Patient Advisor, Cardiac Services

Interior Health’s Cardiac Services is growing and we want to partner with you to embed your valuable feedback into our processes and programs! We are looking for several volunteers interested in participating in playing an active role in program meetings at Kelowna General Hospital. Patients partners will help improve our patient teaching materials and patient journey through different procedures by providing feedback and shaping program improvements.

Open to: Patient partners from the Kelowna area

Lead Organization or Department

Interior Health (IH), Cardiac Services at Kelowna General Hospital

Aim

Our aim is to incorporate patient partners' input as we grow and launch new services and patient tools in order to provide excellent cardiac care across Interior Health. Your role will be to share your experiences and recommendations with regard to patient needs.

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

• Live in the Central Okanagan region and have received cardiac care (or have a family member who has received cardiac care)
• Comfort speaking in front of a group, sharing experiences and feedback
• Diverse perspectives reflecting different ages, genders, geographic locations, ethnicities and experiences will be an asset
• Access to email
• Ability to get to and from meetings (teleconference may be an option)

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 form of engagement would work better with your availability, please contact the engagement leader directly.

Logistics

Number of vacancies: 4 Location, Date, Time and Frequency: Meetings are held in-person at Kelowna General Hospital on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Meeting times are often early in the morning (0700-0800) or later in the afternoon (1500-1700) to accommodate physician schedules. Commitment: Term requested is one year with an option to extend

Reimbursement

Parking expenses will be covered as per IH policy.

Background

This opportunity has come about due to the desire of the Cardiac Services program to involve patients in the development of new tools and programs in the acute and community care setting. Meetings may include discussions about tools and processes to support patient discharge, Cardiac Operations Committee, program development for heart failure and various other program working groups. The team includes physicians and the Cardiac Program regional team (managers, educators, administrators, frontline staff, nurse practitioners). The Terms of Reference will be shared with participants based on meeting attended.

Engagement Leader Contact Information

Carol Stathers
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Okanagan, Interior Region
778.516.3308
cstathers@bcpsqc.ca