“When we thought about who we were trying to engage, we initially thought of medical staff peers. But then we also realized that if we want to bring changes to the hospital environment, we had better consider engaging other people like the administrators, the staff, as well as the public.” – Dr Gregory Hand (pictured left serving coffee.)

When staff arrived at the Kootenay Lake Hospital on a summer morning in July, they smelled coffee and saw their colleagues gathered around a café that didn’t exist before. 

The environment had changed to a warmer and more welcoming one.  

Everyone was encouraged to join, and served a cup of coffee and muffin before writing on ‘gratitude cards’ about what and who they appreciated in the hospital.
 

A time and a place to connect

The staff at the Kootenay Lake Hospital had not come together as a group of colleagues over the prior two decades. Dr Gregory Hand, the Facility Engagement Working Group Chair, thought it was time. 

He had already started meeting with individual physicians over lunch, and realized that real engagement and creating a positive work environment needed to include opportunities to bring together staff and physicians in casual environments.

The MSA did not have a place to meet, like a lounge or a café, and came up the novel idea of having a casual pop-up café.  They named it “Appreciation Café” and invited everyone at the hospital - from nurses to physicians, clerks, patients and cleaners – to join.
 

Sharing appreciation

Two-hundred appreciation cards were collected, attached to banners, and displayed at the main entrance of the hospital. They included:

Three MSA pop-up cafes in total were held in total, supported by Facility Engagement, one of three joint collaborative committees of Doctors of BC and the Government of BC.
 

“People were really happy. All the staff seemed to feel connected. There was a sense of camaraderie. It was pretty inclusive, and a good starting block to build on.” – Dr Gregory Hand