Advisory Group Member, BC Surgical Quality Action Network

Passionate about improving surgical care quality in BC? Become an advisory group member for the Surigcal Quality Action Network!

Open to: Patient partners across the province

Lead Organization or Department

BC Patient Safety & Quality Council

Aim

The BC Surgical Quality Action Network (SQAN) is an interdisciplinary forum to share best practices, spread local innovation and leverage data to inform improvements in surgical care. We host conferences, run webinars, create networking opportunities and build relationships among people who are passionate about improving surgical care quality in BC. As one of two patient partners on the SQAN Advisory Group, you will help advise on SQAN activities to ensure they are meaningful, strategically aligned with current provincial priorities and are person-and-family centered.

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

• Open to patient partners across the province
• Personal experience undergoing surgery in the last five years in BC
• Comfort sharing your story with advisory group members
• Willingness to share the person-and-family centered perspective on a wide range of surgical care quality issues (some of which you will not have direct experience with)
• Access to a smart phone, tablet or PC for virtual meetings
• Please note:
  • The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the volunteer and the health care partner.
  • Applicants must have previously attended a PVN orientation session and completed the Volunteer Agreement. If you have not attended an orientation session but you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Ashley Clark directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics

• Vacancies: 1
• Date/time: The SQAN Advisory Group has had one meeting to date. It will meet every three months for a one-hour teleconference/webinar using the WebEx platform (generally from 4-5pm). Approximately 30 minutes of preparation will be required prior to each meeting.
• Commitment: Over a year
• Patient partner members will also be invited to provide ad-hoc advice and guidance to SQAN leadership on a flexible schedule (depending on upcoming events). This will be no more than 30 minutes per month.

Reimbursement

No expenses are anticipated for Quarterly Advisory Group meetings held on a virtual platform. Patient partners who travel for events like the annual SQAN Day event in Vancouver (optional attendance) will be asked to submit a PVN reimbursement form for all travel-related expenses. The BCPSQC will provide complimentary registration and travel to such events upon request.

Background

Since 2011, the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (the Council) has advanced the quality of surgical care in BC through evidence-based, data-driven programs. The Council leads the Surgical Quality Action Network (SQAN), a voluntary forum to share best practices, spread local innovation and leverage data to inform improvement through the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). The network’s interdisciplinary membership and provincial scope have made it an effective venue for advancing surgical improvement initiatives. The purpose of the group is to advise on SQAN activities to ensure they are meaningful, strategically aligned with current provincial priorities and accelerate improvement at provincial, regional and local levels. This will be a provincial working group format that focuses on high-level strategy rather than straightforward/linear tasks. Read more in the BC Surgical Quality Action Network Advisory Group Terms of Reference.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Ashley Clark
Engagement Leader, Patient & Public Engagement | Vancouver Island
250.812.8908
aclark@bcpsqc.ca