Shout out for patient engagement at VCH

When it comes to engaging with patients and families, we need to celebrate!

When it comes to the having a culture and practice of engaging with those who are most impacted by our plans and decisions, VCH is SHOUT OUT LOUD-worthy. In partnership with staff and physicians all across our organization, VCH’s Community Engagement team is proud to support all those who make engaging with patients and family members a part of their everyday work and processes.

A culture of engagement

At a time when the My VCH survey has shone a light on the importance of internal engagement, our health authority deserves a shout-out for the way it has long aimed to engage those we serve every day. From information materials to new patient care buildings, from policies to program design, VCH staff consistently seek ways to bring forward the patient and family voice to inform decisions.  This makes our outcomes more meaningful – something that’s been noticed on several occasions by Accreditation Canada and the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2).

But here’s the thing. Making time for meaningful engagement is the hard part – and you’re already there! – so why don’t we pause more often to celebrate, and to share with others the positive impact engagement has had on new projects, programs or service changes?

Is focusing on the end game making us forget how we got there?

Finding time to consider and acknowledge the contributions of patients and family members – or, if you feel so bold, shout it out loud! – is a great way to draw attention to the results their voices make possible.

So when we talk about a project like the Joe and Rosalie Segal building and how client and family-centred the space and protocols are, be proud of how we engaged clients and families to guide the planning and decisions related to this incredible space.

When we develop a new model of care for seniors with multiple chronic conditions that provides better support for those seniors and reduces their reliance on emergency services, celebrate how engagement made that model even better.

And when we open a new Community Health Centre in the Downtown Eastside, know that the time you invested in listening to our clients and the existence of a peer reference group informed the design of the space, the flow and the care integration model.

Remember to celebrate and talk about all of these moments and more, because collectively they contribute to a culture that values engagement of all – our expert staff and physicians, and the clients, patients and family members who are so eager to work with us on creating person-centered care from within. Shout out loud about how much we have achieved together!