Population Panels Provide Valuable Feedback for the Delivery of
Care at St. Joseph's
St. Joseph's Health Centre is committed to being a patient, family, and community-engaged hospital. One way we strive to achieve this is by developing, implementing and sustaining community advisory Population Panels in alignment with our core clinical programs.
Currently there are three active Populations Panels: the Mental Health and Addictions Population Panel (MHAPP), launched in January 2006; a Seniors' Population Panel (SPP), launched in September 2006; and a Women's Population Panel (WPP), launched in January 2008. In addition, a Newcomers virtual advisory group was established in 2009.
Each Panel falls under the auspices of one of St. Joseph's Health Centre's clinical programs: the Mental Health and Addictions Program, Medicine, Ambulatory and Seniors' Health Program and the Women's, Children's and Family Health Program. The Newcomers virtual advisory group works closely with the Emergency Department.
Working collaboratively, programs, Panels and advisory groups receive coordinating and facilitating support through the Patient, Family and Community Engagement Department.
The Population Panels play a particular role in helping to achieve two of the Health Centre's strategic objectives of Putting Patients First and Enhancing the Health of the Communities we Serve by bringing patients/clients, family members, friends, community agency providers and SJHC staff together to share insights and information and to offer service recommendations.
The Panels discuss, debate and make recommendations on a variety of issues. Over the last year, for example, the Panels have provided input on improving patient accessibility to services, given feedback on Health Centre policies, assisted in the development of the Emergency Department Navigational Video and most recently, the panels provided input into St. Joseph's Strategic Plan for 2011-2014.
In their discussions, the panels highlighted the importance of easy system navigation for patients and families and talked about the need to address chronic disease management in an acute care context.The Population Panels are guided by the Strategic Population Panel which oversees the performance of the individual panels and the community engagement purpose they fulfill. The Strategic Population Panel meets quarterly and brings the community Chairs from the panels together with St. Joseph's Senior Leadership Team. With this particular panel configuration in place, community input becomes an integral part of the functional structure of the organization.
For further information and inquiries about potential openings on the Seniors' and the Women's Population Panel, please contact Jutta Schaaf at schaaj@stjoe.on.ca for further information on the Women's and Seniors' Population Panel.
Inquiries about the Mental Health & Addictions Population Panel and the virtual Newcomers group can be forwarded to AnnMarie Marcolin at marcoa@stjoe.on.ca or 416-530-6486 ext. 3224
Page last updated: June 20, 2012
