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How to Recruit Patients as Partners

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers has made a long-term commitment to engage patients, their families, and community representatives in organization-wide improvement initiatives. By gathering and incorporating patient and family feedback, the hospital has made several large-scale improvements that have enhanced care quality and patient satisfaction.

Patients and families at Contra Costa participate:

  • as direct members of teams that execute rapid improvement events, partnership councils, and quality improvement work groups. 
  • in every phase of the improvement cycle, including information gathering, decision making, program development, and evaluation.

Contra Costa recruits patient and family partners through:

  • public posters 
  • brochures 
  • a newsletter 
  • its website 
  • word of mouth 
  • staff recruitment

“Patients serve as our compass in ensuring that our services are relevant, appropriate, and patient-centered. They help us see our services through their eyes and help us break through mental models we find ourselves too comfortable with.” Concepcion James, manager of Contra Costa’s Reducing Health Disparities Unit

Patient and family representatives have helped Contra Costa:

  • develop a telephone clinical consultation visit model.
  • reopen its psychiatric emergency department.
  • launch an iPad program for cancer patients.
  • increase participation in its ambulatory care patient group visit program, which focuses on conditions such as diabetes and pediatric obesity.

For more information about Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers’ community engagement efforts, please contact:

Kate Fowlie
Communications Officer
Contra Costa Health Services
kate.fowlie@hsd.cccounty.us
925-370-5224

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