena and Dr. Darren Larsen sit down to talk honestly about what digital health is actually doing to clinic days in Ontario—where it’s working, where it’s clearly not, and how teams are quietly bending the tools back toward patient care. We get past the buzzwords and into the lived experience: overflowing inboxes, too many portals, and the emotional load of feeling like you’re charting more than you’re caring. Then we zoom out to the bigger questions: Which workflows are worth redesigning? Where can AI scribes and smarter integrations give clinicians time back? And what does it look like when vendors, clinicians, and organizations pull in the same direction instead of talking past each other? If you’ve ever felt like your EMR and digital tools are running your day instead of supporting it, this conversation is for you—and for anyone trying to build a better version of “normal” in Canadian primary care.Visit OntarioMD.live to register for the conference. Are you a clinician or admin? Register now at OntarioMD.live #DigitalHealth #CanadianHealthcare #PrimaryCare #VirtualCare #HealthIT #OntarioMD

Clinic days are full. The tech was supposed to help. In this episode of Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare, OntarioMD leaders Dr. Chandi Chandrasena and Dr. Darren Larsen sit down to talk honestly about what digital health is actually doing to clinic days in Ontario—where it’s working, where it’s clearly not, and how teams are quietly bending the tools back toward patient care. We get past the buzzwords and into the lived experience: overflowing inboxes, too many portals, and the emotional load of feeling like you’re charting more than you’re caring. Then we zoom out to the bigger questions: Which workflows are worth redesigning? Where can AI scribes and smarter integrations give clinicians time back? And what does it look like when vendors, clinicians, and organizations pull in the same direction instead of talking past each other? If you’ve ever felt like your EMR and digital tools are running your day instead of supporting it, this conversation is for you—and for anyone trying to build a better version of “normal” in Canadian primary care. Visit OntarioMD.live to register for the conference.

Administrative burden and digital overload are burning out clinicians and staff in primary care, even as digital health tools and EMRs promise to make life easier. In this OntarioMD Digital Health Virtual Symposium trailer, we explore how to reduce digital health burden, optimize EMR/EHR workflows, and think realistically about AI scribes in everyday clinical practice. Hear OntarioMD leaders talk about real‑world digital health, clinician burnout, and what it takes to make new tools actually stick in busy community clinics.#DigitalHealth #HealthTech #AdministrativeBurden #OntarioMD

Millions of Canadians are struggling to find primary care, even though the Canada Health Act says we should all have reasonable access to medically necessary services. In this roundtable, nurse practitioner leaders from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario talk candidly about what it feels like to be “on an island and drowning,” how outdated laws and insurance rules quietly block NP care, and why professional associations are actually structural power if we want the system to change.They share real examples from clinics and communities, unpack who is really providing primary care right now, and make the case for using NPs more fully as part of the solution to Canada’s primary care crisis.#abpoli #onpoli #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals #media

In the middle of a nationwide primary-care crunch, nurse practitioners from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario step out from behind the exam room door and into the spotlight. Over sixty minutes, they compare what care looks like in three very different provinces: how team-based clinics work on the ground, what happens when legislation, funding models and methods of data-entry leave their work invisible. As stories of red tape, burnout and quiet innovation pile up, the roundtable becomes less about abstract policy and more about the people quietly holding primary care together. #cdnpoli #onpoli #abpoli #healthcare

Filmed at the OntarioMD Digital Health Conference 2025, this episode explores how tech adoption, workflow solutions, and data-driven care are transforming Canadian clinics. Dr. Joel Moktar, Orthopaedic Surgeon (QuickChart), Dr. Paul Cano, Family Physician (OntarioMD), and Stephanie Stamatakis (Dynacare Insurance Solutions)reveal what’s next in health tech, AI, and integration; helping providers deliver high-quality care for all Canadians. #HealthTech #MedTech #HealthcareInnovation #DigitalHealth #OntarioMD #DHC2025 #QualityCare #DataDrivenCare #CareIntegration #GlobalHealth #shorts #viral #BreakingSilos

What does it take to push Canadian healthcare forward? Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare brings you a vital conversation featuring Dr. Timothy Kodsi (Mimico Medical) and Dr. Dane Wanniarachige (Actuwell); family physicians on the front lines of change. Hear first-hand why patient-centered digital solutions are the future, and how real-world innovation in clinics is shaping the evolution of diagnosis, care, and medical devices across Canada.From building clinics for underserved communities to collaborating with top innovators, these leaders challenge the status quo and connect the dots between global progress and local impact. Right from the exhibition floor at the OntarioMD Digital Health Conference, this episode captures the energy behind Canada’s next wave of medical solutions; where communications, technology, and primary care converge.🔗 Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.#HealthcareInnovation #DigitalHealth #PrimaryCare #MedicalDevices #GlobalImpact #Podcast

