Health Care Partner FAQs

As experts in their own lives, patients can provide health system administrators and care providers with important information on how to best improve the health care system. Research shows that when patients and the public work with health care partners it ensures that the health care system reflects the needs and priorities of all those involved. PVN is a platform for the patients’ voice to be heard and reflected within those health care improvements.

PVN is made up of two groups: patient and health care partners. Patient partners participate in engagement opportunities that are created by health care partners and supported by the Council. Health care partners are those who are working in delivering health care and are interesting in improving it.

Engagement opportunities put forward through PVN are focused on improving health care, whether it’s at the community, regional or provincial level. Some examples of opportunities include:
• Joining advisory committees and working groups
• Helping develop programs and resources
• Telling your story at workshops, conferences, and other events
• Sharing the patient experience with care providers
• Participating in surveys, focus groups and other ways of providing feedback

All information shared with patient partners throughout engagements will be kept confidential as per the Patient Partner Commitments form. Health care partners are also reminded that information shared by patient partners during the opportunity is confidential unless approved by the patient partner to be shared.

The Patient Voices Network (PVN) is a community of patients, families and caregivers working together with health care partners to improve BC’s health care system. Patient Partners connect with health care organizations and initiatives looking for the patients’ perspective, by sharing their own lived experiences within the health care system.

PVN is supported and funded by the BC Ministry of Health, which created the Network 2009. The Network has been administered by the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (the Council) since December 2015.

The Patient Voices Network mandate is developed in consultation with its Oversight & Advisory Committee, which also serves to provide guidance and support to the Network. Members of the committee include representatives from health care organizations, the Ministry of Health and the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, as well as an equal number of patient representatives from across BC.

Read through the steps for health care teams. We are here to meet you where you are at in your journey to involve patients, families, and caregivers.

Every Tuesday, our newsletter is sent by email to all Patient Voices Network (PVN) members with all open engagement opportunities and those posted within the last 7 days marked as “new”. They can also see all open opportunities on our Engagement Opportunities page on our website. If they spot an opportunity that matches their interests and availability, they fill out its RSVP form. RSVP forms are shared with health care teams to move forward with potential placement in the opportunity.

The purpose of the Patient Partner Commitments form is to support patient partners by highlighting the values of the Patient Voices Network. It helps to ensure that patient partners understand the commitment and expectations of joining PVN and how the team at the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (the Council) will work with and support them should an issue arise. The agreement includes:
• Our commitment to volunteers;
• Volunteer responsibilities/code of conduct;
• Confidentiality; and
• Conduct management process

In addition, PVN members participating in opportunities through PVN can be covered by the Council’s liability insurance by signing the Agreement. The Patient Partner Commitments form is also used to explain and get consent for the way that the Council collects and shares personal information as part of engagement opportunities with health care partners and other patient partners.

Signing the Patient Partner Commitments form is required for a patient partner to become a member of PVN.

All information submitted is stored on the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council’s secure and closed server, within Canada.

In most cases, Patient Partners are not required to complete a criminal record check because PVN Patient Partners do not work directly with patients, youth, children, and other vulnerable populations. Occasionally, however, a specific engagement opportunity may require patient partners to complete a criminal record check if they are selected; they will be notified when this is a requirement.

No. If patient partners are interested in addressing a specific gap or concern that they have witnessed or experienced in the health care system, they will be referred to the department at the relevant hospital or health authority Patient Care Quality Office.