Walk and Talk Improvement

Learning Health Systems in Low and Middle Income Countries with Dr. Anuradha Pichumani

In this episode of the Walk and Talk Improvement Podcast, host Juanita Guidera is joined by a distinguished international guest, Dr. Anuradha Pichumani.
Dr. Anuradha is an award-winning obstetrician and gynaecologist, and Executive Director and Co-Founder of two hospitals in the Tamil Nadu region of India. She brings more than 30 years of experience in healthcare quality, patient safety, and person-centred care across public and private health systems.
This episode offers rich, practice-based insights for anyone working to improve quality and safety in healthcare, particularly in complex and resource-limited settings.
Together, Juanita and Dr. Anuradha explore:
Learning health systems in low and middle-income countries (LMICs)
Importance of family involvement in patient care
Continuous learning and improvement culture in healthcare
Adaptation of global best practices to local contexts
Strategies for staff engagement and empowerment in hospitals
Role of leadership in fostering a culture of patient safety
Use of data for actionable insights and quality improvement
Community outreach and education to influence health behaviours
Innovative approaches to patient and family engagement in care
Dr. Anuradha reflects on her three-decade journey implementing patient safety standards using implementation science and health system transformation approaches in low and middle income countries. Her stories highlight how culture, trust, and continuous learning can enable meaningful and lasting improvements in care.
Whether you are a senior leader, a quality improvement practitioner, or new to improvement science, this episode provides practical lessons and inspiration applicable across healthcare settings. 
 
Guest:Dr. Anuradha, Award-Winning Obstetrician and Gynaecologist; Executive Director and Co-Founder of Two Hospitals, Tamil Nadu, India
Hosted by:Juanita Guidera, Programme Manager, National Quality and Patient Safety, Health Service Executive, Ireland
 
Produced by Juanita Guidera, HSE and GKMedia.ie
 
Information about Dr. Anuradha Pichumani 
MBBS DGO FICOG FISQua Dip ART (Germany) MBA
Dr. Anuradha Pichumani is a distinguished OBGYN, Executive Director and Co-founder of two hospitals in Tamil Nādu, India (Sree Renga Hospital and Narbhavi Multispecialty Hospital Pvt. Ltd.) with extensive expertise in healthcare quality, patient safety, and person centred care.  Over the last thirty years, through her leadership and management skills, she has trained and implemented patient safety standards in public and private healthcare organisations, utilising implementation science in healthcare transformation in LMIC.
She is a Board member of ISQua, The International Society for Quality and Healthcare and ASQua, Asian Society for Quality and Healthcare, facilitating knowledge sharing and driving strategic partnerships; a member of ISQua Patient safety Task Force.
She is an Associate Faculty at Ariadne Labs (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) and implemented Quality Collaborative projects.  She has completed  the Global Healthcare Delivery Intensive Program at Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health.
She is a Principal Assessor, NABH - National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare and Chair of Quality Professionals Wing of Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations (CAHO), India.
She has won many awards for her commitment to healthcare quality - CAHO Quality Champion award, QIMPRO Award.  Her research publications include topics on healthcare implementation, patient safety and the impact of climate change on health in BMJ and IJQHC - International Journal for Quality in Healthcare.  She is the Lead Author of the ISQua White Paper on Patient Safety for Healthcare Organisations.
 
 

“Safe care for every newborn and every child. Patient safety from the start” with Dr. Ulfat Shaikh

In this episode of the Walk and Talk Improvement Podcast, we partner with the Mapping Healthcare Podcast. Dr. John Fitzsimons and Dr. Ulfat Shaikh explore how patient safety approaches can be applied whilst caring for the youngest members of our communities.  They also acknowledge some of the unique features and risks in the care of newborns and children that must be addressed to make care as safe as possible. 
 
This podcast marks the theme of this year's WHO World Patient Safety Day "Safe Care for Every Newborn and Every Child". 
 
Guests:
Dr. Ulfat Shaikh is Professor of Paediatrics and Medical Director of Healthcare Quality at the University of California Davis Health. She focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating health systems improvement methods across a broad range of health care settings to improve health care delivery and outcomes.
 
She is the Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Quality Improvement and Patient Safety and is on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare. Ulfat was the Associate Editor of PSNet, a national web-based patient safety resource funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and previously served as Clinical Quality Officer at the California Department of Health Care Services.
 
At the University of California Davis, she has led over 500 clinicians in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives across departments. She was named an American Board of Pediatrics Paul V. Miles Fellow in recognition of her contributions to improving the quality of healthcare for children.
 
Ulfat has been a practicing paediatrician for 25 years and holds a Doctor of Medicine, master’s in public health, a master’s in clinical research, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
 
 
Dr. John Fitzsimons is a Consultant Paediatrician with a special interest in allergy at Children’s Health Ireland, Temple Street in Dublin where he is an RCSI Honorary Clinical Associate Professor. He also works with HSE National Quality & Patient Safety (NQPS) as Clinical Director for Quality Improvement (QI) and with the RCPI on QI and Patient Safety Education. He is course director of the HSE funded RCPI Post-Graduate certificate in Quality Improvement Leadership in Healthcare which has over 800 graduates and coached more than 250 improvement projects.
 
