Jun 1, 2020 | Leadership, Faces of HDGH
HDGH PFAC Chair, Barb Masotti
Hi All,
I’ve invited a very important colleague, friend and HDGH Champion as a contributor for June’s Blog. As you can imagine, the last few months have been full of decisions, changes and emotions. HDGH would not be the organization it is, or have had the ability to lead through this COVID-19 pandemic without our Patient and Family Advisory Council, or PFAC as we often refer to it, ensuring that the voice of patients and their loved ones are at the centre of our decisions. This was important to our organization pre pandemic, and even more important now, during a time when our organizational decisions have such a direct impact on our patients, clients and their loved ones.
I am pleased to e-introduce you to Barb Masotti, the Chair of our HDGH PFAC as my June Guest Blogger.
Jan
PS: If you feel as though joining our PFAC would interest you, please visit https://www.hdgh.org/en/pfac for more information on how to become involved.
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I’d like to start with heartfelt thanks to all who work for Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. Your commitment to uphold the values of respect, teamwork, social responsibility and compassion at the hospital makes my heart sing. You have worked hard, extremely hard, during this most difficult time – COVID-19. You have shifted gears, redeployed staff, accepted new assignments, reorganized everything and found ways to accomplish the work that needed to be done. Your continued dedication has fulfilled the goal of keeping patients, families, staff and community Safe. During these arduous times there can be no greater goal. On behalf of all the members of the Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC), Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
I’ve been a community member of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s Patient and Family Advisory Council for five years. HDGH made a commitment to ensure that the Patient/Family Voice would be heard and valued. I can assure you that has occurred and is still occurring during this pandemic. At the onset of COVID-19, HDGH created a variety of new committees to deal with everchanging situations. The Patient/Family Voice is part of numerous discussions and is involved in decision making. HDGH quickly began to formulate visitor restrictions and PFAC was consulted from the beginning. Currently, we have PFAC members reviewing possible steps in a Tiered Visitation Policy as HDGH looks at reopening services. Some members were invited to the initial meetings that established the Family Support Team. The Ethics-COVID-19 meetings has a PFAC presence. In April, HDGH’s PFAC sent a letter of appreciation and thanks to all and in May was part of a video giving thanks for Nurses’ Week. The newly formed CEO Advisory Council had its first teleconference meeting and “yes” a PFAC member sits on this council also. As situations evolve, so does the involvement of the PFAC. HDGH continues to maintain that the PFAC is not just a “token”, and we want to applaud their leadership in hearing the Patient and Family Voice.
But…there is one more novel committee that I want to talk about and that’s the HDGH led Regional Patient Advocate and PFAC Committee. It is comprised of five regional hospitals; Erie Shores Healthcare, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Bluewater Health, Windsor Regional Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. This committee has come together to share strategies and experiences. Hopefully, this is the first step in initiating a healthcare system where the “gaps” are smaller and patients’ journeys are “smoother.” Yes, HDGH’s Patient and Family Voice is there too.
Now, you might be wondering what the future holds for the Patient and Family Advisory Council. Well, we’ve had our first “Zoom” meeting to catch up with everyone’s lives and there are more to come. It’s different, that’s for sure, and we long for the human connection that we’ve made with each other. We’re all finding our way – a new way for now.
I wish you all Strength, Health and Affection,
Barb Masotti, Chair of HDGH Patient and Family Advisory Council