Member, Aligning Comox Valleys’ Health Care Services Working Group

Island Health in the Comox Valley is creating a new working group to improve the quality of care for the following populations: complex medical frail, frail seniors, chronic conditions and mental health and substance use, with a focus across service settings (acute and community) and transitions, particularly from hospital to community. Help us create an efficient and smooth patient experience across the various services!

Open to: Patient partners in the Comox Valley region

Lead Organization or Department

Comox Valley, Island Health

Aim

To improve the experience for people who transition across various services, particularly from hospital to community. Patient partners will be equal members in the working group, participating in monthly meetings to help ensure that we capture an accurate understanding of the current challenges, help identify gaps and contribute to creative solutions.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of collaborate on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care 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 patient partners in the Comox Valley region
• Personal or family experience in acute care and then referral and use of community services (home and community care or mental health and substance use)
• Experience working in a group of 10-12
• Comfort in sharing patient experience
• Some understanding of the complexity of the health care system
• Please note:
  • This opportunity is not open to patient partners who are currently employed by Island Health
  • The placement process for this opportunity may include a conversation between the volunteer and the health care partner.
  • Applicants must have 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 Ashley Clark directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics

• Vacancies: 2
• Date/time: monthly meetings will begin in September some time during working hours (9:00am – 4:00pm) during the week (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday)
• Location: Comox Valley Nursing Centre
• In-person meeting

Reimbursement

Pre-approved transportation & parking costs to attend meetings will be reimbursed by Island Health.

Background

In British Columbia, health authorities are working together with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the system of health and care across various services. The provincial strategy, Setting Priorities for the BC Health System, envisions that British Columbians will have an easily understood, recognizable, coordinated system of care in their communities, which is supported by integrated primary and community care services and wrap services around patients and their families for the best quality of care. The Ministry of Health has identified gaps in caring for patients that occur during periods of transition amongst health care providers, and across services settings, particularly from hospital-based services to those based in a community setting. A number of initiatives are underway by different departments in the Comox Valley to address various gaps, and this new working group will ensure that stakeholders are working collaboratively to align our services instead of generating new silos. The working group will be made up of patient partners, managers and directors from each program area, a project manager and various corporate supports may be invited based on need.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Ashley Clark
Engagement Leader, Patient & Public Engagement | Vancouver Island
250.812.8908
aclark@bcpsqc.ca