Roger Pharand, Patient and family advisory council
Roger Pharand, Patient and family advisory council
Roger Pharand has had an extraordinary life. After pursuing 20 different careers or so (seriously, he listed some of them and it’s impressive) and spending the last 15 years helping to transform the health care system, it was time to truly retire.
As a stroke survivor, Mr. Pharand has made a point of sharing his experience to raise awareness. His volunteer “career” began a few years before his stroke. In 2006, he learned that he had diabetes. He talked about it to his family and friends and learned that his mother also had diabetes, a fact unknown to the family. This was the motivation for Mr. Pharand to become a strong advocate for medical communication. It’s not simply between a physician and its patient but also for patient to share their medical history with their loved ones. Who among you knows their family medical history? Probably few, and that’s a bummer. Some health problems could be avoided, prevented, or at least the warning signs could be monitored.
So, in 2006, Mr. Pharand began sharing his experience at Winchester Hospital. He quickly became an important and respected player in the health care community. His involvement in the improvement of the health care system is felt on many levels:
Board of Directors
- During the 6 years he served on the PFEC (Patient Family Engagement Committee) at Winchester Hospital, he was a member of the Research Ethics Committee, contributed to the revision of the Patient Values Charter and the Strategic Plan.
- Also at Winchester Hospital, he served on the Diabetes Committee which worked to improve care and services.
- He was a member of the Board of Directors at the Hôpital Montfort for 4 years.
On August 13, 2010 at 9:30 am, his life turned upside down. 93% of his left side was paralyzed and he lost his ability to form words. His paralysis resolved after 2 or 3 days and he was able to speak again after about a week. It took 8 months of rehabilitation for him to become the man we know today.
Six months after his rehabilitation, Mr. Pharand is once again ready to share his experience and expertise and joins the Champlain LHIN:
- He has been involved in the implementation of better care plan coordination for patients with co-morbidities with the Health Links.
- He was involved in the creation and development of a patient awareness and engagement strategy.
At the height of his volunteer involvement, Mr. Pharand was a member of ten committees simultaneously. He has helped transform the healthcare system and yet, speaks of his volunteer and professional accomplishments with a certain humility when he could be bragging.
