Northerners join the movement to make healthy change happen in Northeastern Ontario

Dec 21, 2017 @ 08:40

Building a more patient-centred healthcare system is easier when people come together one pledge at a time to make positive health system changes.

This year, more than 130 Northerners took part in Change Day Ontario and made pledges to help build a stronger system of care as individual health care workers, health teams, and members of the public. And although Change Day was celebrated last month, the movement lives on and it is not too late to make a pledge or to share a positive change story on social media.

Alan Elliott is a Laird Township resident and a Co-Chair of the North East LHIN’s first Patient and Family Advisory Committee  (PFAC). His Change Day idea was built off an earlier commitment he made to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. Through his volunteer work, Alan donated 150 items – such as clothing, cooking utensils, and small household goods – to people in need. He quickly met his target and by his estimation, he has now donated more than twice his initial goal.

Says Alan, “My pledge is to continue this practice of donations but in the process to learn more about the additional needs of the recipients, many whom have mental health issues. In discussions with others, we find that we can help make someone’s day better today but we need to understand more about them if we are to have a long-term effect.”

Alan plans to bring his findings and recommendations back to the North East LHIN Patient and Family Advisory Committee so that the committee can consider them as they look at ways to improve people’s health care experience across Northeastern Ontario.

Change Day is a global movement aimed at empowering people to make a difference in building a culture of compassionate quality care across the health care system. Pledges can be big or small are important as long as they are meaningful to the person making them.

“Change Day 2017 drew a great response from Northeastern Ontario, with the region really punching above its weight,” said Dr. Reena Dhatt, Clincial Quality Lead for the NE LHIN. “Many of the pledges focus on simple ideas that are based on relationships and having empathy for others. Those are key ingredients in every successful quality improvement program.”

Below are a selection of Change Day pledges made by residents of the NE LHIN:

“I pledge to provide quality care through innovative team work in a warm nurturing home where residents can be themselves.”  — Pamela Ficociello, Algoma Manor Nursing Home, Thessalon.

“I pledge to show all of my clients the level of care and compassion I would want for my own family.” — Tyler Turcotte, North Bay Recovery Home, North Bay.

“I pledge to acknowledge First Nations land at all presentations I deliver to health care professionals in the North East LHIN. It is my first step in implementing the health provisions in the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.”  — Sherry Price, Health Sciences North and Sudbury District Health Unit, Sudbury.

To learn more about Change Day Ontario, please visit:http://www.changedayontario.ca

To learn more about how the North East LHIN is working to improve quality care in northeastern Ontario, please visit:http://www.nelhin.on.ca/quality.aspx

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