Patient and Family Centred Care Excellence in health care happens when people work together and use the expertise and input each person brings to every health encounter. Horizon is transforming itself into a patient and family centred care organization where health-care staff, patients and families work together to meet the individual health-care needs of the patient. Patient and family centred care is a continual effort to ensure the needs and choices of every family are being met. No two patients are alike and together we can help meet the needs of each individual patient and family. What is Patient and Family Centred Care? Patient and Family Centred Care at Horizon is compassionate health care based on a partnership among practitioners, patients and family (as explained by the patient). It is our goal to ensure decisions respect patient’s needs, values and preferences. Its outcome provides patients with information, knowledge and support to participate in their care. This means each patient and family will receive the distinct care they require and will have input into their care from start to finish. Horizon’s key steps to attaining Patient and Family Centred Care include: Engage executive leadership to ensure participation and accountability for system redesign. Develop priorities and action plans using patient, family and community engagement processes and models. Create a Patient and Family Advisory Council, with a broad-based focus to improve patient care experiences at all levels across Horizon. Involve staff and physicians at the front-line level, in addition to managers and directors, to design and implement changes in care delivery policies, processes and practices. Integrate Patient/Family Advisors across the health network in key committees and program groups. Commit to ongoing measurement and improvement of patient satisfaction with the care experience across the continuum, with initial focus on the acute care system. Embrace an enhanced culture of safety, with focus on improved outcomes in measures of infection, incidents with harm, and hand hygiene. Reaffirm the organization’s vigilance toward full implementation of all Required Organization Practices as delineated by Accreditation Canada. Patient Safety Horizon strives to provide quality, safe patient care with a focus on what’s most important-the patient, client and your family! We ensure the care we provide is based on evidence-informed, best practices and we met Accreditation Canada’s national standards of care in September 2018. We promote a positive culture of patient safety by encouraging open communication, supporting a learning environment, and engaging patients/clients and their family members. We engage patients, clients and family members in making improvements in our care processes through surveys, focus groups, complaints, and the involvement of Horizon Patient Experience Advisors. We encourage everyone involved in the health care process to #ConquerSilence and speak up for patient safety! ASK – Ask questions about medications, procedures, and expectations LISTEN – Listen actively, and if you do not understand then ask for more information TALK – Talk openly about your symptoms, your care, and your concerns When we work closely with our patients and their families, we can achieve great things! Medication Safety Patients and caregivers are encouraged to be an active partner in their health to ensure they have the information they need to use their medications safely and prevent medication incidents. Canada’s patient and safety organizations have established 5 questions to help patients and caregivers start a conversation about their medications, and help improve their medication safety. 5 Questions to Ask About Your Medications Report a Medication Incident Shift to Safety Improving patient care safety and quality in Canada requires everyone’s involvement – Horizon Health Network endorses the Canadian Patient Safety Institute’s SHIFT to Safety tools and resources to help keep patients safe, whether you are a member of the public, a provider, or a leader. Introduction to Shift to Safety Patient Safety Checklist Patient Stories Tips and Tools for Talking to Your Health Care Team Horizon Patient and Family Advisory Council Horizon Patient Experience Advisors Your language. Your choice. Our commitment. The Horizon Patient and Family Advisory Council will create a partnership with administration to provide advice and guidance to improve patient and family centred care experiences and the culture of care throughout Horizon Health Network. The Patient and Family Advisory Council is working towards developing a culture of patient and family care, where patients are the highest priority. The work of the Council and the Patient Experience Advisors will help create a positive difference in patient care throughout Horizon. As per the Terms of Reference, Horizon Patient Advisory Council members are chosen by the Executive Leadership Team and must meet the following qualifications: Members must have a sincere interest in working with a group to improve the experience of patients across Horizon Health Network Must sign a confidentiality and conflict of interest agreement Must be able to travel to meetings, or teleconference with the expectation of active membership Demonstrate an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the patient and family advisory committee. Ability to work constructively with senior management, physicians and staff members of Horizon Health Network and the patient / family advisory committee. The Co-chairs provide the following role: Call and chair meetings Develop the agenda for each patient and family advisory committee Review meeting minutes Communicate with patient and family advisory members Collaborate with directors, managers or others as required on issues related to the patient and family advisory committee Minutes 2021 November 9, 2021 October 25, 2021 September 23, 2021 April 26, 2021 March 19, 2021 March 