Dr. Wendy Levinson, Chair, Choosing Wisely Canada

Leading From Where You Stand to Drive Improvement

Transforming healthcare doesn’t require a title – it requires intention, credibility, and connection. In this keynote, Dr. Chris Moriates illustrates how every clinician, educator, trainee, and staff member can “lead from where they stand” to improve care and drive meaningful change. Through engaging stories and evidence-based frameworks, participants will explore how to use power and influence effectively, as well as how to engage peers through credibility, shared purpose, and emotional resonance. Attendees will leave equipped with practical tools and renewed confidence to catalyze improvement in their own settings – no formal authority required.

Dr. Chris Moriates, Professor of Clinical Medicine, UCLA; Executive Director, Costs of Care

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how individuals can exercise leadership and influence to drive improvement, regardless of formal role, title, or position.
• Apply practical strategies for using power and influence, such as establishing credibility, finding common ground, and aligning evidence with audience readiness, to lead change in complex healthcare environments.
• Recognize and analyze real-world examples of effective peer leadership, illustrating how “leading from where you stand” can catalyze meaningful and sustainable improvement.

Learn how to tackle overuse in your practice through workshop sessions and abstract presentations featuring innovative approaches from across the country. Participants can select one of the following sessions to attend.

Tackling Low-Value Lab Testing in Canada

Low-value lab testing has been a longstanding problem in Canada, straining hospital resources and potentially exposing patients to unwarranted investigations and treatments. This session will explore strategies to drive change and evaluate lab utilization, both at the frontline and system levels.

Dr. Thomas Bodley, Clinician Co-Lead, Using Labs Wisely, Choosing Wisely Canada

Learning Objectives:

• Summarize ways to reduce lab overuse in hospitals or health systems.
• Describe examples of how implementation efforts have led to reductions in unnecessary lab testing.
• Discuss evaluation efforts within the Using Labs Wisely program.

Mobilizing the Next Generation to Choose Wisely

Facilitated by Dr. William Silverstein, this session will showcase medical and pharmacy student leaders and their innovative approaches to engage learners in resource stewardship.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the importance of resource stewardship competencies in medical and pharmacy education.
• Describe how to leverage medical and pharmacy student leadership in implementing Choosing Wisely initiatives.
• Show examples of successful medical and pharmacy student leadership from across the country to advance resource stewardship initiatives.

How Urine Tests Drive System-Wide Antibiotic Overuse 

Urine dipsticks and routine urinalysis are widely used to assess suspected urinary tract infections (UTIs), despite being unreliable in older adults. Across long-term care, primary care, and hospitals, inappropriate urinalysis testing and/or urine cultures often trigger a cascade of antibiotic use that follows patients between settings. Sharing experience across health sectors, participants will learn practical approaches to improve diagnostic clarity and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.

Dr. Jerome Leis, Clinician Lead, Using Antibiotics Wisely, Choosing Wisely Canada
Dr. Sid Feldman, Clinician Co-Lead, Long-Term Care, Choosing Wisely Canada
Dr. Katrina Piggott, Physician, Geriatric Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how routine urine testing for suspected UTIs contributes to antibiotic overuse across different health care settings.
• Identify standard approaches to diagnosing UTIs among residents of long-term care and older adults in the community.
• Identify practical strategies that can be applied to bring consistency regarding UTI diagnosis across hospitals, long-term, and primary care.

Abstracts on Choosing Wisely in Primary Care 

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature efforts to reduce unnecessary testing and treatments in primary care.

Contributors to Primary Care Guidelines in Canada: A Systematic Review
Dr. Samuel Boudreault, Department of Family Medicine, Laval University

Overtesting in MASLD: How Guidelines Can Drive Low-Value Care
Julie Laurence, Hôpital Notre-Dame

The Choosing Wisely Canada/Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Dyspepsia Toolkit: When It is Ok to Say “Nope to the Gastroscope”
Dr. Kelly Burak, Physician Learning Program
Dr. Sander Veldhuyzen van Zanten, Canadian Association of Gastroenterology

Scaling Choosing Wisely Through Quality Improvement in Primary Care
Kara Nealon and Dr. Elaine Bland, Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network

Reducing Low-value Knee MRIs Through a Primary Care Checklist
Santiago Garcia Giraldo, Provincial Diagnostic Services, Shared Health
Christine Peters, Provincial Diagnostic Services, Shared Health

Learning Objectives:

• Describe efforts to reduce low-value tests and treatments in primary care settings.
• Illustrate successful examples of implementation efforts in primary care.
• Identify tools and resources that can support clinicians in reducing unnecessary testing and treatments in primary care.

