Member, Northern Health/Specialist Services Committee Physician Quality Improvement and Spread Working Group

Volunteer Opportunity
Are you passionate about quality improvement? Looking for ways to improve the care processes for patients?

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Lead Organization/Department
Northern Health/Specialist Services Committee Physician Quality Improvement

Aim
The aim of including a patient partner on this working group is to assist in providing a person and family centred lens. The goal of the working group is to seek to remove barriers for Northern Health/Special Services Committee Physician Quality Improvement initiatives so that they are successful and connect initiatives with existing resources.

Level of Engagement
This opportunity is at the level of collaborate on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will work together with you to formulate solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.

Eligibility
• Familiarity with quality improvement in health care
• Diverse background is an asset but not required
• Experience with steering committee meetings is an asset but not required
• Connections to Northern BC (including health services)
• Please note:
– The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the volunteer and the health care partner on the committee.
• If you have a strong interest in this work but have not yet completed a PVN orientation and Volunteer Agreement, are unsure if your experience is a good fit or feel another format of engagement would work better with your availability, please contact Cathy Almost

Logistics
• Number of vacancies: 2-3 (there is currently one patient partner on the committee)
• Date and Time: evenings 5-7pm (2 hours) To be determined. 3-4 times per year.
• Location: Virtual over zoom
• Commitment: seven months to a year

Working Group expectations:
• Review all agenda package materials prior to Working Group meeting (1 hour);
• Attend Working Group meetings virtually (2 hours);
• Represent the views and interest of patient partners;
• Must disclose any matters which may constitute a direct or indirect conflict of interest between personal or professional activities. Moreover, always act in a manner that will prevent conflicts from arising; and
• Participate in the evaluation of this initiative.

Reimbursement
No out of pocket expenses are anticipated for this engagement opportunity. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria, but have concerns about your ability to participate, please contact Cathy Almost at calmost@bcpsqc.ca to see if support options are available. We are always seeking to better understand and reduce barriers to participation.

Background
In 2016, the Specialist Services Committee’s (SSC) Physician Quality Improvement initiative funded the NH/SSC PQI Steering Committee to implement the following proposal.

The proposal builds on existing NH quality structures and aims to increase physician engagement in Quality Improvement (QI) activities, as well as ensure those physicians have adequate technical, administrative, and educational supports. The purpose of the funding includes ensuring physicians are able to meet, coordinate and act on QI opportunities in partnership with the health authority to enhance patient- and family-centred care. The mission of Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) is to assist physicians to be collaborators in quality activated change, both as leaders and participants to improve clinical patient outcomes and provider experience, and positively impact retention. You can access the Terms of Reference here.

This group will be brought together as input is necessary for Physician Quality Improvement work. Initiatives will be aligned with the health authority’s overall quality strategy, but distinct from its quality assurance responsibility and mandate. Activities may include funding physician champions to participate in quality improvement committees, and to support their time to lead specific quality improvement projects and initiatives identified by physicians working in facilities or health authorities.

Other parties involved: Northern Health Physician Quality Improvement Specialist Services Committee staff and other patient partners.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Cathy Almost
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Northern Region
250-615-9932
calmost@bcpsqc.ca