Turning the Corner on Patient Safety: Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety

It’s hard to believe that HIROC launched our new strategic plan just this past January. In coordination with the launch, we reached out to organizations across Canada to learn and collect stories about how our Subscribers are leading the way in turning the corner on patient safety – one of the key priorities in HIROC’s strategic plan. 

So much has happened and many things have changed in healthcare since the start of 2020 so we put our Turning the Corner campaign on pause. But what we’ve realized is that some things never change – like how HIROC and its Subscribers continue to put patient safety first. Even during the fight of our lives, as we collectively work to flatten the curve, our Subscribers are finding new and innovative ways to turn the corner. Thank you to all our Subscribers and everyone in the healthcare community who amaze, inspire and are Canada’s heroes.

In response to our call for stories, we were so happy to hear from the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety (MIPS) about their work to empower patients and families and normalize conversations around safety. Thank you to MIPS for sharing your story with the healthcare community! 

Patient safety is everyone’s responsibility, including patients and the public themselves. That is why the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety is committed to empowering patients and families to be engaged in their healthcare. All year our staff and volunteers provide patient safety presentations to the public, where we teach people how to engage with their healthcare team, to ask questions, to be informed, and to take part in decision-making.

Our presentations introduce participants to resources and tools to guide learning on advocating for self and others. Presentations are based on our S.A.F.E. (Self-Advocacy for Everyone) Toolkit, and the related “It’s Safe to Ask” family of resources. Topics include:

• Know your patient rights
• Choose your patient advocate
• Talk with your doctor
• Work with your pharmacist
• Know your healthcare plan
• Prevent falls

Presentations are suited to the audience and organizational needs, ranging from “Coffee and Conversations”, to workshops and everything in between. The majority of presentations are conducted by our volunteers, offering relatable personal knowledge and healthcare experience. Volunteers assist the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety to engage the public in developing community knowledge of, and skill in, self-advocacy and health literacy, and to enhance the capacity of MIPS to reach demographically, geographically and culturally diverse populations in Manitoba. Presentation evaluations include assessing improved knowledge and likelihood to take action. 

Feedback over a number of years indicates that the public is very interested in learning about how to advocate for themselves and others. While we share our tips and resources, the public “gives back” to our organization through sharing their experiences that in turn helps shape our work.   

For more information, contact the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety at admin@mips.ca and visit  www.mips.ca and www.safetoask.ca.