What Changes When We Treat Stories Like Data with Dr. Katharine Smart

Digital storytelling can move a room to honesty in minutes, creating space for real talk about burnout, shame, and the human side of medicine. This episode we connect with Dr. Katharine Smart and reflect on how short films can help clinicians and families feel seen as whole people and how stories can fuel better care and stronger advocacy.We talk through what it looks like when digital stories show up at conferences like the Canadian Conference on Physician Health, why the multimedia format holds attention in a distracted world, and how vulnerability can feel safer when the “work” is done before anyone steps on stage. We also dig into the clinician’s role as a receiver of stories and how deep listening changes care, especially in pediatrics, mental health, and complex family consults. If you’ve ever wondered how to share 18 years of context in one appointment, you’ll hear why a short digital story can reveal the whole person beyond the chart.Episode Key MessagesWhat a digital story is and why the format worksUsing physician and family stories to open mental health conversations at conferences like the Canadian Conference on Physician HealthWhy vulnerability lands fasterShame in medical culture and how storytelling can soften itShifting from acute care to deep listening and longer consultsUsing digital stories to support complex care and transitions to adult careAccessibility and ethics, underrepresented voices, consent, and story ownershipWorkshop story circles as community buildingA citizen digital story campaign to drive healthcare accountability and reformOther Links MentionedRead this episode's blog postWatch the CMA panelLearn more about Digital Storytelling & Healthcare Provider WellnessListen to Spark Conversations - a podcast by Children's Healthcare CanadaWill we see you at the Children's Healthcare Canada conference in Calgary?Check out Health Signals with Dr. Alika LafontaineThe Outrage Cure by Dr. Alika LafontaineOther Episodes MentionedEp 23 with Dr. Daisy Dulay Ep 48 with Dr. Will Bynum of the Shame LabAbout Our GuestDr. Katharine Smart is a pediatrician, national medical leader, and unapologetic advocate for children who believes healthcare systems don’t change unless we’re willing to challenge them. Based in Canada’s north and the Okanagan, she works at the intersection of clinical care, policy, and community partnership to improve outcomes for children and families in rural and remote regions.She is the past president of the Canadian Medical Association and, in 2021, became only the 10th woman to lead the organization in its 155-year history. Named one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women, Dr. Smart is widely recognized for her leadership on health equity, primary care, and combating medical misinformation.A sought-after keynote speaker, media commentator, and podcast host, Dr. Smart brings evidence, urgency, and candour to conversations about the future of healthcare — and why getting it right for children is the only way forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.