Learn how to tackle overuse in your practice through workshop sessions and abstract presentations featuring innovative approaches from across the country. Participants can select one of the following sessions to attend.

Unearthing Environmental Co-Benefits in Choosing Wisely Quality Improvement Efforts

Low-value care harms patients, wastes health system resources, and drives a significant environmental footprint through unnecessary tests and treatments. This interactive workshop will support improvement efforts by sharing practical tools and approaches to integrating environmental sustainability into projects and reporting measurable impact.

Dr. Nicole Simms, Executive Lead and Training and Education Lead, CASCADES
Andrea Wnuk, Leader, Health System Improvement, Health Quality BC

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how low-value care impacts patients, health system resources, and the environment.
• Identify opportunities for quality improvement and environmental sustainability in health care.
• Discuss strategies on how to incorporate sustainability considerations and measure environmental impact in improvement projects.

Meeting Canada’s Target for Safer Antipsychotic Use in Long-Term Care

Canada has a new national target to reduce potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use in long-term care homes. Set at 15%, this target provides the sector with a clear, measurable goal to move towards safer, person-centred care. In this session, participants will learn what the target means in practice, how homes can be recognized for their improvement efforts, and practical strategies for implementing and sustaining change.

Dr. Sid Feldman, Clinician Co-Lead, Choosing Wisely Canada
Michael Chislett, Manager, Specialized Care, Development and Data Request, Canadian Institute for Health Information
Anika Garg, Medical Student, University of Toronto

Learning Objectives:

• Describe current trends in antipsychotic use and the development of the national target for long-term care homes.
• Identify practical improvement strategies to support appropriate antipsychotic use and how to move towards the target.
• Discuss opportunities to support long-term care homes in implementing and sustaining change.

Abstracts on Innovations in Choosing Wisely

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country, and internationally. This session explores new strategies to reduce overuse, including programs, digital tools, and innovative approaches.

Tropicalization of Academic Detailing
Trish Rawn, Centre for Effective Practice

Does AI Choose Wisely? Evaluating AI Alignment with Choosing Wisely
Matthew Ahn, Medical Student, University of Toronto

Montreal Declaration on High Value Care: Engaging Partners For Better Care
Dr. René Wittmer and Dr. Guylène Thériault, Choisir avec soin

Pilot of the Quebec Choosing Wisely Clinic Designation
Dr. René Wittmer and Dr. Guylène Thériault, Choisir avec soin

Learning Objectives:

• Summarize innovative programs and technological tools being used across Canada to reduce overuse in health care.
• Describe practical strategies for implementing Choosing Wisely through programs and tools.
• Discuss opportunities for further innovation in tackling low-value care and overuse.

Abstracts on Improving Lab Utilization in Canada

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature efforts to tackle low-value laboratory testing.

Quality Unlocked: A Practical Primer for Laboratory Medicine
Dr. Jennifer Taher, Mackenzie Health

Optimization of Laboratory Testing to Advance Sustainable Healthcare in NL
Michael Barrett, Quality of Care NL

Optimizing Intervention Sequences to Reduce Physician Blood Urea Nitrogen Test Overuse: A Multi-Hospital Analysis
Dr. Pamela Mathura, Alberta Health Services 

Lab Wisely Widget – Estimating Savings Across Parameters
Christine Nielsen, Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science

Learning Objectives:

• Describe efforts to reduce low-value lab tests and treatments.
• Illustrate successful examples of implementation efforts to reduce low-value laboratory tests.
• Identify tools and resources that can support clinicians in reducing unnecessary testing and treatments in primary care.

The Misinformation Pressure Test: A Practical Toolkit for Evidence-Aligned, Patient-Centred Care

Patients are increasingly influenced by online myths, commercial wellness claims, and algorithm-driven confusion. These pressures fuel requests for low-value tests and treatments and erode trust in clinical guidance. In this keynote, Dr. Shazma Mithani explores how misinformation shapes patient expectations, disrupts decision making, and strains healthcare resources. Through real clinical examples and a practical communication toolkit, she outlines how clinicians can respond effectively in the moment and how organizations like Choosing Wisely can strengthen a coordinated, credible public voice.