1, 2021 February 12, 2021 January 21, 2021 2020 December 11, 2020 November 9, 2020 October 7, 2020 October 2, 2020 July 20, 2020 June 16, 2020 May 6, 2020 Minutes from previous years are available upon request to PatientEngagement@HorizonNB.ca Patient Experience Advisors (PEA) A Patient Experience Advisor is a registered Horizon volunteer who has had a recent experience (generally within the last 3 years) of being a patient or the family member of a patient. They partner with staff and physicians to provide direct input into policies, programs, and practices, which affect patient care and services. It is preferable that they are not health care professionals but persons who reflect the demographics of the community. PEAs are volunteers who must be registered with the department of Volunteer Resources. Roles and Responsibilities of the PEA Provides their perspective as a patient/family member on the topic of discussion Open to hearing the perspective of others Is aware of personal limitations and boundaries and seeks support if needed Communicates his/her expectations about the outcomes and benefits of engagement Seeks to inform a process for all Prepares for and attends meetings Takes advantage of training and educational opportunities Maintains confidentiality in all communications Respectful of staff time Sign in, record volunteer hours and submit on a monthly basis Complete initial and annual evaluation Becoming a Patient Experience Advisor (PEA) A PEA is anyone who has recent experience as a patient or family member combined with a genuine interest in helping us make the patient experience the best it can be. We will provide the training and support needed. If you are or know of an individual that has firsthand experience with the health care system as either a patient or a family member and would be willing to volunteer time to share experiences and provide input, get in touch with us. Learn more in Becoming a PEA and apply online. Please send all questions to patientengagement@HorizonNB.ca or call 506-623-3078. Your Language… Making sure you understand your care and that your needs are understood by your caregivers are important to your safety and the quality of the care we provide. That is why we make it known to our patients that services are available in both official languages by greeting you in both languages. Being able to communicate your symptoms and your medical history to your health care team and understanding your diagnosis, instructions on how to take your medications, and follow-up care instructions, are all critical to your safety and the quality of care that we provide. The province of New Brunswick is unique in that it ensures that these needs are met by having legislation in place. Please click here to learn more about the Official Languages Act of New Brunswick and to how it applies to various services in New Brunswick, including your health care services. Your Choice… When we say ‘HELLO/BONJOUR’ or use another bilingual greeting, your response to us indicates your preferred language. It’s that simple! When you hear ‘HELLO/BONJOUR’ or another bilingual greeting, the intention is to let you know that services are available in French and English. Staff members are inviting you to continue in your language of choice. Please know that not all staff members are bilingual, nor is it our goal to have all staff members be bilingual. The provision of services in your language of choice is a team effort. If the staff member greeting you cannot continue in your language of choice, they will get someone who can as quickly as possible. We strive to offer you the best care possible. We continue our recruitment efforts in areas where bilingual staff members are insufficient in numbers to provide services in your language of choice with ease. While we work to meet our goals, we will make every effort to serve you in your language using contingency plans when needed. We also understand that New Brunswick is becoming more culturally diverse. As an organization, we recognize that providing care that is linguistically and culturally adapted is important. Health care services that are patient centred and inclusive are of critical importance to us. Please visit our section on Patient and Family centred care to learn more. Our Commitment… We will provide care in your language of choice. If the person you are dealing with is unable to serve you in your preferred language, they will quickly find someone who can, so you can be served in your language of choice throughout your care experience. Language is important in providing care that is safe and of high quality. We work as a team to ensure that you receive your services in your official language of choice. This means that the person greeting you in both languages may reach out to a bilingual colleague when needed to better serve you. ‘Staff engagement’ is a popular term these days. To be ‘engaged’ in our work, we need to feel an emotional involvement or commitment to it. Health care professionals most often chose their field of work wanting to help people. They are committed to your well-being. It is important for our staff to feel like a part of the great services that we are committed to offering you. Our employees are currently engaging in numerous dialogues throughout the organization to exchange experiences, talk about the role of language in the quality and safety of care, and sharing ideas on how to better serve you. They are sharing their concerns and their challenges. They are engaging with the organization to come up with solutions to improve access to care in your language of choice as a team. Official Languages Department Tel. : 506-857-5926 Email address : Languesofficielles@HorizonNB.ca Resources Strategic Plan 2016-2020 Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick Contact Us Volunteer Resources, Auxiliary and Alumnae Relations Miramichi Regional Hospital 500 Water St., Miramichi, N.B. E1V 3G5 506-623-3078patientengagement@HorizonNB.ca