One café, two milks, lots of patients!

1. One café, two milks, lots of patients! Pauline Perron Restigouche Hospital Centre

2. Objectives of the presentation • Show the importance of… • Listening to the needs identified by patients • Including them when seeking solutions • Making them partners every day NOTE: Restigouche Hospital Centre = RHC

3. Geography of the premises

4. Request from patients • Situation in 2011 • Patients expressed the need/desire to have a “café service”inside the hospital • They were using the “Soup’n Sweet” Café in the hospital next door • Due to construction of the new RHC, access to the “Soup’n Sweet” Café had become more difficult and less safe

5. Challenges encountered • Need for a space that is accessible for everyone • Need for human and financial resources • Question of profitability?

6. Intervention/Actions • Phase I • Phase II • Phase III

7. Phase I – Pilot project: summer 2012 • Explored diverse options • Consultation with patients • Final choice • The occupational therapy department agreed to convert one of its rooms • Requested a summer student for a pilot project

8. Phase I – Pilot project: summer 2012 • Patients involved in the process of making a decision/setting up the café • Coffee tasting to choose the brand • Choice of products to sell (muffins, etc.) • Hours of operation, peak times • Preparation of the physical space • Purchase of necessary material

9. Phase I – Pilot project: summer 2012 • Financial resources • Used the occupational therapy budget • Experiment for 8 weeks • Hired 3 patients who worked on a rotational basis • Coached by the summer student • Compiled statistics on use

10. Phase I – Pilot project: summer 2012 • Results • Proof of profitability (profit) • Survey of patient and employee satisfaction • Many benefits for the patients who worked there • Develop/maintain basic employment skills • Self-esteem, rewarding • Sentiment of ownership and accomplishment

11. Phase I – Pilot project: summer 2012 • Results (continued) • “When people say thanks or tip me, I’m happy because that tells me that I gave them good service”. (Stuart) • “I feel useful and it helps me to think of other things. I’m even impatient for the weekend to be over so I can go back to work.” (Joyce)

12. Phase I – Pilot project: summer 2012 • Follow-up • Asked the administration to establish a permanent café service at the RHC • ACCEPTED • Hired a full-time rehabilitation assistant

13. Phase II – Permanent service • Patients involved in the decision-making/setup process • Choice of a name (contest) • Choice of a logo and T-shirt • Identified the need of somewhere to eat/drink (somewhere to sit)

14. Phase II – Permanent service • Café reopened in January 2013 • New name“Le P’tit Café” • Rehired 3 patients • Consultations to find solutions to problems encountered (ex.: schedules) • Ongoing benefits for patients

15. Phase II – Permanent service • Creation of the“Loft” – Spring 2013 • Repurposed adjacent room (therapy room) • Painted and decorated by the patients • Rules set by the patients • Choice of material (magazines, games, music) • Furniture donated (sofas, tables, lamp)

16. Phase III – New RHC • Expansion planned in the new RHC • Planning based on the new spaces • Choice of new equipment (ex.: cash register) • Identification of new products to sell • Planning schedules/shifts

17. Phase III – New RHC • Operation in the new establishment • Hire a 4th patient because hours of operation are longer • New products and new space = new duties • Problems encountered and solutions • Solicitation (begging) • Line-up • Tip jar • Etc.

18. Lessons learned • The importance of … • Taking patients’ needs into consideration • Involving them in the solution • Making the process of looking for solutions and implementation easier • Very rewarding for patients and staff

19. Lessons learned (suite) • Highlights patients’ strengths, shows them in a new light • Reduces the gulf between patients and therapists because they share tasks and a common project • Fosters ++ patients’ recovery

20. Questions??? Pauline.perron@vitalitenb.ca 506-789-5544 THANK YOU