Specialist Physician Quality Improvement Collaborative

Have you received care from a specialist physician at a Provincial Health Services Authority site? Do you have an interest in quality improvement initiatives? Perhaps you want be part of a steering committee implementing physician-led quality improvement focused on patient-centred care!

Open to: Volunteers in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley

Lead Organization or Department

Provincial Health Services Authority, Quality, Safety, & Outcome Improvement

Aim

This new Quality Improvement (QI) collaborative initiative aims to address gaps in physician participation within health authority quality structures by building capacity amongst physicians in quality improvement, supporting them to undertake self-identified improvement projects while continuing to improve overall patient care and enhancing a culture of engagement and continuous quality improvement amongst physicians. They are working to incorporate patient and population perspectives into the definition of "quality improvement", working with patients and clinicians to facilitate patient-focused and population-focused QI at Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of collaborate (at a local community or program level) on the spectrum of engagement (www.iap2.org).  The promise to you is that the health care partner will look to you for advice in decision making, developing alternatives, and solutions and include your recommendations into the decision as much as possible.

Eligibility

• Open to patients in the Lower Mainland & Fraser Valley who can attend meetings in person
• Experience with varied aspects of the health care system either as a patient and/or family/caregiver, preferably with experience accessing specialist care at PHSA Agencies and programs (BC Cancer Agency, BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Health Centre, BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, BC Center for Disease Control, and BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services)
• Experience working as part of an advisory/steering committee/council
• Patients should have previously attended a PVN orientation session and signed the Volunteer Agreement. If you have not attended an orientation but are interested please contact the engagement leader directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics

• Meetings will be held at Children's and Women's Hospital, Oak Street, Vancouver or PHSA corporate office, 601 West Broadway
• Typically we meet for two hours during business hours
• Monthly committee meetings will start in late January 2017. Once the implementation phase is complete, frequency of meetings will be determined and amended as necessary.

Reimbursement

Refreshments will be provided at meetings. Pending approval of the Steering Committee Chair, expenses related to local travel for meetings will be reimbursed. Details will be shared with selected volunteers. Additional travels may be required for participation in time-limited working groups or provincial events approved and funded by the Specialist Services Committee.

Background

PHSA Quality Improvement (QI) Initiative is a new collaborative initiative among the PHSA, specialist physicians, and the Specialist Services Committee (SSC) to address gaps in physician participation within health authority quality structures. Specialist Services include Oncology, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Obstetrics, Infectious Diseases, Psychiatry, etc. The PHSA QI Initiative Joint Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from the PHSA Corporate Services (3 senior leaders from the Quality, Safety & Outcome Improvement and a Senior Executive Team member), physician leaders representing the five PHSA Agencies (BC Cancer Agency, BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Health Centre, BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, BC Center for Disease Control, and BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services), and the Specialist Services Committee (SSC Liaison and SSC Physician Representative). The first meeting was held in late November 2016. Terms of Reference are being finalized.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Karen Estrin
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Lower Mainland & Sunshine Coast
604.668.8245
kestrin@bcpsqc.ca