WHO WE ARE

Experience Partners are volunteers who share their unique thoughts and perspectives to ensure the voices of patients, families and caregivers are heard. Partnering with patients and their loved ones in different ways helps us understand their experiences, preferences and needs, and respond to them.

Experience Partners partner with healthcare professionals, staff and volunteers to provide direct input into policies, programs and practices that impact patient care and services. They are specialists in the patient experience, as they have recent lived experience at PRHC.

Having patients, families and caregivers engaged can improve healthcare safety and quality. It can also promote and exemplify inclusion and diversity. Your voice and experience matters.

WHO CAN APPLY TO BE AN EXPERIENCE PARTNER?

An Experience Partner  must have received care or supported someone, a family* member, caregiver, or friend, who has received care at PRHC in the last five (5) years.

*Family is determined by the patient and is not limited to biological relationships.

WHAT EXPERIENCE PARTNERS DO

  • Build partnerships with healthcare professionals based on mutual respect and open communication.

  • Participate in quality improvement initiatives, process improvement projects, program development and facility design.

  • Work with staff to ensure patient and family centred care is provided in a fully accessible environment that promotes healing, ensures dignity and instills trust.

  • To keep patients, families* and caregivers as the focal point of our health system.

Commitment Level

There are two (2) levels of engagement that Experience Partners can choose from:

Engagement Level A

Experience Partners in this engagement level can engage virtually or in person. They are asked to commit to regular meetings which can range from one (1) to three (3) hours in length and activities can include joining departmental committees or councils and participating in working or discussion groups. They can also become a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC). Joining the PFAC is a two-year commitment, and meetings are held every other month.

Engagement Level B

Experience Partners in this engagement level can engage virtually by phone or email and are asked to commit to each activity as it arises (10 minutes to one hour per activity).  Experience Partners in this engagement level may be asked to share their healthcare story, complete surveys, respond to questionnaires, review or help create educational materials for patients and review polices and procedures.

RESOURCES