Posted • Last updated
Closed
Commitment: Short-term
Connection method: In-person
Open to Interior Region, patient partners from the Royal Inland Hospital, Kamloops area
Last updated
Volunteer Opportunity
Royal Inland Hospital is working on improving the steps between patient arrival on-site and arrival into the operating room. Help us ensure the process is smooth and patient-centered.
Lead Organization/Department
Royal Inland Hospital, Department of Surgery
Aim
Delays in the operating room (OR) can lead to patients being postponed to a different date and can cause significant distress to the patient. Starting the first case of the day on time was shown to positively impact the way time is managed in the OR and reduce the number of patients postponed. The purpose of this work is to improve the number of first cases starting on time to 90% by the end of 2023. Objectives include: creating a patient-centered process for the steps between patient arrival at site and to the OR, conducting process mapping and improvement (PDSA) cycles, and evaluation of the process. The patient partner will be engaged in the process mapping session.
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 patient partners from: Interior Health, Kamloops area
• Experience as a surgical patient or family member who had a procedure completed at Interior Health Authority, in particular Royal Inland Hospital.
• Please :
– This opportunity is not open to staff members or patient partners who are currently employed by this health authority.
– 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.
Logistics
• Number of vacancies: 2
• Date/Time: May 2023, exact date/time TBD.
• Location: In-Person at Royal Inland Hospital
• Commitment: one, three-hour session.
Reimbursement
Out-of-pocket expenses for this engagement opportunity will be limited to paid parking. 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
Delays in the operating room (OR) can lead to postponements and have adverse effects on patient safety and satisfaction, staff satisfaction, as well as hospital costs. Starting the OR on time in the morning has been associated with enhanced time management. This process improvement project aims to improve morning OR starts at Royal Inland Hospital. This project will be part of a multi-pronged approach towards improving time management in the OR to reduce day of surgery postponements.
Benefits of the project include:
– Patients will receive improved care
– Improved public perception of Royal Inland Hospital and surgical services at site
Risks of not completing the project:
– Patients may be postponed to a different day and not receive timely care
– Inefficient time management in the OR could impact hospital costs
– Negative public perception of Royal Inland Hospital and surgical services at site