Dr. Shazma Mithani, Associate Clinical Professor, University of Alberta

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how misinformation shapes patient expectations, healthcare utilization, and the demand for low-value tests and treatments within current digital and social contexts.
• Apply practical, evidence-informed communication strategies to address misinformation in clinical encounters, support shared decision making, and strengthen patient trust.
• Identify opportunities for individual clinicians and healthcare organizations to work collectively in reducing the impact of misinformation and advancing resource stewardship.

Learn how to tackle overuse in your practice through workshop sessions and abstract presentations featuring innovative approaches from across the country. Participants can select one of the following sessions to attend.

Making Every Drop Count: Five Years of Using Blood Wisely

Up to 30% of blood transfusions in Canadian hospitals are inappropriate, putting pressure on a vital and limited health care resource. Since its launch in 2020, Using Blood Wisely has set national benchmarks to reduce inappropriate transfusion practices. Reflecting on five years, this session will share lessons learned, strategies for overcoming challenges, and what’s next for advancing transfusion appropriateness in Canada.

Dr. Yulia Lin, Transfusion Lead, Using Blood Wisely, Choosing Wisely Canada
Matthew Ahn, Medical Student, University of Toronto

Learning Objectives:

• Identify effective interventions and system-level strategies that reduce inappropriate transfusions in hospital settings.
• Describe evaluation efforts to measure the impact of the Using Blood Wisely program.
• Discuss priorities and opportunities to strengthen blood appropriateness across Canada.

Abstracts on Choosing Wisely in Education 

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature resource stewardship in medical education efforts.

Evaluating a Novel Way of Teaching Choosing Wisely Canada Recommendations to Medical Students
Shangi Vijenthira, Queen’s University 

Considerations in Integrating Deprescribing Competences into Health Professional Education
Aylin Mansimova, Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network

Program Impact of the Choosing Wisely Canada STARS Program
Dr. William Silverstein, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Choosing Wisely Canada

Implementing a National Resource Stewardship Certificate for Health Profession Learners
Marissa MacInnis and Jakalee Myette, Dalhousie University

Case-Based Videos for Dermatology Resource Stewardship
Emilie Wang, University of British Columbia

Learning Objectives:

• Describe efforts to promote and advance resource stewardship in education.
• Illustrate successful examples of implementation in education.
• Identify tools and resources that can support advancing resource stewardship in education.

Abstracts on Reducing Overuse in Hospitals 

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature efforts on reducing overuse in hospitals.

Delirium Aware Safer Healthcare – A Provincial Improvement Campaign to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Delirium
Maggie Ford and Ontario Health

Less Plasma, Less Drama: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Inappropriate Plasma Transfusions Across Community Hospitals in the Niagara Region
Dr. Mohammad Refaei, Niagara Health

Calm and Clear Without Sedatives: Reducing Delirium Risks at Scarborough Health Network
Loretta Lee and Swasti Bhajan, Scarborough Health Network 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe efforts to reduce overuse in hospital settings.
• Illustrate successful examples of implementation efforts to reduce overuse in hospitals.
• Identify tools and resources that can support clinicians in reducing overuse in hospitals.

Smarter Urine Testing: Abstracts on Reducing Harm and Improving Care

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature efforts to decrease unnecessary urine testing.

Working Toward More Appropriate Antibiotic Use in LTC
Kristin Schmidt, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Saskatchewan Health Authority

Quality Improvement Study to Optimize UTI Management in Long-Term Care
Tyler Good, Public Health Agency of Canada

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the “Ditch the Dipstick” Campaign in Long-Term Care
Anika Garg, Medical Student, University of Toronto

Reducing Urinary Tract Infections in Long-Term Care at Lakeshore Lodge, City of Toronto
Farah Chowdhury and Dr. Pinella Buongiorno, Lakeshore Lodge, City of Toronto 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how routine urine testing for suspected UTIs contributes to antibiotic overuse across different health care settings.
• Summarize successful examples of implementation efforts to reduce unnecessary urine testing.
• Identify practical strategies that can be applied to bring consistency regarding UTI diagnosis across health care settings.

Choosing Wisely in Primary Care 

Primary care providers navigate increasing system pressures, rising patient expectations, and growing concerns around misinformation. These realities make reducing low-value care increasingly important and create opportunities to put Choosing Wisely principles into practice. This session highlights practical strategies and tools to support evidence-informed decision-making and help providers engage patients in creating appropriate care plans.

