Patient Volunteers' Perspectives on Fostering Patient-Centred Care Through Interprofessional Education

This qualitative study explores Patient Voices Network (PVN) volunteers’ perspectives on patient-centred care (PCC) through their involvement in Fraser Health’s Acute Care Orientation (ACO), an Interprofessional Education (IPE) setting. Four objectives were addressed including their meaning of PCC and what has shaped this meaning, what motivates the PVN volunteers to participate and share their experiences in ACO, how they view their role in IPE in ACO, and their recommendations regarding PCC and IPE. The participants’ illness experiences shaped their roles as both patient and patient volunteer and were the catalyst that propelled them to volunteer in the health care system. Factors that led to or hindered the patient voice were identified by participants and included health care provider behaviours, partnership, information sharing, communication, and system influences that promote patient-centred cultures. Characteristics of the participants contributed to both the role of the patient and the patient volunteer and their illness experiences.