We’re thrilled to highlight Judy Birdsell, one of our Co-Founders, past board chair and active, passionate member of our Executive Leadership Team.
For over 30 years Judy has been avidly committed to amplifying patient perspectives and working toward a patient-focused healthcare system. Her professional background is in policy and strategy consulting, primarily in the field of health research policy, and her volunteer work has included roles such as President of the Canadian Cancer Society, Board Chair of the Stem Cell Network, Board Chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative, and Board Member of the Health Quality Council of Alberta — merely a few of the several provincial and national non-profit organizations that Judy has held various leadership positions over the years.
These decades of volunteer work were recognized by three national awards: The Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Confederation (1993), Honorary Life Membership in the Canadian Cancer Society (2000), and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2003). After a break in her volunteer work as a result of family experiences, she became a Patient Safety Champion (Canada) and in 2020 was greatly flattered to receive two awards – the Award of Merit from the Clearview School District (East Central Alberta), where she was born and did all of her early schooling, and shortly after she was deeply honoured to be named to the Order of Canada.
Her personal experiences within the healthcare system drive her passion for advocacy to shift towards a system that recognizes and embraces people (who are sometimes patients) as essential partners in all aspects of health planning – from one’s own care to the care and wellbeing of our communities. We were lucky to catch up with Judy and learn more about her lived experiences, wins as ICN’s past Board Chair and her vision for the work we do here at ICN in an exclusive interview that we’re thrilled to share with you. Take a read below!
What inspired you to co-found ICN?
It was primarily my sister’s experience (and that of our family) when she was diagnosed and treated for lung cancer in 2006. Her final journey could have / should have been so different. It was not the fact that she died; in fact, where she ended up after having side effects from chemotherapy left her in a state where she actually wanted to die. Sadly, with a couple of notable exceptions, most players in the system didn’t provide her or my family with the quality of care (particularly from a communication perspective) needed throughout her journey.
When I tried to follow up with key players after her death, the response to my overtures was further damaging (this time to me). It probably hit particularly hard as I had worked and volunteered in the cancer sector across Canada for over two decades at that point.
The inspiration for me to continue in this work almost two decades after my sister’s death has been subsequent experiences with close family members. In particular, one member who is living with multiple health challenges and who is experiencing what the World Health Organization this year identified as the priority for this year’s World Patient Safety Day on September 17th. The priority for this year is “Improving diagnosis for patient safety”. Patients are increasingly speaking about the toll on their lives and health from delayed, incorrect or missed diagnosis or a failure to communicate appropriate explanations to the patient. My family member has lived this for the past several years!
What aspect of ICN’s mission and vision resonates the most with you and why?
The need for decision-makers and care providers to listen to patients/families and embrace them as partners in their care.
What has been the most rewarding part of being involved with ICN?
Without a doubt the other volunteers who have come to the table! They come with passion, defining life experience, and many skills, knowledge, and attributes. The individuals in the system who have been champions/advocates of what we are trying to contribute are also extremely important to our cause. And most recently, our success in earning funding support from Alberta Health and Alberta Innovates to implement an online platform (Care Opinion) designed to engage both patients and care providers in working together to improve aspects of care arising from actual lived experience of patients, is huge! Implementing this platform as a program of ICN is a significant accomplishment that I am really excited about as we work with primary care and continuing care leaders who also see this as an important step in refocusing our health system.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues with our healthcare system, and why are they important to you?
Currently I find there is a gap between words and actions in our healthcare system. Where ideas that sound promising on paper aren’t translating into tangible actions for our patients. For example, patient/person-centred care, integrated care, one personal health record, aren’t seeing the results needed for an efficient and effective system. There is an inability of many who are trying their best in the system to understand and work within a complex intertwined diaspora of services and organizations. We also have seen a lack of focus on outcomes that would make a big impact on larger populations (e.g. quality of life; prevention). There is also an intense belief that if we just hired more doctors and nurses our system would be fixed. While that is an important part of the solution, it is only one aspect. Another aspect and one that is a key part of ICN’s mission is to support people living in Alberta to be willing and able, and well supported, to play an effective role in shaping the health futures of individuals and the province.
How did your role as a board member contribute to the mission and goals of ICN?
My contribution (and that of all Board Members) is to work to acquire knowledge that is needed (not just opinions) and to develop and nurture respectful relationships with all who share your concern for the end goal. It is imperative for each Board Member to bring their best attributes to the table and deploy them on behalf of ICN. These skills/experience vary greatly and it takes all types to make an organization like ICN flourish. The contributions that I probably bring that are not unique to me but are stronger than others include networking, understanding the policy environment to a meaningful degree, and my ability to ‘connect dots’; see how things are connected. I did a doctorate in organizational analysis as that is what ‘turns my crank’. Working with great people is the fuel for my fire!
What do you hope to achieve or accomplish during your tenure with ICN?
My tenure as a Board member is finished!! Some of my greatest accomplishments include respectful working relationships with key entities in the province and recruiting indescribably talented and committed volunteers! And now the implementation of Care Opinion with funding from several key sources.
What advice would you give to individuals who are passionate and looking for a way to get involved in shaping health and care in Alberta?
Get involved in your own community, learn about the players, the policy and business environment in health care in your community, learn about what matters to Albertans, join ICN as a volunteer! Be a community health champion!
What are your hopes for the healthcare system?
We get to a point where Albertans understand and acknowledge the healthcare outcomes that matter to them in their everyday lives. And that we honour the job we do for ALL Albertans while supporting all Albertans to work effectively to support their own health and that of their families.
What does volunteering mean to you?
Volunteering is the space where you spend the time and energy that makes the most important contributions to things that matter to YOU and to those you care about. Volunteering attracts passionate people from all walks of life and with different backgrounds and experiences. It is a very rich context in which to engage!
