[Evaluation of 20 years' experience in scientific dental research].

As we consider the current pressures on healthcare, the options for where to focus our policy and leadership efforts are numerous and, at times, overwhelming. From health human resources capacity to access to mental health and preventative care to intermittent closures of emergency departments - the outlook is alarming. To help make sense of the situation, our editorial team carefully considers a few areas to focus on in each edition.

Shadows and Light: An Interview with Heather Patterson.

Healthc Q

April 2023

Is a senior healthcare leader with 20+ years' experience in the home and community care sector in Ontario. She is the lead for East Toronto Health Partners (Ontario Health Team), has a consulting practice focused on health system strategy and is adjunct faculty at the University of Toronto in Toronto, ON. She can be reached by e-mail at

Neil Stuart Anne Wojtak

The editors of Healthcare Quarterly (HQ) recently had the opportunity to speak with Heather Patterson - emergency physician, photographer and author of the recently released book Shadows and Light (Patterson 2022). Through the photographs she took at Calgary-area hospitals during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Patterson created a poignant record of how the pandemic affected hospital staff, patients and their families. The book has struck a chord with many Canadians as it offers both an honest appraisal of the dreadful toll of the pandemic while also demonstrating the grace and compassion of healthcare workers.

From the Editors.

Healthc Q

April 2023

Served for many years as a partner and practice leader in the Canadian healthcare consulting practices of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and then IBM. Neil is on the board of Health Standards Organization and has an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Toronto's Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in Toronto, ON. He can be reached by e-mail at

The recent winter months were particularly brutal for the healthcare system and its patients as we grappled with an onslaught of infectious diseases, healthcare backlogs and critical shortages of health human resources. We subsequently watched as Canada's federal and provincial leaders sought agreement on additional investments for several of our most precarious sectors, including long-term care, primary care and mental healthcare. Spring 2023 offers some optimism in that we will have new resources to make much-needed improvements to our depleted health sectors and services.

From the Editors.

Healthc Q

January 2023

Article Synopsis

- Canadian healthcare is struggling as it enters 2023, marked by high hospitalizations from various infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
- There is a significant impact on pediatric care and inadequate mental health services, causing added distress for patients and families.
- The ongoing strain on the healthcare workforce exacerbates the challenges faced by the system during this third year of the pandemic.

From the Editors.

Healthc Q

October 2022

Article Synopsis

- The COVID-19 pandemic has created immense pressure on healthcare systems, making the current state of healthcare feel more unstable than ever.
- Patients, healthcare providers, and leaders are all feeling the strain, highlighting the need for significant political will and commitment to improve the system.
- Healthcare Quarterly aims to contribute to recovery efforts by sharing best practices and experiences from successful healthcare transformations in Canada and beyond.