Optimizing Patient Engagement to Enhance a Learning Health System

Mikie Mork¹Allison Strilchuk Strilchuk^1,2*Jatin Patel¹Donna Smith³Gloria Wilkinson⁴Adam Brown⁴Seija Kromm^1,5,6Michele Dyson^1,7,8Tracy Wasylak^1,6,9

• ¹Formerly Alberta Health Services, Strategic Clinical Networks, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• ²Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• ³Alberta Health Services, Engagement and Patient Experience, Calgary, Canada
• ⁴Former SCN Patient and Family Advisor and Co-chair of the Patient Engagement Reference Group, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• ⁵Acute Care Alberta, Office of Partnerships for Health Services Research, Innovation & Improvement, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• ⁶Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• ⁷Applied Research and Innovation, Recovery Alberta, Calgary, Canada
• ⁸Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• ⁹Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Patient and family advisors have served as an integral part of a collaborative, province-wide learning health system in Alberta for more than a decade, contributing to evidence generation, knowledge mobilization and research focused on improving patient outcomes. This paper describes how Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the Strategic Clinical Networks™ (SCNs™) (i) embedded patient engagement and patient-oriented research in the health services innovation and improvement, (ii) created opportunities for patient advisors to participate in leadership committees, (iii) co-designed engagement practices, resources and supports with patients and community partners, and (iv) applied a mixed-methods approach for assessing engagement effectiveness. AHS patient advisors collaborated with provincial partners and researchers to co-design and pilot a standardized set of patient and family engagement indicators (PFE-Is). Through surveys and consultations with key interest holders, the team established a baseline for effective engagement and built consensus for priorities, recommendations, and actions to improve engagement. Five themes emerged from consultations with advisors and AHS staff: supports for engagement, learning together, diversity of perspectives, the role of advisors, and evaluating meaningful patient engagement. Recommendations include opportunities to improve existing practices, resources, and supports; foster inclusivity; and promote collaborative learning opportunities. The evidence-based PFE-Is and survey are ready for implementation across Alberta's health system to monitor patient and family engagement, gather feedback from advisors and staff, and refine current strategies and practices. Continued collaboration with patient and family advisors is expected to support AHS' progress as a learning health system and drive improvements that support high quality, patient-centred care.