The Health Quality Council of Alberta has a new campaign centred on the slogan "You’re the most important part. Put yourself at the centre of your healthcare." (Photo Courtesy HQCA)

By Chris Brown

new ad campaign

You’re the most important part of your care: HQCA

Apr 1, 2022 | 2:02 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A new information campaign from the Health Quality Council of Alberta aims to help Albertans get the care they need for their unique health situation.

The campaign is centred on the slogan “You’re the most important part. Put yourself at the centre of your healthcare.”

Alta Magee has seen the issue from both sides. She’s currently a patient advocate for the council after spending nearly 50 years as a registered nurse.

“The patient is the person at the centre and as that person, they present very unique needs, very unique health conditions or problems whatever you want to call it,” she says. “Without the information they provide the health-care team itself, the rest of the health-care team professionals wouldn’t be able to help them out with whatever health-care needs they have.”

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She says some patients are intimidated talking to a health-care professional, feeling like they don’t have much to offer.

Realistically they don’t have the medical or diagnostic knowledge. But what they do have is the knowledge of themselves, Magee says.

The campaign has tools and resources to bring those things together.

“Tips for talking to your health care professionals to feel more relaxed more comfortable in that interaction,” Magee explains. “It allows you to have something like a symptom tracker it give you an example of a symptom tracker. It gives you sample questions of what to ask your health-care provider with regards to treatment options – what are the options, what are the pluses and minuses for each one – to give you the ability to make an informed decision about your care.”

Other resources revolve around medications, including a tool for recording them so you have that knowledge at your appointment. Magee says it’s key to be prepared for your appointment so you get out of it what you need.

Magee saw the importance of having all relevant patient information as a health-care professional and is now seeing it as a patient.

She is under the care of her family physician and two specialists, and began to have problems with the side effects from her medications. She expressed that to her team and a treatment plan and followup were arranged. She said that was great in itself but then she also received a call from the pharmacist to make sure she understood what her doctor and specialists told her.

“It’s a team and the patient is one part of the team along with health-care providers,” she says.

The HQCA campaign will feature ads on Alberta television networks and social media that will direct Albertans to the online resources.