Patients and their families are important to CPSI. In fact, it’s on behalf of patients and their families that CPSI has been mandated to provide leadership and coordinate the activities necessary for the building of a culture of patient safety and quality improvement in the Canadian health system.
It’s clear that patients need to be active partners in their care to stay safe in the healthcare system. To help you ensure that the care, advice and treatment you’re receiving is suited to your needs, and that you’re the properly equipped guardian of your own best interests, many organizations have created safety tips
Patients need to be active partners in their care to stay safe in our healthcare system. To help them navigate safely, many organizations have created safety tips to assist patients and their families in this journey.
As we believe patient safety efforts need to be facilitative and without duplication, we would like to nationally recognize their efforts.
Patient Concern Resolution Process
The delivery of healthcare services can involve the navigation of very complex processes by patients and their providers. Most often, patients have a positive experience when receiving these services. Sometimes, however, they have questions or concerns regarding their personal healthcare.
Canadian Patient Safety Institute - Tips for Patients and their Families
The Canadian Patient Safety Institute has developed a set of tips for patients and their families to guide them in being active partners in patient safety.
Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety - 'It's Safe to Ask' Campaign
Asking questions is good for your health and in January, 2007 the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety (MIPS) launched It's Safe to Ask, a program that encourages all Manitobans, along with their doctors, nurses and pharmacists, to discuss three simple questions:
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What is my health problem?
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What do I need to do?
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Why do I need to do this?
It's Safe to Ask has a simple but powerful message that patient safety can be improved when patients understand the answers to these questions. The initiative is being launched province-wide after a successful four-month pilot project at six health sites.
For more information:
Government of British Columbia - BC HealthGuide
The BC HealthGuide program is a self-care program, available 24 hours a day, containing numerous resources in a variety of web- and non-web-based formats to help you better understand and manage your health. One such resource is 'Patient Safety - Tips to help you take an active part in your health care' - a brochure available in four languages.
Ontario Hospital Association - Patient Safety Support Service
The Ontario Hospital Association’s Patient Safety Support Service has created one of the most comprehensive collections of patient safety tips, available in 14 languages, as part of the Your Health Care: Be Involved initiative.
Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), has developed a patient safety campaign designed to educate patients about the importance of effective hand hygiene. This campaign has been branded, "Clean Hands Protect Lives", and is extension of the Your Health Care: Be Involved initiative.