At CIHI, there is growing interest in bringing the patient voice to more of our work. We are committed to involving patients as they share their expertise, their advice and their journey in a way that’s meaningful, purposeful and authentic.
We use “patients” to include clients, residents, family members and caregivers with lived and living experiences of health systems.
Patients offer a unique insight that helps us to understand our data. Their lived experiences help to explain our findings, and ensure that our work remains relevant to decision-makers at all levels of health care.
Patient involvement highlights
A caregiver’s experience during COVID-19
We included a patient advisor to provide a patient perspective on the impact of COVID-19 on Canada’s health care systems.
Children and youth with medical complexities
We analyzed different aspects of this diverse group, including health system resource use, medication use and more. The experiences of 4 families are highlighted in this report.
Patient-reported experience measures
Understanding patient experiences is integral to improving patient-centred care. This data supports quality improvement in acute care hospitals.
Shared Health Priorities
We are working to develop and report on indicators of access to home and community care, and to mental health and substance use services.
Patient toolkit
Patient toolkit
This toolkit is a package of resources to set patients up for success when working with us on a project.
What’s in the toolkit?
- About CIHI
- Roles patients play in our work
- What is available to help prepare for and participate in a patient engagement
- Frequently asked questions
- Additional resources
What patient partners and CIHI staff are saying
“Patient priorities may not always align with policy priorities. It’s important to have a dialogue on both, as patients can identify gaps in health care that can impact outcomes and improve both costs and system efficiency.”
— Linda Wilhelm, Patient Partner
“It has been an honour and a pleasure to work with CIHI as one of their patient partners. They demonstrate a sincere commitment to authentic engagement, and are open to feedback and continuously evolving their engagement practice. I look forward to sharing the next steps of their journey.”
— Susan Dunn, Patient Partner
“Having family representatives involved in our project has allowed us to understand areas that our data doesn’t cover. Family representatives make it easier for our project team to pinpoint which research messages are the most important.”
— Andrea Foebel, Senior Researcher, Health System Analysis and Emerging Issues, CIHI
Related resources
- International Association for Public Participation’s Spectrum of Engagement (PDF) (a framework to help define patient roles and engagement activities)
- Patient Engagement Resource Hub External link, opens in new window (Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement)
- Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)
Contact us
Have a question or want to be involved? Email us at patientengagement@cihi.ca.