Posted
Closed
Commitment: Short-term
Connection method: Virtual
Open to Vancouver Island Region
Posted
Volunteer Opportunity
Island Health’s Virtual Care Services Team is renewing its strategic plan and we are seeking patient partners to participate in a one-hour focus group and complete an online survey. We need you to help us build plans that will support the delivery of care virtually whenever and wherever it is needed.
Lead Organization/Department
Island Health, Virtual Care Services
Aim
Virtual Care Services at Island Health supports online video visits through BC Virtual Visit and Zoom, Telehealth visits in Island Health facilities, and Remote Patient Monitoring in patient’s homes where things like heart rate and blood pressure are measured. We would like to invite patient partners to join a one-time focus group to identify what’s important amongst patients, family members or caregivers regarding the future of virtual care services. In addition to the focus group, patient partners will be asked to complete a more detailed online survey.
Level of Engagement
This opportunity is at the level of consult on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will listen to and acknowledge your ideas and concerns, and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.
Eligibility
• Open to any patient partners in the Island Health region.
• Comfortable using Zoom for virtual meetings.
• Please note:
– This opportunity, as with all Island Health patient engagement opportunities, is not open to Island Health staff members or patient partners who are currently employed by Island Health. If you have questions regarding this, please email patient.experience@islandhealth.ca
– As connection and relationship building is important, we may like to meet with short listed patient partners as part of our selection process in an informal interview between the patient partner and the health care partner.
– Applicants must have previously attended a PVN orientation session and completed the Patient Partner Commitments form. If you have not attended an orientation session but you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Charmaine Niebergall directly to see if accommodations may be possible.
– As required by the October 14, 2021 Public Health Order released by the Provincial Health Officer, proof of vaccination is required to access any in-person meetings at an Island Health site. Proof of vaccination can be provided by way of a Vaccination Passport or Vaccination card, along with government issued photo ID. For patient partnership activities that are virtual only (via Zoom, video conference, phone, etc.), proof of vaccination is not required.
Logistics
• Number of vacancies: 6
• Date/Time: To be determined, expected to be prior to end of October 2022.
• Location: Virtually using Zoom
• Commitment: one time for the focus group, with a one time survey followed up by email.
Reimbursement
No out-of-pocket expenses are anticipated for this engagement opportunity. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria but have concerns about your ability to participate, please contact Charmaine Niebergall cniebergall@bcpsqc.ca to see if support options are available. We are always seeking to better understand and reduce barriers to participation.
Background
The Virtual Care Services program at Island Health has grown rapidly over the past two years. The pandemic allowed us to quickly offer new virtual visit services to better connect patients with health care providers. Through our work to expand virtual care services, we have identified a need to explore new opportunities to support delivering health care virtually, at a distance, in more clinical areas.
Our program is at an important stage of development and we have started to re-think our way forward. As our most important stakeholders, we are asking you – as a patient, a caregiver, a family member – to share your thoughts with us about the directions we need to be considering for future virtual care services. We are inviting you to join us in a focus group and share your thoughts to help us build plans that will support the delivery of care virtually whenever and wherever it is needed.
