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Member, Patient Engagement in Research Committee of the BC SUPPORT Unit Interior Centre

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Open to Interior Region, Patient partners in the Interior region, with priority to the Golden- Shuswap area

Last updated

Does patient engagement in research interest you? Read more about this exciting opportunity to give input as a patient partner on the Interior Centre Committee!

Open to: Patient partners in the Interior region, with priority to the Golden- Shuswap area

Lead Organization or Department

BC SUPPORT Unit Interior Centre

Aim

The purpose of this opportunity is to engage patient partners to become members of the BC SUPPORT Unit Interior Centre, Patient Engagement in Research (PEiR) Committee. PEiR was formed in 2016 as part of the BC SUPPORT Unit Interior Centre. This Interior Centre Committee includes patient partners from across the Interior region and supports the ways that patients can give their input in research to help improve the delivery of health services. The term “patient” is an overarching term which includes individuals with personal experience of a health issue and informal caregivers such as family and friends. The current committee members have all had experience in the delivery of health care, and/or research, education and mentorship. A co-written Patient Engagement in Research work plan was completed in the Spring ’17 and will be used to find, engage and support patients who wish to be part of a collaborative research project. A co-built detailed PEiR Work Plan was drafted in 2018 and the PEiR Table for Activities was completed in the Spring ’18. An expectation of the committee is to help recruit patients to engage in collaborative research and research-related activities, to give support to all interested patients partners in research projects and to the organization (BC SUPPORT Unit Interior Centre, at Interior Health). This committee wants to ensure that researchers use meaningful patient-oriented research that can be shared with decision makers in creating health system impact. Another expectation of the committee is to help monitor and analyze plans and strategies for continues improvement.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of collaborate (at a system-wide strategic leadership level) on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner (BC SUPPORT Unit Interior Regional Centre) and others (for example, researchers, decision makers, care providers) will look to you for advice in developing, implementing and evaluating national, provincial and regional health policy and/or health research to ensure the health care system is responsive and connected to the patients’ experience as much as possible.

Eligibility

  • Ability to share your perspectives and suggestions in promoting and developing the patient engagement in research strategy of the BC SUPPORT Unit Interior Centre.
  • Preference for volunteers with diverse experiences in the delivery of health care, education and mentorship. Experience with facilitating/engaging/supporting research and research-related activities is considered an asset.
  • Open to patient partners across the Interior geographic region of BC with special priority given to the Golden-Shuswap area. Youth/students, working adults, and newcomers are strongly encouraged to apply.
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 the engagement leader directly.

Logistics

Currently, this committee is looking for one additional patient partner from the Golden-Shuswap area.
  • Monthly one-hour long meetings are held on Monday mornings by teleconference/webinar. Additionally, two in-person/webinar-teleconference meetings are held in the Fall and Spring (2-3 hour long). Exact dates and locations flexible.
  • Committee members include patient partners and representation from Interior Health. A PVN Patient Partner acts as co-chair. Additional guests may be invited

Reimbursement

Expenses such as travel, food and accommodation will be covered (pre-approval is required).

Background

Patient-oriented research is defined as research that engages patients as partners and focuses on patient-identified priorities with the goals of improving patient experiences, health outcomes and the health system. The BC SUPPORT Unit is a multi-partner organization preparing to support, streamline and increase patient-oriented research throughout BC. The Unit is one of several SUPPORT Units being established across the country as part of Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Regional centres will be the first point of contact for stakeholders located outside of the Vancouver region. According to CIHR, “Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) is about ensuring that the right patient receives the right intervention at the right time” (CIHR 2015). The objective of SPOR is to foster person-centred evidence-informed health care by bringing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to the point of care, so as to ensure greater quality, accountability, and accessibility of care. BC SUPPORT Unit regional centres, corresponding with regional health authorities and their affiliated universities, will provide a key integration function, ensuring that patient-oriented research is conducted and research evidence is used to improve patient experience and outcomes – and that patients are engaged in these efforts.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Carol Stathers
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Okanagan, Interior Region
778.516.3308
cstathers@bcpsqc.ca

From Our Community

Nancy J. Wood

Patient Partner, Sidney

Nancy J. Wood

I was thrilled to discover the Patient Voices Network, where the array of places to be the voice of a patient is vast and incredibly interesting. Besides my ongoing “gig” with the BC Emergency Medicine Network, I have enjoyed being involved in several one-off initiatives. I love working with professionals who genuinely value the perspectives of their patient partners.