The Patient & Family Partners panel session (above) was central to the day
Patient Experience Week offers a chance to reaffirm our commitment to providing person-centred, anti-racist, and culturally safe care. Every interaction, no matter how small, contributes to the overall quality of care received by patients and their loved ones. This week, we celebrate the ongoing dedication of all PHSA staff for their excellence in patient care.
As part of Patient Experience Week, the inaugural Patient Experience & Partnerships Symposium was held on Tuesday, April 30th at Emily Carr University. The event welcomed approximately 200 participants in person and virtually, representing PHSA staff as well as health authority and community partners.
"Today symbolizes a day of unity and celebration, recognizing the exceptional work already underway in our system. It's an opportunity for us to collaboratively reflect on our shared journey towards improving patient and family centred care and enhancing the patient experience," said Kathryn Proudfoot, director, Patient Experience and Community Engagement and symposium organizer. "Through these collaborative partnerships, we foster an environment where patients and families are not just recipients of care but active participants in shaping it. Their insights and perspectives guide every decision we make, every policy we implement, and every resource we allocate. Patients and families aren't just valued partners; they're integral members of our care team, ensuring that their needs and preferences are at the forefront of everything we do."
Attendees gained valuable insights into best practices, explored opportunities for future collaboration, engaged in constructive dialogue, and celebrated the progress in patient experience initiatives.
Organizers recognized the importance of creating a unified platform to address common challenges and share learnings. The event was designed to promote collaboration and partnership across different teams, with a focus on celebrating achievements and reinforcing the significance of patient- and family-centred care.
Aligned with PHSA's Integrated Quality & Safety Strategy, the symposium created space for meaningful engagement opportunities with patients, families, and caregivers. By fostering collaboration and building trust throughout their care journey, the event celebrated their voices in system improvements. Through co-design and co-decision making, attendees were encouraged to develop partnerships that support continuous improvement and learning.
As a quality driven, safety focused and person-centred organization, the PHSA Patient Experience & Partnerships Symposium leaned into the goal of transforming health care into a learning health system. By adopting best practices and integrating Indigenous ways of knowing, the symposium aimed to enable continuous quality improvement, safety practices and allowed us to weave in the Coast Salish Teachings gifted by Knowledge Keeper, Sulksun, Shane Pointe. Through consistent application of the teachings, tools and processes, staff and providers were empowered to contribute meaningfully to quality assurance and safety work.
Celebration and recognition were central themes of the symposium, encouraging attendees to pause and appreciate the progress made in patient care. The event also underscored the importance of adopting best practices in patient and family-centred care, on how to ensure a diverse range of perspectives are included when collaborating with patient partners and their families and working with Indigenous patients and communities on delivering anti-racist and culturally safe care.
A key session of the day was the patient and family partner panel. "The panel was intentionally scheduled at the center of the day's programming to center patient and family voices as the core of our work," adds Kathryn Proudfoot. "We also wanted the session to highlight to attendees that working with patients and families can look really different depending on the project and program."
Throughout the symposium, examples of successful patient partnerships were shared, highlighting the impact of collaborative efforts in healthcare.
Patient Experience teams across PHSA have been driving innovation with successful projects deeply influenced by input and engagement from patients and their families.
At BC Cancer, initiatives like the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) policy working group reflect the strength of collaboration between patient/family partners and staff. This group has co-developed a care pathway for patients and family members inquiring about MAiD, as well as supporting staff learning by assessing education needs for frontline nurses and creating educational resources for healthcare providers.
Similarly, at BC Children's Hospital and BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre, the ongoing refinement of the Patient and Family Guide demonstrated a dedication to supporting patients and families in navigating the complexities of healthcare. By involving patients, families, and partners in the update process, the teams at C&W ensures that the resource remains relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of its diverse patient populations.
Within BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services, the Patient Experience and Community Engagement department have enabled 40 unique engagements between January and March 2024 alone. One example is a digital app to support prospective clients of Heartwood while on waitlist. The project was completely co-designed and -led by a former BCMHSUS client who experienced the challenges of waiting. By having a clear understanding of what life during treatment is like before admission, it helped to lift barriers that may have prevented clients from fully engaging with treatment.
Katie Mai (right) director, Patient Experience and Community Engagement, BCMHSUS poses with patient partner Victoria Maxwell (left) at the Patient Experience Symposium.
"The symposium was not just a one-time event; it marks the beginning of a transformative journey towards better healthcare delivery. With collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to patient-centred care, we can create a healthcare system that truly puts all the patients and their families we serve at the forefront," noted Kathryn.
As the Patient Experience & Partnerships Symposium concluded, the focus shifted towards implementing the insights gained and driving tangible change in patient care. Success lies not only in the knowledge exchanged during the event but also in the actions taken thereafter. By embracing patient-centred partnerships and fostering a culture of continuous learning, PHSA is committed to delivering safer, more effective care that meets the diverse needs of patients, families, and communities.
Your feedback is crucial to our ongoing quality improvement. Throughout Patient Experience Week and beyond, continue sharing your experiences and thoughts with us. Help shape the future of care by providing ongoing feedback that can drive positive changes. www.phsa.ca/about/patient-experience-quality-of-care/patient-experience.
