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Because your voice matters.

Welcome to PVN Connections Café!

Posted • Last updated

Categories: Campaigns, News & Events

You spoke and we listened! You told us being able to connect with one another was a high priority for you. PVN Connections Café will create social connections among oriented patient partners by offering opportunities for one-to-one get-togethers.**

If you sign up, each month you will receive an email with the name and email address of the patient partner you have been paired with. We encourage you to reach out and find a time to connect virtually. The date, duration and topic of the meeting is up to you! Click here for a FAQ document about how the PVN Connection Café works.

Note: you must be above 18 years of age to register for Connections Café.

Ready to Join? Registration is easy!

Step One: Sign up and create your account through Spark Collaboration. You will then receive a confirmation email.

Step Two: Click on the link in the confirmation email to activate your account.

**Participation in PVN Connections Café is optional.

How We Got Here: PVN Connections Working Group

The PVN Connections Working Group met for the first time on June 24, 2020, and was formed to explore how to improve connections between PVN members and to keep them linked and supported within PVN. This is in response to a desire by PVN members to build a sense of community by exploring how to enhance connections in light of COVID-19 and exploring long-term, sustainable connections. The group is identifying how these connections can be developed locally, regionally and provincially. Some initial ideas have included:

  • A mentor system for new patient partners
  • Think tank meetings
  • PVN Connections Café
  • Regional update meetings
  • Provincial update meetings

Who We Are

The group consists of three PVN patient partners (Vikram, Grace and Janet) and two engagement leaders (Cassy and Ashley) and everyone is excited about collaborating to move this forward. The group initially spent time identifying what created a meaningful connection and designed a word cloud (shown above) to reflect these important values as well as to decide how they wanted to work together as a group.

In March 2021, the group submitted their overall recommendations to the PVN Oversight & Advisory Committee and BC Patient Safety & Quality Council. Please follow our progress through social media with the hashtag #PVNConnect .

We’re pleased to introduce our first connection!

Disclaimer: PVN Connections Café involves private conversations among patient partners that are not sanctioned by the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council. Patient partners are expected to participate in these conversations based on the principles outlined in their signed Volunteer Agreement and can unsubscribe from Spark Collaboration and leave conversations at any time.

Privacy statement: The BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (the Council) and Spark Collaboration will collect, use and disclose information provided in this form under sections 26(c), 32(a) and 33.2(a) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. By submitting this registration for PVN Connections Café, participants consent to storage and access of their name and email on Amazon Cloud located in the United States (in accordance with section 30.1(a)) for the purpose of managing, evaluating and facilitating connections between PVN Connections Café participants. Participation is voluntary and each participant has the choice to disengage from any uncomfortable communication and the option to end participation at any time. For questions about the collection of your personal information please contact: Irina Apostu, Program Assistant, Patient and Public Engagement, at iapostu@bcpsqc.ca.

Author: the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council team

From Our Community

Laura Klein

Clinical Practice Consultant in Fraser Health

Laura Klein

Seeking the patient perspective doesn’t have to be complicated; it simply entails a commitment to ask and listen. Patient advisors not only bring a valuable perspective but also share original ideas and unique skills. Including the patient and family perspective changes the conversation and aligns the team’s focus towards common goals.