A new provincial policy is seeing the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics (AUA) initiative expanding in Alberta. In particular, the policy addresses the use of restraints in all Alberta Health Services’ facilities and partners. The four types of restraints included in the policy are pharmacologic, mechanical, physical and environmental Click here to read more about “Restraints as a Last Resort” and other important topics in the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics (AUA) Winter 2016 Bulletin.
There is an exciting initiative underway in Alberta. If you are interested in healthcare, you will definitely want to read Patty’s announcement below.
HEALTHCARE 101 PROJECT:
“The project will co-design with the public content relevant and meaningful to Alberta citizens to inform them on how the healthcare ecosystem works. The project will identify content and pilot test one foundational content by May 31st , 2016. We are doing this to help AB citizens experience the health care ecosystem in a positive way”
If you are interested to be involved or participate in this exciting opportunity, please see the invitation and respond to the contacts provided below.
Patty Wickson at patty.wickson@ahs.ca or (403)629-2139 – South of Edmonton
Rhonda Shea at Rhonda.Shea@hqca.ca or (780)974-3414 – North of Edmonton
Do you have some thoughts and ideas of how the healthcare system in Alberta could be improved? Do you have a vision of healthcare that you would like to see become a reality? If so, Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health are wanting to hear from you.
The goal is to co-design and co-deliver a sustainable, quality health system, one that promotes healthy communities and provides access to services, programs and facilities.
From fall 2016 to fall 2017, the focus is on Calgary Zone and Central Zone long range planning. This follows planning undertaken in the Edmonton Zone, which is ongoing; the province’s North and South Zone planning will follow.
Join the conversation. Share your ideas and help us develop a vision for health services in 15 years that informs decisions today. Planning for each zone will be incorporated into system planning for the province. All Albertans are encouraged to contribute to the discussions.
Click here to continue.
Here is wishing you and yours the best for 2017.
Happy New Year!
Hello Pts4Chg Community!
Over the last four months the materials for patients and families as partners and advisors have been refined a wee bit and are also now translated into French. Our small ‘collation of the willing’ (volunteer citizens, patient and family advisors and CFHI) also thought it important to also create a survey to help improve the materials upon use. I know that many of you provided feedback already (which I still have) and some of that has made it into the current version. Much of it has not though, as we needed to find a way to capture input that would likely also come in nationally. So please complete the two short surveys if you have time, so that your impressions on the info can be included when next edits are made, likely well into 2017.
If you are active on Twitter, here are some suggested hashtags for the overall Better Together campaign too, that this is part of, if you are tweeting this info out.
These two documents are designed to support the movement for Family Presence in healthcare.
1. The first document, Partner Tips, is intended to be used by patients and families at the point of care (e.g. at the bedside, in an office or clinic).
2. The second document, Conversation Tips, is intended to be a resource for patients and families in conversations with healthcare providers, or organizations, or communities.
Please feel free to download, copy, distribute and use these documents. You will need Adobe Reader on your device. You are welcome to adapt them to meet your local team’s needs.
These tips sheets are also available in French: http://www.fcass-cfhi.ca/WhatWeDo/better-together/resources
Want to have your say and Be part of the pilot for these documents!?
The volunteers with ‘IMAGINE CITIZENS Collaborating for Health’ would appreciate your feedback and comments about these two documents. Please click these links to complete the two surveys about each document:
1. “Partner” Tips Survey and
2. “Conversation” Tips Survey.
Comments received will be reviewed by IMAGINE CITIZENS’ volunteers so that any significant edits can be incorporated. New versions will be available periodically, every six months or so, through the partner organizations.
Thank you for your help!
Troy Stooke
volunteer
IMAGINE: Citizens Collaborating for Health & Member of Pts4Chg community
On October 17th, Patients 4 Change (Pts4Chg) hosted a Fishbowl event as part of Alberta Health Services’ Patient & Family Centred Care week. The fishbowl format was chosen as it encourages a genuine dialogue and conversation, rather than a panel-like, prepared presentation. Eight individuals volunteered to be fish in the bowl and were the key conversationalists for the event. Members of the audience “jumped” in and out of the bowl to ask questions and make comments.
Although fishbowls are typically held in person, the Pts4Chg fishbowl was held virtually. Unfortunately, technical problems that started in the morning and continued throughout the day saw our virtual fishbowl experiencing a few unexpected challenges. Nevertheless, despite the “rough waters” that were present, a very lively, open, and honest discussion ensued around the following questions:
1. What does partnering with patients and families look like to you?
2. How do you build rapport and grow relationships in health care that make for effective and equitable partnerships?
3. What are some of the current barriers to partnership? How could these barriers be removed or minimized?
Click here to find out what themes arose from the Pts4Chg fishbowl. (Thanks, Sandi, for helping to create this document.)
Based on the feedback received, the Pts4Chg fishbowl was a very successful and worthwhile event. This, however, would not have been possible without an active audience, and our amazing school of fish – Debbie, Mike, Aaron, Sandi, Philip, Terry, Jane and Kristina. Thanks so much!
Richard and Tracy
The National Health Service in England hosted The People’s Transformation on Monday, November 28th. If you were unable to attend the event or missed some sessions, all is not lost. Recordings from the Transformathon will be accessible via the People’s Transformathon web page. They are sure to be worth watching, even if you attended the session live.
A member of the Patients 4 Change (Pts4Chg) community drew our attention to this important survey by posting the following. Thanks, Mike.
“This survey is being complied by Employment and Social Development regarding employment and people with unpredictable episodic conditions.
Click here or on the image above to go directly to the survey.
Please participate if you feel you qualify.”
Do you have a broad understanding of Alberta’s health system? Does this understanding include the area of insured and publicly funded health service under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan and Hospitalization Benefits Plan? Do you have strong written and oral communication skills? Are you able to think critically, synthesize information, and remain objective when necessary? Can you attend teleconference or face-to-face meetings in Edmonton, Alberta every five weeks? If you answered “Yes” to the above questions, you may wish to apply to become a public member of the Out-of-Country Health Services Appeal Panel.
The appeal panel is an adjudicative body that hears appeals from Albertans regarding claims that the Out-of-Country Health Services Committee (OOCHSC) denied for insured services received or to be received outside of Canada. The Alberta resident, or an Alberta physician or dentist acting on behalf of an Alberta resident, may appeal a decision of the OOCHSC and submit an appeal.
Click here to read more about this opportunity. Deadline for applications is Thursday, December 8, 2016.
The 2016 Gay Men’s Health Summit will be held at Simon Fraser University on November 9 and 10th, 2016. Over the two-day event, topics to be addressed include how technology and social media are helping to improve the health and well being of gay and bisexual individuals, challenges faced by trans men within the gay community, suicide prevention, racism, racial issues, and mental health. There will also be a workshop on the role Truth and Reconciliation recommendations can play in organizations. Click here to find out more about the Summit and to register for the event.
