Choosing Wisely Canada Seeking Public Member for Central Team - due Nov 3, 2017

[A Former User]

Thanks, Donna, for posting this opportunity.

I strongly encourage anyone reading this to consider this strategic role with Choosing Wisely Canada. To date, I've felt they lacked just what is sought in this recruitment. It appears to be a serious job description with remuneration for high value participation.

Please, everyone, ask yourself if you have the time and passion!

Choosing Wisely's approach to better care has been to equip especially family physicians to discuss treatment options with their patients based on a good understanding of the evidence.

Conversations with patients and families to make supported and informed decisions for appropriate medical interventions are at the heart of this campaign. I think there's an opportunity here to identify "what's necessary" as what advances the patient's and family's considered and articulated goals.

Family practitioner and remarkable physician leader Wendy Levinson is a devoted and tireless visionary who launched Choosing Wisely Canada. She has great respect for patient autonomy and dignity. With an energetic and skilled team, this small initiative has also rapidly attracted great respect internationally.

Please consider the multiplier effect of helping this movement advance with strong patient involvement, a gap that they urgently need (in my view) for the campaign to make real strides. I am sure this will be a truly rewarding partnership. Please consider it.

Submit your name if you can offer the time!!!

Best wishes to all,
Carolyn

[A Former User]

Good advice Carolyn

I'm glad to see that they are seeking patient involvement. When I attended their info day last year, the voice of the patient was not evident, and I think Choosing Wisely can do much better with patient input.

It is very seldom you see the medical community being sparing of lab tests for example - I see it more often now that I only go to hospitals in the same group. At my pre-operative testing they looked at my record and did not repeat tests that I had the week before. Progress!!

[A Former User]

Yay for inviting patients into the room! But -- I think it would be even better if they had at least 2 patients on this committee (sometimes I think organizations forget about, as e-Patient Dave would say, 'actual sick patients' that have illnesses and sometimes *shocker* get flare ups etc.).

[A Former User]

I find the initiative quite interesting and I think it's great that they want a patient advisor and also are willing to provide remuneration (without even asking!). I too wasn't sure if I would apply only because I would be alone and this is such a broad-based initiative that it really needs more than 1 patient. Also agree re: getting sick (as of now, I'm at week 3 post forefoot reconstruction). But that being said, it is a fantastic move on their part and I will seriously consider applying

[A Former User]

Hi Laurie,

I really hope you do apply! Once in the door, you can help them learn what’s “Best Practice” in partnering with patients. I think they’ll want to smarten up. Best wishes, Carolyn

[A Former User]

Good point, Kimberly. Having only one patient or PAdvisor representative on a team/committee (that is dominated by primarily physicians or employees of the sponsoring initiative or organization) may make it more challenging for a single patient or PAdvisor representative on the committee. Inviting one patient or PAdvisor to the committee table is certainly not the end of goal setting.

thx for sharing your thoughts.

anita l-l

[A Former User]

Hi Anita and Kimberly,

I'm completely onside with you on appointing more than one patent partner. In fact, I prefer a minimum of 3 (two appointed and one alternate) so that when the demands of patient-hood compete, two people are always able to participate.

With Choosing Wisely Canada, I have to admit that this is the first sign of interest in a running campaign from me and probably others to encourage any patient involvement at all.

My general tactic in such circumstances is usually to pry the door open and then wangle an invitation to participate on almost any initial terms. My private agenda is to open it up once I'm able to establish some trust and credibility around the table.

I have a strong sense of standards to which we need to aspire. But we won't get there by demanding as a condition of joining. At least that's so, most of the time! Occasionally I refuse invitations that seem exploitive --just did a few moments ago with GenomeBC. But I want to hold off suspicion when I feel the hosts are educable on true patient partnership.

Once on board, I don't always succeed in negotiating greater patient involvement. But it is worth trying, if the initial conditions are at all tolerable and the purpose important. I think that this particular invitation has a lot going for it. The expectations seem better documented than most and the work is respected enough to be compensated.

I certainly agree that one patient is not enough. For the patient leader who can imagine success and step in to help this grow into a full blown patient-public platform, there's real potential for population impact. The campaign has widespread respect and just may transform Canadian practice and norms.

Any takers?

Best wishes,
Carolyn

[A Former User]

Dear Donna, Carolyn and rest of thread,

I am extremely passionate about this and I will definitely apply. I'm not a patient, but I was a caregiver to my mother who lived with dementia.

Any recommendations/ideas about how I might increase my chances of success?

Susan

[A Former User]

Hi Susan --and all interested PAN members. I'm thrilled that you are considering applying and hope there are plenty of contenders to show Choosing Wisely that Canada is full of competent and active patient voices.

Here are some of my thoughts on preparing a response to Choosing Wisely Canada as an expression of interest in this appointment.

First examine carefully and thoroughly the Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) website. Look at the considerable effort they've already made to engage the public in their campaigns. I don't think they've yet invited patients into "co-producting" partnerships. That's the open opportunity ahead.

Think about how you might expand their notion of "publics" who need to hear the message, understand the evidence and spread the conviction that "less is often more" throughout our social beliefs and norms.

What can you bring from your interests and your experience to CWC to help the campaign see more clearly what patients expect from their practitioners, from medicine and from healthcare services? What do they need to learn and adopt new ideas? What's the best way to reach them? How do peer networks and social partnerships serve such public education?

To me, the term "patient representative" is a bit foolish. Take a look at the great UK patient leader David Gilbert on this: see here for the first link specifically and many related fantastic blog entries.

Instead of telling CWC that they are foolish , you might suggest how you see your role in linking to networks of active patients and family carers (like PAN members!) and their networks and communities in turn.

CWC's work is all about creating greater trust and understanding of science, especially the science of evidence-based diagnostic and treatment options. That includes understanding risk and likelihoods to support decisions. That's a tall order. Part of this is learning to ask clinicians questions. How can you help shape the development of those decision tools with patients as the co-creators?

Context is so much of patient well-being, confidence in care, comfort with "living with" conditions and treatments. See what you can convey to them about your perspective in how evidence-based care can support that view of well-being.

Build on your lived experience and your passion for collaboration with the system to help it understand and welcome the expertise of patient partners. Allow your confidence in self-knowledge and expectation of accountability shine through your statement.

I know that merely reflecting on your work to prepare such a profile of who you are in this context will strengthen your own sense of self-worth and value in all you are doing as a patient collaborator.

Feel proud and know that PAN is full of members who admire and share these skills and motivations. Keep reaching out in these discussion forums to strengthen your confidence, ask questions and seek advice from "the wisdom in the room".

Congratulations to everyone who is thinking about this position. Let us know how it goes. Whatever happens, you will be learning!

Best wishes,
Carolyn

[A Former User]

Post Script for Susan...

Please know that I'm using the word "patient" here as interchangeable with family member, partner-carer, unpaid support worker and unpaid care navigator, etc etc. etc. Language is highly imperfect. You know better than I all the roles you have filled in looking after your loved ones through serious and challenging healthcare experiences over time. You are an incredible expert in the "patient" experience from this perspective.

Warm regards,
Carolyn

[A Former User]

Wow Carolyn!

Thanks for that excellent and comprehensive advice.

Susan