The 2018 Choosing Wisely Canada National Meeting was held on Monday April 23, 2018 at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto, Ontario. With sweeping views of the Toronto skyline, the over 320 attendees spent the day learning and engaging with each other during keynote sessions, workshops and breakouts featuring the fantastic efforts of our national community and focused on the theme of Leading and Implementing Change. Attendees included clinicians, patient representatives, leaders from national organizations, medical students and representatives from all provincial and territorial campaign affiliates.

Opening remarks were delivered by national health care leaders, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Federal Minister of Health,  Dr. Laurent Marcoux, President of the Canadian Medical Association, and Dr. Joshua Tepper, CEO of Health Quality Ontario.  Dr. Tepper referred to Choosing Wisely as the “largest quality improvement effort in Canada.” Their remarks set the tone for the National Meeting, by acknowledging the success of the campaign to date, and encouraging the Choosing Wisely community to continue to drive improvements in patient care and for the health care system.

Dr. Kaveh Shojania, Director, Centre for Quality Improvement & Patient Safety, University of Toronto delivered a powerful keynote presentation on the history of overuse as a quality improvement priority, and offered evidence-based opportunities to continue to address the problem of unnecessary tests and treatments. He offered the cautionary note that people have been trying to improve many of these overuse issues for decades—some of them are difficult to change. Attendees also heard from Dr. Dee Mangin, Chair of Family Medicine at McMaster University delivered an inspiring talk highlighting the centrality of professionalism and trust to Choosing Wisely.

This year, we had over 100 abstracts submitted. Four of these submissions were included in our plenary, Successful Tales from Coast-to-Coast, which featured clinicians who led improvement initiatives to reduce unnecessary tests or treatments and improve quality of care. Abstracts were also featured in interactive breakouts and workshop sessions. We are thankful to our presenters and facilitators for sharing their efforts and inspiring others. To see all of the abstract submissions, download the 2018 Abstract Book.

Finally, we are grateful to the National Meeting planning committee, campaign supporters, and event sponsors for helping to ensure another energizing National Meeting.

2018 National Meeting Photo Album 

Thank you Joanna Wong, our Choosing Wisely Canada Project Assistant, for capturing the moments of this year’s event!

Joanna Wong Photography

Details will be released soon about the date and location of the 2019 National Meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!