Dr. Janet Reynolds, Primary Care Co-Lead, Choosing Wisely Canada
Dr. Guylène Thériault, Primary Care Co-Lead, Choosing Wisely Canada

Learning Objectives:

• Identify current challenges in primary care that impact decision-making.
• Apply practical strategies and tools to support evidence-informed decision-making.
• Discuss opportunities for implementing Choosing Wisely in primary care settings.

Unwind and connect after a full day of learning at our informal networking social. This is a great opportunity to enjoy shared appetizers while meeting fellow attendees and speakers.

Choosing Wisely at Scale: Bridging Grassroots Momentum With System-Level Leadership to Drive Appropriate Care

In this session, Dr. Chris Simpson will draw on his experiences as a clinician leader and health care administrator to explore how health systems can better incorporate Choosing Wisely principles. He will highlight how aligning grassroots clinical efforts with organizational and government leadership could drive meaningful system-wide change in the Ontario context.

Dr. Chris Simpson, Executive Vice President (Acute and Hospital-Based Care) and Chief Medical Executive, Ontario Health

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how clinical, organizational, and government perspectives can be aligned to advance appropriateness in care delivery.
• Evaluate strategies to shift Choosing Wisely principles from a philosophy of care to a system-wide performance expectation.
• Outline how evolving technologies and patient behaviours can affect the demand for care.

Learn how to tackle overuse in your practice through workshop sessions and abstract presentations featuring innovative approaches from across the country. Participants can select one of the following sessions to attend.

Becoming a Choosing Wisely Canada Hospital 

Hospitals across Canada are taking deliberate steps to reduce overuse and integrate Choosing Wisely principles into their organizational strategy. This session offers practical guidance on designing quality improvement initiatives for Hospital Designation Program status while exploring barriers and facilitators to sustaining change. Featuring insights from Choosing Wisely Canada Hospitals, this session will help your site advance toward designation and gain national recognition.

Dr. Adele Harrison, Hospital Designation Lead, Choosing Wisely Canada
Denise McRiner, Choosing Wisely Canada
Kenneth Abogadil, Director, Diagnostic Imaging, and Dr. Jacqueline Bourgeois, Chief of Pathology and Medical Director of Laboratory Medicine, Cambridge Memorial Hospital
Genny Ng, Manager, Quality & Patient Safety, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Learning Objectives:

• Discover quality improvement activities to embed the reduction of overuse in hospital settings, including specific examples from Choosing Wisely Canada Hospitals.
• Examine potential barriers and facilitators to drive, measure and sustain change in the implementation of Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations in hospital settings.
• Design quality improvement activities for your hospital to advance towards becoming a Choosing Wisely Canada Hospital.

Designing Feedback With, Not For: A Co-Design Approach to Improving Audit and Feedback

The Calgary Audit and Feedback Framework (CAFF) supports clinicians to review their own practice data, identify improvement opportunities and plan changes through audit and group feedback. Drawing on in-person and virtual CAFF experiences, this interactive workshop explores how co-design with health care providers helps ensure feedback reflects clinical priorities and supports sustained change.

Dr. Kelly Burak, Assistant Dean, Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development, Physician Learning Program

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the components of the CAFF.
• Identify which partners should be included in a co-design approach and how to engage them.
• Apply principles of human-centred design to co-design of CAFF-based audit and group feedback. interventions

Abstracts on Medication Appropriateness

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature efforts to improve medication appropriateness. 

ReACH-LTC: REAssessing CHolinesterase inhibitors and memantine in Long-Term Care
Dr. Katrina Piggott, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

RxFiles Academic Detailing: Supporting Clinicians in Menopause Management
Taisa Trischuk, RxFiles 

Trends in Proton Pump Inhibitor Use in 3 Canadian Provinces
Grace Cheung, Canadian Institute for Health Information

Bringing Safety Back to the Front Burner: Evolving and Aligning RSPs and Standards
Candice Anderson, Health Standards Organization

Learning Objectives:

• Describe efforts to reduce unnecessary medical prescribing and improve appropriateness.
• Illustrate successful examples of implementation efforts to improve appropriate prescribing.
• Identify tools, resources, and standards that can support clinicians in optimizing medication use.

Abstracts on Choosing Wisely for Patients and the Planet

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature improvement efforts related to environmental sustainability.

