Our Patient and Family Declaration of Values was co-designed with our Niagara Health Engagement Network to capture what matters most when receiving and providing care.
It includes the perspectives of 1,000+ patients, families, physicians, staff and volunteers.What is the Patient and Family Declaration of Values (PFDoV)?
Our PFDoV is a document that outlines the values that support partnerships with patients, families and caregivers across the healthcare system. The PFDoV describes key elements that are important to patients, families, and caregivers when they receive care.
How was the PFDoV developed?
Members of our Niagara Health Engagement Network (NHEN) helped plan and design the process we used to gather the perspectives of patients, families, caregivers, staff, physicians and volunteers. There was an Executive Lead from the NHEN, along with our Executive Vice-President Quality, Community Development and Mental Health and Addictions, who oversaw the initiative.
What did we ask you to learn what values matter most?
Three questions were posed to patients and families to gather an in-depth understanding of their opinions and perspectives.
The questions were co-created by Patient Partners from the NHEN after multiple discussions. Patients and families were asked to complete the following statements:
- It is important to me that my care is...
- I would feel respected if…
- When I walk into the hospital I want to feel…
Staff and physicians answered similar questions.
How did we engage people?
We scheduled booths, interactive sessions and walkabouts, which resulted in 1,034 responses across five hospital sites and twenty service areas. Staff and Patient Partners worked together to gather these responses.
What did we hear?
There was clear alignment between what patients and families, and staff and physicians shared about what mattered most to them. Common themes were respect, safety, holistic care, communication and other elements related to better health outcomes.
How is this different than a Bill of Rights?
The PFDoV speaks to the values or what matters most to patients, families, community members, staff and physicians.
A Bill of Rights speaks the rights, roles and responsibilities of each party when interacting with each other or receiving/providing care. We will also be refreshing our Bill of Rights with the NHEN in the new year. Read the Bill of Rights.
Our new Patient and Family Declaration of Values
Read the full Patient and Family Declaration of Values.
 | Safe Quality Care Care is comprehensive, effective and enables a safe return home. |
 | Respect and Dignity Interactions and ongoing care relationship between us (patients/families) and healthcare providers centres around mutual respect, caring, kindness and understanding. |
 | Meaningful Communication Healthcare providers communicate frequently, clearly, and transparently with us. We are informed and always considered members of the care team. |
 | Valued Care Team The healthcare team is safe, valued and respected by the organization, patients and one another. |
 | Person-Centred Care Care is personalized and patient-centred. We are comfortable, and our goals and needs are met. |
 | Empathy and Compassion We are treated with the highest degree of empathy through all care interactions. Healthcare providers exemplify compassion, awareness, understanding with a holistic lens. |
 | Healing Culture The hospital culture encourages healing by cultivating hope, caring and warmth through care. Staff, physicians and volunteers welcome us, our families and visitors. |
Extraordinary Caring. Every Person. Every Time.
