Abstract
Background: Our health systems provincially, nationally and internationally are experiencing serious challenges such as health human resource issues, an aging population, higher rates of chronic disease, and climate change impacts. In British Columbia (BC), Canada, in rural and remote health, innovative dialogue approaches have been undertaken to discuss and develop actions to address key health services delivery challenges in our health systems. The Pentagram Partnership Plus model is used to collaborate with six partner groups: patients/community members, not-for-profit/industry partners, healthcare providers, policymakers, healthcare administrators, and academics. Using partnership tables and appreciative inquiry, appreciative dialogues, using deliberative dialogue approaches, were completed to address key challenges in healthcare. This approach has been used in various gatherings over the last four years with key impacts. In November 2024, the Rural Coordination Centre of BC, Health Quality BC and First Nations Health Authority will be conducting a virtual gathering along with face-to-face community tables with approximately 1000 individuals from across BC. Focus topics will include: transport for health services for emergency care, specialty care, and routine care; selection, education and training for health care providers from rural/remote communities, and First Nations and Métis Chartered communities; and hybrid care including face-to-face and virtual care for patients, and virtual peer-to-peer support. These topics were chosen through past engagement and they pose the greatest inequities.
Why did we do it? Given the current challenges in our healthcare systems, new and innovative approaches using a strengths-based approach are needed for all partners to come together to discuss and co-create actions to address these healthcare challenges and meet the needs of community members.
Audience: The audience for this workshop includes all those interested (patients/community members, not-for-profit/industry, health and social care providers, policy makers, administrators, and academics) in addressing healthcare challenges to facilitate integrated care in our communities.
Approach: The goal of the workshop is to show how appreciative dialogue can be used to discuss and develop collaborative actions to address current healthcare challenges using a strength-based approach. Objectives include: 1) to understand the key concepts of PPP, appreciate inquiry, and appreciative dialogue, 2) to identify how these concepts worked through a case study, 3) to identify how these approaches could be used in your own healthcare setting, and 4) to have the opportunity to practice portions of the appreciative dialogue process.
Introduction and outline of key concepts 20 minutes
Share Case Study – Rural Voices Gathering10 minutes
Small group discussions10 minutes
- How might these approaches be used in your healthcare setting?
- What enablers exist and what barriers might you face?
Practice session 10 minutes
- Question(s) for Dream phase of appreciative dialogue
- Each person in the small group will choose a facilitator and partner roles
Debrief/Feedback and Closing10 minutes
Outcomes: Key outcomes will provide an understanding of an appreciative dialogue strengths-based approach and how it can be used in addressing current healthcare issues. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to use the approach in role play and ask questions throughout the workshop.