Reflections on 25 Years of Quality Improvement in Saskatchewan with Dr Katherine Stevenson

In this episode Dr. Katherine Stevenson reflects on 25 years of quality improvement in Saskatchewan — tracing the shift from measurement and reporting toward collaboratives, the Accelerating Excellence strategy, large-scale Lean adoption, and attempts to build a learning health system (or whatever we want to call it!). She advocates for reintegrating technical and relational approaches and shares practical advice for practitioners and leaders on becoming “yes, how” responders, creating feedback loops, and role-modelling change.Guest Bio:  Originally a physical therapist,  Dr. Katherine Stevenson has primarily worked in health system improvement since 2004.  She has worked with Saskatchewan’s Health Quality Council (HQC) in a variety of positions, including Senior Quality Improvement Consultant and Program Director, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority as Director of Learning and Program Development for Quality and Safety. In 2024, Kath received her doctorate in Quality Improvement and Leadership in Health and Social Care from the University of Jönköping, Sweden. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow working on Learning Health Systems and the development of graduate education in quality improvement and collaborative practice and an affiliated researcher with Jönköping Academy for Improvement of Health and Welfare. Kath lives in Saskatoon with her partner and their two children, one of whom has complex medical and developmental needs.  Related Resources: Our Story (HQC) Quality as a Business Strategy Johari Window Deming’s Theory of Profound Knowledge