Member – Specialist Services, Regional Quality Improvement Steering Committee

If you are passionate about improving health care services for northern BC patients, know what it is like to access specialized medical services in our region, and are interested in working with a range of health care providers and leaders to decide what improvement projects will receive funding, this engagement opportunity with the Specialist Services Committee may be for you.
Open to: Volunteers in the Northern Health region

Lead Organization or Department

Partnering organizations: Northern Health and Specialist Services Committee (Doctors of BC & Ministry of Health)

Aim

Overall, the goal of this committee is to manage and distribute funding to support physician-led quality improvement projects related to patient care and safety in Northern Health. The committee is keen to include the patient perspective in this work to ensure that the funded projects are likely to result in tangible improvements to the patient experience and patient care.  Patients who are invited to participate will be an equal member of the committee and be asked to contribute to and vote on final decisions related to funding decisions.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of collaborate (at a system-wide strategic leadership level) on the spectrum of engagement (www.iap2.org).  The promise to you is that the health care partner will look to you for advice in developing, implementing and evaluating national, provincial and regional policy and/or research to ensure the health care system is responsive to the patients’ experience as much as possible.

Eligibility

• This opportunity is open to volunteers living in and accessing services throughout Northern Health.
• Patients should have experience accessing either inpatient/hospital services, or outpatient services delivered by specialist physicians. This may include (but is not limited to) care related to a chronic health condition.
• Both patients and family members/caregivers are encouraged to apply.
• We would like to hear from a diverse range of patients, including those who might have experienced receiving care while living in a rural community, those who access services in urban centers, and individuals who identify as Aboriginal.
• Patients should have previously attended a PVN orientation session.  If you have not attended an orientation but are interested please contact the Anthony Gagné (Engagement Leader, Northern Interior) directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics

• Vacancies: 2
• Meetings will be held bi-monthly in the late afternoon or early evening. More frequent meetings may be scheduled as-required.
• Meetings will be held via teleconference and/or video conferences. Occasionally the committee may meet face-to-face as required.
• This is an ongoing engagement opportunity. The term of this placement is for one year, with an opportunity to renew as needed.

Reimbursement

Members of this committee will have all out-of-pocket expenses, including travel and other meeting-related expenses, will be covered by NH and/or SSC.   Expense reimbursement forms will be distributed at each meeting, to be completed as required.

Background

The Specialist Services Committee (SSC) introduced the Regional Quality Improvement (RQI) initiative in 2014 after considerable planning and discussions with the Ministry of Health and the health authorities. These discussions revealed that there is an opportunity to strengthen the focus on quality improvement by engaging specialists and providing them with an enhanced opportunity to be part of health authority quality programs and structures. Many health authorities indicated that while clinical and administrative staff participate in quality efforts, it can be a challenge to bring physicians to the table. The SSC’s RQI funding provides $1.3m annually, per health authority, to address gaps in quality structures relating to physician participation in QI activities and to ensure those physicians have adequate technical supports. Activities may include funding physician champions to participate in regional quality improvement committees or networks, and to support their time to lead specific quality improvement projects and initiatives identified by specialists or health authorities. Funding for this initiative will be governed by a steering committee composed of SSC and NH representatives, including physicians and administrative representatives from both SSC and NH, as well as volunteers from PVN.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Anthony Gagné
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement|Northern Interior
250.961.5156
agagne@bcpsqc.ca