A one-stop resource created for patients and families staying or visiting BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre.
We are excited to share a new Patient and Family Guide created to help patients, their families, and their supporters access services at the hospital.
Patients and families have told us that they want a single document and/or a single section on our website with information they need to visit the hospitals. The guide was developed with invaluable input from patients and families, partners, front-line care teams and leaders at the hospital.
“At BC Women’s and BC Children’s, we aim to establish an environment where we try to take some of the stress away from patients and their families by ensuring they have all the information they need while receiving care at the hospitals,” says Mary MacKillop, Director of Patient Experience. “When we learned that families were asking where they can find information about their stay, what they need to bring, where clinics are located, and so on, we knew we needed to provide them with easier access to all that information.”
The guide answers common questions that women, their partners and family and friends have before or during a hospital visit or stay.
“I want to know if I can bring my other children and my own sheets and pillow?” says Sandi, who plans to give birth at BC Women’s.
Sandi’s partner, Jason, wants to have his questions answered ahead of time: “If we can get information in one location to give us all the logistics and key points about our stay before we come, it’s one less thing to worry about. I want to know if I can drop my partner at the door of the hospital and then want to know where I should park and then how long can I park there. We are practicing today.”
For Mira, a grandmother of a BC Women’s patient, she just wants a handy resource so she can easily find her way when she’s at the hospital. “I don’t like to ask where to go all the time. A cheat sheet is all I need.”
Copies of the guide can be found on hospital units, clinics and Navigation desks. A digital copy can be printed off the website.
“I think this guide will be very handy for our patients and families,” says Flavia Mandic, a program manager at BC Children’s Hospital. “There are always lots of questions and the guide can help families navigate their visit, saving them time.”
Going forward, this guide will be updated twice a year with input from an advisory group of patients, families, and stakeholders.
Have feedback? We welcome comments to help improve our resources, if you would like to get in touch please email patientexperience@cw.bc.ca.
