Corinne Finn was born and raised in a small town and when she moved to Arnprior from Ottawa 10 years ago, she felt welcomed by the close-knit community and was grateful to have the support of local healthcare.

That’s why she decided to volunteer as a member of Arnprior Regional Health’s Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC).

For the first year after relocating to Arnprior, Corinne didn’t have a local family doctor and was still travelling back to Ottawa for her appointments. During her three-day stay as an inpatient at ARH, her attending physician agreed to take her on as a patient in her family practice.

“Unfortunately, as you hit middle age, you need to access healthcare and hospitals more,” reflected Corinne. “I’ve been so impressed with the care and the compassion every time I visit ARH– it was one of the main reasons I joined PFAC.”

Corinne Finn, PFAC member.

A focus on volunteer work

In 2020, Corinne ended up quite sick and was no longer able to continue working. She ended her career as a personal injury law clerk and turned her attention to getting more involved as a volunteer in Arnprior.

“The opportunity came up for me to be on PFAC and I thought isn’t this a great thing for me to do,” shared Corinne, who is also one of the volunteer organizers for Arnprior’s Terry Fox Run. “Not only because of the care I’ve received at ARH, but I thought my law expertise could bring a valuable perspective to help improve care.”

Since Corinne joined PFAC in summer 2020, she has joined the Emergency Department Committee and the Medication Safety Committee.

“Those ones interested me the most because the ED is one of the first area people are admitted to and it can sometimes result in patient concerns. And of course, my professional background allows me to give insight for the Medication Safety Committee.”

Listening and advocating

Corinne hopes that PFAC is making it more accessible for people to talk about their experiences at the hospital and open up about their concerns, recommendations, improvements and kudos.

“My role is to listen and talk to patients and families,” said Corinne. “Every time I’m speaking to someone who has been at the hospital, I try to get their insights into their experiences, and I’ll bring them forth if need be.”

For example, when Corinne was speaking to a woman whose four children (including a baby) accompany her to the hospital for appointments, she mentioned that there’s no designated parking at the hospital for expectant mothers or new mothers. Corinne brought this up at PFAC and this is something the ARH is looking to introduce.

“PFAC is made up of ordinary community members who are committed to making a difference. We want to make our hospital and community even better.”

To learn more about joining the PFAC, please contact Susan Leach at [email protected].