Canadian Forces Health Services: How Person-Partnered Care improves patient outcomes

October 23, 2023 – Defence Stories

Caption

Captain Isabelle Courchesne shows a man his x-rays inside of a local high school where the joint efforts of Exercise KHAAN QUEST offers free medical assistance in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on June 23, 2015.
Photo: Cpl Andrew Wesley, Directorate of Army Public Affairs LF2015-0059-79

Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) understands that patient feedback needs to have a real and meaningful impact on the healthcare system. As such, CFHS is actively adopting a Person-Partnered Care (PPC) model. What does PPC mean? Put simply, person-partnered care means enabling CFHS to address the needs of members in partnership with their healthcare providers, CoC, units, and families more effectively and efficiently, while also providing a higher quality of life. This is achieved through the role PPC plays in building trust between healthcare providers, service members, their families and units. The PPC approach recognizes that it may be difficult for some members to trust caregivers and openly discuss their experiences, specifically those related to combat. Following the PPC approach, healthcare providers tailor treatment plans to an individual’s specific needs by first establishing trust-critical for healthy patient-provider relationship interventions.

The PPC model prioritizes the role members play in their healthcare, providing valuable input and feedback to clinicians and the organization. Throughout its implementation, CFHS will ensure that the opinions of patients and their families are incorporated in areas that influence their health and their medical and dental care.

There are many benefits associated with person-partnered care, including but not limited to:

• Patients generally report higher levels of satisfaction when they feel that they are actively involved in their care decisions.
• There is enhanced trust and communication between patients and providers.
• Patients actively involved in their care are more likely to follow treatment plans.

“At CFHS, we acknowledge the profound individuality of each service member and recognize the inherent values and unique experiences of every individual. Person-Partnered Care (PPC) is our commitment to walking alongside our military personnel, embracing their stories, and collaboratively charting a path to holistic well-being. To achieve our vision of maintaining health and mental well-being, preventing disease, making therapeutic interventions, and facilitating rapid return to operational readiness, the PPC model of approach to care will ensure it’s not just about treating symptoms – but understanding and empowering the person behind the uniform.”
– Dr. Chinedu Oraka, Person-Partnered Care Project Officer, Directorate of Health Services Quality and Performance

In addition to conducting workshops to educate members and their care partners about the PPC model, CFHS will train healthcare providers and staff on effective communication with members and their partners, encourage members to designate a partner or caregiver who will actively participate in the member’s care plan, and establish feedback channels for members and partners to share experiences and suggestions for improvement.

To learn more about the PPC model, please visit Patient-partnered care framework.