Our Hospital, Our StoriesTranscending Care at the Third Annual Patient and Provider Experience Summit
Posted on: Jan 11, 2019Royal Alexandra Hospital leaders, physicians, and front-line staff were inspired to continue to place a special and specific focus on empathy and caring at the third annual Patient and Provider Experience Summit.
The Royal Alexandra Hospital's third annual Patient and Provider Experience Summit was a sell-out success!
For the third year in a row, the conference, sponsored by the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, provoked and emboldened the lives of nearly two hundred Royal Alexandra Hospital staff.
The Patient and Provider Experience Summit is dedicated to shining a light on the importance of empathy, understanding, and communication in healthcare and to improving the experience for our providers, both staff, and physicians.
“We’re on the right track at the Alex with the work that we are doing around culture change,” said Dr. Curtis Johnston who served as the summit’s emcee. “The challenge is how we put the learning into action which brings us to where we are today, hundreds of empowered staff are taking the inspiration and information they received and taking actionable steps to make things better for our patients and all of our staff.”
"We’re on the right track at the Alex with the work that we are doing around culture change. The challenge is how we put the learning into action."
Dr. Curtis Johnston, MD, FRCP(C), Associate Zone Medical Director, Royal Alexandra Hospital and Sturgeon Community Hospital and Facility Medical Director, Royal Alexandra Hospital
Speakers ranged from globally renowned leadership orators to staff, physicians and patient families of the Alex who shared insights from their own experiences.
Former Chair of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation Hon. Anne McLellan opened the keynote sessions with an informational and honest insider look at cannabis legalization and the process and difficulties behind the decision.
Globally renowned leadership speaker Sunjay Nath provided some welcomed comic relief and an impactful message about his trademark, “10-80-10 Principle”. This framework helped attendees understand how they can improve team performance.
Sought-after international speaker, author, and mentor David Irvine focused on the importance of caring at work by providing insightful lessons on how caring is possible, even when pleasing is not an option.
The most recognizable speaker was the well-known face of the Alberta wildfires—and widely celebrated national hero—Darby Allen. Darby brought tears to many eyes and the crowd to its feet with his recount of the safe evacuation of 80,000 For McMurray residents in 2016.
"I loved the diversity of speakers and their backgrounds," shared one attendee. "It wasn't all medical people. It was great to learn from non-medical speakers on how we can apply learnings in other fields to our own work here at the Alex."
"I loved the diversity of speakers and their backgrounds. It wasn't all medical people. It was great to learn from non-medical speakers on how we can apply learnings in other fields to our own work here at the Alex."
Breakout sessions included sessions on how to have candid conversations with employees and co-workers and a KAIROS Blanket Exercise offering a unique, participatory history lesson that fosters truth, understanding, respect, and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. There was also a session on trauma-informed care that shared information on how traumatic experiences can change a person and create turmoil in their life.
A new addition to this year's summit was the creation and distribution of the Patient and Provider Experience Awards. Five awards were given in categories that focused on factors critical to improving patient experience at Royal Alexandra Hospital; Quiet at Night, Hospital Cleanliness, Physician Communication, Staff Communication, and Medication Education.
The awards ceremony was made possible because of the generosity of the Berner Family. The family of Dr. Cecil Berner established the Dr. C.A. & Lola Berner Endowment Fund for Excellence in Patient Care to celebrate Dr. Berner’s 75th birthday and to acknowledge both of their parents’ lifetime passion for caring for others.
Patient and Provider Experience Award Winners and the Berner Family
Dr. Cecil A Berner was a medical doctor for over 50 years practicing as a family physician for over 40 years at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Throughout his years of practice, Dr. Berner maintained a thirst for knowledge, read avidly, continually attended Continuing Medical Education meetings and was a committed doctor. Lola Berner, an active, dedicated individual, donated her time and skills volunteering in the areas of education, youth, families, community and the caring fields, made a lasting impact on those she touched. She shared her husband’s caring commitment to excellence in patient care.
The Berner Family considers this endowment as an enduring legacy and tribute to both Dr. C.A and Lola Berner.
The family decided to provide funding for these awards because they embody so many of the values their parents exemplified. They wanted their parents’ legacy to continue here at the Alex and they wanted to inspire all of us to continue providing excellent patient care.
Carlee Hurl, daughter of Dr. Cecil and Mrs. Lola Berner, and her family attended the awards ceremony on behalf of the Berner Family.
Plans are already in the works for the 2019 Patient and Provider Experience Summit. Stay tuned for more information to come later in 2019, and until then, please enjoy this year's event recap video.
