Patient Partnerships and Engagement

At Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC), we recognize that purposeful patient engagement is fundamental to transforming the health system and improving the quality and safety of care. Patients, caregivers, and community members offer insights that lead to better, more sustainable improvements in healthcare and health systems.

The Patient Safety, Equity and Engagement team at HEC supports individuals working within the health system, including patient partners, healthcare teams and HEC staff, to meaningfully engage patients, caregivers and communities in healthcare transformation.

Our approach

Grounded in the insights gathered during the 2022 ‘Co-Design’ initiative and our commitment to grow as an engagement-capable environment, our approach to patient engagement and partnership is iteratively co-developed with patient partners, staff, and engagement leaders. This ensures our engagement is purposeful, inclusive, and reflective of diverse lived experiences. It’s also anchored in our Guiding Principles of Engagement, which establish ways of working together that prioritize:

• Relationship building

• Championing meaningful partnerships

• Creating safer and more inclusive engagement spaces

• Ensuring consistency and purpose

• Encouraging learning and reflection

• Celebrating and sharing successes

HEC prioritizes a trauma-informed approach to engagement. We aim to understand the impact of trauma on individuals and communities, fostering self and community care, empathy and connection. Our goal is to support well-being and create a supportive engagement experience for everyone.

Patient Partner Network

Are you interested in improving the quality and safety of healthcare in Canada? Get involved as a patient, caregiver, community partner at Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC) by joining the HEC Patient Partner Network.

The HEC Patient Partner Network includes patient, caregiver and community member partners with living and lived experience accessing health and care services in Canada. The network seeks to strengthen HEC's relationships with patients, caregivers and community members from across the country ensuring living and lived experience is meaningfully embedded in the work of the organization.

As part of the HEC Patient Partner Network, you will receive regular communications from HEC including:

• Engagement opportunities at HEC and beyond

• Learning opportunities

• Patient partner tailored news and updates

• Networking

• Mentorship

At HEC, we aim to reduce barriers to your participation, and to recognize your contributions to our work in equitable and transparent ways as outlined in our approach to engagement and our guiding principles of engagement.

Please join us to make meaningful improvements to the quality and safety of care! As you sign-up to the HEC Patient Partner Network, you will have the opportunity to share more about yourself, how HEC can support you and your goals in partnering with HEC by using the form or by meeting with members of the engagement team. You will also receive a welcome email outlining what you can expect.