Health Forward Summit

This draft program is under development with partners and is subject to change. As breakout sessions are finalized, updates will be made to the schedule below.

*Information tables will be set up throughout the day in the Newcastle lobby.

The following program is under development in partnership with First Nations, the Province, Health Authorities and other participants.

Keynote: This Is Us

Overview:

As the population of Central and North Vancouver Island continues to evolve, so too must our health care systems. This keynote presentation offers a compelling look at the latest demographic trends shaping the region—highlighting aging populations, migration patterns, and community growth—and explores what these shifts mean for the future of health care infrastructure and service delivery.

Drawing on recent BC Stats’ projections, we will examine:

• Rising proportion of seniors and implications for long-term and acute care.
• Population growth, driven by interprovincial and international migration.
• Increasing diversity and complexity of health care needs across urban, rural, and Indigenous communities.
• Forecasted health workforce demands and infrastructure pressures through 2046.

This data-informed overview of how demographic change is reshaping the health care landscape, and how strategic planning today can ensure resilient and community-centered solutions tomorrow, provides a framework for the day’s discussions.

Speaker: Andrew Ramlo

Andrew is Vice President of Advisory Services at rennie, where he leads a team delivering strategic and analytical support to real estate developers, investors, retailers, and public sector organizations. With a deep background in urban and economic geography, Andrew has extensively researched and presented on topics including demographic shifts, consumer behavior, and regional planning.

He also serves as Executive Director of the non-profit Urban Futures Institute, where for over 20 years he has conducted publicly accessible research on labour force dynamics, aging populations, and community change. Andrew holds a BA in urban and economic geography and an MA from UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. A past president of the Planning Institute of British Columbia, he is also a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and has taught at UBC, SFU, and BCIT.

Breakout Sessions

Session A (60 minutes)

Smart Health : Exploring How AI is Transforming Care Delivery on Vancouver Island

Session Overview:

Explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of healthcare across Vancouver Island. This session will spotlight real-world applications and pilot projects that are improving patient outcomes, streamlining clinical workflows, and addressing healthcare access challenges in rural and remote communities.

How recent developments in AI applications are enhancing medical imaging.

• How AI virtual care platforms aid patient triage, monitoring, and personalized care.
• How predictive analytics are used to optimize resource allocation and anticipate patient needs.
• How natural language processing tools can aid in clinical documentation and reduce administrative burden.
• How AI-driven patient matching and care coordination can result in better patient outcomes especially in home and community care settings.
• The use of AI in the context of understanding and respecting Indigenous cultural safety and data sovereignty.

Session B (60 minutes)

Strong Foundations: Preventative Healthcare Through Community, Connection and Care

Session Overview:

This session highlights health care programs that are addressing community health needs and provides an opportunity to share innovative ideas. With a focus on culturally grounded, community-led approaches, participants will explore innovative programs that reflect the values and priorities of communities.

• Key community-based programs such as home-based care, palliative care, and social prescribing.
• Culturally grounded, community-led approaches to mental health and addiction care.
• Innovative strategies promoting inclusive and culturally safe health services, particularly in rural and remote areas.
• Identify opportunities and gaps, and share lessons learned.

Session C (60 minutes)

Investment in Healthcare Infrastructure and Systems Energizes Economic Growth

Session Overview:

Investing in health is not just about improved health outcomes - it is a catalyst for broader economic and employment benefits. This session will delve into the economic impacts of investing in healthcare infrastructure and systems, exploring how such investments act as a powerful engine for local and regional economic growth.

• Connection between healthcare infrastructure investments and economic development at community and regional levels.
• Key mechanisms through which such investments lead to ripple effects in direct and indirect job creation.
• Growth in health-related sectors including health education and support services
• Implications for attracting new business to the region.

Session D (60 minutes)

Shared Path to Wellness: Integrating Indigenous Healing Practices into the Healthcare System

Session Overview:

This session invites participants to explore how Indigenous healing practices—rooted in land, language, ceremony, and community—must be meaningfully integrated with the current and future health systems and infrastructure.

• Foundational role of land, language, ceremony, and community in Indigenous approaches to health and wellness.
• Principles of cultural safety and how they can guide respectful and inclusive practices.
• Recent examples of Indigenous-led health initiatives and partnerships within health systems.
• Integrating Indigenous leadership as fundamental to transforming health systems.

All Participants Session

Reimagining Strategies for Physician and Specialist Recruitment and Retention

Session Overview:

This facilitated interactive session will bring together summit participants to explore and tackle the complex challenges of physician and specialist recruitment and retention. It will focus on how to co-create innovative, community-driven strategies for long-term solutions.

• Understand the multifaceted challenges of physician and specialist recruitment and retention in Central and North Island.
• Identify the roles of different organization in co-creating actionable strategies rooted in collaboration and community.

The Challenge:

Central and North Island communities are facing persistent challenges in recruiting and retaining physicians and specialists. A coordinated regional strategy is needed to build a robust healthcare workforce that reflects the region’s evolving demographic trends, including an aging population, migration and community growth.

The Question:

What actions can we take together to reimagine recruitment and retention of physicians and specialists?

Thought Starters:

• Recognizing/building on successful recruitment strategies
• Ideas for innovative community-driven approaches
• Focus on wrap-around supports for retaining medical professionals
• Addressing unique challenges faced by rural/remote communities
• Optimizing marketing to attract talent in a competitive landscape
• Leveraging geopolitical trends to attract physicians and specialists
• The importance of modern healthcare infrastructure in attracting specialists