No Patient Left Behind
An Emergency Medicine Cases podcast series
Emergency department crowding is one of the most pressing challenges facing healthcare systems today. But crowding is not simply an emergency department problem — it is a symptom of broader health system pressures that affect patient care, access, safety, and the experience of healthcare professionals.
In this eight-part podcast series, we bring together emergency medicine leaders, clinicians, and health system experts to explore practical, evidence-informed strategies to improve patient flow, address access block, strengthen accountability, and build a more effective healthcare system.
Our goal is to move beyond describing the problem toward identifying solutions that can make a meaningful difference for patients and the teams caring for them.
EPISODE #1 COMING IN EARLY 2027!!
Podcast episode 1: Are We Solving the Wrong Problems?
Why are emergency departments more overcrowded than ever despite decades of attempted solutions? In this inaugural episode of No Patient Left Behind, Drs. Anton Helman and Grant Innes challenge conventional thinking about emergency department overcrowding and explore why we may be solving the wrong problems. They explain why diverting low-acuity patients to urgent care centres and virtual care may do little to improve access for seriously ill patients, how hospital and community care failures contribute to emergency access block, and why simply adding more resources isn’t always the answer. Introducing the No Patient Left Behind philosophy, they make the case for a fundamental shift toward shared accountability, smarter resource allocation and an open-door approach to health care—where patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
The No Patient Left Behind Endowment Fund
Dr. Grant Innes is a nationally respected emergency physician and health-system leader whose career has been guided by a deep commitment to improving care for patients. Over nearly four decades, he has helped shape emergency medicine in Canada through his clinical work in Vancouver and Calgary, his leadership as Chair of the Vancouver Emergency Services Council and Emergency Medicine Department Head for the Calgary Region and the University of Calgary, and his national contributions through CAEP and the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine. Throughout his career, Dr. Innes has championed better access, stronger patient flow, and practical solutions that help people receive the right care, in the right place, when they need it most.
To honour Dr. Innes’s remarkable impact, donations raised will help create The Dr. Grant Innes “No Patient Left Behind” Award. It will be co-administered annually by CAEP and SREMI, and expected to launch in fall 2026. These annual awards will support policy change initiatives and practical system-level improvements that help patients access timely and appropriate care across emergency departments, hospitals, and communities. We invite you to help carry forward Dr. Innes’ vision of a health-care system where no patient is left behind.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our primary benefactors, Linda and Tom Stevenson. Their visionary support has laid the foundation for a lasting legacy of compassionate care.
In an extraordinary act of encouragement, Linda and Tom will also match every donation dollar-for-dollar, doubling the impact of every gift made in support of this important initiative.
To donate via stocks, cheque, or wire transfer, please contact Carmen Chu at [email protected] or by phone at 647-202-0416 for more details. We thank you in advance for your support and generosity.
