Member, Abbotsford/Mission Health Services Network

As many of you know, the need for smooth transitions between health care services is an important component of quality care. The Abbotsford/Mission Health Services Network meets to discuss how these transitions can improve for patients and families, leading to better health care and patient experience. If you have experience navigating the system from one sector to another (e.g. residential care or assisted living), your perspective and voice is needed in this network.

Open to: Patient partners in Abbotsford/Mission communities

Lead Organization or Department

Fraser Health Authority

Aim

• Provide input and feedback on projects and programs designed to improve the patient experience between transition points of hospital to community health care options.
• Assist health care sector partners to improve communication between health sectors (home care, residential care, assisted living, hospital care) and bring in the patients’ voice as a partner in this effort.

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

Open to volunteers from Abbotsford/Mission communities

• Fluent in English, with excellent reading comprehension and communication skills
• Comfortable speaking in front of a large committee
• Personal experience (as patient or family member) with residential care or assisted living and navigating the system and being discharged from one sector to another
• Ability to use personal experience constructively to contribute to big picture problem solving

*Please note: interviews may be scheduled with a shortlist of patient partners 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

• Vacancies: 2
• Date & Time: First Wednesday of the month, 1:30-3:00 pm
• Location: Abbotsford Regional Hospital
• Commitment: One year, with a possibility of renewal up to two years.

Reimbursement

Preapproved expenses related to travel to in person meetings will be reimbursed according to the Fraser Health Travel policy (including mileage each way, tolls, parking and public transit, etc).

Background

The Abbotsford/Mission Health Services Network is co-chaired by a representative from hospital services, and a representative from residential care services.  Membership consists of directors, managers and administrators from Abbotsford/Mission communities (including the Emergency Department), Fraser Health residential and contracted services,  assisted living, home support, home health and patient partners. Specifically, the group aims to:

• Improve the patient experience when moving from one health sector to another
• Confirm the most appropriate discharges take place from hospital
• Ensure that care is patient centred and responsive to the needs of the client and the family

Activities of the network include:

• Designing education, in-services and workshops for partners and stakeholders
• Examining transition points across the continuum of care
• Designing and streamlining processes to be most effective
• Plan/implement/evaluate chances to expedite and improve the process

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Jami Brown
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Fraser Valley
604.510.0449
jbrown@bcpsqc.ca