Embedding patient voices across care at Humber River Health

HN Summary

• Humber River Health’s Patient and Family Advisory Program embeds the voices of patients, families and caregivers across all levels of the organization, helping shape care, quality improvement and decision-making.

• Patient and Family Advisors have driven meaningful improvements across programs—including Cancer Care, Bariatrics, Nephrology and Medical Imaging—by enhancing communication, patient resources, navigation and safety. 

• With advisors contributing from frontline committees to Board-level discussions, Humber continues to strengthen patient-centred care by making lived experience a key part of healthcare planning and innovation.

At Humber River Health (Humber), patient advocacy is a partnership that helps shape how care is planned, delivered, evaluated, and improved across the organization. Through Humber’s Patient and Family Advisory Program, patients, family members, and caregivers bring forward their lived experiences to inform improvement efforts across the hospital. These voices help teams understand what matters most to patients and families. They ask important questions, identify gaps in care, and strengthen the way programs communicate, design services, and make decisions.

While patient and family advisory councils are common across healthcare, Humber’s program stands out for the depth of involvement and integration of its Patient and Family Advisors. The program has evolved into a structured model that includes 84 active PFAs, five Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFAC), and 20 Reinventing Patient Care Councils (RPCC). These advisors contribute at multiple levels, from unit-based and program-level committees to corporate committees, research initiatives, and governance-level discussions. This level of engagement reflects Humber’s commitment to ensuring patients and families are meaningfully included in shaping care.

“Patient and Family Advisors bring an essential perspective to our work,” said Carol Hatcher, Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing Executive, and Chief of Clinical Programs at Humber River Health. “Their insights help us make decisions that are grounded in lived experience, strengthen quality and safety, and ensure we remain responsive to the needs of the communities we serve.”

The impact

In Cancer Care, Patient and Family Advisors have helped improve communication, navigation, and digital engagement for patients and families. Their feedback supported the introduction of a dedicated phone line in Cancer Care to improve call routing, timely responses, and access to the care team. Patient and Family Advisors also co-designed patient navigation tools, including appointment checklists and patient passports, to help patients better understand their treatment journey and feel more prepared throughout their care.

In Bariatrics, Patient and Family Advisors have supported changes that improve access, education, and communication throughout the patient journey. Their input helped move bariatric intake forms into the MyHumberHealth portal, streamlining completion and improving digital access. They also contributed to refreshed nutrition resources, discharge materials with QR codes, and more inclusive program materials that better reflect the needs of diverse patients.

In Nephrology, the PFAC focused on practical improvements for patients navigating kidney care and in-centre hemodialysis. Their work supported clearer parking signage, improved communication through patient newsletters, confidential suggestion boxes, and the development of a transplant passport to help patients beginning the transplant process. The PFAC also worked with partners to support a peer support option for patients, recognizing the value of connecting with others who understand the lived experience of kidney care.

The Medical Imaging PFAC, established in May 2025, has already contributed to important improvements in patient education, safety, and transparency. Patient and Family Advisors reviewed and helped develop patient-facing materials on topics such as X-ray shielding changes, MRI safety during pregnancy, and transvaginal ultrasound. They also reviewed safety policy language related to individuals entering MRI scan rooms, helping ensure information is clear and understandable for patients and families. 

At the corporate level, the Corporate PFAC continues to play a key role in supporting hospital-wide quality, safety, risk management, accreditation preparedness, and organizational improvement initiatives. Patient and Family Advisors reviewed key quality initiatives and provided feedback on Accreditation Canada standards. In addition, they contributed to projects such as Patient Connect, the PFA Partnership Logo, and Humber’s organizational rebranding initiative.

This year also marked an important milestone in governance-level engagement. One of the corporate PFAC members has been participating at the Board Quality Assurance Committee, bringing lived experience directly into discussions about patient safety, quality improvement, and system performance. Three PFACs and RPCCs also presented quality and patient safety initiatives to Humber’s Board of Directors, creating a stronger connection between frontline improvement work and board-level oversight.

Forums and conferences

Humber’s commitment to patient advocacy is reflected in the Annual Patient and Family Advisors’ Forum. Co-designed by Patient and Family Advisors and the Quality and Patient Safety team, the forum brings together the advisors, frontline staff, leaders, and Board members. The day combines celebration, learning, and reflection through Patient and Family Advisors sharing their experience via storytelling, as well as RPCCs & PFACs sharing their quality improvement initiatives.

The feedback from the 2026 forum demonstrated the value of creating space for shared learning. Ninety-three per cent of participants were satisfied with the content, 97 per cent agreed that the forum was a valuable professional and personal development experience, 99 per cent said the sessions encouraged them to reflect on patient experience and high reliability practices, and 99 per cent agreed the forum effectively highlighted quality improvement and patient- and family-centred care.

Patient and Family Advisors also contributed to Humber’s broader culture of quality improvement and scholarship. At the 8th Annual Scholarly Practice Conference in January 2026, 61 quality improvement posters were showcased, including nine PFAC and RPCC-related posters, with 17 Patient and Family Advisors in attendance. Humber also submitted 61 quality improvement posters to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Forum, with five delegates attending the in-person forum in Anaheim, California.

Looking ahead

Across these initiatives, the common thread is tangible change. Patient and Family Advisors are helping improve the way information is shared, how patients navigate care, how safety practices are communicated, and how decisions are made. Their contributions strengthen collaboration between patients, families, staff, physicians, leaders, and the Board.

For Humber, patient advocacy is part of how the organization advances its mission of working together with the community to deliver innovative, safe, and equitable healthcare. By embedding lived experience across care delivery and decision-making, Humber continues to build a culture where patients and families are true partners in shaping better care. 

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