John has contributed to national improvement projects including Irish Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS), Situation Awareness for Everyone (SAFE), the HSE Patient Safety Strategy (2019-2024) and most recently the HSE’s Quality & Patient Safety Competency Navigator (2025). He is a visiting Research Fellow with the Centre for Innovative Human Systems (Human Factors) at Trinity College Dublin. He is an editor of the Oxford Handbook of Patient Safety (2022) and a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of Quality Improvement (2024) and has several peer reviewed publications in the field. He is a regular host and contributor to QI and Patient safety webinars and podcasts in Ireland.
 
 
Hosted by: Dr. John Fitzsimons, Consultant Paediatrician, Children’s Health Ireland
Produced by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, Health Service Executive, Ireland and GKMedia.ie
 
About Mapping Healthcare
Mapping Healthcare is a radio show and podcast where a medic with a map explores ways in which people around the globe make the world of healthcare better and what we can learn from them. The host is a paediatrician, educator, and researcher who leads programs to help people access high-quality healthcare and stay healthy. All past episodes are archived below. Find Mapping Healthcare on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Lessons from quality improvement in practice with special guests Dr. Rob Cunney and Susan O'Reilly

In this episode of the Walk and Talk Improvement podcast, we are joined by two special guests - Susan O’Reilly and Dr. Rob Cunney.  Susan is an Assistant Director of Nursing for Dementia Quality Improvement for HSE Dublin and Midlands and Rob is a Consultant Microbiologist and QI/Clinical Audit Lead at Children's Health Ireland.  
 
This episode is packed with practical advice that can help you drive meaningful improvements in your own health or social care setting. 
 
Together we explore:
how data and storytelling can transform healthcare,
lessons from engaging staff
the value of co-designing services with patients and service users, and
the practical tools that can support your quality improvement efforts.
 
Join us to hear stories from Susan and Rob’s quality improvement journey.  Whether you’re a seasoned QI professional or just starting out, there’s something here for everyone.  Listen now to the full episode on all major podcast platforms.
 
Hosted by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, Health Service Executive
Produced by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, HSE and GKMedia.ie
 
Dr. Rob Cunney is a Consultant Microbiologist and QI/Clinical Audit Lead at Children's Health Ireland. He has long had an interest in quality improvement and patient safety, and is an alumnus of the Scottish Patient Safety Fellowship. His interest in the role of complexity in healthcare led him to discover Liberating Structures as a suite of tools to support improvement work and, in addition to regularly using these tools in his work, he teaches the use of Liberating Structures through in-person and online training workshops. 
 
Susan O’Reilly, FFNMRCSI, is Assistant Director of Nursing for Dementia Quality Improvement for HSE Dublin and Midlands.  From her role as lead nurse for the Genio funded project developing and implementing integrated care pathways for people living with dementia to her leadership of a QI collaborative to reduce harm from falls and pressure ulcers, Susan has a passion for enhancing practice through continuous quality improvement.
After completing her initial mental health nurse education in St. Vincent’s Hospital, Fairview, she completed a BNSc degree and MSc Intellectual Disability Nursing (DCU), MSc by Research (RCSI), PG Dip (Dementia) (TCD), PG Dip (Advanced Practice) (UCD), PhD in DCU. Focused on person-centred, holistic care Susan has worked with older persons in a variety of clinical settings across mental health, intellectual disability, community, and acute care where she continues to influence practice through her involvement in several national working groups.

Leading a culture of quality with special guest Dr. Andy Phillips

Listen to this episode with special guest Dr. Andy Phillips. Andy is a healthcare leader with coming up to forty years of international experience in health and social care settings around the world.  He is currently the Regional Executive Officer, Health Service Executive South West, Ireland. 
 
Join us as we explore key leadership considerations for developing a culture of quality including:
how the social determinants of health are central to delivering health and wellbeing
core factors for successful co-design of health and social care services
the importance of permission and accountability in putting in place strong governance
using insights from a quality dataset to support continual improvement.
 
If you’re interested in how leaders put in place systems of care that embed quality and patient safety, this podcast is for you.
 
Hosted by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, Health Service Executive
Produced by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, HSE and GKMedia.ie
 

Navigating the intersection of motivation and self-regulation for enhanced quality and patient safety in healthcare with special guest Prof. Deirdre O’Shea

Listen to this episode with special guest Professor Deirdre O’Shea as we explore work motivation, self regulation and performance behaviours to enhance quality and patient safety.
 
Join us to hear about:
- strategies to improve self regulation and motivation
- the role of self regulation on silence and voice
- how incivility and groupthink can influence psychological safety
- the essential role of leaders in influencing their team’s emotional state through positive reinforcement and supportive communication.
 
