Breadcrumb
Community Engagement
You can help shape health care by participating in our community engagement initiatives.
Overview of community engagement opportunities
The health-care system impacts everyone at some point during their lives – whether seeking assistance with lifestyle changes, receiving care in a hospital, care facility or at home, or managing a chronic illness. You can help shape health care by participating in our community engagement initiatives. We’re committed to working together to promote better health and to deliver quality, safe care for the various populations in Interior Health’s wide geographic region.
Bring your diverse voice to the table and enrich the dialogue on health service planning and delivery. Your input makes a difference as it helps us better understand the patient’s perspective so that programs and services can be effective, coordinated and streamlined.
Community engagement can be a wide variety of activities from information sharing to consultation and collaboration.
Engagement initiatives can include client/family councils, partnerships with community organizations, focus groups and workshops, and presentation/dialogue opportunities with municipal Councils, Regional Hospital Districts and community organizations. Beyond direct health care, we also work closely with our facility neighbours to identify and mitigate concerns related to construction, traffic, noise and parking.
Interior Health frequently involves members of the public to ensure the patient’s voice is heard in program planning, service delivery and evaluation.
Working Together - Interior Health's approach to public participation and partnership in health services, provides an outline of the principles and benefits of engagement, and explains how we will evaluate engagement opportunities and options for public participation. No matter the option selected, we believe involving our clients and the communities we serve in the planning and decision-making process will foster sustainable health-care services.
EngageIH.ca
EngageIH.ca is an online platform where you can bring your voice to the table regarding health services planning and delivery. It integrates interactive ways for people to share ideas and ask questions, view timelines and learn about opportunities for face-to-face community meetings. We look forward to your feedback on key projects that impact health in our communities. Learn more about how you can get involved, or register to have your say.
Patient Voices Network
The Patient Voices Network brings patients together from around British Columbia to connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another.
Person and Family Centred Care Steering Committee
With input from both Public Members and IH leaders, the Interior Health Person and Family Centred Care (PFCC) Steering Committee provides strategic direction to Interior Health around the goals, principles, policies, and priorities related to Person and Family Centred Care to improve the healthcare system.
Public members come from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. They bring knowledge, skills and abilities from their various areas of expertise and perspectives from their unique experiences with the health care system. Public membership will aim to represent the diverse population that IH serves.
Volunteer Opportunity: Interior Health is seeking an additional Indigenous Public Member to join our unique Person and Family Centred Care Steering Committee. We serve to communicate and promote the core Person and Family Centred Care principles of Dignity and Respect, Information Sharing, Participation and Collaboration.
Aim: With input from both Public Members and IH leaders, the Interior Health Person and Family Centred Care (PFCC) Steering Committee provides strategic direction to Interior Health around the goals, principles, policies, and priorities related to Person and Family Centred Care to improve the healthcare system.
Public members come from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. They bring knowledge, skills and abilities from their various areas of expertise and perspectives from their unique experiences with the health care system. Public membership will aim to represent the diverse population that IH serves.
The Committee fosters a PFCC culture in IH by providing direction/guidance to IH on specific initiatives, and ensures alignment with the Ministry of Health requirements and policies based upon the related British Columbia person and family centred care framework and similar Ministry policies.
Work will include organization-wide engagement and the inclusion of public members in the co-design and ongoing development of IH as a health system. The Committee will also develop working groups to lead specific PFCC focused projects.
Eligibility
- Experience within the health care system as a patient or caregiver
- A patient partner with experiences within health care
- Experience working as a member of steering committees and high-level senior health care staff
- Ability to work with others effectively, and appreciate different perspectives and opinions
- Comfort in reading, writing and editing policies and familiarity with strategic planning
- Access to computer for Zoom meetings (unless meeting in person)
References related to experiences above
Join REACH BC
REACH BC is a publicly funded online provincial platform where you can learn about health research studies taking place right now in British Columbia.
Create your volunteer profile online today and get matched with studies you are interested in.
Respectful engagement
The winter and holiday season can bring joy, but can also bring stresses and challenges. Explore these 10 tips for supporting for mental and physical health.
/stories/10-healthy-habits-winter-and-holiday-season
Party more safely this holiday season with these tips from our Harm Reduction team.
/stories/checklist-safer-celebrating-season
Meet Sue Raymer, president the of the Castlegar & District Hospital Foundation, and learn more about her and her fundraising journey in Castlegar.
/stories/foundation-spotlight-series-castlegar-district-hospital-foundation
Stephenie has lived in Vancouver, Ontario, and Vernon and brings her fun and positive attitude to her role as an administrator at Vernon Health Unit.
/stories/we-are-ih-small-mighty-admin-assistant-loves-boost-morale
Slips, trips, and falls can happen at any time of the year, but we typically see an increase in these incidents when conditions are snowy and icy.
/stories/how-prevent-slips-trips-falls-winter
Many of us will attend holiday gatherings and with more opportunities to drink alcohol, it can be easy to overindulge. Learn how to celebrate in a healthy way.
/stories/holiday-spirit-tips-drinking-moderation-season
STAY CONNECTED
Receive news and alert posts, and Stories@IH blog posts, right to your inbox!
Interior Health values our community’s participation in discussions and the exchange of ideas on our social media channels. However, we kindly request that these interactions contribute to a safe and respectful environment for everyone in our community.
Please see our Social Media Community Guidelines to view our moderation policy for our social media channels. If you have questions about our moderation policy and how we enforce it, please contact: socialmedia@interiorhealth.ca.
Join our online community! Follow us on: