HQCA recruits volunteers for provincial advisory panel to promote patient/family safety

The Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) is recruiting volunteers to serve on a new provincial advisory panel to leverage the experiences and perspectives of patients and their families to improve and promote safety in Alberta's health system. The panel was created as a strategic initiative through the provincial Patient Safety Framework for Albertans, which was released in September 2010. Through the HQCA, the panel will work to promote patient safety principles, concepts and actions in all aspects of Alberta's publicly-funded health care system.

The volunteer panel will include, but is not limited to, eight people from across the province that have experienced harm as a result of health care services received in Alberta either as a patient or through the experience of a family member.

"The Patient/Family Safety Advisory Panel gives Albertans a chance to provide their insight and advice into health care safety issues that affect the lives of many people," said HQCA Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Cowell. "This input will inform the work the HQCA is doing and help us continue to build a safer health care system in Alberta."

Source: HEALTH QUALITY COUNCIL OF ALBERTA