Hosted by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, Health Service Executive
Produced by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, HSE and GKMedia.ie

Working together to improve quality: Liberating structures in action with special guest Keith McCandless

Did you know that the way we interact within healthcare systems can significantly impact outcomes?
 
In our latest episode of the Walk and Talk Improvement podcast, we speak with Keith McCandless, co-developer of Liberating Structures and author. In our conversation, Keith sheds light on how patterns of relationships shape problem-solving and shares examples of his extensive experience working with healthcare settings. We learn how through the use of "liberating structures," we can foster better communication, collaboration and insight.  
 
This episode is packed with practical advice and inspiring stories that can transform how we approach quality and patient safety in healthcare. Whatever your role, there's something valuable for everyone.
 
We hope you enjoy our latest Walk and Talk Improvement Podcast: Working together to improve quality: Liberating structures in action with special guest Keith McCandless
 
Please share your thoughts about this episode by emailing us on qps.connect@hse.ie.
 
Hosted by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, Health Service Executive
Produced by: Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, HSE and GKMedia.ie
 
Keith McCandless
Keith is co-developer of Liberating Structures and co-author of the book The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures – Simple Rules to Unleash a Culture of Innovation (2014). Keith operates a global consulting practice focused on strategy development, creative adaptability, and including all voices in shaping next steps. He calls himself a structured improvisationalist. 
 
Learning Materials
Website: https://www.liberatingstructures.com/home/
Join the Q Community User Group
Read The Liberators blog ; articles by Keith & friends 
Get the LS app  Apple Store or Google Play Store
LS Selection Matchmaker http://bit.ly/2GN6Y9g
Join LS Slack http://bit.ly/lsslackcommunity
Join or form a Liberating Structures User Group 
The Liberating Structures book is translated into eight languages. Portuguese is the most recent.  

Healing Healthcare: Quality is Goodness with special guest Don Berwick

In this episode of the Walk and Talk Improvement podcast, we are joined by Donald M. Berwick, one of the leading scholars, teachers, and advocates in the world for the continual improvement of health care systems. Don shares his extensive experience and insights on leadership, intrinsic motivation, and quality improvement. The discussion delves into systemic issues in healthcare and the ongoing journey of improvement. Don also highlights our interconnectedness, the potential of leaders to foster collaboration and continuous learning, and the power of our collective efforts to improve health and social care services.
 
We hope you enjoy our latest Walk and Talk Improvement Podcast:  Healing Healthcare: Quality is Goodness with special guest Don Berwick. 
 
Please share your thoughts about this episode by emailing us on qps.connect@hse.ie.
 
Hosted by:  Dr. John Fizsimons and Juanita Guidera.
Dr. John Fitzsimons, Clinical Director for QI, National Quality and Patient Safety and Consultant Paediatrician,
Juanita Guidera, Programme Manager, National Quality and Patient Safety, Health Service Executive
Produced by:  Juanita Guidera, National Quality and Patient Safety, HSE and GKMedia.ie
 

Vision and wisdom: leaders on leadership with Dr Anne Gallen

In this episode 22, we speak with Dr Anne Gallen. Anne is a pioneer who spearheaded the introduction of nursing and midwifery quality-care metrics in Ireland.
These metrics provide an indication of the quality of the fundamentals of nursing and midwifery care. They enable quality improvement along with accountability for care.
Anne is Area Director of Nursing & Midwifery Planning and Development for Dublin and Midlands with the HSE Office of Nursing and Midwifery Services Director (ONMSD).
Hosted by: Dr Maureen Flynn, Director of Nursing and the Quality and Patient Safety Lead for the ONMSD.
Co-produced by: Sheema Lughmani, HSE National Quality and Patient Safety.
 

Making a diagnosis: the role of GPs with Dr John Brennan

In part three of our World Patient Safety Day special, Dr John Fitzsimons speaks with Dr John Brennan on diagnosis from the perspective of a general practitioner (GP).
Dr John Brennan is a GP and lead faculty for the Royal College of Physicians Ireland Postgraduate Certificate in Quality Improvement and Leadership in Healthcare.
Hosted by: Dr John Fitzsimons Clinical Director (NQPSD) and Consultant Pediatrician, Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street.
Co- produced with: Sheema Lughmani, Digital Communications Officer, National Quality and Patient Safety, HSE
 

Striving for diagnostic excellence with Dr Hardeep Singh

In part two of our World Patient Safety Day special, Dr John Fitzsimons and Professor Eva Doherty speak with Dr Hardeep Singh on diagnostic excellence.
Dr Singh is a Professor of Medicine at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt) based at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr Singh is also the Co-Chief of the Health Policy, Quality & Informatics Program at IQuESt and Director of the Houston Diagnosis Improvement Safety Center
Hosted by: Dr John Fitzsimons Clinical Director (NQPSD) and Consultant Pediatrician, Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street.
Co- produced with: Sheema Lughmani, Digital Communications Officer, National Quality and Patient Safety, HSE