Patient Speaker, Quality Improvement Patient Panel

Attention Prince George, Terrace and Dawson Creek patient partners! Are you interested in sharing what matters to you as a patient with Northern Health staff who are participating in quality improvement training? The ideal patient partner would be willing to share a recent experience that happened to them and discuss feelings, communication and how he/she received care.

Open to: Patient partners in Prince George, Terrace and Dawson Creek

Lead Organization or Department

Northern Health Authority, Quality Improvement & Innovation

Aim

Both BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (BCPSQC) Engagement Leaders and patient partners will speak to NHA Intermediate Quality Improvement students/staff across the region. Learning how to authentically engage patients is part of the NH Training. Patient speakers will highlight what matters to them as a patient when receiving care.

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

• Comfort in telling your story
• Health care experience as a patient or family member
• 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 Cathy Almost

Logistics

• Vacancies: 4 (across the region)
• Date and Time: Wednesday, October 30^, 9:30 – 11:45 am
• One-time commitment
• Preparation time: 1-2 hours
• Patients will each have 6-8 minutes to share their story in the community closest to them (Dawson Creek, Prince George, Terrace), plus time to answer any questions

Reimbursement

Pre-approved mileage (to a maximum of 400 km) and accommodation (if necessary) would be covered to attend the meeting.

Background

In 2012, Northern Health identified the need to establish a quality improvement training program for Northern Health employees and physicians. Quality improvement methods empower staff at all levels to identify problems and create solutions to improve care from a patient/client perspective. Quality improvement practices help delve into problems and improve care delivery processes, from the simple to the complex. Some of the key methods used are The Model for Improvement, and ‘Lean’ or Toyota Production System methods. There are different levels of training available at Northern Health. Each year, Northern Health invites staff to participate in Intermediate Quality Improvement training which is an intensive 6 month course where participants practice their new skills with a real-world improvement project. Five in-person training days are held with classes in Prince George, Terrace & Dawson Creek. Each year, BC Patient Safety & Quality Council Engagement Leaders and patient partners from the Patient Voices Network are invited to a two-hour workshop within the five days of training on how to engage patients/clients in improving care. Patient partner insights on how to work with the public are invaluable for students.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Cathy Almost
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Northern BC
250.615.9932
calmost@bcpsqc.ca