Driving Sustainable Change in Ophthalmology: A National Sustainability Toolkit
Kyobin Hwang and Dr. Mili Roy, University of Toronto 

A Conversation Aid for Climate-Conscious Prescribing of Inhalers
Stacey J Butler, Unity Health Toronto 

Mobilizing Pharmacist-Led MDI-to-DPI Therapeutic Interchange
Caitlin Roy, Saskatchewan Health Authority

Adding Antidote to the Fire: Building Climate Resilience in Rheumatology
Dr. Stephanie Tom, Canadian Rheumatology Association

Sustainable Blood Glucose Monitoring: Practice Resources for Pharmacists
Sadaf Faisal and Christine Dalgleish, Canadian Pharmacist Association 

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the important role of clinicians in leading environmentally sustainable practices.
• Describe practical examples of environmentally sustainable initiatives to reduce overuse in practice.
• Discuss tools and resources to support clinicians in implementing environmentally sustainable practice.

Making it Easier to Choose Wisely: Tools to Support Practice

When common conditions meet complex decision-making, clinicians need clear and practical guidance. This session will share three practical tools from the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP) that help clinicians navigate decisions and support appropriate care, using examples from low back pain, menopause, and antipsychotic use.

Dr. Sid Feldman, Centre for Effective Practice

Dr. Sheila Wijiyasinghe, Centre for Effective Practice

Dr. Julia Alleyne, Centre for Effective Practice

Learning Objectives:

• Use CEP’s clinical tools to guide appropriate assessment and management of dementia, menopause and low back pain in primary care.
• Implement structured decision-support tools into routine clinical workflows to standardize care, reduce unnecessary investigations or treatments and support appropriate referral and follow-up.
• Apply patient-centred, evidence-informed approaches to support shared decision-making, align care with patient goals and improve communication across care settings.
  

The Climate Conversation: Incorporating Planetary Health into Shared Decision-Making

Health care contributes nearly 5% of Canada’s carbon emissions, and every low-value test, treatment, or procedure adds to this footprint without improving patient care. How can clinicians bring climate into discussions with patients while supporting shared decision-making? This session shares practical examples and tools to help clinicians navigate these discussions in everyday clinical practice.

Dr. Wendy Levinson, Chair, Choosing Wisely Canada
Dr. Samir Gupta, Clinician-Scientist, Unity Health Toronto

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how low-value care contributes to health system emissions and environmental impact.
• Identify opportunities to incorporate climate considerations into shared decision-making conversations.
• Apply practical tools and language to support patient-centred, climate-conscious care in clinical settings.

Medication Appropriateness in Canada 

This session explores how evidence, data, and relationships can be better aligned to advance appropriate medication use in Canada. Speakers will share priority areas for medication appropriateness in primary, long-term, and acute care, drawing on findings from consensus and prescribing variation data. The session will also share approaches to respectful relationships with Indigenous communities and co-creating initiatives that support culturally safe and appropriate medication care practices.

• Jonathan Lam, Director Appropriate Use, Canada’s Drug Agency
• Dr. Amol Verma, Clinician-Scientist, Unity Health Toronto
• Dr. Lisa McCarthy, Associate Professor, University of Toronto
• Amber Ruben, Chair, Indigenization Working Group, Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network and Indigenous Health Equity & Reconciliation Consultant, Covenant Health

Learning Objectives:

• Outline medication appropriateness priorities across primary care, long-term care, and acute care in Canada.
• Describe approaches to building respectful partnerships with Indigenous communities and supporting culturally safe medication practices.
• Discuss future opportunities to advance medication appropriateness in Canada.

Abstracts on Reducing Unnecessary Testing

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature efforts to reduce unnecessary testing.

RITE PACS: Reducing Inappropriate TElemetry for Patients Admitted to Non-Cardiology Services
Dr. Max Silverman, University of Toronto

Reducing Low-value Abdominal X-rays: Preliminary Results from a Quality Improvement Initiative
Dr. Isabel Shore, the Ottawa Hospital

Fixing the System We Built (Oops): A Medical Imaging Stewardship Strategy for Choosing Wisely
Dr. Judy Rowe and Stephanie Schofield, Nova Scotia Health Authority

Impact of Phlebotomy on the Environment and Clinical Effectiveness 
Kelsy Lynn Bourdages and Dr. Komi Victor Mari Setondji, Vitalité Health Network

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the important role of clinicians in leading environmentally sustainable practices.
• Describe practical examples of environmentally sustainable initiatives to reduce overuse in practice.
• Discuss tools and resources to support clinicians in implementing environmentally sustainable practice.

