The following has been sent to all Island Health Staff
and Medical Staff on behalf of:
Krista Allan - VP Quality, Research & Chief Nursing and Allied Health Officer
Dr. Ben Williams - VP Medicine, Quality, Research & Chief Medical Officer
James Hanson – VP Clinical Services, Acute Care North and Community Services
Marko Peljhan - VP Clinical Services, Centre/South Island and Provincial Programs
April 19, 2023
New opportunity for staff and medical staff to lead clinical governance and quality improvement
Island Health staff and medical staff have told us that they want to be more involved in decisions that impact their work. There is a new opportunity to do just that on an Island-wide basis by joining a group of committees focused on improving quality and safety for the people we serve.
In 2022 Island Health approved a single organization-wide clinical governance structure for clinical planning, policies and standards. This structure reflects the organizational, regional and local levels of clinical governance, each with its own responsibilities and accountabilities. After many months of work and collaboration with program leaders we are preparing to activate 13 new structures called C.A.R.E. Networks, which represent groups of commonly aligned services provided by interdisciplinary and collaborative teams.
Care providers are in the best position to see the right opportunities for quality improvement in their areas. We are asking people from across Island Health who are passionate about change, quality and safety to submit an Expression of Interest to join a C.A.R.E. Network committee in their area of expertise and join us on our journey in excellence.
This is an important milestone in Island Health’s effort to transform the clinical governance structure, making it possible for us to work towards equity, uniform standards of care and clear, delegated accountabilities for continuously improving the quality of patient care Island-wide.
Please review the information and resources linked below, and share this opportunity with your colleagues and teams.
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
- Submit your Expression of Interest
- Expression of Interest portal
- Expression of Interest Q&A
- A.R.E. Network Q&A
- Background on Clinical Governance Improvement
- Medical Staff can access the same resources, as well as a Medical Staff Q&A, on the Medical Staff website.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The establishment of C.A.R.E. Networks is one part of a larger initiative to transform Island Health’s clinical governance.
- There are 13 C.A.R.E. Networks: Critical Care; Diagnostic Imaging; Emergency; Home & Community Care; Laboratory Medicine; Long-term Care; Medicine; Mental Health and Substance Use; Pediatrics; Perinatal, Newborn and Women’s Health; Primary Care; Rehabilitative / Restorative Care and Surgery.
- C.A.R.E. Networks will replace existing quality councils and other regional structures as appropriate.
- Each C.A.R.E. Network will include an Operations Excellence Committee and a Clinical Excellence Committee. These committees will include representation from medical staff, staff that reflect the scope of professions in the service, representatives from local quality and operations structures and patient partners.
- Members will be expected to dedicate approximately five hours per month to prepare for and attend two meetings. Compensation for this time will be according to existing roles and contracts. Membership does not impact reporting relationships.
- Current Quality Council members who would like to join C.A.R.E. Network committees must submit an Expression of Interest to be considered.
- Representatives from resource teams like finance, research and professional practice, will be assigned by their leaders to support C.A.R.E. Networks.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
- Learn more about how we are transforming Island Health’s clinical governance by joining us at an upcoming information session and reviewing the resources available on Island Health’s Intranet and the Medical Staff website.
- Share information with your colleagues and teams about the opportunity to join a C.A.R.E. Network committee.
- Submit an Expression of Interest through Island Health’s Intranet and Medical Staff website from April 19 to May 10.