2024 Workshops: Patient & Community Voices

On January 22, the UBC Patient and Community Workshop Series held its first interprofessional workshop of the new year – Unmet Health Care Needs: The Impacts of Poorly Understood Complex Chronic Conditions. Community educators and patients from four organizations, ME Victoria Association, MEFM Society of BC, MEFM Action Network, and BC Lyme Society, presented on three diseases that are poorly understood – Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Fibromyalgia (FM), and Lyme disease.

Twenty healthcare students attended from five disciplines: Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Public Health. Through hearing personal stories and lived experience, students learned about the challenges faced by people affected by these conditions such as loss of identity, financial hardship, difficulty being believed by medical professionals, and decline of quality of life caused by delay in accessing appropriate treatment. Community educators presented approaches and resources that best support people living with these complex conditions.

“Listening is the most important part of a client-centered care and patients indicated listening as the most important skill for a clinician. There is a lot of stigma surrounding these poorly understood chronic conditions. Patients often feel dismissed, misunderstood, and disrespected. Advocacy is critical – helping give a voice to patients, pushing for more recognition and research, educating healthcare providers,” said an Occupational Therapy Student.

“The authenticity and having people who are first-hand dealing with these diseases was very nice. I learned about all of the similarities and subtle differences between ME, FM & Lyme Disease, and the importance of distinguishing between them properly,” said a Medical Student.

Upcoming Workshops

Disability Health: Benefits Available for People Living with Disabilities in BC
February 13, 2024, 6-8pm
Partner: Disability Alliance BC

Substance Use Workshop: Addressing Stigma in the Health System to Improve Patient Outcomes
February 5, 2024 6-8pm
Partner: BC Centre on Substance Use