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!

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.

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.

Contact Us

Volunteer Resources, Auxiliary and Alumnae Relations
Miramichi Regional Hospital
500 Water St., Miramichi, N.B. E1V 3G5
506-623-3078
patientengagement@HorizonNB.ca