Engagement-Capable Environments Foundation

General objective

Understand what makes an environment engagement-capable and why it is essential for safe, high-quality and person-centred care.

After completing this foundation, you will be able to:

• Recognize the roles of leaders, staff and patient partners in shaping and sustaining engagement-capable environments
• Use HEC’s Organizational Self-Assessment Tool to reflect on your team’s or organization’s engagement capability
• Identify one specific opportunity for growth and take a first step toward strengthening engagement practices in your setting

Before you begin

To complete this activity, you’ll need:

• The Engagement-Capable Environments: Organizational Self-Assessment Tool 
• A quiet space to reflect and complete your section of the tool 
• Time for a facilitated team discussion (approx. 20 minutes) 
• A shared space (physical or digital) to record action ideas and next steps 
• Access to HEC’s online resources on patient partnerships and engagement (linked below) 

Watch and reflect

Watch this 10-minute video to learn more about the fundamentals of engagement-capable environments and the principles that guide them. 

Reflection questions:

• What stood out or surprised you in this video?
• How does this compare to the engagement culture in your own organization?
• Which of the three pillars do you most connect with in your role?

Looking at your team or organization, what collective strengths do you see that could support the development of a culture of engagement?

• What specific actions can you take, based on your personal strengths, to help build a culture of engagement within your team or organization?

Self-assessment

The Engagement-Capable Environments: Organizational Self-Assessment Tool was developed by HEC and informed by the experiences of healthcare leaders, teams and patient partners engaged in patient partnership initiatives that are grounded in relationships. 

This practice-based tool supports a guided, reflective process. It outlines the key elements and conditions that enable meaningful engagement at the organizational level. 

When completed individually by multiple team members, this activity supports a broader organizational reflection that can help your team:

• Build a shared understanding of current and desired engagement capabilities 
• Identify key strengths and areas for improvement across roles
• Determine actionable next steps and timelines for change

1. Download the self-assessment tool and review pages 2–6.
2. Identify the pillar that best aligns with your current role: (Leadership, Staff or healthcare teams, Patient partners)
3. Complete the checklist and the reflection questions in your pillar. You’ll be asked to assess your your perceptions of the presence of key elements that support meaningful engagement practices by selecting: Yes, No, Somewhat or Unknown.
4. After completing your section, identify: (One key strength, One opportunity)

This activity will help you reflect on how engagement currently shows up in your work and where there is room to grow.

Reflect and align

Once several team members have completed the self-assessment individually, come together for a short team discussion (approx. 20 minutes). This is an opportunity to share perspectives, surface patterns and identify practical next steps as a group.

Each team member should be invited to:

• Share one insight or takeaway from their reflection
• Identify one pillar-related strength and one opportunity for growth

• Look for common themes or contrasting experiences
• Agree on at least one concrete action to strengthen engagement in your setting
• Identify who will take the lead and what support may be needed to move it forward

This conversation is a starting point. The goal is not to solve everything at once, but to open space for ongoing dialogue and collaboration that can build and sustain engagement over time.

Creating an engagement-capable environment is a journey, and each of us may be at a different point along the way. What matters most is the commitment to start, reflect and continue learning together.

At their core, engagement-capable environments are built on relationships. They recognize and value the knowledge and experiences of everyone involved, including leaders, staff, patient partners and care teams.

Establishing these environments requires a long-term commitment and a willingness to embed engagement principles into purposeful and sustainable practices, resources, and supports. This work takes time, intention and trust.

As you close this foundation, take a moment to reflect on how fostering engagement-capable environments can also support culturally safe, equitable and safer care for all.

These tools and resources can support your continued learning and help you take the next steps toward building and sustaining engagement-capable environments:

• Consider exploring HEC’s Approach to Patient Partnerships and Engagement (webpages) and foundational resources to learn about HEC’s Patient Partner Network:   
  • Healthcare Excellence Canada's Guiding Principles of Engagement   
  • Healthcare Excellence Canada’s Patient Engagement Framework   
  • Healthcare Excellence Canada's Patient Partner Recognition Guide  
• Looking to connect with like-minded peers who are keen to enable engagement-capable environments? Consider joining the National Health Engagement Network, a community of practice of healthcare leaders, providers, patients and essential care partners.   
• Looking for more practical, action-oriented tools? HEC’s resource hub is currently being redeveloped and will be available soon with a curated library of materials to support your engagement efforts. 
• Coming soon! Stay tuned for the ECE e-learning series launching late fall 2025.