CMA Health Forum - Patient Sponsorship - Aug 20-21, 2018 Winnipeg

[A Former User]

Hi All

To my delight, I received an email today following up on an acceptance that I apparently received last Friday (June 29) inviting me to be one of the 25 patients at the CMA conference in Winnipeg in August.

I've searched all through my email ... inbox, junk box and deleted box, and I don't have the original invitation, although they must have sent it since it is attached to the followup email. The email came from the userid "yourquestions@cma.ca" which belongs to Audrey Grandmaison.

Anyway ... I have just emailed my signed form to Audrey and will look forward to meeting the rest of the gang at the event.

I am SO IMPRESSED at the number of spots they have offered and hope that the 25 of us can provide a lot of value to the folks at the conference. I was also very impressed with the friendliness of both their acceptance and followup notes indicating how thrilled they were with the applicants.

A big THANK YOU to the folks who kindly told us about this opportunity ... I realize that you reduced your odds of being picked by inviting so many others to apply as well. I so appreciate your willingness to share the fun.

.....N

[A Former User]

Nice! congratulations! I never heard anything from them.

[A Former User]

Hi All

I just talked to Audrey at the CMA. She believes that she has corresponded with all 217 applicants (I think that's the number she said - I know it was more than 200!) to let them know if they were selected or not. If you have not received that email, she asked if people would contact her at yourquestions@cma.ca. I've given her Annette and Lelainia's names and she is going to contact you right away.

As an added note: Audrey's telephone # doesn't ring anywhere ... so if you want to talk to her, you can use email and then she books a private room and telephones you at the time you arrange.

And an interesting point: Audrey has been to some US conferences that had patients involved so she wondered if there might be patients in Canada who would be willing to do the same .... needless to say she was BLOWN AWAY by our response! Audrey feels strongly that it's critical for patients to be involved with the CMA so the future looks very bright.

....N

[A Former User]

I also spoke with Audrey, and she is full of enthusiasm - I look forward to meeting the other lucky patient advocates there

Susan

[A Former User]

I did not apply re the CMA conference due to life having other plans for me :))

Do want to comment "how encouraging it is" to hear about the enthusiasm PAN members are experiencing and the IMPACT PAN folks are having.... seems like there is more awareness/acceptance in serious partnering for improvements.

Congrats to all who will attend and I much look forward to reading about your experiences - i.e. lessons learned, lessons taught and what next steps could be.

Thanks everyone for your input on this topic.

Denyse

[A Former User]

Hello Nancy and Susan,

I to have been selected. Look forward to meeting you in Winnipeg.

Virginia

[A Former User]

Hello Fellow PAN members,

I have been selected for the CMA conference scholarship, but never received a confirmation email of June 29; only received a reminder to confirm participation on July 6--the original date in which we were asked to confirm our participation. Subsequently, I did confirm and am hoping it was received by the CMA. Looking forward to meeting other members in August.

[A Former User]

Hello to all PAN members who are going to Winnipeg later this month!

How about setting aside time for all of us to meet, either Monday over breakfast, or at the end of the day in the evening for a possible group dinner?

Perhaps those of you attending the CMA Forum could PM me your email and we can coordinate something!

I look forward to meeting you soon!

Amy, PAN Steering Committee member

[A Former User]

Hello Amy,

I will be attending. I sent you A PM

Looking forward to meeting everyone

Virginia

[A Former User]

Hi Amy

I made a list of all the folks who had mentioned they were going to Winnipeg and copied their bios into a word file. I'll send you the file via private message. Feel free to add any other names you get, or send me the names and I'll update the file. Here are the folks I have so far:

• Sandra Dudych

• Virginia McIntyre

• Susan Macaulay

• Heather Thiessen

• Amy Ma

• Nancy Roper

I arrive around 11 am on Sunday and am planning to go the Human Rights Museum that closes at 5 pm (that will be a stretch to see it all, but it's the biggest time block I have while I'm in town). I believe there's a networking reception from 5:30-7:30 pm on Sunday so maybe we could meet up there, or I'm open for Monday breakfast or dinner too. Note that there's a jam session on Monday from 5:30-7:30 so it may be a late dinner. Tuesday night there's some sort of awards gala in the evening.