Discover how Canada’s healthcare future is being forged through academic innovation, digital health, and the teamwork of frontline providers.This roundtable gathers Osler Health System leaders, TMU partners, and primary care champions to break down the evolution of medical education, multidisciplinary care, and new technology—unpacked for healthcare professionals and the engaged public.Key Topics & ThemesAcademic transformation: How Osler and TMU are changing the training of future doctors and medical teams (#healthcare #innovation #HealthEducation).AI adoption and digital health: Practical stories from hospital, clinic, and community.Real experiences: Delivering care in Canada’s fastest-growing region and what it means for patients, students, and clinicians.The power of collaboration: Team-based care, physician wellness, and models for integrated healthcare.Indian perspectives: Infrastructure innovations, rural healthcare access, and tech’s role in equity.Global lens: Learning from international examples in healthcare teamwork, policy, and technology.Why Watch?Get actionable insights and real stories that matter to clinicians, educators, and health system leadersSee how Osler’s story connects to global topics like innovation, access, and technology in healthcareRespond to today’s challenges; workforce pressures, digital shifts, and building resilient care teamsComment, subscribe, and join the #BreakingSilos conversation.#healthcare #HealthEducation #HealthTech #DigitalHealth #CanadaHealthcare #IndiaHealthcare #TeamBasedCare #MedicalEducation #Osler #TMU #Innovation #Wellness #IntegratedCareChapters:00:00 Introduction: Why Academic Transformation Matters03:00 Osler’s Journey—From Community Care to Academic Centre06:00 Team-Based Primary Care & Rapid Regional Growth09:00 Learner Experience—Medical Residents Join the Shift13:00 Technology & AI in Everyday Practice17:00 Training, Diversity, and Global Community Impacts20:00 Wellness, Physician Experience, and New Models24:00 Vision for Osler & Future Healthcare28:00 Takeaways and Closing Reflections

Join Ontario’s leading voices in family medicine for an in-depth FHO+ roundtable; exploring payment reform, administrative burden, gender equity, and the future of primary care.In this candid discussion, Dr. Jobin Varughese (President, Ontario College of Family Physicians), Dr. Sharon Bal (Vice-Chair, Ontario Medical Association), and Dr. Dave Barber share practical insight, breakthrough moments, and real stories about modern compensation, team-based care, and the challenges facing clinicians and patients.Key highlights:How the FHO+ model addresses pain points and improves support for doctors and patientsThe reality of administrative work, complexity, and patient careGender pay gap and how hourly models drive equity in medicineThe importance of continuity, longitudinal relationships, and team-based careVoices calling for physician leadership at decision-making tables, retention, and system-wide changeWatch, subscribe, and join the conversation reshaping Ontario healthcare. Drop your questions for the panel, share your stories about primary care, and let us know how you envision the next generation of family medicine!For extra content and updates, visit https://www.getrhythmic.com/breaking-silos-in-canadian-healthcare.🔔 Special Announcements in This Episode:💼 Explore partnership opportunities and financial security with Cooperators Group and Jeff Welsh, J & J Welsh Financial Services; trusted advisors supporting healthcare professionals and organizations.🌟 Find out about new practice openings and career options with the Peterborough Family Health Team, offering flexibility, team support, and meaningful community impact.#FHOplus #OntarioHealthcare #PrimaryCare #FamilyMedicine #HealthcareLeaders #AdministrativeBurden #GenderEquity #TeamBasedCare #ContinuityOfCare #PhysicianLeadership #CompensationReformSubscribe for more roundtable episodes, comment with your questions, and share this premiere with colleagues driving change in Ontario’s healthcare system!Chapters:00:00 – Introduction & Welcome01:30 – Recruitment and Retention in Family Medicine05:00 – Physician Rostering and Access Issues08:30 – Ending Negation: Eliminating Penalties11:30 – Administrative Burden & Stress for Doctors15:00 – Patient Access Challenges & System Interoperability19:00 – Real Stories: Rural and Remote Care22:00 – Team-Based Care: Building Better Supports27:00 – Compensation Reform & System Thinking30:00 – Attachment Problem & Supporting Physicians33:30 – Equity, Digital Health, & Policy36:30 – Retention, Senior Doctors, and New Grads39:00 – Physician Leadership & Decision-Making Tables42:00 – Future Workforce, Young Doctors & Residencies46:00 – Building Solutions for Practice Pain Points50:30 – Final Reflections & Closing Remarks