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The Patient and Family Advisory Council serves in an advisory capacity, providing feedback and input related to the experience of patients, residents, and their families at the Hospital, Four Seasons Lodge, and Family Health Team. Members of the Council share ideas on how to improve the patient / resident experience, advise on strategies to enhance partnerships with patients, residents, family members, and caregivers, as well as provide input into annual quality initiatives. The volunteer members of the Council meet an average of four times a year, now safely from the comfort of home.
At the last virtual meeting in January, the Council decided that meeting highlights should be shared with the community, in order to showcase the work and activities carried out by the Council.
At each meeting, the Council reviews reports relating to quality and risk indicators, which track the quality of care provided and patient outcomes. Examples of quality and risk indicators include incidents of workplace violence, falls, medication errors, and the development or worsening of ulcers.
In January, the Council reviewed a Briefing Note detailing the organization’s recent influenza vaccination campaign. With staff immunizations, immunization of primary care patients of the Family Health Team, and community immunization clinics combined - the 2020-2021 influenza vaccination campaign provided over 1,400 members of our community with flu shots.
Progress on the organization’s Patient Safety and Accessibility Plans was also reviewed by members of the Council. Both plans cover goals and action items from 2018-2021, and the Council looks forward to providing input into the next plans as they are developed later in the year.
Results of the Four Seasons Lodge’s annual Resident and Family Satisfaction Survey were reviewed. Results from this past year show a high overall satisfaction, but the survey also helped identify areas for improvement. The Council discussed affects of the COVID-19 pandemic and visiting restrictions on residents, which can be seen through the survey and other reports.
As the organization continues to respond to direction from the regional and provincial emergency operations centers, they are also responding to the needs of our local community. The recent influenza clinics, and the ongoing COVID-19 testing center, are two examples of initiatives that have been carried out to meet needs of our patient population. Advisors play a key role in providing insight into community, patient, and resident needs in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, providing insight into community, patient, and resident needs in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic is the primary goal the Council has set for themselves this year. In addition, the Council aims to stabilize, diversify, and grow membership as well as maintain connection to the community through information sharing.
If you are interested in serving as a volunteer member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council, please submit your expression of interest to Amy Joyce by email at amy.joyce@drdh.org or by phone at 613-584-3333 x 7100.
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