From the Burgundy Chairs is a podcast for health system leaders created by Santis Health. Bringing you insight, understanding, and thoughtful discussion on the issues affecting Canada’s health system, From the Burgundy Chairs will take you beyond the immediacy of the daily news cycle to untangle some of the health sector’s most intractable problems.
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Unlocking the Script: The Future of Vaccine Access in Ontario March 30, 2026 With over 2.5 million Ontarians currently without a family doctor, the pharmacy is no longer just a place to pick up prescriptions—it is where health care must start. Yet, a...
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Unlocking the Script: The Future of Vaccine Access in Ontario March 30, 2026 With over 2.5 million Ontarians currently without a family doctor, the pharmacy is no longer just a place to pick up prescriptions—it is where health care must start. Yet, a… Read More
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Digital Health Founders: Adrian Schauer, AlayaCare March 9, 2026 Digital Health Founders is a Santis Health series featuring one-on-one conversations with leaders from across Canada’s digital health ecosystem. From transformative startups to public sector changemakers, these episodes explore how… Read More
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Rethinking Care Approaches to Reduce Stigma December 16, 2025 When pregnancy overlaps with incarceration, trauma histories, or systemic discrimination, care decisions become deeply influenced by power imbalances and stigma. These intersecting challenges often leave vulnerable populations facing significant gaps… Read More
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Trust in Science: Confronting Misinformation, Rebuilding Confidence October 14, 2025 Trust in traditional public health systems is eroding. At the same time, health misinformation - and disinformation - is spreading faster than ever, reshaping how Canadians view and interpret science… Read More
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Episode 44: The Future of MedTech: A Strategic Investment in Canada’s Economic Health September 9, 2025 As Canada prepares for the fall return of Parliament, a major policy question is emerging across industries: what is the country’s economic strategy for the next decade, and what role… Read More
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Digital Health Founders: Mike Checkley, Accuro EMR July 22, 2025 Digital Health Founders is a Santis Health series featuring one-on-one conversations with leaders from across Canada’s digital health ecosystem. From transformative startups to public sector changemakers, these episodes explore how… Read More
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Episode 41: The Health Data Imperative: Why Canada’s Health Future Depends on Collaboration July 8, 2025 Canada is making important strides in modernizing its health data infrastructure, but progress remains uneven and insufficient. While digital health investments continue at both the federal and provincial levels, health… Read More
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Episode 40: Theranostics: The Leading Edge of Precision Care in Cancer Treatment May 26, 2025 This podcast was created with support from GE HealthCare Canada. Theranostics is a patient-centric approach in medicine that combines diagnostic and therapeutic technologies to precisely visualize and treat cancer without… Read More
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Episode 39: New Insights into the Essential Role of the Practical Nurse in Health Care May 12, 2025 To build a stronger, more resilient health system in Ontario, we must fully recognize and support Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs). RPNs deliver more than one-third of nursing care in Ontario,… Read More
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Episode 38: Crisis & the Ballot Box: Who Keeps Government Running? March 24, 2025 On March 23, Prime Minister Mark Carney asked Governor General Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament and call a federal election, officially kicking off what’s known as the Writ Period. During… Read More
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Episode 37: Tackling Physician Burnout – Building a Resilient Health Care System for Physicians February 11, 2025 Episode 37 | Tackling Physician Burnout - Building a Resilient Health Care System for Physicians To foster patient-first care, Canada needs healthy physicians. In Canada, the issue of burnout is… Read More
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Episode 36: Leading the Way: Partnering and Innovating in Mental Health and Addictions Care December 11, 2024 Mental health and addictions care is a critical issue affecting countless individuals and families across Ontario. As the demand for services continues to grow, the challenges within the system have… Read More
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Episode 35: Navigating Change: The Growing Role of Caregivers in Ontario November 19, 2024 Caregivers exist in all areas of our communities, whether it’s a family member providing physical support to their loved one or a friend providing emotional support to their neighbour. Caregiving… Read More
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Episode 34: Navigating Cognitive Challenges: Advancing Understanding and Support for Schizophrenia October 8, 2024 This podcast was created with support from Boehringer Ingelheim Canada. Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that affects millions worldwide. Though psychosis is the hallmark symptom of this serious mental… Read More