Looking forward to meeting everyone. .....N

[A Former User]

Hi friends,

I posted the root message announcing this invitation back in May, and am THRILLED at the results --although I quickly acknowledge other postings and publicity. You will be advancing the patient voice as A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER in ways that will knock CMA's socks off!!

You are the vanguard, with a red carpet rolled out to welcome you into this physician leadership forum. The CMA has a history of much more progressive stances than the individual provincial physician associations. It is not hard to guess that the reason may be that the provincial orgs are negotiating fees and regulations. That prevents magnanimous openings for patients. I know there are exceptions. Bring 'em on!!!!

As an example here in BC, the Doctors of BC [BCMA] specialty services committee has enabled a very radical improvement initiative to inaugurate projects that require patient partners on the project team. There are plenty of other examples.

All this is just to say, have a wonderful time, find each other to connect up to amplify your voices, link up with progressive practitioners and feel free to promote PAN as the network that joins up patients and family carers who are making BIG differences across Canada to help healthcare better respond to meet patient/carer values and needs.

Every physician should be able to partner with patients to improve care in their sector. [Even pathologists, not a joke!]

Don't hesitate to mention all the roles patient partners are taking: improvement, service design, research, training health professionals, governance, hiring, etc etc. Encourage the CMA to support PAN if you get the chance. Let us all know, so the steering committee can follow up formally.

You rock!! Thanks for taking a leadership role on behalf of all the patients and family members who could not manage travelling to Winnepeg as you are!!

Thank you for your strong voices.

Cheers,
Carolyn

[A Former User]

Thanks Carolyn

[A Former User]

That's awesome Nancy. Would you send me a copy too please? My email address is susan@myalzheimersstory.com

I'm happy to meet at the most convenient time for all. I will be arriving Saturday late afternoon.

Thanks,

Susan

[A Former User]

Hello folks,

Getting together to meet during the conference is a great idea. Personally, the earlier the better so that we may want to collaborate on some of the discussions. For me, Sunday night is already previously committed to another outing, so Monday breakfast would be my preference. For those of you coming in from out of town, there is a ball game close to the hotel going on Sunday afternoon if you're looking for something to do. Shopping downtown is limited. The Forks is a potential place to spend some time on Sunday. The Human Rights Museum is also very good but comments from those who have been there say that a day is sometimes not long enough to take in all of the exhibits. I can also give suggestions for dinner locales; breakfast choices in the downtown area are more limiting, generally hotels are best offerings. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

[A Former User]

thanks Sandra,

I'll be arriving on Saturday at 17:15, and would love to have a recommendation for dinner. I don't eat red meat mostly vegetarian, love Thai, and sushi. if anyone else is there on Saturday and would like to join me for dinner, that would be great

Monday breakfast is fine with me – how about at the Fairmont Hotel, which is where I'm staying ?

Susan

[A Former User]

I've sent everyone an email as I'm finding this back and forth a bit cumbersome

Susan

[A Former User]

Sandra

Thank you for the suggestions.

Ladies I can meet anytime, I arrive Sunday am.

My email is v.mcintyre14@hotmail.com

Maybe we will have to have a couple of chat sessions

I can PM my cell number if anyone wants is, this is the best way to reach me.

Virginia

[A Former User]

Hi all,

Just got an email today from CMA and it looks as though they already set aside a networking breakfast for all patient and caregiver scholarship recipients for the Monday.

That's great! Maybe we all need to put a sticker of a certain colour or write in PAN on our nametag somewhere so we can find each other at that breakfast.

I am up for dinner Sunday with whoever is free!

[A Former User]

Hi all,

Annette advised me of this conversation, sorry I’m late to the party! Winnipegger and CMA summit patient scholarship recipient here! Look forward to meeting everyone at breakfast tomorrow! (I’m staying at the hotel too).

I’m @KerriYWG on twitter and I’ll be wearing pink pants tomorrow, easy to spot ;). Feel free to connect with me if you need any winnipeg-y things!

Sent via Groupsite Mobile.

[A Former User]

Hi Kerri

I am looking forward to hearing all about the summit, issues, topics, ideas we might put our energies behind, etc. Will find you and follow on twitter.

Diana Ermel