The existing sensitivity among professionals at ULS São José and within the Administration Board has led to the development of an initiative named CACIDE – Clínica de Apoio ao Cidadão com Deficiência (Support Clinic to the Citizen with Disability), back in 2023.
The project made us go under a first deep brainstorm to try and understand: i) what we envisioned as patients' needs, specifically for impaired patients; ii) which facilities and process gaps were to overcome; iii) who should we invite for project validation and stepping to the next level.
We had the support of Lean Health Portugal for methodological guidance.
The team spoted critical issues: communication, specific conditions’ literacy, circulation/mobility, lack of integration within clinical and administrative teams, (in patients with a profile of high consumption of services in the organization or along in transition phases along the life cycle) and lack of harmonization of processes and circuits, just to name a few. We have also confirmed that this distance between patients’ needs and the organization preparedeness to attend those, had a higher impact in patients living in institutions.
The problematics of disability as an interest keeps“enrolled” in the organizations’ strategic vision and plan, and it is placed under the scope of the theme “Diversity and Inclusion”. Equity promotion and an optimized care experience, with the best clinical results are the goal.
The moto adopted by the Administration Board “Innovating in Care”, makes way for new approaches and readings of traditional challenges.
At hospital settings, we believe there is a high potential for positive change in the quality of service delivery, via a thorough knowledge of vulnerable users’ needs and process redesign, ensuring patients participation.
Our workshop is aimed at professionals involved with population with disability, from several scientfic and technical backgounds and from distinct areas and levels of intervention
The operational bjectives are: a) to identify the main challenges in the transition process from paediatrics to adult age; b) To identify resources and strategies which might contribute to professional capacitation and empowerment to positively respond to the identiied challenges
The workshop is to be split into 2 stages:
I) Accordingly to objective a).
It is planned to have 5 different stations, allowing for discussion and reflection with the following topics:
1. transition planning - continuity and coordination of care
2. self-advocacy and decision-making skills
3. emotional and psychological adjustment
4. specialized support services and community resources
5. impact on family and caregiver dynamics
II) To create a group Dynamics, involving participants to pursue the identification and consensos on reosurces and supporting strategies to repsonde to each and everyy challenge underpinned
We count on the workshop to widen the group of people actively working to help defining a common ground policy for vulnerable groups’ attention, facilitating adaptation processes and building on knowledge and critical capacity to evolve and implement tranformative change in healthcare organizations, (at all levels), in close cooperation with the most relevant stakeholders and patients (and their representatives) duly involved.