Patient Advisory Panel, BC Primary Health Care Research Network

Are you interested in improving health care and helping to ensure the perspectives and priorities of patient and families are reflected in research into primary health care? If so, read on to learn more about the BC Primary Health Care Research Network’s Patient Advisory Panel.

Open to: Patient partners across the province

Lead Organization or Department

BC Primary Health Care Research Network (BC-PHCRN)

Aim

The BC-PHCRN is developing a Patient Advisory Panel to provide input on its strategic decisions and priorities; provide advice to research teams across the country; and screen research projects and proposals to determine alignment with patient priorities. The Panel will create its own terms of reference with support from the BC-PHCRN staff. The Panel will also help to create a process to get broad patient input on provincial research priorities.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of collaborate on the spectrum of engagement (www.iap2.org). The promise to you is that the research partner will work together with you to formulate solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.

Eligibility

• Experience accessing primary care as a patient, family member, or informal caregiver (note: primary care refers to non-emergency health care, such as health care services provided by a family doctor or nurse practitioner)
• Have access to a computer and be able to review emails and research applications on-line
• Experience as a member of a research team would be an asset but is not required
• Priority will be given to ensuring that patient partners are inclusive of the diverse communities and individuals who access primary health care services
• 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 Leah Smith directly to see if accommodations may be possible
• The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the patient partner and the health care partner.

Logistics

• Vacancies: Up to 8 patients
• Term: One year with the option to renew
• Location: The work of the Panel Advisory Panel will be conducted primarily via teleconference, will the possibility of future in-person, or video-conference meetings in regional centres located within each health authority. Much of the business of the group will be conducted on an ongoing basis outside of regular meetings (e.g. through email correspondence, document/grant review).
• Time Commitment: The time commitment is approximately 3-6 hours a month and is flexible as there are various tasks throughout the year.
• Training: Patient partners will be invited to participate in some training (e.g. related to patient-oriented research and review of grant applications).

Reimbursement

Pre-approved travel expenses if there are in-person meetings or travel to regional centres.

Background

The BC-PHCRN is one of 11 research networks across Canada part of the Canadian Primary and Integrated Health Care Innovations Network (PIHCIN) launched by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR) program, to support evidence-informed transformation of the delivery of primary and integrated health care. The BC-PHCRN is led by a research scientist, clinician specialist, clinician family physician, and policy representatives from the Ministry of Health. There is an existing Advisory Committee of nurses, nurse practitioners, population health representatives, patients, various family physicians and specialty doctors, health authority representatives, researchers from Providence Health Care, and evaluators from various organizations. The Patient Advisory Panel will have linkages to this Advisory Committee. The BC-PHCRN is just over a year old and is keen to have more patient involvement in all aspects of the research process! This Patient Advisory Panel will build on the ideas that were generated earlier in 2017 with a patient engagement workshop.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Leah Smith
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Southern Vancouver Island
778.678.3977
lsmith@bcpsqc.ca