Patient Advisor, Physician Quality Improvement Program

Are you interested in working with physicians, front-line care providers and other health care leaders to support quality improvement initiatives? The Physician Quality Improvement program is seeking patient advisors to participate in a range of program-specific improvement initiatives spearheaded by the 2018/2019 cohort. This is an opportunity for you to inform innovative project work in your own community, with potential to advise on other projects based on your interests.

Open to: Patient partners in Campbell River, Nanaimo and Victoria

Lead Organization or Department

Island Health and Doctors of BC Specialist Services Committee, Physician Quality Improvement

Aim

The Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) program is a partnership between Doctors of BC, through the Specialist Services Committee, and Island Health. It was developed to support physicians leading quality improvement projects in their respective areas of care. Patient advisors will provide input into selected areas of quality improvement projects. You will work with a PQI Coordinator and may be asked to:

• participate in focus groups, surveys, working groups and team discussions; and
• provide one-on-one consultation to physician leaders as they develop, implement and analyze the results of their projects.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of involve on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will involve patients in planning and design phases to ensure ideas or concerns are considered and reflected in alternatives and recommendations.

Eligibility

• An interest in quality improvement
• Comfortable sharing perspectives, experience and recommendations with physicians and other internal stakeholders
• Experience working in groups

Please note: This opportunity is not open to patient partners who are currently employed by Island Health. 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 Ryan Sidorchuk directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics

Number of vacancies: Campbell River - 2; Nanaimo - 6; Victoria - 10. Date, Time, Location: There will be a number of engagement opportunities for patient partners between now and August 2019 as part of a year-long collaboration with PQI. Meetings will take place in-person and/or teleconference. Commitment: Seven months to one year

Reimbursement

Local travel (mileage/parking) expenses as applicable according to Island Health rates will be reimbursed. Meals as appropriate to time of day/nature of meeting will also be provided.

Background

Patient partners will be invited to engagement and planning events as primary stakeholders in the quality improvement process. They will be provided updates on project activities and outcomes via bi-monthly and as-needed emails and telephone calls from the PQI Coordinator. They will also be invited to the PQI Graduation Ceremony for physician project leaders in September 2019. Additionally, they will be advised of opportunities for further involvement in project spread and sustainability following the graduation. The 2018/2019 PQI Cohort is currently embarking on projects in the following regions and clinical areas: Victoria:

• Developing a comprehensive anesthesia post-operative order set (Victoria General Hospital/Royal Jubilee Hospital (VGH/RJH).
• Improving screening and appropriate care for frail elderly patients (VGH).
• Improve access to information and supports for older adults within Geriatric Specialty Services who are experiencing problematic alcohol use at the Victoria Health Unit.
• Improve identification for pregnant women who use opioids who wish to access opioid agonist therapy (OAT) at RJH.
• Improve the audit process for those at 2 years of age at the Victoria Health Unit.
• Improve the parent-babe dyad without compromising the care of the at-risk newborn through the implementation of dextrose gel treatment at VGH.

Campbell River:

• Optimizing acute non-medical care for frail elderly patients at Campbell River General Hospital.

Nanaimo:

• Developing protocols for prescription of blood and blood products by Nurse Practitioners and General Practitioners in acute care. Identifying gaps in competence/training that lead to patient harm.
• Increase successful “rooming in” (sharing a room) to support the mother babe dyad through family centered care for opioid exposed babies born to medically stabilized mothers at NRGH.
• Improving community-based pediatric consult services.

Engagement Leader Contact Information

Ryan Sidorchuk
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Central & North Vancouver Island
250.951.4850
rsidorchuk@bcpsqc.ca