Patient Relations

How can Patient Relations help you?

All healthcare organizations in Ontario must designate a patient relations process under Health Quality Ontario and Excellent Care for All Act (ECFAA). The patient relations process offers patients, their families, and the public a confidential mechanism to voice compliments and concerns about their experience or care. It also provides feedback that can help hospitals track the quality of patient experiences and identify opportunities for quality improvement.  

Patient Relations actively engages patients and caregivers through the Patient Family Advisory Program (PFAP) in designing, reviewing, and maintaining the patient relations process. The patient relations process reflects the hospital’s patient declaration of values.
 

What happens when you share patient feedback? 

Patients, families, and caregivers can provide feedback at any time and directly to frontline staff or Patient Relations. Confidentiality, fairness, and communication are maintained throughout the patient relations process.  

Once feedback is received, Patient Relations will inform the respondent of the complaint status within five calendar days of receiving the complaint.   

Patient Relations will advocate for patients by consistently applying patient rights and ethics, managing patient and family expectations, assessing feedback, connecting with the appropriate organizational leader, and collaborating with the healthcare team to find a resolution. 
 

Patient Declaration of Values

The Patient Declaration of Values is a document that outlines the values that support partnerships with patients, families, and caregivers across the healthcare system. The document describes vital elements essential to patients, families, and caregivers when they receive care. The Patient Declaration of Values reflects our core organizational values of patient-centered care. These values were developed in consultation with the Patient & Family Advisory Program, staff, and physicians under The Excellent Care for All Act 2010.

The Declaration of Values helps patients and their families know what they can expect when receiving healthcare at our organization and what is expected of them. It also sets out behavioral expectations for staff and physicians.
 
In 2020, Headwaters Health Care Centre gathered feedback from patients, caregivers, community stakeholders, and patient experience feedback to determine the current Patient Declaration of Values.
 

Contact Patient Relations & Patient Experience Office