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Member, Chronic Heart Failure Team Care Unit Committee

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Open to Vancouver Island Region, Patient partners in Greater Victoria area or south Island area

Last updated

Vancouver Island is getting a new heart failure team care unit at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, adding to its Heart Health Centre of Excellence. Island Health is seeking one patient partner who has experienced heart failure personally or through a family member to help them create a service that is aligned with the needs and priorities of those it serves!

Open to: Patient partners in Greater Victoria area or south Island area

Lead Organization or Department

Island Health,  Medical and Academic Affairs

Aim

The Chronic Heart Failure Team Care Unit will be located  at the Royal Jubilee Hospital and will complement their Heart Health Centre of Excellence for tertiary care. The Chronic Heart Failure Team Care Unit is aiming to achieve a higher quality of life for patients, fewer general practitioner visits, fewer emergency visits, fewer hospital stays, fewer invasive procedures, and better end-of-life care. The patient partner will provide input and feedback into the development of the unit.

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

  • Patient partners from the Greater Victoria or south island area
  • Has either experienced heart failure or has a family member that has a heart condition
  • Comfortable participating in a meeting setting with senior administrators, doctors and front line staff
  • Please Note: This opportunity is not open to patient partners who are currently employed by Island Health
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 Kira Tozer directly.

Logistics

Vacancies: 1 Date/Time: Monthly, 90-minute meetings currently scheduled for November 29, December 18, January 24 2019, February 26 and March 22, between 1000 and 1600. Location: Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. Teleconference participation is possible, though in-person is preferred. Commitment: 6+ months

Reimbursement

Pre-approved transportation & parking costs to attend meetings, as well as meals during meeting times, will be reimbursed by Island Health.

Background

The Ministry of Health and Health Authorities recognize that chronic heart failure is a major healthcare concern, and a strategic healthcare priority.  Chronic heart failure patients face anxiety and uncertainty from non-standard care across hospitals and communities, long wait times before receiving help from specialists, and lack of know-how about managing their condition.  The healthcare pathway for chronic heart failure, however, is well-known and predictable to a high degree, offering opportunities to manage it. The Chronic Heart Failure Team Care Unit is staffed by a dedicated, integrated multi-disciplinary heart care team offering progressive, organized care to allow chronic heart failure patients to receive the best possible care as they travel along their heart health journey. Through the Chronic Heart Failure Team Care Unit, patients can engage in self or group education, empowering patients to take control of their care.  Best-in-class information resources will be available in the Unit for patients and their families as well as for all healthcare workers in Island Health’s communities and hospitals.  Leading edge early intervention protocols, care pathways and end-of-life consultation services are developed, maintained and delivered by a dedicated multi-disciplinary Chronic Heart Failure Team.  Also, patients referrals are seamless to Home Monitoring Program.  These supportive services to Family GP’s and patients will aid people living with chronic heart failure achieve a better “quality of life” as their chronic condition progresses along the pathway.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Kira Tozer
Engagement Leader, Patient & Public Engagement | Vancouver Island
250.888.4525
ktozer@bcpsqc.ca

From Our Community

Jeanette Foreman

Northwest Quality Improvement Lead, Quality and Innovation, Northern Health

Jeanette Forman

PVN has really helped us engage with patient partners to improve health services at Northern Health.  It is more and more becoming the norm to include patients in the design, delivery and evaluation of health services.  PVN education and supports, involving patient partners, have enabled us to develop the capacity to include the patient voice to make care better and achieve better health outcomes.