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Episode 33: Bilateral Health Agreements: Changing the Paradigm in Federal-Provincial-Territorial Health Relations July 12, 2024 Since the 2004 Paul Martin deal to fix health care for a generation, which guaranteed federal health transfers would increase by 6% annually, the Government of Canada has sought to… Read More
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Episode 32: The Next Step for PrEP: Expanding the Fight Against HIV/AIDS June 18, 2024 Supported by Gilead Sciences Canada. Canada is experiencing an HIV crisis and we’re moving in the wrong direction. By the end of 2020, there were 62,790 Canadians living with HIV.… Read More
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Episode 31: Interprofessionalism: The Role of Team-Based Primary Care within Canada’s Health System May 28, 2024 Primary care is the foundation of Canada’s health care system; however, the sector is facing a multitude of pressing challenges. Currently, more than 6.5 million Canadians do not have regular… Read More
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Episode 30: From Challenges to Change: A Hospital Leader’s Perspective April 3, 2024 Delivering world-class care and research, Ontario’s hospitals play a pivotal role in diagnosing, treating and coordinating care for a growing population. But Ontario’s health system is under incredible pressure. Hospitals… Read More
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Episode 29: Addressing the Health Workforce Crisis Through Fostering Healthy Workplaces March 21, 2024 The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated capacity and health human resource (HHR) challenges across health systems in Canada, and around the world. The extent of these challenges has necessitated governments, providers and… Read More
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Episode 28: Walking with Humility – Culturally Safe Care for Indigenous Peoples November 9, 2023 In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its report “Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future.” The report detailed how colonization historically undermined the health of Indigenous Peoples and… Read More
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Episode 27: The Pharmacy Evolution October 16, 2023 Pharmacists’ scope of practice has expanded and evolved in recent years, and Canada's pharmacists are doing more for their patients than ever before. Pharmacists in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario… Read More
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Episode 26: Reflecting on the State of Addictions Care August 29, 2023 Episode 26: Reflecting on the State of Addictions Care In February 2023, the Government of Canada announced it will increase health funding to the provinces and territories by $196.1 billion… Read More
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AI Podcast Series: How AI is Changing How Hospitals Work August 23, 2023 AI Podcast Series: How AI is Changing How Hospitals Work Artificial intelligence has made remarkable advancements in recent years, with the potential to revolutionize the health care industry. From aiding… Read More
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AI Podcast Series: Exploring the Crossroads of AI and Clinical Care August 15, 2023 AI Podcast Series: Exploring the Crossroads of AI and Clinical Care Artificial intelligence has made remarkable advancements in recent years, with the potential to revolutionize the health care industry. From… Read More
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Episode 23: Connecting the Health Care System: Canada’s Approach to Health Data and Implications for Cancer Care July 19, 2023 Episode 23 | Connecting the Health Care System: Canada’s Approach to Health Data and Implications for Cancer Care Canadians take pride in the health care system. However, access to health… Read More
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Episode 22: Overcoming Ideology in Health System Delivery May 25, 2023 Episode 22: Overcoming Ideology in Health System Delivery There is a strong belief in Canada that our health system is inherently “universal” and “public”, despite longstanding and long-term collaborations between… Read More
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Episode 21: Creating Equity in First Nations Addictions Treatment Programs January 11, 2023 Episode 21: Creating Equity in First Nations Addictions Treatment Programs First Nations communities experience inequitable access to health care, as well as a disproportionate burden of harm related to substance… Read More
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Episode 20: The Future of Research, Advocacy and Care for the Parkinson’s Community April 13, 2022 With April being Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and April 11 being World Parkinson’s Day, Parkinson Canada is sharing the story of the “Why”; why Parkinson’s continues to be so prominent in… Read More
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Episode 19: Rute Fernandes on What we Need in Canada to Have a Successful Rare Disease Strategy February 4, 2022 Canadians rightfully ask why it takes so long to access new, innovative medicines. Government’s ability to review, approve and regulate the marketing of drugs is a robust, complex process. This… Read More
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Episode 18: Bernard Lord on Reimagining Health Care to Improve the Wellbeing of Canadians January 5, 2022 Across Canada, access to health care remains an ongoing challenge and the pressures within our system – aging population, chronic illness, hallway medicine and increased demand – have only been… Read More
