This past year marked 10 years since the Patient Voices Network was created and we want to take a moment to thank you for your time and dedication to improving health care in BC! Even though 2020 was a challenging year, we still found ways to mark this special occasion! The Anniversary Kicks Off Our […]
Hosted by the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, which administers PVN, the Quality Awards celebrate people and projects that have improved the quality of health care in BC – and you can nominate them! This year the awards will recognize projects within the five areas of care along with four inspiring individuals, including patients, […]
We’re thrilled to introduce you to the newest members of our Oversight and Advisory Committee! The O&A committee helps guide our work to support meaningful partnerships between patients and health care teams, with the focus of improving health care services in BC. To get to know them a little better, we asked them to share a bit […]
Patient Partner Don Grant shares some insights through his ‘pandemic road trip’ as he talks about his involvement with PVN and ideas for creating a central repository of shared resources to reduce duplication and enhance person- and family-centred care. My Pandemic Road Trip I’m a senior who cycles a lot more than I did before […]
Island Health has continued its patient engagement work by adapting to the virtual environment. If you’re a PVN member from the island, read these tips from the Island Health Patient Experience Team to know what to expect, communicate your needs, feel prepared and ensure your engagement experience is meaningful. Meaningful Engagement during COVID-19: Attending Virtual Meetings […]
“Bringing my best skills to make a change.” – PVN Member Pamela Jessen I moved to Vancouver Island, BC from Alberta in 2013 and discovered the Patient Voices Network that October. As a person with disabilities, I was interested in discovering how I could have an impact on health care in BC, so I attended […]
We’re thrilled to introduce you to someone new who will be supporting patient engagement across BC! We asked them some questions to give you all an idea of who they are and why they were drawn to work in patient engagement. Chelsea Hochfilzer is PVN’s new manager. Her focus will be on building PVN to […]
Reconnection and Engagement – Island Health Patient Engagement during COVID-19 Heraclitus once said, “Nothing endures but change” (5th century B.C.), but it could have been said today with equal accuracy. Back in March, the B.C. government declared a provincial state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, the activities of patient […]
Each day, hundreds of British Columbians access health care. Whether it’s routine visits or more complex medical care, there is never a shortage of need for high-quality health care. The relationship between providers and patients is unique and not without its challenges. To ensure continuous improvement, we need to understand each other and start new […]
As fall approaches and it’s back-to-school time, there are a number of amazing opportunities for you to increase your skills and knowledge of authentic patient engagement and health care approaches. This week we’re focusing on resources available to you, some of which are new and some are a good reminder from past Patient Voice Mail […]
Throughout BC, the primary health care system is changing – and as part of that change, so are the role of patients, families and caregivers. Through a partnership with the Patient Voices Network (PVN), administered by the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (BCPSQC), patients, families and caregivers are increasingly being sought out to be […]
In this month’s PVN 10th anniversary story, patient partner Terri McKinlay shares how she and her family, when faced with her daughter Rylee’s struggles with an eating disorder, channelled their family’s pain into a voice for positive change. Through PVN, they have been able to share their experience and contribute to decisions that impact mental […]
BC Rural Citizens Perspective Group After several months of planning, the inaugural meeting of the Rural Citizens Perspective Group (RCPG) was held on July 28. The BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, which administers PVN, BC Rural Health Network and Rural Coordination Centre of BC worked in partnership to form the RCPG. This group will […]
Many organizations are creating resources and tools to support patient engagement – we’ve collected five examples that we think are good engagement reads made in BC, nationally and internationally. NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it an endorsement of specific resources or opinions. Please continue to get your most up-to-date COVID-19 information […]
The BC Emergency Medicine Network (BC EMN) places a huge premium on engaging patients, getting their advice and perspectives so that it can better plan and implement programs. Patient partners sit on the advisory committee and work on the network’s planning and operations. Ten PVN members joined this team to provide input and share resources […]
In our PVN 10th Anniversary blog, our health care partner Derek Koch, Spiritual Health Practitioner and Patient- and Family-Centred Care Lead at Kelowna General Hospital talks about how his team is making the patient experience a priority. 1. Can you tell us why you wanted patient partner(s) involved? The bottom line is because we’re caring […]
Through important partnerships with organizations in BC and across Canada, the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council and patient partners have been working together on projects that support meaningful involvement of all voices in health care. We’re highlighting a few in this edition of “Word in the Network.” Diversity Learning Exchange Steering Committee In summer […]
Many organizations are creating resources and tools to support patient engagement – we’ve collected five examples that we think are good engagement reads made in BC, nationally and internationally. NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it an endorsement of specific resources or opinions. Please continue to get your most up-to-date COVID-19 information […]
Recent tragedies and protests around race-based violence and discrimination are reminders that racism is a reality for too many people, including British Columbians. We recognize we have more to do to enhance our knowledge, continue our cultural safety and humility journey, support anti-racism and acknowledge our unconscious biases. The role of the BC Patient Safety […]
You shared, we listened and learned We were thrilled to see the enthusiasm for sharing your “What Matters to You?” stories and talking about what really matters to you. We wanted to thank you and ask that you continue to share your stories. We all learn and grow from hearing about what’s important to you. […]
We’re working to learn from health care and patient partners to build connections and include all voices in BC. To accomplish this, we’ve developed working groups, led in partnership with patients, to start the conversation and determine the work needed to create a supportive environment for PVN members: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Working Group – […]
