How to Successfully Engage Patients and Families: 10 Lessons Learned from Patient and Family Advisors

Through Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (now Healthcare Excellence Canada) collaboratives in quality improvement, Patient and Family Advisors provided 10 insights into what works best for them to partner in meaningful ways. 

Patient-centred healthcare improvements and co-designing solutions with patients and families can give project teams more diverse perspectives, greater insights and produce better outcomes than those gained if working on their own. 

Patient and Family Advisors shared these 10 insights, distilled from their experience and learning when working on quality improvement teams (which you can download below to read in full): 

1. Clarify my role. 
2. Educate others on my role and the value I bring. 
3. Equip me with the information I need to be successful. 
4. Involve me from the beginning. 
5. Including one patient advisor is good; including more is better. 
6. Sustain my involvement throughout the process. 
7. Make engagement activities accessible and provide options for how I can get involved. 
8. Promote networking opportunities. 
9. Continue working with us after the project has finished. 
10. We can do much more than just tell our stories. 

Download the 10 Lessons Learned From Patient and Family Advisors