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Episode 17: Deborah Simon on the Health Human Resource Crisis November 1, 2021 Moving beyond COVID-19 will require a multi-faceted solution that involves government, the health care sector and the will of the Canadian population. Pre-existing issues that have been amplified throughout the… Read More
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Episode 16: Durhane Wong-Rieger on Canada’s Approach to a Rare Drugs Strategy September 8, 2021 Earlier this year, the Government of Canada began a public consultation on their 2019 commitment for a national strategy to address high-cost rare drugs. Now, almost seven months after the… Read More
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Episode 15: Suzanne McGurn on the Future of CADTH June 15, 2021 Vaccination numbers are rising and Canada is now emerging from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode spotlights the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH) and… Read More
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Episode 14: Ontario’s Mental Health Temperature Check June 7, 2021 Ontario has been in and out of lockdowns over the past year. Experts have alluded to a fourth wave that could be more disastrous than the first three due to… Read More
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Episode 13: The Agility of Canada’s Health Charities April 8, 2021 The past 12 months have been a historic period of challenge and change for Canadian health care charities. The pandemic has impacted how they fundraise, conduct research programs, engage donors… Read More
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Episode 12: Doug Clark on PMPRB’s Path Forward March 3, 2021 Last October, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) published new guidelines aimed at modernizing Canada’s pricing framework for patented medicines. The guidelines and regulations are the culmination of a… Read More
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Episode 11: A Breakthrough Year for Physician Assistants December 7, 2020 2020 will undoubtedly be remembered as a challenging year for Canada’s health care system. From hospital capacity challenges to the realities of staff burnout, all facets of the health sector… Read More
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Episode 10: Health Profession Regulation – Is Ontario’s Current Model Working? November 15, 2020 Like many jurisdictions in Canada, Ontario is struggling to regulate health professionals in a way that both protects patients and the public, but also provides flexible oversight to ensure health… Read More
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Episode 9: Jodi Hall on the Federal Government’s Role in Long-Term Care September 30, 2020 It’s been one week since Governor General Julie Payette delivered the Speech from the Throne, opening Parliament with a significant commitment to long-term care. But what now? What will the… Read More
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Episode 8: Donna Duncan on Long-Term Care Before, During and Post COVID-19 September 13, 2020 The Ontario Long Term Care Association's Wave 2 Action Plan for long-term care consists of 11 elements that aim to ensure long-term care homes have what they need moving forward… Read More
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Episode 7: Innovation in Times of Uncertainty August 31, 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges and, at the same time, a unique opportunity to embrace digital health solutions. Responding to COVID-19 requires swift and innovative thinking, and although… Read More
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Episode 6: The Federal Fiscal Snapshot. What Does it Mean and What’s Next for Canada? July 9, 2020 On July 8, the federal Liberal government updated the country on Canada’s finances. This fiscal snapshot was unlike any other as it arrived after four months of reactionary spending as… Read More
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Episode 5: Dr. Naveed Mohammad on a Path Forward for Ontario’s Hospitals June 29, 2020 Building capacity in Ontario’s hospitals has been a core pillar in the province’s COVID-19 response. More than three months after the provincial government declared a state of emergency, the question… Read More
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Episode 4: Susan Fitzpatrick on What’s Next for OHTs June 15, 2020 Almost a year and a half ago, Ontario introduced its large-scale plan to integrate health care providers with the goal of creating a patient focused and streamlined system. However, the… Read More
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Episode 3: Dr. Samir Sinha on Seniors and COVID-19 April 11, 2020 We know older adults are at a higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 — so why are we seeing outbreaks in senior populations? In this episode, Dan… Read More
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Episode 2: Maureen Taylor on COVID-19 March 24, 2020 In this episode, we called Physician Assistant and former journalist, Maureen Taylor, to discuss the lessons learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak and how Canada is responding to the COVID-19… Read More
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Episode 1: Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy March 15, 2020 Veronica Said, a Consultant at Santis Health, sits down with Dr. Sarah Jarmain and Adrienne Spafford to discuss Roadmap to Wellness, the Ontario Government's recently announced mental health and addictions… Read More
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