Standards Technical Committee

[A Former User]

Hi all,

Jumping in for the first time into a conversation. I wanted to weigh in about the work/activities of HSO.

I applied for the Patient Expert role. It is a paid position, part time and on contract. I was not the successful candidate, but learned a lot about HSO and their focus/mandate when it comes to patient experts. I believe they are legitimate in wanting to build an organization that included patient expertise. In my experience, this is still rare to find. I do find that they still don't understand the monetary value of engaging this type of expertise, and that is reflected in the expectation of 'volunteer experts' to their technical committees.

I have also applied to 2 of their technical committees (a few months ago) and have recently heard back. They have a 2 stage interview process, and the positions are unpaid, required a time commitment that is significant (in my opinion). I have recently been contacted about an interview for both committees I applied for, and will need to take time from work to attend.
I am trying to determine if these committees and HSO are where I want to spend my precious time when it comes to addressing my interest in providing the patient/family perspective.

HSO seems to be taking a new approach to accreditation. It looks like the right path, and I feel there are good opportunities for patient/families. I question the monetary compensation to 'experts' they are looking to engage. If you feel the expertise is important to be had, then why not pay for it?

Julie