My name is Imma Gidaro and I am a wife and a mother of four wonderful children, aged two, four, six, and eight years old. I started working at The Montreal Children’s Hospital 3 and a half years ago as a volunteer on the Family Advisory Forum (FAF), the hospital’s users committee. As a member of the FAF and then as the chair of this group, I have had the opportunity to share and implement my ideas about how the hospital can implement positive changes to improve the hospital experience for children, teens, families and staff.
One thing I have learned throughout my life, and particularly during my tenure with the FAF, is that small changes in attitudes and behaviours can make a huge difference in a patient and family’s hospital experience. For example, when a nurse or physician enters the exam room, it would be courteous if they would knock, introduce themselves and describe the purpose of their visit and what they are about to do.
Now, as the new Patient and Family Centered Care Coordinator (PFCC Coordinator) at The Montreal Children’s Hospital, under the department of Public Relations and Communications, I am here to “INFECT” everyone at the hospital – in a positive way. The infectious and long-term virus I want to pass along is Patient and Family Centered Care. This model of care is dramatically improving how health care is delivered in other pediatric hospitals across Canada. In a nut shell, PFCC advocates for working WITH patients and families, rather than TO or FOR them. The four key principles of Patient and Family Centred Care as defined by the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care are:
1) Dignity and Respect: Health care professionals listen and honour the patient and family’s perspectives and choices. The knowledge, values, beliefs and cultural backgrounds of patients and families are incorporated into the planning and delivery of care.
2) Information Sharing: Health care professionals communicate and share complete and unbiased information with patients and families in ways that are affirming and useful. Patients and families receive timely, complete, and accurate information in order to effectively participate in care and decision-making.
3) Participation: Patients and families are encouraged and supported in participating in care and decision-making at the level they chose.
4) Collaboration: Patients, families, health care professionals, and hospital leaders collaborate in policy and program development, implementation, and evaluation; in health care facility design; and in professional education, as well as in how care is delivered.
You can find me in and around the hospital and if you don’t recognize me or don’t remember my name, I’m the lady with the funky GREEN bag on wheels!
Imma Gidaro
Patient & Family Centered Care Coordinator
Montreal Children's Hospital
Room F-249
514-412-4400 ext. 23992
Cell: 514-880-4038
Pager: 514-406-2140
[email protected]
[email protected]
(*As I am only in the hospital two days a week, please send me emails to both addresses.)