Many organizations are creating resources and tools to support patient engagement – we’ve collected five examples that we think are good engagement reads made in BC, nationally and internationally. NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it an endorsement of specific resources or opinions. Please continue to get your most up-to-date COVID-19 information […]
The simplest of gestures can bring out the best in people. Lianne is a registered nurse with the Interior Health, Royal Inland Hospital Pre-Dialysis Clinic and when she and her family got the devastating news about her mother-in-law’s cancer diagnosis, they leapt into action and dialled up a dose of compassionate medicine. They demonstrated the power of […]
What matters to me is to walk away feeling that my experience matters, that I matter!” In our PVN 10th Anniversary blog, patient partner Ovey Yeung shares her story of recovery and patient engagement advocacy. Ovey speaks to the importance of patient experience and provides some practical tips for health care teams as they move […]
In the spirit of encouraging you to think about “What Matters to You?” every day, we thought that an article about ‘always events’ was just the ticket! David McNally leads the spread of Always Events as NHS (National Health Service) England’s Head of Experience of Care. In 2018, he talked about the importance of Always […]
PVN has a number of partners in the province who believe in the power of asking what matters, listening to what matters and doing what matters. Individuals and organizations across the world and right here in BC have joined efforts to bring this initiative to the forefront of peoples’ minds. Here are a few examples. […]
We encourage health care providers to have routine “What Matters to You?” conversations with the people they support or care for. Watch this short video of organizations and people around the world coming together and asking these four powerful words. Whether you are a patient in the health care system or a health care provider, […]
This week, we’re focusing on regional examples of “What Matters to You?” Please contact your Engagement Leader if you have any stories to share! Fraser – Vancouver Coastal The best in health care uphold values like respect, caring, and trust, which align with international “What Matters to You?” Day. This commitment to learning from partners was […]
Every night at 1900, people across BC step outside to cheer and make noise to show their appreciation for health care teams on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, stories of inspiration and compassion in health care help us navigate through these challenging times. Read on to see how you can […]
In our ongoing series about partnerships, PVN is working with the BC Cancer to make getting involved in health care improvements easier. In support of this, we are pleased to highlight patient partner Deanna Roozendaal’s story of her cancer diagnosis and how she started a new chapter in her healing journey through the BC Cancer […]
Through our focus on collaboration and providing learning opportunities, we will continue to highlight the great work taking place across the province that is engaging people well. Simon Fraser University, in collaboration with the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), is tackling the weighty topic of transition from inclusion to equity in public engagement. Read […]
As we continue to put you in touch with what’s happening at PVN, when there is new or interesting information to share from a region, we will include a brief paragraph about it here. This may vary from week to week. Please submit any ideas you have from your region to your local Engagement Leader. In […]
Many organizations are creating resources and tools to support patient engagement – we’ve collected five examples that we think are good engagement reads made in BC, nationally and internationally. NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it an endorsement of specific resources or opinions. Please continue to get your most up-to-date COVID-19 information […]
Since, 2010, Cherie Mercer has been a dedicated patient partner focused on building her leadership skills, while giving back to her community and province through her health care improvement work. Cherie believes that building relationships opens more opportunities to improve health care in BC. In celebration of PVN’s 10th anniversary, read more about Cherie’s journey […]
What Matters to You Day (WMTY) is June 9, 2020. This year, we are committed to providing a platform for sharing your stories of empathy, kindness, innovation and creativity across BC. Read on to find out more about #WMTYBC. What Matters to You Day takes place on June 9. As we adjust to the new […]
PVN partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA) to provide a virtual learning session that gave patient partners some tools and tips on how to stay well during uncertain times. This session was well attended and has provided a glimpse into how future virtual sessions can be done to keep us connected […]
A region-by-region look at patient engagement activities, new or interesting information or what’s happening at PVN. Please submit any ideas you have from your region to your local Engagement Leader. Provincial Fifty-seven patient and health care partners around the province participated in our engagement opportunity where Laura Parmar, a physician quality improvement coach with Northern Health […]
Many organizations are creating resources and tools to support patient engagement – we’ve collected five examples that we think are good engagement reads made in BC, nationally and internationally. NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it an endorsement of specific resources or 0pinions. Please continue to get your most up-to-date COVID-19 information at […]
We know that meaningful engagement leads to shared understanding and better outcomes, even as we continue to battle COVID-19. Through surveys, Twitter chats, direct conversations and other means, we’ve heard that you want to be a part of building and expanding PVN. In an effort to incorporate feedback into practice, we’ve developed a partnership structure […]
These days, delivering high-quality health care may involve adopting a virtual approach and assisting patients to increasingly use it. Seeing a need, Laura Parmar, a physician quality improvement coach with Northern Health, reached out to the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, which administers PVN. They delivered a one-hour, interactive Zoom training session which was attended […]
An Oversight and Advisory (O&A) Committee helps guide our work to support meaningful partnerships between patients and health care teams, with the focus of improving health care services in BC. Each month in Patient Voice Mail, we will be highlighting important takeaways from these discussions for you and invite you to read more about their […]
Our regional round-ups update you with what’s happening at PVN and share new or interesting information from all over BC. This time, we’re sharing an exciting new provincial health care research platform as well as updates from our Lower Mainland/Fraser and Northern regions. Please submit any ideas you have from your region to your local […]
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