This month, we're sharing stories on the impact of patient partnerships, talking about cultural safety inspired by “What Matters to You? and introducing two new patient engagement champions!

'I Wanted to Make an Impact': Patient Partner Lelainia Lloyd is Improving Medical Imaging

Never underestimate the influence of sharing a patient’s experience with health care teams. Lelainia Lloyd didn’t know what to expect when she joined the Medical Imaging Advisory Council of BC as a patient partner.

“There were a lot of [doctors] and I don’t think they really knew what they wanted from a patient partner,” she said.

The council used Lelainia’s patient experience feedback with medical imaging to help drive conversations about what’s important for excellent, person- and family-centred care.

“Lelainia’s input has been invaluable to our council,” said Monty Martin, Chief of Diagnostic Radiology at BC Cancer and one of the council’s co-chairs. “Having a patient partner on our committee is not just symbolic but is a force for good.” 

Read More About Lelainia’s Impact

 Patients Make Us Better: Michelle Hewitt

“Michelle Hewitt has had a lot of experience receiving health care. She is also a passionate advocate for people with disabilities, a former school principal and an academic. Her unique perspective and history are a few of the reasons she has been asked to contribute her thoughts on Interior Health programs and services.”

Read on to find out about how Michelle views being a patient as an individual and collective experience, and how she’s making a difference for patients throughout the province.

Read More About Michelle's Impact

Cultural Safety in Patient Engagement:

A "What Matters to You?" Story

The Patient & Public Engagement Team at the BC Patient & Safety Quality Council, which administers PVN, hosted a virtual gathering on June 17 for Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) patient partners from the Patient Voices Network. The gathering centred around hearing what matters to them to be culturally safe while participating in engagement opportunities. 

The Council is also developing a resource – to share with all our partners –  about culturally safe patient engagement based on what we heard from the two questions discussed:

• What matters to you to experience cultural safety in patient engagement?
• What single message is important for you to give a health care provider leading a committee, focus group or other engagement?

Read More

Introducing Two New Patient Engagement Champions

The BC Patient Safety & Quality Council is excited to welcome two new patient engagement champions to its team!

Charmaine Niebergall, Engagement Leader, lives on the Island and supports patient partners and health care teams to work together to improve care. Rachelle Ferrer, Project Coordinator, supports the PVN Oversight & Advisory Committee and other Network activities.

They are both passionate about advancing patient voices and making positive changes in the health care system.

Read Their Interviews