A Primer on Using Data to Demonstrate Improvement

Teams implementing Choosing Wisely improvement projects need to determine whether they have successfully reduced unnecessary tests and treatments. Knowledge of fundamental principles in managing and analyzing data, in particular time-series techniques such as run and control charts commonly used in quality improvement, allows teams to add a rigorous approach to evaluating their Choosing Wisely improvement projects.

Dr. Brian Wong, General Internist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences and Director of the Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

Learning Objectives:

• Differentiate between different types of data used for quality improvement.
• Describe the advantages of using run and control charts for Choosing Wisely improvement projects.
• Interpret run and control charts to determine whether improvement has occurred.

Using Antibiotics Wisely in Community Settings 

The overuse of antibiotics is a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance, with studies showing that at least 25% of community antibiotics are prescribed for conditions where they are not required. Drawing on resources from Choosing Wisely Canada, participants will explore effective approaches and interventions to manage common clinical scenarios, including respiratory infections and addressing dental pain without antibiotics.

Dr. Kevin Schwartz, Antimicrobial Stewardship Physician, Public Health Ontario
Dr. Jennifer Young, Family Physician and Physician Advisor, College of Family Physicians of Canada

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the common scenarios of antibiotic overuse in primary care settings.
• Identify practical tools that support the judicious use of antibiotics.
• Discuss antimicrobial stewardship strategies for improvement in practice.

Abstracts on Choosing Wisely and Climate Action

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature initiatives tackling waste, harm, and our carbon footprint.

Aligning Environmental Stewardship with Choosing Wisely in Newfoundland and Labrador
Krista Mahoney, Quality of Care NL

Educating Emergency Medicine Providers on the Environmental Co-Benefits of Choosing Wisely
Dr. Katie Gardner, Dalhousie University

Advancing Environmental Sustainability and Patient Safety through Standards and Assessments
Dr. John McGraw, Health Standards Organization

Impact of Phlebotomy on the Environment and Clinical Efficiency
Kelsy Légère Bourdgaes, Sherbrooke University

Launching and Spreading an Organization-Wide Inhaler Recycling Project
Dr. Geneviève Digby, Kingston Health Sciences Centre

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the important role of clinicians in leading environmentally sustainable practices.
• Describe practical examples of environmentally sustainable initiatives to reduce overuse in practice.
• Discuss tools and resources to support clinicians in implementing environmentally sustainable practice.

Abstracts on Reducing Unnecessary Lab Testing

Abstracts feature Choosing Wisely initiatives and innovative approaches from across the country. This session will feature efforts to decrease unnecessary routine lab testing.

Exploring AST Reflex Test Ordering, Utilization, and Reducing Unnecessary Testing
Iouliana Pillai and Dr. Alejandro Floh, The Hospital for Sick Children

Education and Audit-And-Feedback for Appropriate HbA1c Testing in British Columbia and HbA1c Testing Patterns in British Columbia in 2023
Yanrong Maggie Yang, University of British Columbia

Is That Bloodwork Necessary?
Dr. Karthik Gopalakrishnan, Dalhousie University

Reducing Low-Value Serum Folate Testing in Medical Inpatients
Andrew Neitzel, the Ottawa Hospital 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe efforts to reduce low-value lab tests.
• Illustrate successful examples of implementation efforts on tackling low-value labs.
• Identify tools and resources that can support clinicians in reducing unnecessary testing and treatments.

Reducing Potentially Inappropriate Antipsychotic Use: Regional and National Program Efforts

This session highlights initiatives across Canada aimed at reducing potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use and their outcomes.

Beyond the Target: Codesigning an Approach to Incorporating Outcome Scales to Improve A&F
Dr. Douglas Woodhouse, Physician Learning Program

It Starts With Asking Why – Rethinking the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics in LTC: Tools, Transformations and Discoveries
Andrea Wnuk, Health Quality BC 

Sparking Change in AUA: Person-Centred Quality Improvement in LTC
Neil Drimer, Healthcare Excellence Canada

The Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics Innovator Network in Ontario Long-Term Care
Dr. Michael Hamilton, Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada

Learning Objectives:

• Describe interventions and program supports that aim to reduce inappropriate antipsychotic use in long-term care settings.
• Summarize the impact of these interventions and programs on reducing inappropriate use.
• Discuss priorities and future opportunities to reduce potentially inappropriate use of antipsychotics in long-term care.